Tommaso Mignani graduated at the Faculty of Economics and Law at the University of Bologna and accomplished a Masters’ Degree in Development Studies at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, in UK. He has several years of work experience in managing and coordinating grants-related processes, including in conflict affected countries. He worked for EU institutions and international NGOs in Nepal, Brussels and Colombia and he is knowledgeable of disaster preparedness, humanitarian assistance, rights of indigenous people and gender equality issues, and the protection of human rights defenders. He currently works as Grants Coordinator at the secretariat of ProtectDefenders.eu, a consortium of twelve international NGOs implementing the EU HRD Mechanism, a project funded by DG DEVCOs’ EIDHR.