Open Society Foundation

Open Society Foundation

Open society is actually the philosophy of a fundamental life style. It is a phenomenon referring to open discussion on every subject without any concern for taboos. An open society should always welcome change and the participation of all individuals in the society. CAN PAKER

The Open Society Ideal The open society is a concept, first brought forward by Henri Bergson, and then developed and popularized by Karl Popper, especially by his theory on epistemology which constitutes a basis for the open society idea. According to Popper s view, since our perception of reality is imperfect, one should not insist on singular and absolute truth and hence no one should have the monopoly of truth. If singular and absolute truth is non-existent, then people have to respect differences in opinions. Open society is a concept which acknowledges that no one can monopolize absolute knowledge, that people can have different opinions and expectations, and that society needs institutions to protect individual s rights so as to live together in peace. In practice, open society entails the rule of law, democratically elected governments, a strong civil society that accommodates differences, and respect to minorities and the opinions of minorities. Open society aims democracy. It struggles against governmental systems like fascism, communism, and Nazism that target to shepherd the society ideologically. It stands against despotic regimes. It defends the rights of society and individuals against repressive states. Open society takes the side of individuals and society. İSHAK ALATON

The Open Society Foundation We, as the Open Society Foundation, were founded on 20 August 2008 aiming to create a more open society in Turkey with improved responsiveness to human rights, democracy, and universal values. We primarily provide financial support to projects in conformity with the open society ideal, as well as make publications within the framework of our priority working areas. We offer partial grants on project or institution basis to initiatives in accordance with our primary areas of interest, such as Turkey s EU membership process, reform, gender, education, decreasing regional disparities, disadvantaged groups, and strengthening of civil society. Projects that are presented to us and found eligible after the evaluation of our Advisory Board and approval of our Executive Board can receive grants up to 1/3 of their total budgets. We expect the remaining sources to be raised mainly through local sources. In my opinion, establishing a more open society in Turkey implies welcoming the participation of women and young people throughout the country and in all levels of public space. It includes the removal of thresholds and restrictions concerning a wide space, from civil society organizations to the functioning of the Parliament, from universities to prisons. It involves making minority groups feel themselves as majority. It requires improvements in the quality of education, liberation of universities, as well as a free and pluralist media. It needs a real secularization of thought and of thinking. OSMAN KAVALA

Advisory Board Members of the Open Society Foundation Advisory Board are selected among people who are experts in their fields, have sufficient knowledge and experience, and can assure the credibility of the Board s decisions in the society. The Advisory Board consists of nine members who rotationally transfer their posts to new persons at the end of their terms of membership. Members of the Advisory Board work entirely on voluntary basis. The Advisory Board evaluates the project proposals in relevant fields of activity stated in the Open Society Foundation s purposes that are presented to us and planned to be implemented, determines the appropriate grant amounts and advises the Executive Board on the projects accordingly. Open society is an open ended process that passes through criticism, especially selfcriticism. It depends on an attitude far from the We succeeded; they should behave like us approach. ELISABETH ÖZDALGA

Operating Principles We, as the Open Society Foundation, offer partial grants on project or institution basis to initiatives in accordance with our primary areas of interest, such as Turkey s EU membership process, reform, gender, education, decreasing regional disparities, disadvantaged groups and strengthening of civil society. Projects that are presented to us and found eligible after the evaluation of our Advisory Board and the approval of our Executive Board can receive grants up to 1/3 of their total budgets. We expect the remaining sources to be raised mainly through local sources. A transparent, competitive and concurrently solidarist society in which democracy, going beyond all institutions and rules, has been established as a life style, where critical thinking can put forth even at the most extreme ends, and where ability to empathize has bushed out in the form of citizenship consciousness. In other words, it is a journey where reaching the final destination may be impossible but whose challenge is fulfilling. EYÜP CAN In my opinion, the ideal of open society means creating a strong civil society based on the rule of law. MELİH FERELİ

Our Grant Programs As the Open Society Foundation, we provide financial support to the activities of organizations on projects basis. In order to receive support from the Open Society Foundation, project proposals should be prepared in both Turkish and English and submitted by e-mail to info@aciktoplumvakfi. org.tr. Project proposals that are ready to be presented to the Advisory Board consisting of nine members are evaluated by this Board which meets periodically and projects that are found appropriate are submitted to our Executive Board for approval. Projects approved by our Executive Board are entitled to be supported by the Open Society Foundation. Projects that are presented to Open Society Foundation and found eligible after the evaluation of our Advisory Board and the approval of our Executive Board can receive grants up to 1/3 of their total budgets. We expect the remaining sources to be raised mainly through local sources. We do not have a standard format for project applications; however proposals should fulfill specific requirements, especially the criterion of relevance to the open society ideal. Application procedure and budget template can be obtained from our website (www.aciktoplumvakfi.org.tr). Organizations that benefit from our grants present comprehensive interim and final reports during the implementation and after the completion of their projects.

