Social Service Accelerator։ Call for Participation

The Accelerator will support up to 20 organizations through an intensive capacity-building program, after which up to 10 participants will be competitively selected to receive sub-grants of up to €50,000 to pilot their newly developed services. The Accelerator supports CSOs and grassroots initiatives working or planning to work in the following areas:

• Social patronage services, to be carried out as regular home visits directed towards assisting families in organizing their everyday livelihood and developing their social skills as well as supporting their community integration.
• Social rehabilitation services, which include services aimed at promoting social integration and inclusion of socially isolated and vulnerable families and individuals, resilience, independence and community engagement. This model will be tested within the framework of the Maralik Social House.
• Community-based multifunctional social care services, which aim to improve the quality of life, resilience, and independence of people with diverse physical and mental health conditions, addictions, and other specific support needs, including those displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh. The multifunctional model includes, but is not limited to, home care, small group homes, day care, or other types of services. These services will include care, support, and individual assistance to beneficiaries, including people with diverse physical and mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and other specific support needs, including those displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, aimed at promoting their daily functioning, maintaining independence, or supporting social integration. Social care services in the “small group home” model usually include a range of support services aimed at improving the quality of life of residents (focusing on specific groups: displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh, older adults, persons with disabilities, or people experiencing homelessness) and contributing to their achievement of stability and independence.

Interpretations of the new social services can be found in the following link: RA Law on Social Assistance. The services offered within the framework of the program stem from the description specified in the aforementioned law, but are not limited to that description and imply a creative, needs-based and community-based approach.

Funding provided through the Accelerator’s competitive Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) mechanism aims to promote locally led, community-based service delivery for vulnerable and displaced populations.

This call for participation is not for immediate grant funding. Participation in the Accelerator is a prerequisite for applying for sub-grants.

Eligibility Criteria

We welcome applications from:

• Registered CSOs and initiative groups that are based or actively implementing or planning to implement activities in the regions of Shirak, Aragatsotn, Tavush or Gegharkunik.
• Organizations currently delivering or planning to deliver community-based social services for vulnerable groups (e.g. displaced persons, elderly, persons with disabilities, women, children, etc.)․
• Both experienced providers and those with a strong motivation and realistic plans to launch new services, strengthen institutional capacity, or pursue state accreditation and funding․

Organizations that do not currently provide social services are eligible if they demonstrate a clear understanding of community needs and present an initial concept for a service that can be further developed during the Accelerator.

Benefits of Participation

Selected organizations will participate in a 4-month social services accelerator, which will provide comprehensive support to implement and pilot services, strengthen organizational systems, governance mechanisms, and service delivery․ The Accelerator includes:

• Assessment of organizational, managerial and technical capacities, followed by a personalized capacity building program,
• Expert-led mentoring during the preparatory and piloting phases of the social service,
• Development and implementation of social service delivery toolkits and other necessary technical resources,
• Opportunities for peer learning and regional exchange,
• Opportunity for support in obtaining state certification,
• Opportunity to be selected through a competitive process for a sub-grant of up to €50,000 to pilot new social services (for up to 10 accelerator participants).

The program combines online and in-person sessions, complemented by individualized one-on-one mentorship. The format and intensity of support are adapted to each organization's needs․

Core areas of mentorship include:

• Organizational and Management Capacity Building: Strengthen the internal systems and workforce of CSOs to provide quality social services.
• Technical Assistance: Offer practical guidelines for the adaptation and implementation of new services in the community, aligning the range and quality of services provided (service inclusion and "discharge", cost-effectiveness, ensuring beneficiary participation, promotion and community involvement, decision-making, etc.) with the quality standards of service provision.
• Networking and Ecosystem Building: Support the creation and strengthening of relationships between beneficiaries, partners and state/non-state actors.

The competitive call for proposals for delivering the services will be available only for the participants of Social Service Accelerator.

Timeline

• Information session for the participation in the Accelerator: September 9, 2025 (online)
• Application deadline: September 17, 2025
• Review and pitching: September 2025
• Final selection and contracting: End-September 2025
• Accelerator program: October 2025 – January 2026
• Call for proposals (Sub-grant) and selection – January 2026
• Service delivery: February 2026 – June 2027
• Final evaluation & closeout: July – August 2027 

Selection Criteria

Applications for the participation in accelerator program will be evaluated based on:

Applicant CSOs or initiative groups will be selected in two stages:

• Stage 1: Document Review
• Stage 2: Interview

The evaluation committee will take into account the organizational maturity of each applicant, ensuring that both experienced and newly established organizations/groups are assessed fairly based on their stage of development.

This selection process is designed to select participants for the capacity building phase of the accelerator. Grant selection will only take place after successful completion of this phase, based on progress and service readiness.

Application Process

To participate in the Social Services Accelerator, please complete the application form and send it to the following e-mail address (along with other relevant documents): grantsarmenia@peopleinneed.net

The online information meeting will be held on September 9, 2025. To participate, please register by September 7, 2025. For registration or questions, you can write to: grantsarmenia@peopleinneed.net