Deadline: 03-Aug-21
Applications are now open for the Competition “Bridges of Cooperation: Solving Community Problems on the Border with the EU” to strengthen the role, voice, and capacity of civil society in addressing local development issues related to cross-border cooperation at the local level; improvement of border infrastructure; simplification of border crossing by citizens.
The purpose of the competition is to strengthen the role, voice and capacity of civil society in solving local development problems related to the needs of:
- establishing cross-border cooperation at the local level;
- improvement of border infrastructure;
- simplification of border crossing by citizens.
Contest participants
- Local public organizations, unions, associations, societies and other associations registered in accordance with Ukrainian legislation as non-profit or charitable organizations in Volyn, Lviv, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Odessa regions.
Competition Priorities
Competitive projects may involve monitoring; information and educational activities, work with local and national media, discussions of stakeholders; Advocacy for the inclusion of relevant provisions in local and regional strategies, programs and budgets, other necessary decisions of authorities (regional and national levels) on issues affecting cross-border contacts between people and local development of border communities, namely:
- Strengthening cooperation and partnership with neighboring border communities of EU member states, in particular:
- mutual information and exchange of experience in solving problems related to the functioning of the border (settlement of queues, garbage, safety of local residents in heavy traffic, business development, quarantine measures and reduction of their negative consequences, etc.);
- joint solution of infrastructural and other needs of local development;
- advocacy for the inclusion in local or regional budgets of funds for co-financing the implementation of relevant cross-border projects of border communities.
- Improvement of border infrastructure, in particular:
- proper modernization of the infrastructure of checkpoints, in the framework of the implementation of the Government-approved Action Plan for the construction of priority checkpoints for 2021-2023;
- assistance in landscaping the area adjacent to checkpoints, in particular “service areas”;
- construction of access roads, with efficient and accountable use of budget funds (state, regional and local budgets, as well as international loans).
- Simplification of border crossing by citizens, in particular :
- expansion of border crossing modalities (on foot, by bicycle, by rail), which creates additional opportunities for the development of tourism and related services, taking into account the impacts on local ecological systems;
- promoting the introduction of electronic queuing and / or other innovative practices for managing the movement of citizens across the border to reduce the problem of queues.
Funding Information
- The minimum grant amount is UAH 100,000.
- The maximum grant amount is UAH 350,000.
- The optimal size of the grant is UAH 200,000-300,000.
- The total budget of the competition is UAH 1,700,000.
Requirements for project proposals
- The objectives and expected results of the project should correspond to the priorities of the competition, be focused on promoting local sustainable development of border communities, related to the needs of simplifying border crossing by citizens, improving border infrastructure, cross-border cooperation at the local level;
- The content of the project proposal should contain a brief preliminary analysis of the problem, which shows the applicant’s awareness of local realities, positions of authorities and interest groups;
- The maximum project implementation period is 12 months. The planned start date of the projects is October 2021.
Criteria for selection of competition winners:
- Substantive compliance of the project proposal with the priorities of the competition, awareness of the subject of the project proposal, convincing preliminary analysis of the problem;
- Logical construction of the project (clear and realistic action plan; level of involvement of partners; realism of achievement of expected results by means of the activity offered in the project);
- Performance (expected practical results at the exit, the impact of the project on target audiences; the availability of objective indicators, monitoring and evaluation of performance);
- Organizational and financial capacity of the organization and partner organizations (availability of expertise, previous experience on the project; availability of staff and necessary material resources (premises, equipment, etc.) required for project implementation; experience of successful project implementation and reporting; availability of other stable sources of funding organizations);
- Adequacy of the budget, its compliance with the content of the project and the conditions of the competition.
- Additional priority will be given to those project proposals that will provide for broad partnerships – involvement in the implementation of other relevant organizations, development of intersectoral cooperation, involvement of foreign partners / communities from EU countries.
For more information, visit https://www.irf.ua/contest/konkurs-mosty-spivpraczi-vyrishennya-problem-gromad-na-kordoni-z-yes/