CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR ICMP´s SMALL GRANTS FOR FAMILIES OF THE MISSING AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, SYRIA PROGRAM 2026

International Commission on Missing Persons

Syria Program

CALL for proposals for ICMP´s small grants FOR FAMILIES OF THE MISSING AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, Syria PROGRAM 2026

ISSUE DATE:19-JUN-26

CLOSING DATE: 10-JUL-26

INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON MISSING PERSONS (ICMP) SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) invites associations or organizations of families of missing persons and other non-governmental (civil society) organizations to submit applications for its Small Grants Program for Families of the Missing and Civil Society Organizations, Syria Program 2026.

ICMP is an independent, treaty-based international organization with close to 30 years of experience in 40 countries. It is the only international organization tasked exclusively to work on the issue of missing persons. It helps governments build rule-of-law institutions that successfully and impartially search for and identify missing persons, and it supports efforts to enable families of the missing to assert their rights.

ABOUT ICMP PROGRAM IN SYRIA

The ICMP’s Syria Program, launched in 2016, addresses the large-scale issue of more than 300,000 missing persons resulting from decades of conflict in Syria. The program promotes a rule-of-law-based approach to ensure the rights of families to truth, justice, and reparations. ICMP works closely with the Syrian National Commission on Missing Persons (NCMP), families of the missing, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to develop the technical, legal, and organizational capacities needed to address the issue.

Working with the NCMP, domestic institutions, and international partners, ICMP’s key objectives include:

Supporting the establishment of a human identification laboratory in Syria;
Providing technical expertise for large-scale investigations to locate, recover, and document remains and crime scenes,
Helping the NCMP to build an effective institutional and legislative framework;
Ensuring meaningful participation of Syrian civil society and families of the missing, including women-led groups in Syria’s neighboring countries and Europe;
Facilitating dialogue sessions where Syrian experts advance justice reform recommendations and ensure that marginalized voices are able to influence policy;

As part of this work, ICMP’s Small Grants Program provides financial support to Family Associations (FAs) and civil society organizations outside of Syria to implement initiatives that promote accountability, raise awareness, and advocate for the rights of the missing and their families in Syria. Discover more about ICMP Syria Program by clicking here.

ICMP’S SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

Through its Small Grants Program, ICMP provides financial support to associations of families of missing persons and civil society organizations (CSOs) to implement projects that integrate objectives, approaches, activities and content that contribute to:

Affirming the role of civil society in promoting state responsibility on the issue of missing persons;
Fostering impartial, non-discriminatory, non-sectarian, multiethnic and non-political approaches to the issue of the missing;
Fulfilling the rights of surviving family members of missing persons; and,
Promoting gender equality and championing female leadership among affected communities.

AREAS OF SUPPORT

The projects and activities supported for the Small Grants Program for Families of the Missing and Civil Society Organizations, Syria Program 2026, must be relevant to the role and challenges faced by families of the missing and civil society in Syria’s neighboring countries, and Europe. And should target/address at least one of the following objectives:

Increase opportunities for FAs to take a more active role in advocating for the rights of the Syrian communities they serve;
Support the meaningful participation of Syria’s civil society and family associations, especially those which are women-led, in the missing persons process to strengthen the state’s accountability and secure the rights of families of the missing;
Enable MENA-based FAs to deploy skills and knowledge acquired under ICMP-led training programs with the view of voicing their demands for truth and justice;
For previous grantees: build on the progress and activities made during 2025 and up until mid 2026 through ICMP’s capacity building programs;
Promoting dialogue among families of the missing, and between families and the authorities, such as the NCMP.

Projects by Family associations and CSOs that ICMP has supported through Small Grants programs in the past have included the following examples:

Enhancing visibility, awareness and understanding of the issue of missing persons through exhibitions, publications and commemorative events;
- Promoting dialogue among families of the missing, and between families and the authorities, such as the National Commission on Missing Persons (NCMP);
- Preparation or dissemination of academic or legal research, surveys, and assessments;
- Provision of legal aid, representation, accompaniment or provision of guidance and advice to families of the missing;
- Organizing events linked to advocacy, policy promotion; awareness-raising initiatives, public campaigns on the issue of the missing;
- Establishing or strengthening local, regional or nation-wide networks of families of the missing or CSOs working on the issue of the missing;
- Designing, implementing or participating in training courses related to the issue of the missing for family members, for CSOs or directed to local authorities;
- Strengthening the management or operational capacities of family organizations and CSOs;
- Constitution and operation of family associations, purchasing of equipment, start-up funding or funding for the launch of activities.

