KnowCyber Grants for Western Balkans civil society organisations

• Focus on supporting cyber hygiene and online safety culture. 

The KnowCyber grants programme addresses the vital need to foster a culture of cyber hygiene and responsible online behaviour in societies. The activities that the grantees implement use a proactive approach to cybersecurity, increasing awareness and capacities to recognise risks and what measures to undertake to avoid falling victim to cybercrime or cybersecurity incidents.

• A multitude of opportunities for designing projects. 

The KnowCyber grant programme offers variety and opportunity to design activities based on specific target audiences and interests. A wide range of themes, target audiences, topics and activities creates a framework for design project activities. With that, CSOs with previous experience and newcomers to cybersecurity can participate. Applicants can focus on their area of interest, region, or target audience and identify the online safety challenge to address.

• Empowering civil society to increase participation in activities related to online safety and cybersecurity. 

The KnowCyber grant programme places great emphasis not only on the activities done as part of the grants but also on the grantees themselves. The programme provides multiple opportunities to participate in wider cybersecurity capacity-building efforts and increase cooperation within the CSOs in the Western Balkans. The programme is designed on a strong belief that grassroots involvement and community-specific solutions are successful, and the CSOs participating also provide valuable input to government-level cybersecurity efforts, bringing direct feedback from users and their needs, especially in online safety awareness. 

• Regional cooperation and governance. 

The KnowCyber grant programme is designed to encourage regional cooperation between grantees, even if their actions are more localised. The programme addresses the importance of regional collaboration and recognises the interconnected nature of cybersecurity challenges societies face. 

• Comprehensive support beyond funding. 

The KnowCyber grant programme goes beyond simply providing grants and includes additional voluntary activities to support grantees. These activities highlight the commitment both to the projects’ success and the programme’s long-term impact and increase the number of CSOs who actively participate in the cybersecurity community in the Western Balkans.  

• Clear funding parameters and varied target audiences and activities. 

The KnowCyber Grants programme has parameters for funding amounts, timelines and support activities. This transparency helps potential applicants understand the programme’s scope and eligibility requirements, reducing ill-fitting applications and increasing the quality of the initial Concept Note in the first round and the Full Proposal in the second round, before grants are awarded. The KnowCyber grant programme is designed to cover a wide range of target audiences and activities. It allows seeking funding for CSOs who are already active in the field and encourages new CSOs to start including online safety as one of their topics, as it is relevant to all members of society.  

•  Knowledge sharing and networking. 

The KnowCyber grant programme includes regular online meetings on relevant topics, fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration among grantees. This also includes sharing updates about the activities of grantees, which can be mutually beneficial since they often work on similar topics and sometimes share the same audiences. This can also be inspirational for planning future actions, applying for other funding schemes or proposing activities directly to national stakeholders and cybersecurity bodies. The grantees also have opportunities to introduce projects at conferences and events to other CSOs, the public sector and the cybersecurity community in the Western Balkans and to showcase the activities and results in the KnowCyber good practices compendium. 

•  Capacity enhancement – training and support. 

The KnowCyber grants programme also offers regular meetups and tailored workshops, providing grantees with valuable skills and insights to enhance their projects. The KnowCyber grant programme includes tailored one-on-one mentoring and dedicated workshops on topics such as the Theory of Change and the role of civil society organisations in cybersecurity policy. This highlights the importance of their voices shaping policy and increasing cybersecurity awareness, knowledge, and skills. In addition, grantees will have opportunities to participate in other regional events, sharing their experiences and results.

Examples of topics: 

1. Theory of change – defining the impact of projects and how to evaluate it. 
2. Regional cooperation and cybersecurity governance in the region.
3. Study trip to Estonia.
4. Participating in the e-Governance conference and a dedicated tailored workshop, “Cybersecurity policy needs CSO voices: having your seat at the table”, as part of the e-Governance conference.

• Focus on impact and evaluation.

The KnowCyber grants programme emphasises the importance of defining the true impact of project activities and how to evaluate it. This helps demonstrate a commitment to accountability and measurable outcomes, but also gives valuable input for further grant programmes to include methods and activities that have been proven successful. This is also advantageous knowledge for other stakeholders in the local cybersecurity community, from the public sector to other civil society organisations. 

As it was clear from the applications, the CSOs involved in the KnowCyber grants programme had different level of previous experience in the field so the first step to successful grantee programme was to get a better understanding also of their attitudes towards cybersecurity in general and understand their previous experiences – both on organisation level but also as individuals living in a digital society.  

To map the opinions and attitudes towards cybersecurity and the planned projects, an online discussion was held with all grantees.  

As part of the discussion, it became clear that grantees have a good grasp of the topic and approach it from various angles.  

Associations with cybersecurity reflected some dominant themes – the words linked to cybersecurity were most strongly related to protection, awareness, and security measures. The grantees understood that cybersecurity is about being proactive and safeguarding oneself. Notably, various perspectives were present, from technical details to broader concepts, indicating a diverse understanding of cybersecurity. In addition, the grantees emphasised user responsibility – the audiences need to understand and have the skills to take steps to safer online behaviour. 

When mapping the main obstacles to acting safely online, participants identified capability as the biggest obstacle, followed by motivation, and opportunity as the third closest.  

Capability – lack of technical skills, difficulty understanding complex threats, lack of knowledge, fear and anxiety.

Motivation – lack of perceived risk, not understanding the value of online safety measures, believing online safety measures are ineffective, and habits.

Opportunity – limited access to technology, lack of time to learn, social pressure to share online, lack of support, normalisation of risky behaviours.  

Capability, motivation, and opportunity form the COM-B Model, which is needed for behaviour change. It is noteworthy that although the grantees seemed to emphasise capability, the real change usually starts with motivation. At the end of the grantee’s work, it is worth repeating this question to see if, after implementing the activities, their evaluation of the main obstacles remains the same.  

Based on the discussions, the participants concluded that while online safety is generally known to the public, there’s a significant gap in understanding the risks associated with online actions. There’s a clear need for increased education and awareness efforts. Additionally, there might be opportunities to enhance the role of experts and opinion leaders in communicating about online safety. 

The start of the KnowCyber Grants for the Western Balkans civil society organisations has proved effective, attracting strong interest from various CSOs. The provision of tailored capacity-building and mentoring, alongside opportunities for regional knowledge sharing, is enhancing the program’s value for grantees. This initiative contributes to improved online safety and cyber hygiene practices and successfully cultivates a collaborative community of CSOs. This community-building aspect is vital, transforming a single project into a foundation for ongoing collaboration and the development of future cybersecurity initiatives, ensuring long-term sustainability.