Innovation Fund to promote Social Innovation in the Resilience-Building Sector in Ethiopia

Deadline: 16 December 2019

Applicants are invited to apply for the RESET Plus Innovation Fund which is financed by EU- Horn of Africa trust fund and managed by ICCO Cooperation in collaboration with the affiliated partner Fair and Sustainable (F&S).

The objective of the RESET Innovation Fund within the EU Resilience Building Ethiopia (RESET) programme is to foster innovative approaches in resilience-building that are generated from the grass-roots level and that complement existing interventions and strategic planning. The successful social innovations will be  incorporated in larger systems, policies, strategies and plans. Furthermore, this will support the medium and long-term growth and transformation of Ethiopia’s most at-risk population.

The objective of the financial support under this Innovation Fund is to promote social innovation in the resilience-building sector in Ethiopia. The activities under the Innovation Fund are expected to influence existing systems by introducing and adopting new and appropriate methodologies, approaches, technologies and practices, in partnership with public and private stakeholders, including addressing the underlying social, cultural and economic causes of inequality in their respective societies.

Funding Information

The amount of the financial support will be determined based on the scope of the proposed project, the different categories of innovators, and the set minimum and maximum amount indicated below.

• LOT 1: Community based organisations (coops, youth associations, women associations, etc): EUR 25,000 – max EUR 100,000;
• LOT 2: Research institutions and national public universities: EUR 25.000 – max 150.000
• LOT 3: National and international non-governmental organizations: EUR 100,000 to max EUR 300,000.
• LOT 4: Consortia: EUR 100,000 to max EUR 500,000

Duration

The planned duration for projects to be funded under this call is for a maximum of 24 months.

Types of Activities

The type of activities under the financial support should comprise credible innovation concepts with the potential to bring systematic change.

Activities under financial support have to take into account the following important aspects:

• Clear link and complementarity with the EU RESET programme, PSNP and other relevant resilience building initiatives;
• Address capacity gaps of the beneficiaries of the innovation and of its implementers;
• Potentially integrated within a “system” in which the idea can be tested, replicated, scaled-up and sustained without external support;
• Supported by a “business case” showing the socio-economic return with clear indicators to monitor results and impact;
• Integration of new technologies for access, learning, accountability and communication;
• Proven social accountability and governance of the group managing the innovation;
• Potential for institutionalisation including possibility of partnerships among CSOs, and between private actors and public institutions;
• Integrating learning with the potential to generate documentation and influencing practices and policies of development actors at different levels;
• A strong approach and impact on gender equality and climate change.

The thematic areas for the financial support includes but not limited to:

• Sustainable climate smart production systems
• Livelihood diversification related to agro-livestock business and value chains related to productivity and access to market
• Livelihood diversification related to proximity services to communities
• Transforming agricultural technology transfer and adoption
• Rural job creation – self or waged employment
• Water supply development and sustainable management
• Long-term Nutrition
• Disaster Risk Reduction techniques/approaches
• Sustainable Natural Resource Management
• Demography – Family Planning

The specific activities should fall into at least one of the following indicative fields:

• Boosting resilience of the target vulnerable farmers and pastoralists to climate shocks through consideration of the multi –dimensional nature of rural economic and social development;
• Enhancing production and productivity with increasing access to quality inputs and modern technologies;
• Sustainable natural resource management systems that would enable to keep soil fertility, increase surface and ground water potential, and decrease climate changes occurrence frequency;
• Research – business nexus that would transform production and productivity;
• Drought tolerant strategies and practices expanding researches to withstand drought related impacts on production and productivity;
• Modernizing agricultural practices – reinforcing agri-business – access to financial services;
• Technology transfer and adoption to provide private sector players with evidence of profitability for investing and thus creating more job opportunities;
• Support to entrepreneurship initiatives with strong social and environmental objectives
• Value chain development – connecting small holder farmers and pastoralists / agro-pastoralists with local, national and international markets;
• Promotion of behavioural change and awareness raising of target population and empowerment, particularly of youth and women;
• Increased sustainable access to quality social basic services through introducing new practices and working models that can be scaled up and institutionalised;

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible entities to apply are:
  • Non-governmental organisations at local, national or international level;
  • Civil society organisations, including grassroots community based organisations such as cooperatives, women’s associations or youth associations/clubs,
  • National universities or research institutions.
• Partnerships are highly encouraged.
• Private sector organisations can apply, but only in partnership with non-profit organisations or institutions as listed above. Private sector organisations are not allowed to make a profit from the activities under this financial support.
• All types of persons or categories should be legally registered to operate in Ethiopia.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via email at the address given on the website.

For more information, please visit https://www.icco-cooperation.org/en/news/announcement-of-call-for-concept-notes-reset-plus-innovation-fund/