Projects that as a primary objective entail the processing of personal data related to missing persons or their relatives, or projects focused solely on providing psychosocial assistance to families of the missing are not eligible for funding through this Call.

Eligible costs: to ensure that the organizations implement the activities and reach the outcomes mentioned above, the following costs are allowed:

Programmatic Costs	Any expense associated with a specific program, project or activity that is not part of the recurrent costs of the organization, for example: consultants, transportation of participant, meals, accommodation, rental venue, sound system, services, assistance for childcare during events and meetings, printing, materials for events.
Organization Costs	Any expense to cover the recurrent costs associated with the existence of the grantees as an organization or association, including Salaries including social security or consultants’ office expenses, equipment, materials, travel expenses for staff.

Purchase of equipment is allowed.

V. AMOUNT OF GRANTS, ELIGIBILITY, SUBMISSIONS AND AWARD

Applicants may request up to 6,500 USD for each project.

ICMP expects to award up to 7 grants of up to $6,500 USD.

Given that the implementation period is only two months (October and November), it is recommended that projects include not more than two activities.

5.1. Who is Eligible to Apply?

Eligible entities include civil society organizations and family associations based in Syria’s neighboring countries and Europe. Activities should be implemented outside of Syria.

Associations of Families of Missing Persons:

Associations of families of individuals who are organized and whose relatives have gone missing in an involuntary manner as a result of human rights abuses, armed conflict, man made or natural disasters or any other causes. Family associations, whether or not they are incorporated or formally registered as organizations are encouraged respond to this Call.

That have demonstrated experience in the implementation of projects;
That have demonstrated experience of sound financial management, which is demonstrated by preparing annual financial reports;
That regularly apply for projects directly addressing the issue of missing persons;

Civil Society Organizations

CSOs (grassroots, human rights, technical or educational non-governmental organizations) working on the issue missing persons in the context of Syria. ICMP defines CSOs as community-based or non-governmental entities of a non-state, non for profit, non-violent, and non-partisan character.

That have demonstrated legal personality through their registration under domestic law; there are no restrictions as to the countries in which the CSOs can be registered;
That have proposed activities involving or benefiting directly Syrian families of the missing in the diaspora;
That have demonstrated experience in the implementation of projects;
That have demonstrated experience of sound financial management, which is demonstrated by preparing annual financial reports.

ICMP will accept applications submitted by single organizations, or by two collaborating in a single project, also referred to as a ‘Joint Proposal.’ Joint proposals are possible between two CSOs, or two family associations, or between a CSO and a FA.

Applications shall be submitted in English.

Every application must include:

Organization Profile (must be filled by each applicant; if joint proposals, must be filled by both entities)
Project Proposal
Budget Proposal (if joint proposal, it is necessary to indicate in the budget which entity is responsible for which budget line)
(Only for Joint Proposals) Partnership Agreement between two entities (clearly indicating the activities, amounts, and responsibilities of each)
(Only for family associations that are unregistered) Statement by Unincorporated Entities/Organizations

5.2. Deadline for submissions for projects: 10-July-2026

Applications will be reviewed for eligibility and applicants may be contacted to provide clarifications. Grants awarded may be subject to modifications from the original proposal submitted. ICMP reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications received.

An NCMP member will take part in the review of applications, alongside ICMP

Notifications of selection are expected in mid August 2026. Projects are expected to commence between 1-October-2026 till 30-November-2026. It should be anticipated that projects will need to be completed by the end of November 2026 as the final report is due on 04-December-2026.

Projects must have a duration of 2 months.

Interested and eligible organizations are invited to submit their applications using ICMP forms by 10 July 2026 at 18:00 pm (CET).

Please indicate as part of your application if you are currently a recipient of any German government funding for similar activities.

All Applications shall contain:

Organization Profile must be filled by each applicant; if joint proposals, must be filled by both entities)
- Project Proposal;
- Budget Proposal if joint proposal, it is necessary to indicate in the budget which entity is responsible for which budget line);
- (Only for Joint Proposals) Partnership Agreement between both entities;
- (Only for family associations that are unregistered) Statement by Unincorporated Entities/Organizations.

To Apply:

Application Forms may be downloaded through the link provided at the end of the call.
Applications and inquiries must be submitted to the following email address:

[email protected]

Note: The Call for Proposals can be found in Arabic through this link. However, applications are only eligible if they are submitted by filling out the forms in English only.

Please download the application folder through this link.