2026 CSO Call for Expressions of Project Intentions

This Call for Expressions of Project Intentions is open until October 9, 2026 (at 6:00pm - Paris time). Projects must be submitted online via the OSCar platform. CSOs that do not yet have an account on OSCar must submit a request to create an account no later than September 15, 2026.

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This call for proposals falls under France's 2021 Framework and Programming Act on Development and International Solidarity, adopted on August 4, 2021. It also aligns with the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs' Stratégie de la France pour la société civile et l'engagement citoyen (France's Strategy for Civil Society and Civic Engagement) for 2023–2027 (French only). Its strategic priorities reflect the conclusions of the Presidential Council for International Partnerships (CPPI) of April 4, 2025, and AFD Group's 2025–2030 Strategy (POS V).

AFD respects the right of initiative recognized for CSOs under Article 2(VIII) of French Law No. 2021-1031 of August 4, 2021, allowing them to propose projects they have defined themselves.

The mandate and primary purpose of the CSO-I mechanism are to promote and strengthen the capacity of the civil society stakeholders involved (in France and in AFD's countries of intervention), while aiming to deliver concrete impacts for the beneficiary populations and contribute to local policy.

In addition to French CSOs, the 2021 law stipulates that CSOs in countries eligible for official development assistance may receive direct financing from AFD under certain conditions.

• CSOs registered in countries eligible for official development assistance, according to the list published by the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC), may apply for co-financing through AFD's CSO Initiatives mechanism.
• Locally governed CSOs (including unions) are eligible provided they have received financing at least once before (either directly or through a lead CSO) for a completed project, from an entity of AFD Group (CSO-I mechanism, Operations Directorate, Expertise France, Proparco, FFEM, FID, or through an FSOF-intermediary funding mechanism), regardless of the amount, or from a French embassy (annual financing > €100,000).

All countries eligible for official development assistance, according to the list published by the OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC), are eligible, with priority given to Least Developed Countries and countries that are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Projects in France are also eligible under the Global Citizenship and International Solidarity Education (ECSI) and Civil Society Capacity Building (SMA) programs.

Project intentions and administrative documents must be submitted directly via the OSCar online platform dedicated to the submission of documents relating to the CSO Initiatives mechanism. Project intentions that are not submitted via OSCar will not be considered.

To log in to OSCar, CSOs must create a user account. An authorization to use the platform (template for download here) is required to create this account. Please note: CSOs that do not yet have an account on OSCar must submit a request to create their account no later than September 15, 2026.

To help you use OSCar and follow the recommended procedures, a user guide is available for download.

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The CSO Initiatives (CSO-I) mechanism finances projects led by French and locally governed CSOs through calls for expressions of project intentions.

Discover the mechanism