Funding for Development Projects to strengthen CSOs and to achieve SDGs

Deadline: 01-May-24

The Embassy of France in Bangladesh has launched its annual Call for Expressions of Project Intentions (AMI) provide co-financing for development projects that aim to contribute to strengthening local civil society partners and to achieving sustainable development goals.

This call for projects falls within the scope of the French Orientation and Programming Law on Development and International Solidarity passed on August 4, 2021 by the French parliament and the goals of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ strategic document “Civil Society and Civic Engagement” 2023-2027.

Themes

• The following themes are the priority objectives of French official development assistance:
  • Combating climate change;
  • Preservation of biodiversity, in particular forests and oceans;
  • Youth, education and vocational training;
  • Primary health and resilience to health risks;
  • Innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly between young people in Europe and Africa;
  • Food sovereignty, particularly in Africa;
  • Human rights, democracy and the fight against disinformation;
  • Equality between women and men, in particular by supporting feminist organisations and those promoting women’s rights;
  • Migration, in particular combating human trafficking.

Funding Information

• The total project cost must be greater than or equal to €500,000.
• The ratio of the project/program budget to the CSO’s annual budget: the average annual cost of the project must not exceed 70% of the CSO’s annual budget for the last three years, except in cases that are duly justified ; the CSO’s minimum annual budget cannot therefore be less than €238 000.
• Indirect costs are set at a maximum of 14% of the direct project costs.
• The maximum co-financing rate of AFD’s CSO-I mechanism is set at 90% of the total project budget.
• Combating the financing of terrorism: AFD requires the CSOs it finances to comply with the measures to freeze assets and prohibit the direct or indirect provision of funds or economic resources adopted by the United Nations, the European Union and France.
• Duration
  • The maximum project duration is three years, except in cases that are duly justified.

Eligible Activities

• The CSO’s major social missions must include the goal of working in the fields of sustainable development, promoting human rights, youth, gender equality, or strengthening civil society organizations.
• Projects to structure the local CSO sector (SMA) and projects focusing on sustainable development and global citizenship education carried out in the countries will be encouraged and may therefore be supported.
• CSOs whose main missions are exchange, international influence, reflection or intellectual production activities are not eligible.
• The CSO must have been financed at least once for a completed project, either directly or via a French CSO, by an entity of the AFD Group (DPA/OSC, Operations Department, Expertise France) regardless of the amount received. It may choose to renew its partnership with the French CSO, which has already supported it, as a partner in the intention it is submitting in its own name.
• The CSO must be able to demonstrate that it has carried out activities of significant scope and duration, through the implementation of development, sustainable development and global citizenship education projects and/or projects to organize the non-profit sector.

Ineligible Projects

• The project may not include activities involving religious proselytizing or political propaganda.
• Projects that are mainly or exclusively aimed at the following activities are not eligible for AFD co financing:
  • Training projects or programs when the project involves this type of activity alone or is built entirely around this type of activity
  • Publications or editorial projects when the project involves this type of activity alone or is built entirely around this type of activity
  • One-off and geographically limited actions may not be co-financed, unless they are part of wider processes and actions
  • Projects including activities to build or restore infrastructure representing over 40% of the estimated budget (except in duly justified cases, discussed with the CSO in advance)
  • Emergency one-off operations under the responsibility of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
  • Organizing conferences, symposiums and seminars when the project involves this type of activity alone or is built entirely around this type of activity
  • Evaluations alone
  • Individual or group trips for members of the CSO
  • Covering logistical resources (transport, containers, vehicles, etc.)
  • Sending or providing equipment (medicine, books etc.) or private fundraising
• Projects that are mainly or exclusively aimed at the following sectors of activity are not eligible for AFD CSO Initiatives co-financing, except in special cases that AFD alone may assess:
  • Academic and scientific exchanges
  • Youth exchanges
  • Archeology
  • The French language

Eligibility Criteria

• Co-financing requested from AFD is granted to CSOs founded under one of the following legal forms:
  • Associations or non-governmental organizations (including unions) founded in accordance with the legislation in force in the country concerned, that are non-profit and work in the field of sustainable development, already supported by the AFD group, directly or through a French partner.
  • Non-profit national, regional or international platforms that work in the field of sustainable development and whose headquarters are located on a long-term basis in one of the countries affected by their work, in accordance with the legislation in force in the country, already supported by the AFD group via a French partner.
• CSOs registered in countries eligible for official development assistance according to the list established by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) may now, under certain conditions, apply for direct co-financing from AFD for their projects through the CSO Initiatives (CSO-I) mechanism:
  • This year, locally governed CSOs (including unions) are eligible as long as they have been financed at least once for a completed project (either directly or via a French or international CSO) by an entity of the AFD Group (DPA/OSC, Operations Department, and Expertise France) regardless of the amount received. Or by a French embassy as part of annual funding of more than €100,000 (Fonds Equipe France (ex-FSPI) projects, for example).
  • Projects to structure local CSO sectors (SMA) and projects focusing on sustainable development and global citizenship education (sometimes referred to as global education) carried out in the countries will be encouraged and may therefore be supported.
  • AFD respects the respects the right of initiative accorded to CSOs, allowing them to propose projects that they have defined themselves.
• Local CSOs may submit a single project intention (on their own or as part of a consortium) with two possible options:
  • A new phase of a project already supported by the AFD group if the implementation of the previous project is considered satisfactory by the AFD group, with a geographic and thematic scope that is stable over time, and may be renewed once where appropriate.
  • A new project, with a different geographic or thematic scope from the previously-funded project, which may be renewed up to twice.
• Project intentions submitted to AFD for this call must promote and strengthen local stakeholders and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• NB: foundations are not eligible supported by the AFD group via a French partner.

For more information, visit AFD.