A Few Examples of the Projects We Support As the Open Society Foundation, we provide financial support to organizations, persons and initiatives that carry out programs and projects in accordance with our priority working areas. Some examples among the projects we are pleased to support, which, in our opinion, perfectly reflect the philosophy of Open Society and the diversity of our activity fields, are presented in the following pages. As the Open Society Foundation, we believe that Turkey will become a more open society by getting closer to European Union, therefore we are closely interested in Turkey s membership to the EU. Accordingly, Turkey s EU membership process has an important and leading place in our activities. Our main efforts towards that purpose include the activities of the Independent Commission on Turkey was founded by our initiative among others in order to encourage Turkey s EU membership process and this Commission s second report on Turkey entitled Turkey in Europe: Breaking the Vicious Circle. Former President of Finland and 2008 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Martti Ahtisaari chairs this Commission known publicly as the Commission of Wise Men. Commission members contacts in European capitals such as Brussels, Stockholm, Paris, Vienna, Rome, The Hague, London, Madrid, Athens, Warsaw and Berlin made an enormous contribution to reducing the anxiety about Turkey s membership and creating a neutral and open minded attitude towards Turkey in Europe.

We are pleased to support the KA-MER Foundation, which pioneered an independent women s movement in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia. Since our establishment we have been providing financial means to KA-MER s activities aiming to defend human rights in general and women s human rights in particular and based on the refusal of all kinds of discrimination. For that purpose, we also supported a documentary on KA-MER as it represents an exemplary role model for civil society thanks to its successful struggle. KA-MER is a civil society movement which started its activities in 1997 in and around Diyarbakır and spread in 10 years time to all 23 cities and more than 120 districts throughout the region due to the demands of women living in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia. By pointing out the violence and repression women face as a result of their traditional status in the society, KA-MER has achieved to reach more than 40 thousand women since its foundation. Within this context, KA-MER struggled against honor killings and, with the help of its local centers, saved hundreds of women who were to be the victims of such acts. The open society ideal involves reaching a society which allows individuals to freely advance themselves and to fulfill all their expectations. In terms of contemporary values, this ideal society is the one in which all institutions of pluralistic democracy are fully functioning, individual freedoms are respected, the rule of law is absolutely ensured, and economic equality of opportunity and social rights are fully enjoyed. As all other ideals, it may not be established in the fullest sense; what is important is to continue working towards realizing this ideal. TEMEL İSKİT

We also attach a particular importance to the projects carried out by the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV). TESEV aims to strengthen Turkey by reflecting, researching and communicating on highly disputed subjects and it approaches these issues with courage in the quest for establishing a constructive dialogue between the stakeholders. By conducting academic studies on various hot topics such as the relations between religion, state, and politics, setting social and economic priorities for Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia, or the Cyprus problem, TESEV illustrates that reflecting, researching and dialogue on difficult and seemingly challenging problems contributes to the establishment of a more open society in Turkey. Education is another topic that we prioritize among our primary working areas. We think that the ideal of high quality education accessible to everyone is a crucial element of open societies. For that reason, we provide financial support to Anadolu Kültür s initiative aiming to create equality of opportunity in education via offering scholarships to students of Roma origin living in different cities. Their project consists of financial support for university fees and for the costs of private teaching institutions attended by senior year high school students. In order to realize a more open society in Turkey, our Foundation also prioritizes protecting the rights of disadvantaged groups that are subject to prejudices, discrimination, and exclusion in society. Within this framework, we provide support to KAOS GL which works against discrimination based on sexual orientation by struggling to improve the practice of human rights concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and transsexual people. Moreover, we offer funding to the Human Rights in Mental Health Initiative s (RUSIHAK) activities. These include providing legal consultancy to people with mental disabilities and their "History of humanity is full of with examples of victims who do not abstain from harming others in case they find an opportunity to enjoy power. Unfortunately it is the same in Turkey; people who cite democracy and freedoms most are ready to tolerate the exclusionary behavior of those once excluded. The philosophy of open society and the Open Society Foundation not only reminds their responsibilities to those who were faced with exclusion in the past, but also documents and objects to the recent examples of exclusion That s the reason why it is so precious and important." HAKAN ALTINAY

