Gala Societății Civile (GSC), the longest-running competition dedicated to the non-profit and non-governmental sector in Romania, a project by The Institute, announces the opening of registrations for the 2026 edition. These take place until July 10, and the registration process is conducted exclusively on the competition’s website.
Through Gala Societății Civile, The Institute continues to support civic initiatives with social impact, aligning itself with its mission of building an ecosystem in which the strength of the non-governmental sector becomes an essential pillar for the economic, social, and cultural development of Romania.
GSC 2026 awards projects and campaigns carried out between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Projects may begin before or conclude after this period, provided that the activities and results presented fall within at least two thirds of the eligible interval. An exception is made for the Programs section, which covers a three-year period (2023-2024-2025) and requires a detailed description of activities for each year in the registration form. The complete eligibility criteria are available in the Regulations on the competition’s website.
The structure of the competition includes two major categories. Category A is dedicated to non-governmental organizations, communication agencies, companies, and public institutions and comprises nine sections: Education and Learning, Art and Culture, Defense of Individual/Collective Rights, Civic Behavior and Public Participation, Health, Social Inclusion, Social Assistance Services, Environmental Protection, and Economic and Social Development. Category B is open to initiative groups and individuals as well and includes the sections: Projects Carried Out with the Involvement of Volunteers, Programs, Social Campaigns, and Young People for Good.
The Young People for Good section brings together projects conceived and implemented by young people aged between 15 and 25 from any area of interest from environmental protection and education, to art, culture, advocacy, and volunteering. Starting with the 2026 edition, young people may enter their projects both in the Young People for Good section and in one of the other sections of the competition, of their choosing a regulatory change that extends the visibility of initiatives developed by young people throughout the entire competition.
Registration in the competition is carried out exclusively online, through the Gala Societății Civile website, following the steps in the Registration Guide. To access the form, participants must create an account on the platform, and after logging in, access the Register a Project section and complete the form that allows participation and registration of the project until July 10 inclusive. Projects will be evaluated by a jury of over 60 specialists: sociologists, researchers, journalists, opinion leaders, CSR consultants, and experts in communication and marketing.
The key dates of the GSC 2026 competition: registrations until July 10, 2026; project approval July 16–27, 2026; judging period July 27 – September 8, 2026 (two stages); awards ceremony at the beginning of October. The complete calendar and regulations are available on the competition’s website.
This year’s edition comes with an important calendar change: the GSC awards ceremony will take place in October 2026, thus transforming autumn into a new season of recognition in the Romanian civil society sector. Until July 10, registrations are expected in the two major categories.
The complete competition calendar can be consulted here, and further details can be found in the Regulations, Registration Guide, and section descriptions available on the website.
Gala Societății Civile has awarded, across its 23 editions to date, over 1,000 initiatives that have brought major positive changes to society projects generated by the non-governmental sector that invest in Romania and its future. At the 2025 edition, the Grand Prize of Gala Societății Civile was awarded to Salvați Copiii România Association for the project “Protecting Children Against Gambling Addiction,” an advocacy, education, and public intervention campaign through which a major legislative change was obtained, aimed at protecting children in Romania.
Through Gala Societății Civile, The Institute reaffirms its commitment to a Romania in which success is built through collaboration between institutions, organizations, and citizens; a project that continues to provide platforms for the exchange of ideas and resources in the essential sectors of the economy and local community.
