Social Innovation Award 2025

Civil societies are playing a pivotal role in reconfiguration of social practices (adaptation of models, changing current practices, introducing or scaling up methods) in response to socio-economical and ecological challenges aiming to improve the societal well-being of communities where they are active. To recognize the diverse efforts of CSOs in the Carpathians, the partners of the Carpathian Civil Society Platform, Foundation Peritum – Poland, Bardejov Community Foundation – Slovakia, Carpathian Foundation-Hungary, Carpathian Foundation-Ukraine, and Szigeti Young Hungarian Association – Romania launches the Social Innovation Award 2025, giving an opportunity to civil actors to introduce their community-based initiatives implemented within the last two years.

The Carpathian Civil Society Platform invites formal and non-formal civil society organizations from the Carpathian Euroregion to submit the description of their accomplished initiatives along the following topics. Priority will be given to projects that respond to the war in Ukraine, and projects that focus on youth involvement.

• mobilization of the social, cultural and economic potential of the community;
• social inclusion and integration;
• development of new social networks and social partnerships;
• promotion of voluntary work in society;
• collaboration and partnership among CSOs, local governments and businesses;
• development of community philanthropy and social responsibility;
• cross-border co-operation among CSOs, which contributed to local problem solving

The application should contain the following information:

• brief introduction of the applicant’s organization /when it was established, main goals, activities etc.) (half page)
• description of the challenge/issue/problem addressed by the innovation (1 page)
• description of the process of the implementation of the innovation – how it was implemented (1 page)
• the main achievements of the innovation / what has been achieved/ (1 page)
• how the innovation will be sustained? What is the future of the innovation/what are the plans for the future (1 page)
• short summary of the project (half page)

In addition to the written application, we welcome photos, short video presentation related to the innovation.

Social Innovation Award prize

One winner will be awarded in each respected country, and the winners will be rewarded a prize. The Award ceremony will be held in the upcoming inter-regional event of the Platform in July 2025, where the winners will have an opportunity to introduce their innovation.

Criteria for eligibility – who can apply?

The applicants must be community based (grassroot) organizations, legally registered civil society organizations or not registered informal groups based and operating in the Carpathian Euroregion, namely:

• Hungary:  Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén,  Hajdú-Bihar, Heves, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg and Nógrád counties
• Poland:  Lesser Poland Voivodeship (Malopolska), Podkarpathia voivodship
• Romania: Bihor, Botosani, Harghita, Maramures, Satu Mare, Salaj and Suceava counties
• Slovakia: Kosice and Presov regions
• Ukraine: Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Zakarpatska oblasts

The following organizations, groups are NOT eligible to apply:

• Applications outside of the above regions
• Branches of large NGOs

Proposal evaluation

Priority will be given to organizations operating in the rural areas of Carpathian Euroregion demonstrating clear bottom-up approach in their innovations and has tangible results.

A jury composed by the funding members of the Carpathian Civil Society Platform will evaluate the applications according to the following criteria (20% each): 

• relevant presentation and information on the background of the innovation why it was initiated
• description of the main tangible results and impact of the innovation on the community; how it contributed to the long-term goals of the community
• clear description of methods used during the realization of the project;
• convincing explanation on the innovativeness of the project;
• how the innovation can be sustained

How to apply?

Applicant should submit the application in national language to one of the organizations in their respected countries:

• Hungary – Kárpátok Alapítvány-Magyarország
• Slovakia – Bardejov Community Foundation
• Ukraine – Carpathian Foundation-Ukraine
• Poland – Foundation Peritum
• Romania – Szigeti Young Hungarian Association

Submission deadline:  30 April 2025.

We reserve the right to further modifications.

Download the call for application:

The Hungarian partner’s participation in the project is co-financed by the Hungarian State.

The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.