A/HRC/31/22 II. Activities of the Special Fund A. 2015 project cycle 6. The fourth call for applications to the Special Fund, for grants for projects to be implemented in 2015, closed on 17 October 2014. Projects concerning 13 eligible States could be submitted (Argentina, Benin, Brazil, Germany, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Mali, Mexico, Paraguay, the Republic of Moldova, Senegal and Sweden). Applicants could request grants of up to $ 35,000 for project activities to be implemented between 1 January and 31 December 2015. For the call, specific thematic priorities by the State parties concerned were identified by the Subcommittee at its twenty-third session, held in Geneva from 2 to 6 June 2014. 7. In accordance with the guidelines for applications, the secretariat of the Special Fund conducted an extensive evaluation of the 34 project proposals received by the deadline in the light of the thematic priorities identified, taking into consideration the outcome of informal consultations held with members of the Subcommittee. Projects addressing any other specific recommendation in the visit reports, detailing a pressing and compelling concern, were also considered. After review, seven grants were awarded to projects aimed at implementing recommendations made by the Subcommittee in five eligible States — Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico and Senegal — for a total of $228,670 (see annex). 8. Since its first call for applications for projects to be implemented in 2012, the Fund has enabled a variety of technical cooperation projects worldwide, with the aim of: bringing laws on prevention of torture into line with international human rights standards, including those that seek to establish national preventive mechanisms on torture or to ensure the effective functioning of existing national preventive mechanisms on torture or other relevant institutions; enhancing the knowledge and skills of members of the judiciary and law enforcement personnel; and developing and disseminating manuals and material on the rights of persons in detention. Through its projects, the Fund has engaged with several national entities, including ministries of the interior and justice, ombudsman institutions, national preventive mechanisms, hospitals and prisons, the police and civil society actors. B. Call for applications for 2016 9. The call for applications for 2016 closed on 16 October 2015. For the call, the Subcommittee, at its twenty-sixth session, held in Geneva from 15 to 19 June 2015, identified specific thematic priorities by State. Projects addressing any other specific recommendation in the visit reports detailing a pressing and compelling need could also be considered. 10. Applicants could request grants of up to $25,000 for project activities to be implemented between 1 January and 31 December 2016. 11. A total of 19 applications were received concerning 9 of the 16 eligible States (Argentina, Armenia, Benin, Brazil, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, New Zealand, Paraguay and the Republic of Moldova). The evaluation process was under way at the time of reporting. III. Financial situation of the Special Fund 12. The Special Fund is the only functional fund established by an international human rights treaty. Since its creation in 2012, and despite its limited income in voluntary 3