"The fund is designed to support activities, conferences, and programs that bring the members of a community closer, and to support groups to become self-sufficient," reads a CCF brochure.

Reflex is a well-established environmental group in Hungary that receives support from the CCF. It identifies and documents important local nature-preservation areas, according to Judit Almasi who administers the fund. Besides having recent and reliable information on these areas, Reflex is building the community, and it has good contacts with schools and colleges. The work can also be used to develop tourism.

"They are producing something quite sophisticated," she says. "They are involving local people in the process, so local participation is there too."

The Canada Cooperation Fund is administered by the Canadian Embassy in Budapest. Application deadline 1 July.