relatives, identifying their legal needs, defending legal test cases on problematic issues such as education, housing, employment, medical care, rehabilitation, tutelage, and disability pensions, and raising the visibility of these cases among public, as well as their consultancy line which serves by giving legal support through telephone. Another rights based support we provide is for the activities of Civil Society in the Penal System Association (CISST) which targets to prevent human rights abuses in F type prisons, to accomplish better and more effective management of prisons and to reduce seclusion and restraint practices in prisons. As the Open Society Foundation, we also provide financial support to scientific studies since the beginning. An example of these studies is the research entitled Between Hospitality and Hostility: The Processes of Othering in Turkey conducted by Prof. Dr. Hakan Yılmaz from Bogazici University. This research intended to identify kinds and types of otherization in Turkey, as well as to figure out which legal mechanisms have been used by the society in order to struggle against discrimination and which new legal arrangements would gain public acceptance. We will continue to support academic studies that will contribute to the elimination of prejudices and discrimination against different identities and will help to put emphatic and rational solutions into practice. As it is one of the important elements of open societies, a vivid and pluralist civil society also constitutes one of our main interest areas. With this perspective, we try to contribute to the capacities and human resources of civil society organizations in Turkey which have been demonstrating an increase both in terms of quantity and variety in recent years. For that reason, we provide financial support to Istanbul Bilgi University NGO Research and Training Center s publications, especially for those that aim to improve the capacities of NGOs and grassroots organizations in Anatolia.

Frequently Asked Questions Does the Foundation provide any scholarships to individuals? Open Society Foundation only provides institutional support for scholarships on project basis. The Foundation does not have a scholarship program. However some of the projects we support offer scholarship opportunities. Detailed information on those opportunities can be obtained from the organizations that conduct relevant projects. Are there any job opportunities? Open Society Foundation does not implement operational projects itself and works with a small and permanent staff of five persons. In case a vacancy for employment exists, it is announced through our website. Can we give voluntary support to your Foundation? As we do not execute any project directly, we rarely need additional human resources. However you can always get in touch with us in order to share your suggestions and opinions about the projects we provide financial support. Can we become members? Open Society Foundation does not have any membership procedure. Open Society is one in which discussion on anything is not considered as a taboo, the rule of law is unconditionally accepted, and individual rights are present in the highest level. MURAT SUNGAR

Are there any opportunities for internship? We offer internships though on an irregular basis. For internship applications, you can send your curriculum vitae to info@aciktoplumvakfi.org.tr. Do you support ongoing projects? Open Society Foundation can provide support to projects that are designed on the basis of the experience and knowledge obtained from previous projects. However, ongoing projects are not eligible for grant applications. Open society is a society that can criticize and question itself and open to the political participation of all citizens. ZÜLFÜ DİCLELİ Does Open Society Foundation have offices outside Istanbul? Open Society Foundation performs its activities only through its Istanbul office. We do not have any other offices or agencies elsewhere in Turkey.

Publications As the Open Society Foundation, we not only offer financial support to projects, but also make publications covering issues that fall under our priority working areas. Similar to our grant programs, also in our publications we prioritize topics such as Turkey s EU membership process, reforms, gender, education, decreasing regional disparities, disadvantaged groups and strengthening civil society. We attach importance to and provide support for publications that are based on the results of the projects our Foundation funds and facilitate the dissemination of those results across society.

General Information Project proposals can only by submitted by legal entities including civil society organizations, universities and non-profit corporations. Project proposals should be submitted both in Turkish and English. The Open Society Foundation s financial support to a project cannot exceed 1/3 of the total project budget. According to the Grant Letter prepared by the Open Society Foundation, securing the rest of the budget is the responsibility of the grantee. The Open Society Foundation prefers this additional support to be provided mainly from local resources. All project proposals submitted to the Open Society Foundation is evaluated by its Advisory Board which meets on regular basis. In case the Open Society Foundation considers necessary, it can ask for an analysis of the project and its technical sufficiency from domestic and local experts and take their opinions. The date of the earliest Advisory Board meeting and the relevant project application deadlines can be obtained from the Open Society Foundation. In all printed and visual materials (publications, meeting announcements, posters, brochures, and so on) and press releases; products in electronic environment (web site, web portal, VCD, DVD, CD-ROM, etc.); as well as in activities like conference and seminars carried out within a project financially supported by the Open Society Foundation, it is compulsory to indicate that the project is sponsored by the Open Society Foundation and to use the logo of the Open Society Foundation in the appropriate size. This rule is also stated clearly in the Grant Letter. All expressions and Open Society Foundation logos which are to be used in the above mentioned activities and in similar situations should be approved by the Open Society Foundation prior to the usage. Cevdet Paşa Caddesi Mercan Apartmanı No: 85 D: 11 Bebek/İstanbul t: 0212 287 99 86 f: 0212 287 99 67 info@aciktoplumvakfi.org www.aciktoplumvakfi.org.tr Guidelines for Submission of Project Proposals to the Open Society Foundation

