Impulse fund
The Impulse fund for the Migration policy supports programmes that enhance the social integration of people of foreign origins, seeks to prevent discrimination and promote intercultural dialogue. It was founded in 1991 at the initiative of the Federal Government.
Composition of the Impulse fund
The Federal Impulse fund for the Migration policy (FIM) is run by the Federal Impulse fund committee, consisting of representatives of federal, regional and community ministers authorised to oversee the minority policy, as well as representatives of the Centre for Equal Opportunity and Opposition to Racism, which the secretariat of the Impulse fund committee represents.
The Impulse fund committee decides every year on the rules and priorities of the FIM. The Impulse fund committee decides on the granting of subsidies as well as the amounts, based on the proposals put forward by the federal, community and regional governments in charge of integration.
Objectives of the Impulse fund
Projects that benefit from the support of the FIM must be designed to bring about a better quality of life and equal opportunities in Action Zones considered to be a priority.
The FIM promotes and encourages innovative integration projects that span across a limited period of time. The FIM does not cater to long-term or recurrent financing of projects, except in exceptional circumstances.
75% of the available funds of the FIM are reserved for projects in the five largest cities in the country and their agglomerations (Antwerp, Brussels, Charleroi, Gent and Liege). The remaining 25% is allocated for projects in the other priority Action Zones.
Integration must be perceived within the FIM as being a process of participation in society, with special attention to the following dimensions:
- promoting equality and diversity in all sectors of social and cultural life
- enhancing participation in social, cultural and political life and creating possibilities for promoting individual choices and independence
- furthering mutual exchanges and knowledge-sharing between the various communities as well as the intercultural dialogue
- supporting the local dynamics for the furtherance of social cohesion.
- a heterogeneous public at the level of social and cultural background, age and gender
- boosting the emancipation of women and girls
- combating racism and discrimination
The project notice “Impulse fund 2008”was published in the Bulletin of Acts and Decrees on 8 February 2008.
Victim of discrimination?
