OREANDA-NEWS. August 03, 2009. The Open Estonia Foundation (OEF) launched a call for project proposals to help civil society organizations survive in difficult economic conditions. The Open Society Emergency Fund will finance social projects aimed at supporting the most vulnerable groups of society affected by the global economic crisis, as well as innovative initiatives promoting the values of open society, reported the press-centre of OEF.

“The economic crisis and increasingly unexpected budget cuts have placed NGOs in an insecure position where funding possibilities have dramatically decreased,” OEF’s Executive Director Mall Hellam said. “Whereas states all over the world offer aid packages to businesses and banks, it seems as if they expected the development of civil society to cease until the economic recession is over. It is now especially important to support people’s own initiative and solidarity, which help protect the weaker groups of society and balance dangerous tendencies of populism, intolerance, attempts to limit the freedom of speech and civic participation,” she added.

The emergency fund places priority to initiatives proposing quick and effective solutions aimed at increasing solidarity in the society. Applications can be submitted on a continuous basis and will receive an answer in 4-6 weeks.

The fund was opened thanks to the US100 million donation of George Soros, the founder of the Open Society Institute, to 20 countries in Eastern Europe, Balkans, Central Asia and Caucasus in order to alleviate the impact of the global economic crisis.