Open call for proposals for operating grants to non-governmental organisations: financial contribution to the functioning of health non-governmental bodies implementing one or more specific objectives of Regulation 2021/522

EXPECTED RESULTS AND IMPACT

Through their core operational activities they will deliver on increased health literacy and health promotion, capacity building and networking contributing to the optimisation of healthcare activities and practices, by providing feedback from and facilitating communication with patients.

The beneficiaries are expected to further demonstrate in their proposals the Union added value of their activities and commit to deliver concrete results such as: online materials, webpages, manuals and tools on case studies promoting health in schools, factsheets and relevant literature, materials for teachers on health literacy, and assistance and promotion of twinning with other European schools; capacity-building and training activities to reduce the impact of risk factors for non-communicable diseases; new approaches to promote healthy and sustainable diets; expert guidance and peer-to-peer connections; and collaborate in shared areas of activity.

Some of the beneficiaries’ activities are expected to contribute to the implementation of non-legislative policy initiatives and/or the implementation of relevant Union health legislation.

The beneficiaries will facilitate the exchange of knowledge, capacity building related to their expertise and should cooperate with other civil society organisations and international organisations (e.g. WHO and other organisations).

POLICY CONTEXT

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) play a major role among others in providing aid at Union, national and local levels. In the field of health, and specially public health, they provide services directly to patients and individuals being in some cases in the first line of action also during emergencies. NGOs are also essential in bridging the gap between institutions and patients and facilitating communication at national and Union level. These organisations are not-for-profit and therefore necessarily rely on funding from different sources, for instance private donations, national or international contributions.

The Commission considers it important that there is continuity in the work carried out by the health NGOs in addressing current health challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, and it intends to award operating grants under this work programme to eligible NGOs.

NGOs’ expertise and contribution is expected to be of added value in relation to NCDs, health determinants, ageing society, vulnerable groups and rare diseases. Poor nutrition, physical inactivity, obesity, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol are risk factors common to other chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases may also require attention.

The demographic changes, in particular the ageing of society, challenge the sustainability of health systems and disorders, such as dementia, and age-related diseases and disabilities may need to be addressed. Patients and health systems need to have access to sustainable, efficient, equitable, and affordable high-quality medicinal products, including in the cross-border context, to fully benefit from those medicinal products on the basis of transparent, consistent, and patient-oriented medical information.

The views of the patients with complex or rare diseases and conditions that require highly specialised treatment, and concentrated knowledge and resources, need to be heard and their access to diagnosis and high-quality healthcare improved. Furthermore, there is a need to protect people in vulnerable situations, including those suffering from mental illness and those living with or most affected by communicable or non-communicable diseases and chronic diseases, and to promote activities, which address and prevent the collateral impact of health crises on people belonging to such vulnerable groups and actions that improve mental health.

The operating grants linked to a specified time-frame and specific outputs or results are intended to provide support to health NGOs that pursue one or more of the specific objectives of Article 4 points (a) to (j) of Regulation (EU) 2021/522. By analogy to grants without a call for proposals, the award of operating grants with an open call for proposals is subject to compliance with the conditions of Article 13(1)-(4) and (8) of Regulation (EU) 2021/522, and the relevant criteria set in the Financial Regulation, as well as additional criteria set out in the call for proposals.

OBJECTIVES, SCOPE AND ACTIVITIES

The objective is to ensure the participation of health NGOs in activities that are necessary to implement one or more specific objectives of the EU4Health Programme. Hence, operating grants should provide support to the functioning of certain NGOs during 2023 for activities including awareness raising on various health aspects, communication and dissemination, capacity building and training, expert collaboration and networking.