Конкурс на програму інституційних грантів для ОГС

«Долучайся!» оголошує конкурс на другу програму інституційних грантів для організацій громадянського суспільства! Мета конкурсу – надання інституційної підтримки національним і регіональним організаціям, мережам і коаліціям для сприяння громадського залучення, розвитку зв’язків між національними і регіональними учасниками, поширення питань інклюзивності і прав людини, а також для підтримки реформ та їх просування серед громадськості. Кінцевий термін подання заявок на участь у конкурсі – 16 березня 2018 р., 18:00 за київським часом.

Request for Applications

Institutional Core-Support to Non-Governmental Reformers

This Request for Applications (RFA) is part of the USAID/ENGAGE Activity to Enhance Non-Governmental Actors and Grassroots Engagement. The purpose of USAID/ENGAGE is to increase citizen awareness of and engagement in civic activities at the national, subnational and local level.

 Background

The vibrancy of Ukrainian civil society organizations (CSOs) is often cited as a defining strength in Ukraine’s democracy, one that markedly distinguishes Ukraine from other post-Soviet countries. A significant divide remains, however, between CSOs at various levels, both in terms of communications and coalition building as well as technical and organizational capacities. By providing institutional grants opportunity, Pact aims to support CSOs with the capacity to expand networks development and citizen engagement in promoting the reform agenda in Ukraine.

In 2017, following an openly competed application process, Pact awarded institutional core support grants to a cohort of selected CSOs. These organizations are active in their advocacy, oversight, outreach and watchdogging efforts covering the areas of civic engagement, national reform leadership and campaigning, EU standards and values, and CSO-led anticorruption.

The current Request for Applications announces the second set of institutional grants opportunity for Ukrainian CSOs.

Goal and Objectives of the Request for Applications

The goal of this RFA is to provide institutional core-support to national and subnational organizations, networks and coalitions to promote their constituency engagement, linkages between national and subnational stakeholders, inclusion and human rights agenda, as well as their efforts in promoting reforms and explaining reforms to citizens.

The objectives of the RFA are to:

• Strengthen capacity of national and subnational organizations, networks and coalitions to promote constituency engagement (including development of active constituency and membership support, and involvement of target populations in participatory decision-making, planning and delivery of CSOs activities);
• Enhance activities of national and subnational organizations, networks and coalitions in promoting democratic reforms and in communicating and explaining reforms to the citizens (including but not limited to EU integration agenda, economic recovery and development, energy security, health sector reform and other issues of public interest);
• Develop linkages between national and subnational CSOs for joint advocacy campaigning to achieve policy changes at national and subnational levels;
• Support national and subnational organizations, networks and coalitions in mainstreaming inclusive development (of people with disabilities; internally displaced persons (IDPs); lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) people; and other vulnerable groups) in their programming;
• Facilitate joint efforts of national and subnational networks and coalitions to promote and protect civil and political rights of citizens.

Expected results

Upon completion of the grant, applicant organizations, networks and coalitions will have to demonstrate:

• Increased number of citizens aware of and engaged in the applicant’s civic coalitions and activities promoting reform agenda at national and subnational levels;
• Developed and/or reinforced linkages between national and subnational networks and coalitions, leading to an increased number of policy changes which are resulting from the applicant’s advocacy activities;
• Increased number of the applicant’s activities representing vulnerable groups (people with disabilities; internally displaced persons (IDPs); lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) people; and others), and effectively influencing state policies and practices at national and subnational level, and/or conducting government oversight on behalf of these groups;
• Increased number of joint CSOs activities linking national and subnational networks and coalitions which promote and protect civil and political rights of citizens;
• Strengthened capacities of the applicant to engage constituencies (including youth), lead and expand networks and coalitions.

 Eligibility criteria

• National and subnational CSOs officially registered in Ukraine, or consortia of registered CSOs;
• Proven experience in convening and coordinating networks and coalitions at national and/or subnational level (applicants will be requested to submit three relevant success stories);
• Proven experience in advocating and promoting democratic reforms at national and/or subnational level (applicants will be requested to submit three relevant success stories);
• Developed and resilient organizational structure (demonstrated by strategic planning, annual budget, internal policies, fundraising experience, transparent and functioning governing structure, office premises, human resources, financial history and absorbing capacity).

 Selection criteria

• Relevance to the goal and objectives of this RFA;
• Strong organizational and operational capacities;
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize and involve a wide range of non-governmental stakeholders, including in Eastern and Southern regions of Ukraine;
• Demonstrated ability of constituency outreach and citizens (including youth) engagement, including in Eastern and Southern regions of Ukraine;
• Proven experience in mainstreaming inclusion, and in human rights sensitive programming;
• Ability to achieve sustainable results that will last beyond the project period.

 Tentative duration of grants: 36 months.

Grant amount: Pact plans to support up to 7 applications in an amount not exceeding $300,000 each. The total pool for this RFA is up to $2,100,000.

Deadline for applications submission is March 16, 2018, 18:00 Kyiv time. Applicants should respond to this RFA with a complete application package, which includes the application form and organizational documents (their list is indicated at the end of the application form). Please download and use the Institutional Core-Support Grant Application Form by this link. Submit completed application package by e-mail to [email protected] with the subject: “Response to Institutional Core-Support RFA 2018.”

Selection process

The selection process is multi-tier and will take place in several stages:

1. Eligibility screening of received applications;
2. Full review of eligible applications by Selection Committee, which will shortlist fifteen (15) applications for the next selection stages;
3. Shortlisted applicants will then be required to develop and submit their organizational capacity development plans;
4. Shortlisted applicants will be required to submit their organizational budgets;
5. Shortlisted applicants will be also required to develop and submit projected budget for the anticipated 3-year institutional core-support grant;
6. Selection Committee will recommend up to seven (7) finalist applicants for funding.

 Important notices

• As part of this RFA, Pact cannot award grants to business organizations, political parties, government institutions, religious organizations or individuals.
• Applications must be submitted in English.
• Submitted applications cannot be returned or reviewed.
• Decisions of the Selection Committee are final and cannot be subject to reconsideration.
• Applicants will be notified of the status of their application in writing by e-mail.
• Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Questions

Questions regarding this RFA may be sent to [email protected] no later February 23, 2018, 18:00 Kyiv time, indicating clearly the title of this Request for Applications. Pact has no obligation to provide clarifications to questions received after this date. Replies will be provided by February 28, 2018, 18:00 Kyiv time. No individual replies will be given to questions. All questions and answers as well as other important notices to applicants during the course of the application process will be sent to all applicants who submitted their questions, as appropriate. To ensure fairness and transparency of the application process, Pact cannot give a prior opinion on the eligibility of applicants or comments on applications.