Deadline: 10 April 2020
Do you want citizens to receive better quality social protection services? Do you see a need to expand existing social protection services to include more beneficiaries from vulnerable social groups? Have ideas on how to introduce new and innovative social care services? If yes, then apply now.
Through a public call, the Swiss PRO program will directly support up to 20 local governments to implement projects for the implementation and development of social care services, under the slogan ‘Force Join, Support Support’ . This initiative is only one of the activities supported by the Government of Switzerland through the Swiss PRO development program.
The Swiss Government Support to Improvement of Good Governance and Social Inclusion – Swiss PRO program will contribute to the improvement of local capacities, primarily in 99 local governments in the Region of Sumadija and Western Serbia and in the Region of Southern and Eastern Serbia for the implementation of good governance (DU) principles in local policies and regulations and thus increasing social cohesion.
The Swiss government has allocated $ 6.9 million (USD) for the Program, which is administered by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in collaboration with the Standing Conference of Cities and Municipalities (SCTM).
The program must fulfill two main goals:
- to contribute to the advancement of
- the knowledge and skills of organizations and employees,
to increase the scope and quality of public services provided to citizens, especially those from vulnerable groups.
Achieving both goals will lead to improvements in regulations, as well as institutional, technical and human capacity to improve electronic services. In addition, the capacity building of local civil society organizations (CSOs) as well as institutions dealing with social inclusion and gender equality will be facilitated.
Objectives
- Overall objective: Contribute to the establishment of a relevant, efficient, effective and sustainable social protection system at the local level.
- Specific objective: To increase the availability and relevance of social protection services at the local level, of which at least 500 beneficiaries belonging to vulnerable social groups will benefit.
Funding Information
- The total budget of this public call is € 242,000.
- The grant value per project is up to € 12,100.
- The duration of the projects is 10 to 12 months, with an active provision of social care services of at least nine months.
Eligibility Criteria
In order to be supported, the applicant must meet the following criteria:
- To be one of 96 local self-government units from the Sumadija and Western Serbia regions and the Southern and Eastern Serbia regions.
- The project proposal must comply with the relevant national and local legislation and / or policies, which also applies to the procurement process of USZ providers.
- The LSG is expected to provide from its own budget the means to cover at least 10% of all eligible project costs.
- One JLS may submit a project in partnership with another JLS or with the Center for Social Work (CSR) or both. The CSW as a project partner must be responsible for the LGU territory acting as the lead partner. In case of inter-municipal cooperation or partnership between JLS (as lead partner) and CSW (as project partner), the partnership must be formalized in writing (Partnership Agreement or Letter of Intent to conclude a Partnership Agreement), to be signed by both parties and with a clear division of tasks and responsibilities.
- One JLS may submit only one project proposal as lead applicant. One applicant may be awarded a grant for one project only.
- One LGU can participate as a project partner in inter-municipal cooperation and submit its special application. In this case, a specific project proposal should relate to different activity.
For more information, visit https://www.swisspro.org.rs/ktext/javni-poziv-za-podrsku-jedinicima-lokalne-samouprave-za-sprovodjenje-i-razvoj-usluga-socijalne-zastite