MARCH 16, 2015

New fund to strengthen public interest organizations

Applications to the Fund for Strengthening Public Interest Organizations opened on Monday, March 9. The fund is offering $1.2 billion pesos to organizations, including neighborhood councils, indigenous communities, associations and NGOs.

This year the Fund for Strengthening Public Interest Organizations (FFIOP) will total $1.227 billion pesos. The fund was set up as part of the Civic Participation Law (20.500) and its purpose is to provide resources to strengthen communities and community organizations via proposals submitted by civil society.

From Monday, March 9, organizations including neighborhood councils, indigenous communities, sports clubs, women’s groups, senior citizen groups, associations, foundations, NGO’s and voluntary groups can apply for funding for projects at one of three levels: local, regional and national.

How much funding is available

Local projects are defined as projects carried out or affecting a single municipal district and are eligible for a maximum of $2 million pesos in funding. Regional projects involve two or more municipal districts within the same region and are eligible for a maximum of $4 million pesos, while national projects correspond to proposals involving more than one region and are eligible for up to $10 million pesos.

Fund profile

Funding will be awarded to strengthening projects, i.e. projects that boost civic participation in public interest organizations. This can be in terms of the organizations themselves (their directors or partners) and the citizens who participate in the organizations (local communities, target groups, etc.).

Projects may include workshops, seminars, public awareness campaigns or training programs in matters that are of general interest or that promote the common good, for example civil rights, social services, education, health, the environment or voluntary work.

Who awards the funding

Each region has been allocated a specific amount of funding for regional and local projects. The final decision regarding the awarding of funding will be made by the corresponding FFOIP Regional Council in consultation with the Regional Government Ministry (SEREMI). In total there are $736 million pesos available for local projects and $282 million for regional projects.

The allocation of the $208 million pesos for national projects will be decided by the FFOIP National Council in consultation with the Government Undersecretariat. Organizations wishing to apply for funding at any level must have been declared as ‘public interest organizations’ by the Government Undersecretariat.

Paper and online applications

Applications opened on Monday March 9 and close on April 3 at 13:00 for paper applications. Application forms are available from Regional Government Ministry (SEREMI) offices or from the Unidad de Fondos del Ministerio, Villavicencio 337, Barrio Lastarria, Santiago Centro. The deadline for submitting online applications is April 10. For online applications visit www.fondodefortalecimiento.gob.cl.

For full terms and conditions or to submit an online application, visit www.fondodefortalecimiento.gob.cl. (in Spanish). Paper forms and terms and conditions are available from Regional Government Ministry (SEREMI) offices.