Nicosia: The European Commission has awarded 15 grants totaling over 2 million euros to civil society organisations in Cyprus. This initiative is part of the ninth Cypriot Civil Society in Action grant scheme, which was launched in 2024 to support the enhancement of trust, dialogue, and cooperation among civil society organisations, while promoting European Union values and standards with a focus on the reunification of Cyprus.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the European Commission received 69 applications for the scheme and completed the evaluation process in June 2025. As a result, 15 grants were awarded, benefiting 28 Cypriot civil society organisations (CSOs). These projects are slated for implementation over the next 15 to 30 months. Notably, six of these projects are bi-communal, involving partnerships between Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot CSOs.
The projects address various areas, including environmental protection and sustainable development, reconciliation, confidence-building, and promoting civil society participation in the settlement process. Other focal points include women empowerment, support for victims of gender-based violence, youth advocacy, health rights, animal rights, and creating an enabling environment for CSOs.
Since 2007, approximately 23 million euros have been allocated for CSO grants under the EU Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community, as stated by the European Commission.