Deadline: 31-Jul-24
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria through the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Georgia announces a procedure for the acceptance and selection of proposals for projects to be implemented with a grant through the Official Development Assistance of the Republic of Bulgaria, with an initial implementation period in 2025.
Priority Areas for Project Implementation on the territory of Georgia:
- Ensuring inclusive and quality education, incl. improving of school infrastructure;
- Support for disadvantaged people and empowerment of women;
- Promotion of regional development with an emphasis on underdeveloped mountain regions.
Objectives and Scope
- Support for Georgia’s EU integration and development of the bilateral relations. In this regard:
- Support for capacity building and development in the area of democratization, good governance and human rights, with special focus on children, women, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups;
- Assistance for quality and accessible education.
- Gender equality.
Funding Information
- Minimal amount of the project is 20 000 BGN.
- Recommended maximum amount of the project is:
- for projects with main purpose to deliver goods and /or services – up to 70 000 BGN;
- for projects with main purpose to carry out repairs and /or construction activities – up to 80 000 BGN;
- for projects with main purpose to carry out so called “soft components of ODA: /conferences, seminars, study visits, colloquiums and so on/ – up to 30 000 BGN and term – up to 9 months.
Duration
- Project proposals must include an indicative start date for project implementation after January 15, 2025 and no later than November 30, 2025.
- Projects must be completed no later than December 31, 2027.
Outputs/Results
- Promotion of the good reputation and the international prestige of the Republic of Bulgaria, expansion of the opportunities for knowhow transfer between the Republic of Bulgaria and Georgia;
- Enhancement of the interaction between institutions at central, regional and local level, with the aim to ensure high level of human rights protection, rule of law, democracy and good governance;
- Enhancing the socio-economic development, with the aim to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth, to reduce poverty and increase prosperity;
- Quality improvement and enhanced access to education, incl. for the most vulnerable parts of the population;
- Adoption and implementation of good practices and European standards.
Eligible Activities
- Development of new/updating existing training modules
- Capacity building activities /organizing and conducting trainings in areas of interest of the administration/institutions of the partner country
- Conducting trainings on specific topics in Bulgarian institutions to exchange good practices and increase the qualification of employees from the administration of the partner country
- Organization and holding of seminars, forums, conferences
- Research and strategy development
- Activities to raise awareness of citizens’ rights
- Activities to promote multicultural dialogue and to limit racism, xenophobia, hate speech, discrimination and intolerance in society
- Activities to improve dialogue between non-governmental organizations and local, regional and national authorities
- Activities related to improving the quality of social infrastructure (educational/health) ex.: Delivery of equipment and materials for state or municipal property – schools, hospitals, kindergardens, homes for elderly, etc.; Construction and repair works to improve the condition of state or municipal property – schools, hospitals, kindergartens, homes for elderly, etc.
- Compulsory Activities to be provided in the Project:
- provision of an audit report issued by an independent financial auditor
- activities to ensure publicity and visibility of the financial assistance provided, in accordance with the Publicity and Visibility Guidelines of the Bulgarian Development Aid, worth 3 to 5% from the total value of the grant for the project.
Target Groups
- Organizations and institutions, that through their activities will contribute to the international prestige of the Republic of Bulgaria and that specialize on the particular topics of the call for proposals, i.e. human rights protections, education and care for vulnerable groups, regional development etc.
- Vulnerable and marginalized groups, with particular emphasis on children, women, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, etc.;
- Educational institutions – kindergartens, schools, day-care centers, etc.;
Eligibility Criteria
- Primary and secondary budget spenders – legal entities of Georgia;
- Municipalities and their associations;
- Educational, health and social institutions;
- International humanitarian organisations;
- International and local non-governmental organizations;
Ineligible
- As ineligible candidates in the procedure for 2024 will be considered:
- Individuals and legal entities for whom there are circumstances under Art. 23, para. 3-8 of Resolution No. 234 of the Council of Ministers of 01.08.2011 on the policy of the Republic of Bulgaria on participation in international development cooperation.
- Beneficiaries whose projects from previous years have not been completed within the term of the contract/annex and without final reports approved by the MFA by 30 June 2024.
- In the event that a candidate under the current procedure for 2025 implements a project under a previous financial cycle of the Development Cooperation Program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, a condition for consideration of the project proposal will be the successful completion of the project within the term of the contract/annex, but not later than 30 June 2024 and approval of the final reports by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.
- Beneficiaries who have not submitted interim reports on projects from previous years within the term of the contract/annex.
- Current beneficiaries who have not reimbursed due funds from previous projects financed under the Development Cooperation Program.
- Applicants without a sustainable project history of less than 2 years.
- Applicants with a registration period of less than 2 years.
- Applicants who have received first payment in the end of 2022 and still carrying out the project in 2024 and have no approved an interim report till the announce of the company for receiving the project proposals for 2025.
- Applicants may not submit more than one project proposal under this call for proposals. In the event that an applicant submits more than one project proposal, all of their submitted project proposals will be excluded from subsequent evaluation.
For more information, visit Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.