40 CSOs supported by the Aspektus+ grant programme

Sixteen CSOs selected in the Hatókör call and 24 selected in the Helyben ható call will be able to start implementing their programs in January 2026. In the regional grant programme, organizations can use 60,000 EUR and 30,000 EUR over a period of three years. The complex, four-year capacity-building program targeting rural civil society organizations in Hungary is funded by the European Union’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme.

“We received some excellent grant applications. The personal interviews and organizational diagnoses between the two rounds of applications confirmed our belief that we had come into contact with a number of well-prepared, motivated organizations worthy of support,” said András Nyirati, president of the Power of Humanity Foundation, which leads the implementing consortium. “Unfortunately, the limited funding available meant that not all applicants could be supported, so the professional evaluators did not have an easy task.”

As Nyirati noted, experience to date has confirmed the Aspect Group’s belief that it is particularly important to launch further independent grant programmes for the extremely underfunded and vulnerable rural civil sector. In addition to financial support, CSOs can expect training, organizational development, professional mentoring, and a special focus on networking.

The aim of the Hatókör call is to contribute to the strengthening and long-term sustainability of rural CSOs in a socio-political environment where the operating conditions for the civil sphere are constantly deteriorating. Thanks to the three-year grant, Hatókör grantees will become a stable point of reference for other CSOs operating in their environment. The civil society organizations can use the HUF 24 million grant at their own discretion.

Helyben hate call is supports six registered civil society organizations in each of Hungary’s four rural regions—Northern Hungary, Northern Great Plain, Southern Great Plain, and Southern Transdanubia—in becoming more independent, stable, and active participants in local democracy. The support is intended for existing CSOs that want to take the next step in their development and reach the next level of operation. The available HUF 12 million will enable the organizations not only to strengthen their operational infrastructure, but also to implement individual projects.

The complex, four-year capacity-building grant programme is being implemented with the coordination of the Aspect Group, the Association of Alternative Communities in Debrecen, the Dialogue Association in Miskolc, the Power of Humanity Foundation in Pécs, and the Motivation Community in Szeged, with funding from the European Union’s Citizens, Equal Opportunities, Rights and Values (CERV) program, with funding of approximately one billion forints.