Services for NGOs

The support takes the form of a financial assistance to assist NGOs in setting up in Geneva. This inception grant is intended to cover a range of costs essential to the organisation’s start-up. Registration fees, purchase of furniture and equipment, office rental, legal and accounting fees, creation of a website, and the organisation of a launch event represent some of the eligible items.

The maximum grant is CHF 120,000 over a two-year period.

Only expenses related to setting up the NGO in Geneva are eligible, excluding :

• payment of its employees’ salaries,
• payment of rent for vacant office space,
• expenditure that does not appear reasonable in the light of market prices.

To be eligible to the inception grant, the NGO must meet the following criteria :

• The NGO is an association or foundation under the Swiss Civil Code, or a representative office in Geneva of a foreign-based not-for-profit entity.
• The NGO is registered with the International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI).
• The NGO is active in one or more of the fields of excellence of International Geneva, namely (1) Humanitarian aid, human rights and migration, (2) Education, (3) Environment and sustainable development, (4) Digital, science and innovation, (5) Peace, security, disarmament, (6) Health, (7) Labour and trade.
• The NGO employs staff in Geneva.
• The NGO receives funding from at least one other donor.
• The NGO has, or intends to have, proven working relations with other international Geneva actors (International Organisations, NGOs or permanent missions).
• The NGO’s activities contribute to achieving the objectives of the State of Geneva in the field of international Geneva.
• Once the support has been granted, the NGO is expected to be financially viable.

Eligibility under the defined criteria does not confer any automatic right to the inception grant, which remains subject to the assessment of the competent authority.

Applications for support must be submitted by e-mail to the Directorate of International Affairs of the Republic and Canton of Geneva within one year of the NGO’s creation or its installation in Geneva. The application form should be sent to dai-subventions@etat.ge.ch, together with the following attachments:

• A project proposal for setting up the NGO in Geneva covering a maximum period of two years,
• A three-year financial plan (indicating the source of expected funding),
• A copy of the signed Articles of Association,
• The minutes of the last General Assembly/ Foundation Board meeting,
• The latest activity report and audited financial report (in the case of the opening of a representative office of a foreign NGO),
• The NGO’s institutional and/or organisational strategy

If accepted, financial assistance is paid in advance to the applicant NGO for a maximum period of six months.

The payment of a further instalment is conditional upon the submission of a detailed report on the expenses incurred, with supporting documents, to the Directorate of International Affairs. The NGO must also provide a final report within three months following the end of the grant.