O2 Foundation Distributes CZK 10 Million to Support Disadvantaged Children and Young People
Prague – 34 non-government non-profit organizations that operate in nine regions of Bohemia and help improve the life of disadvantaged children and young people officially received their cheques worth CZK 6.25 million from the O2 Foundation in Prague today. More grants worth CZK 3.75 million were given out by the O2 Foundation to the winning projects representing five Moravian regions in Ostrava last week. Today, the O2 Foundation closed its 8th year of the regional grant programme that helps disadvantaged children all around the Czech Republic.
„This year, 359 organizations submitted their projects, out of this number 244 organizations pursue their activities in Bohemia and 1/6 of them applied successfully,” says Ivana Šatrová, director of the O2 Foundation, and she adds: “Next year will be very difficult for the non-profit sector as the state money is drying out and many companies are having hard times and lower their philanthropic budgets. I am pleased that Telefónica decided to keep the O2 Foundation’s budget, so we will be able to help NGOs accomplish their projects just like in the previous years.”
The O2 Foundation Regional Grants Programme was launched in March. Until May, NGOs from all over the Czech Republic could submit their projects and apply for a grant. According to the terms and conditions of the grant programme, the projects were required to assist children and young people, who for various reasons find integration into the society more difficult. The organizations could apply for grants in one of the two categories depending on the amount requested – small budget and large budget category.
In each of the eight regions of the Czech Republic, there was a regional committee formed consisting of local experts, journalists and employees of Telefónica Czech Republic. Having carefully studied the projects, the committees selected projects running up to the semi-final, these projects were reviewed by independent external experts focusing on issues associated with children and young people. Their opinions were provided to the members of the regional committees, who finally selected the projects that would win the O2 Foundation grants in individual categories.
Just like every year, the O2 Foundation Award will be the top event of the grant programme. The O2 Foundation’s Board of Trustees selects one exceptional project from a group of projects nominated by the regional committees, the selected project must attract the board’s attention by its effort to change established social habits and break taboos in the society. The NGO submitting the winning project will receive CZK 1 million contribution from the O2 Foundation. The winner will be announced at the end of 2009.
