Deadline: 28 August 2020
The European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM) is a collaborative funding initiative of grant-making foundations, hosted in the Network of European Foundations (NEF) in Brussels. This Call for Proposals is launched under EPIM’s Thematic Fund on Asylum in Europe. Through this Fund, EPIM aims to support civil society organisations to ensure that people in need of international protection are able to access European asylum systems that are humane fair, effective and capable of offering protection.
Objectives
Through this Call for Proposals, EPIM aims to support (transnational) partnerships of civil society organisations active at EU, national, bilateral, regional and/or local levels. The support is for their efforts to seize (urgent) opportunities to advise European asylum policies and practices. In light of existing of existing and future EU asylum law, policies, frameworks and human rights standards, projects should aim to:
- promote feasible (evidence-based) alternatives; and/or
- put forward thought-provoking ideas, and/or
- react to policy proposals and practices to safeguard the right to asylum and prevent backtracking.
Proposed projects should contribute to ensuRre that all migrants are able to access European asylum systems that are humane, fair, effective and capable of offering protection.
Budget Information
Concept notes do not need to be accompanied by a budget proposal. Shortlisted applicants for the full application phase will be invited to submit a budget proposal within the maximum budget of 40,000 EUR.
Duration of Projects
The project begins after the signature of the contract at a date agreed upon with EPIM. Projects should have a maximum duration of 18 months and can start anytime.
Eligible Applicants
- Applicants must be non-profit organisations registered in the European Union. Non-profit organisations active at EU, national, bilateral, regional and/or local levels are eligible for this call for proposals. Non-EU based non-profit organisations can apply as partners.
- Applicants should apply in partnership. EPIM will only consider applications that are based on a partnership: civil society partnerships eligible for this Call for Proposals should at least include 2 civil society organisations. Transnational partnerships(i.e. between organisations based in different countries) are encouraged but not required. The involvement of other types of actors, such as international organisations, academic institutions and/or public bodies is optional and would come in support of the above-mentioned partnership.
- Eligible applicants may submit more than one concept note under this call for proposals both as lead applicants and/or as project partner. The organisation that leads the application will be considered as the project coordinator.
Eligible Project Proposals
- Applications must address the objectives outlined for this Call for Proposals.
- EPIM will only consider projects that are advocacy-focused, i.e. are seeking to bring about a change in existing and/or future policies and practices. Supported activities could include, among others: power mapping and analysis, joint transnational civil society strategising, policy roundtables, bilateral advocacy meetings, legislative lobbying, strategic litigation, and development of advocacy tools. Other activities such as research and evidence collection, capacity development interventions and campaigning could also be considered as long as they are deemed relevant to achieve advocacy outcomes.
- Projects should be implemented in the European Union. Additionally, projects implemented in non EU countries (e.g. Turkey, UK) could also be considered eligible if of EU relevance.
- Projects can target the EU, national, bilateral, regional and/or local levels as long as they are EU relevant.
- Applications for standalone trainings or individual academic study/research/travel are not eligible.
- Funds cannot be provided for physical capital projects. Instead, funds may support direct costs of advocacy, including staff time, travels, meetings with policymakers, communications costs etc.
- English is the working language of EPIM. Only applications in English will be accepted. Furthermore, the organisation’s staff communicating with the EPIM Secretariat and participating in EPIM capacity and network development programmes will be expected to work in English.
Selection Criteria
- Clear identification of advocacy opportunity (ies) & EU relevance:
- the proposal must clearly identify specific ongoing or upcoming legislative and political agendas and/or concrete changes in practice the project aims to target, at EU, national, bilateral, regional and/or local levels;
- the applicant should explain why the proposal is timely given the above;
- the proposal should explain its EU relevance: the project should explain how it relates to existing and future EU asylum law, policies, frameworks and human rights standards.
- Proposals that mainly focus on the achievement of advocacy outcomes at national/regional/bilateral/local level should demonstrate how these changes can contribute to inform policy change at EU level and/or contribute to ensure compliance with existing EU asylum law and human rights standards.
- Strategic advocacy and theory of change:
- The proposal must clearly explain the relevance of the proposed approach with regard to the opportunity offered by and/or emergency/risk addressed at the EU, national, bilateral, regional and/or local contexts.
- The proposal must indicate the concrete and realistic changes it will aim for. Outcomes foreseen in the proposal should be realistic and progress towards these objectives should be measurable within the project timeframe.
- The proposed strategy should be targeted and seek to influence specific decision-makers and/or practitioners. The choice of target country(ies) and levels of intervention (EU, national, regional, bilateral and/or local) must be based on a sound analysis of the opportunities, emergencies and risks to be addressed in the EU, national, bilateral, regional and/or local contexts.
For more information, visit https://www.epim.info/proposal/epim-call-for-proposals-seizing-opportunities-to-advise-european-asylum-policies-and-practices/