ERSTE Foundation earmarked over €600,000 for 33 social integration projects in Central and Southeastern Europe. The money will be offered within the fourth edition of the ERSTE Foundation Award, Info-Prim Neo reports. Dejan Petrovic, project manager of the ERSTE Foundation Award for Social Integration, told a news conference on October 1, that the award is given to nonprofit organizations in 13 participating countries. The competing projects must be aimed at the social integration or one or several groups of disfavored persons. “The social theme is a significant element in the work of ERSTE Foundation. We initiated the project because we wanted to create a scene for the nonprofit organizations and a more visible image for them before the general public. Most of the times, the organizations working to integrate the deprived groups are not sufficiently appreciated by society,” stated Dejan Petrovic. Besides money awards, the winners will receive support in the relations with the press for a period of two years, until 2015. “It is crucial for the nonprofit organizations to become more visible so as to attract funds and to inspire civil society to present itself better,” said the project manager. Regional coordinator for Moldova and Romania Crina Marina Morteanu said two winning organizations were selected of the eight finalists in Moldova in 2011. The Center “Speranta” (“Hope”), with an education project intended for children with disabilities, and the Society of the Blind of Moldova, with a project to create an assistance center intended for future students with visual impairments, won by €16,000. “For us, it is very important to encourage the local organizations to apply for the ERSTE Foundation Award for Social Integration because the tales are in the community, among the people,” said Crina Marina Morteanu. The ERSTE Foundation Award was initiated in 2006. In 2011 it was extended to Moldova, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Austria will be included in 2013 so that the number of participants rose to 13. The deadline for applications is November 11. The forms can be unloaded from www.socialintegration.org/register. Until now, there have been submitted 150 applications, including six from Moldova. Most of the applications the previous years were filed during the last two weeks. The winner of the ERSTE Foundation Award for Social Integration 2013 will be announced at a ceremony in Vienna in June 2013.