Deadline: 27 March 2020
The Embassy of Finland opens a Call for applications for projects to be funded from the Local Cooperation Fund (LCF) in 2020.
The LCF is a fund administered by the Embassy of Finland in Kyiv. The LCF is aimed at supporting local (Ukrainian) non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
The objective of the LCF is to enhance strong and active civil society, which is an important component of functioning democracy and open society.
This year, the priority areas for the LCF projects funded in Ukraine are the following:
- innovative solutions for recycling in communities
- developing models/toolkits for climate & environmental pre-school/ primary education
- raising awareness on biodiversity and sustainable use of forests
Funding Information
- The budget for a proposed project should be from € 20.000 to € 50.000.
- 2-3 projects will be chosen to receive financing from the Embassy’s Local Cooperation Fund 2020.
- All projects funded by LCF are required to conduct an independent audit. It is recommended to include audit costs in the project budget.
- The Embassy does not provide funding for projects where the Finnish LCF is the sole source of funding.
- The project proposed must have the potential for real and measurable/verifiable impact.
- The projects must be implemented within one or two years.
Eligibility Criteria
The applicant is eligible for the LCF:
- The project is in line with the Finnish development policy objectives and particularly thematic focus for the LCF 2020 as specified in the call
- The project’s main purpose, activities and expected results are clearly articulated
- The project’s objectives are realistic
- There are indicators specified to measure the project results
- Costs are specified and realistic. Over budgeting will be seen negatively in the assessment process
- The beneficiaries of the project and their needs are defined
- A realistic risk analysis is in place
- The expected long-term effects of the project is explicated
- Sustainability of the activities is considered
- Gender and other kinds of (in)equality and inclusiveness are taken into consideration.
The following types of projects are not eligible for the LCF of the Embassy of Finland in Kyiv:
- Projects implemented by Government, ministries or local authorities
- Projects of political parties
- Projects where the beneficiary is one person, one family, or private business
- Projects exclusively or typically of charity
- Organizing a single event, for example cultural or charity-related, or a conference
- Humanitarian assistance (funding for that has established channels)
- UN, OSCE, or other international organizations, international NGOs (INGOs), or Finnish NGOs. The local (Ukrainian) partners and implementing agencies, however, are eligible
- Projects that take place in areas currently out of the control of the Ukrainian Government
- Personal grants for individual persons
- Loan programs
- Purchase of vehicles, land, or real estate
- Projects where the main purpose is a trip to Finland or another foreign country
Selection Criteria
- The Embassy of Finland underlines the importance of preparing a high-quality project application.
- The capacity and professionalism should be reflected in the quality and clarity of the proposal. The most important selection criteria are the relevance and quality of the proposal.
- When selecting among the applications for funding, the Embassy also takes a geographical balance of activities within Ukraine into consideration.
- Embassy may also prioritize new applicants over those that have recently received the LCF. An NGO can be funded maximum for two subsequent years.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/39k94IE
