The initiative Up Grants 2024, by the European Network of Cultural Centres, provides microfinancing for socio-cultural centers that are based in a country adhering to the Creative Europe Programme. At the center are projects that promote inclusion, in particular within one of these four thematic areas:
- E-inclusion and digital accessibility: creating applications, tools, websites (and similar) that facilitate community access to new technologies, regardless of factors such as ability, age, geographical location, language, education, literacy, culture and economic situation.
- Construction of inclusive narratives and stories that counter stereotypes, respecting different cultures. Ad hoc training and education activities for marginalized groups will be encouraged.
- Projects for the identification and removal of difficulties faced by marginalized groups. The objective is to create 'open', physical and virtual spaces: candidates must illustrate the impact of the actions carried out to improve inclusion.
- Equality and diversity criteria in management teams: inclusive of gender, ethnicity but also age, ability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, language. Candidates will be asked to provide indicators on how their organization works to achieve inclusive and accessible leadership positions for marginalized/minority groups.
The projects judged to be the best will be awarded a amount of 3500 euros, as financial support for the implementation and development of the initiatives. The deadline for submitting projects is March 18 2024.