More than 21.000.000,00 € to the associations for the promotion of STEM

76 projects that will be implemented with 487 partner organisations, will be financed.

On the occasion of finalising the process of contracting of projects from the Public Call for Grants „Strengthening Capacities of the CSOs for promotion of STEM“, the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs (GOfNGOs) and the National Foundation for the Civil Society Development (NFCDS) as the Intermediary Bodies within the system of managing the European Social Fund + organised the signing and the Award Ceremony for 76 contracts valued 21.384.193,93 €. The Award Ceremony was held at the National and University  Library in Zagreb on 12 March 2025.

Within the Call the projects that will contribute to building of the CSOs capacities for popularisation of STEM among children and pupils will be funded. The Call also aimed at social involving in the context of the educational sector, so in addition to 76 applicants (civil society organisations), 487 partner organisations will participate in the implementation of the contracted 76 projects.
The associations and other organisations representatives that signed the contracts were welcomed by Luka Bogdan, deputy director of the NFCSD, Helena Beus, authorised to perform the duties of the Head of the GOfNGOs, Hrvoje Meštrić, Director of the Science and Technology Directorate of the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth, Andrea Čović Vidović, deputy director of the Representation of the European Commission in the Republic of Croatia and Ivan Vidiš, state secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, as the Government delegate.

It is expected to be held about 25.000 workshops and science-popular events of the STEM popularisation among children and students within the approved projects. It is also envisaged participation of more than 68.000 children and students included in the contracted projects activities, more than 3.000 promotional activities held in public places, more than 500 workshops, study visits and fairs/conferences, more than 800 workshops organised by higher education institutions, more than 600 persons attended trainings and participated in a study visits and at fairs/conferences.

Before the Award Ceremony, the STEM Festival was held on the plateau in front of the National and University Library. The associations that were successfully implementing projects under the previous Call for the STEM popularisation funded from the European Social Fund were presented themselves.