The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published a new call for proposals, part of the Focus funding framework on November 19th, 2026. Following FemFocus the current framework Focus on Freedom is focussing  on capacity strengthening of, service provision by, and dialogue conducted by civil society organizations in or for low- and middle-income countries, on protecting and promoting the human rights and fundamental freedoms of religious minorities and LGBTIQ+ persons.

A ceiling of €84,745,000 is available for the following themes:

1. €34,895,000 for applications relating to the theme of protecting and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms of religious minorities; and
2. €49,850,000 for applications relating to the theme of protecting and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms of LGBTIQ+ persons.

Important dates: 

• November 19th: call published
• December 15th: open for submission
• March 9th: call closes at 23:59 CEST

Worldwide, freedom of religion or belief is under increasing pressure. More than three quarters of the global population live in countries where this freedom is restricted. Religious minorities often face discrimination, violence, social exclusion and stigmatisation, and legislation such as blasphemy laws, along with limited access to essential services, further undermines their position in society. Human rights defenders working on freedom of religion or belief are also increasingly at risk.

In many contexts, however, local CSOs and religious actors lack the capacity and resources needed to protect and advance these rights. Interreligious dialogue remains underutilised, despite being crucial in religiously diverse and fragile societies for preventing tensions, polarisation and violent extremism. In many religious communities, women, young people and LGBTIQ+ persons have limited opportunities to participate and are often left out of local decision-making and protection mechanisms.

The global order is shifting, with geopolitical tensions, authoritarian tendencies and conflicts placing growing pressure on human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. In this context, religion is becoming an increasingly important social and political factor. Religious leaders and communities hold authority and possess networks that reach deep into society, enabling them to help rebuild trust, prevent radicalisation and foster social cohesion. At the same time, traditional and religious norms can clash with universal human rights, including gender equality and sexual and reproductive rights. This calls for careful dialogue with religious actors, focused on inclusion and justice.

 The main objectives of this sub-instrument are:

1. Strengthening local CSOs and community based organisations that work to advance freedom of religion or belief and protect religious minorities;
2. Promoting inter-, intra- and extra-religious dialogue and cooperation;
3. Reducing tensions, polarisation and the risk of violent extremism in fragile and religiously diverse societies;
4. Enhancing the inclusion of vulnerable groups, including women, young people and LGBTIQ+ persons, within religious communities;
5. Supporting dialogue and international advocacy towards governments to reduce discrimination against religious minorities and strengthen their position.

 The sub-instrument Freedom of Religion and Belief (hereinafter: FoRB) aligns with broader Dutch efforts to protect human rights, as enshrined in the MDIR policy document and in the Global Multilateralism Policy Framework. Structural cooperation with religious actors is a cornerstone of building lasting and effective Dutch foreign policy.

ELIGIBILITY AND CONSORTIUM REQUIREMENTS

• Only one applicant – no consortia.
• The applicant is a civil society organization submitting a grant application independently. No geographic limitations mentioned.
• In the 2022-2024 period, an average of at least 25% of the applicant’s total annual income came from sources other than the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This criterion does not apply to specialist organisations and small southern organisations.
• The applicant has at least 10 years of demonstrable experience in providing financial- and capacity strengthening support to local CSOs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This experience must have been acquired within the past 15 years, reference date 1 October 2025.
• The applicant must have at least 5 years of demonstrable experience in:
  • all policy objectives and themes of the sub instrument to which the grant application relate;
  • for applications under the LGBTIQ+ sub-instrument: the region(s) targeted by the application; or
  • for applications under the FoRB sub-instrument: the geographic cluster(s) targeted by the applicatio

• The applicant has a policy and system in place (applied in the five years preceding 1 October 2025) for selecting and monitoring the in-country partners it supports.
• The gross remuneration of each individual member of the applicant’s management and governing bodies does not exceed States a maximum of EUR 226,000 per calendar year for Applicants legally established in the Netherlands or other EU Member States.
• Individual applicants may be awarded a maximum of one grant under this framework

CALL DOCUMENTS

COMPETITIVENESS

The call is expected to be highly competitive. The main reasons are:

• Only 1 or 2 applications will win.
• There are no geographic limitations to where the support partner is based.
• Only one organization can be applicant. No consortia allowed.

HOW HVFC CAN SUPPORT YOU

HVFC can help you to develop a high-quality proposal. Our support can include:

1. Go/ No-Go: If you are doubting to apply or not, our Go / No-Go advisory will be useful to consider.
2. Proposal design and writing in case additional capacity is required.
3. The most cost-effective way to boost the quality of your proposal is by reviewing your proposal with our review grid, developed specifically for this call. By having the perspective of the donor, we can identify possible improvements early. This will help you to have the maximum result at the end.

Please contact us for more information on one of these services.