For the third consecutive year, the Fare Event Grants will boost national and international scale events and interventions during the Football People action weeks to address social inclusion and anti-discrimination within football.

A pool of €20,000 has been made available to fund events that will become the highlights of the two-week period in October and have the potential to generate a positive long-term impact.

The Event Grants scheme is open to all European formal and informal groups that have the capacity to organise interventions of this kind at national or international level.

The proposed events must be implemented during the Football People action weeks between 08 – 22 October 2015, have a connection to football and address one or more of these topics: inclusion of ethnic minorities, asylum seekers and migrants, breaking the glass ceilings, gender issues, homo/trans/bi-phobia, LGBT and human rights, disability, empowerment, capacity building, monitoring incidents, institutional discrimination or exclusion.

Fare Programmes Co-ordinator Claudia Krobitzsch said: "Over the last two years we have noted an increasing demand for the Event Grants.

"Many groups across Europe are now seeking for opportunities to shape the debates around social inclusion and anti-discrimination in football at a national level. Fare is keen to nurture these ambitions and to help those groups in their efforts to make a positive change.

"Last year, the wide range of ideas for events and the high quality of the applications made the selection process not easy for us. We hope to see a similar turnout this year."

Looking back – Events grants 2014
In 2014 out of 80 applications, Fare selected 13 organisations in 12 European countries to allocate an Event Grant.

Christiana Daneva, representative of the Bulgarian group Bilitis Resource Centre Foundation, who in 2014 organised a three-day film, culture and sports festival with workshops and debates, said: "In Bulgaria, as in other European countries, discussions around football and homophobia, or gender identity and sexism, are not yet as high on the agenda as racism or xenophobia.

"In the Balkans, talking about discrimination is a problem on its own. The support of international organisations is crucial to break these barriers.

"The Event Grant allowed Bilitis to fill that gap and stir a national debate around these topics in a very pro-active and engaging way. It was an excellent opportunity for us, not only to join a European-wide anti-discrimination movement but also to increase our capacity to be part of this debate."

Other examples of events supported through the Events Grants scheme include:

Black Collective Of Media in Sport (BCOMS), England
A day long conference to promote and explore the problems around diversity in sports media. The conference featured workshops and a Question and Answer (Q&A) session. After the event a good practice guide was produced with suggestions for more diversity in sports media.

Challenges and opportunities for diversity ahead of World Cup 2018 in Russia, Russia
Roundtable discussion on the issues of racism and discrimination in Russian football.

East European Development Institute, Ukraine
Conference on discrimination against Crimean Tatars and discussion on the role of Ultra groups in Ukraine’s in recent events and their impact in football.
Follow-up on the implementation of the Resolution signed in Kyiv, in October 2013.

Foul, Greece
International conference on discrimination in football addressing topics such as: the role of women in football; media and racism; discrimination in Greece; fans and the far-right; and the role of players.

Foundation of Subjective Values, Hungary
Four seminars focusing on partnerships and tactics in tackling racism in football stadiums; sport as a tool for social inclusion; the Hungarian observer system in football fixtures; and the role of supporter organised fan clubs in combating discrimination.

SOS Racismo, Portugal
Three-day anti-racism film festival on football, immigration and inclusion featuring a photo exhibition, panel discussions and educational sessions.

Spolint Institute of Sport Development, Slovenia
Conferences in Koper and Ljubljana on sport, youth, education and justice bringing together experts, athletes and NGO representatives. Production of an educational manual on inclusion, diversity and football.

How to apply for an Event Grant
Read the Event Grant criteria to find out about the conditions on which you can submit your proposal and to make sure your event meets the objectives.

Applications for the 2015 Event Grants will be open from 22 June – 31 July 2015.