Sections The following sections should be written under different headings in the project text and project proposal should be at least 5 pages long excluding the budget table. Cover In the front page of the proposal basic information like the name of the applicant institution, contact information, contact person, project duration and implementation dates, total budget of the project and the amount of financial support demanded from the Open Society Foundation should be indicated. Summary A general summary of the project should be provided briefly in a paragraph. Justification The main reasons for developing the project and its justification should be explained. Relevance to the open society ideal How the project will contribute to the open society ideal and why it should be supported by the Open Society Foundation should be clearly stated. Goals General goals of the project should be specified. Objectives The objectives planned to be achieved in accordance with the goals and as a result of the project should be articulated. Method The method that will be used during the project implementation should be clearly stated. All activities like trainings, meetings, workshops, study visits, literature reviews that will be organized during the project implementation should be listed in this section. The location of project implementation and execution The place where the project will be implemented and executed should be articulated. In case they exist, the available resources (human resources and equipment) should be explained under this heading. Information about the applicant The project manager s and the main staff s names and experiences on the subject, if any, should be mentioned; the CV s of the main staff should be enclosed to the proposal. Schedule The schedule of all activities that will be implemented during the project should be stated on a timetable. Budget In addition to the text describing the project proposal, there should be a detailed budget and fund resources table. An example of this table can be found below. The name of the project and its implementation period should be stated clearly within the proposal. The budget should be prepared in Turkish Liras (TL). The budget should be prepared in excel or in an equivalent computing program and presented digitally. The budget amounts computed have to be seen clearly from the formulas used in the cells of the electronic file. Salaries/wages should be stated in gross amounts. (These amounts should include taxes and Social Security Insurance premiums) In case an operating cost item is included in the budget, the contents of this item should be clearly indicated. If there are project staff members who will spare for a specific percentage of their work hours for the project, this specific percent should be stated in the budget and payments for that kind of personnel should be computed according to this percentage. It is intolerable for full-time staff members, who have to spend 100 % of their work hours for the project, to work in other jobs or projects and generate income from them; in case such a practice is observed, this may be considered as a justification for terminating the project. All in-kind contributions to the budget should be stated and their monetary equivalents should be indicated in the funding table. Documents on these in-kind contributions should be submitted to the Open Society Foundation together with interim reports. BUDGET OF THE PROJECT Date: Unit Expenditure (TL) Number of Units Budget (TL) 1. Human Resources: Project Manager 1,500/month 12 month 18,000 Project Assistant 1,000/month 12 month 16,800 Administrative Assistant 375/month 12 month 4,500 2. Office Expenditures: Stationery 1,000 1,000 Communication Expenses 250 12 month 3,000 3. Project Expenditures: Trainers 100/hour 225 hour 22,500 Foreign Trainers: Daily Allowance 400/day 2 trainer x 3 day 2,400 Accommodation 75/day 2 trainer x 5 day 750 Food Expense 30/day 2 trainer x 5 day 300 Technical Equipment 1,500 2 trainer 3,000 Simultaneous Translation: 2 translators 500/day 6 day 6,000 Technical Equipment 700/day 6 day 4,200 4. Publicity, Communication Press releases and advertisements 1,000 2 times 2,000 Internet site 100 6 month 600 Posters, brochures and other printed materials 3,500 3,500 TOTAL 88,500 Amount of Grant Percentage of Grant Funding Resources Table TL % Supporter 1 xx,xxx %y Supporter 2 xx,xxx %x Supporter 3 x,xxx %z Amount expected from the Open Society Foundation x,xxx %w Total XX,XXX 100%

Cevdet Paşa Caddesi Mercan Apartmanı No: 85 D: 11 Bebek/İstanbul t: 0212 287 99 86 f: 0212 287 99 67 info@aciktoplumvakfi.org www.aciktoplumvakfi.org.tr