GCERF invites Expressions of Interest from Civil Society Organisations in Kosovo

Deadline: 1-Apr-23

The Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) invites Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to apply for funding focused on capacity building of PVE and R&R actors at the local level and reinforcing local mechanisms and institutions to mitigate polarisation of children and youth.

GCERF, in collaboration with the CSM of Kosovo, is pleased to announce a call for expressions of interest for CSOs in Kosovo to form a consortium and become a Principal Recipient (PR) of GCERF funding. GCERF will fund consortia of CSOs to build capacity of PVE and R&R actors at the local level and reinforcing local mechanisms and institutions to mitigate polarisation of children and youth. Consortium grants are managed and supported by the PRs, who are the legal recipients of GCERF funding and provide funding to other consortium members or “Sub-Recipients” (SR).

Funding Information

GCERF plans to sign grant agreements with CSOs by the end of July 2023. GCERF will fund at least two (2), or perhaps three (3), consortium grants in Kosovo. The grant size will be USD 500,000 to 1,000,000. GCERF has allocated USD 1.5 million for this round of funding.
Duration: The grants will be no less than 24 months and no more 36 months in duration.

Criteria

In line with the Investment Strategy and Country Needs Assessment, the focus of the investment will be:
- Who:
  - National/local institutions and frontline workers
  - Local and community based CSOs/ grassroots groups
  - Children and youth, including returnees but also other minority groups including Serbian, Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian, Turkish, and Bosniak youth.
  - Returnees and their family members or legal guardians
- Where:
  - Mitrovica (South, North, Leposavic, Zubin Potok, Skenderaj, Zvecan, Vushtrri)
  - Gjilan (and Vitia)
  - Pristina
  - Peja
  - Han I Elezit
  - Podujevo
  - Gjakova
- What:
  - GCERF will fund a consortium led by a local organisation to implement programmes that facilitate safe, healthy, and dignified rehabilitation and reintegration (R&R) of returning foreign terrorist fighters (RFTFs) and their families while creating resilience to violent extremism in the wider community over the long-term. CSO actions will be implemented in collaboration with government authorities and aligned with existing R&R strategies. R&R interventions will contribute to the following objectives:
  - Contribute to the implementation of national and local strategies to prevent violent extremism and support community based rehabillitation and reintegration of returnees from conflicts abroad and their families.
  - Strengthen the capacity of local organisations in the municipalities mentioned.
  - Strengthen the capacity of multidisciplinary teams to address the drivers of violent extremism and support R&R work at the municipal and community level.
  - Support correctional services to identify and address radicalisation and to support rehabillitation efforts of persons incarcerated (male and female).
  - Support probation services with R&R of ex-offenders (male and female).

Grantee

Each consortium should be led by a Principal Recipient (PR) which will be responsible for providing subgrants to other consortium members (Sub-Recipients). Priority will be given to consortia whose members have experience implementing socioeconomic and governance programmes, specifically in the context of preventing violent extremism. Experience with implementing rehabilitation and reintegration programming is also highly desirable.

Expressions of Interest

Applicants are asked to demonstrate that they meet GCERF’s established prerequisites and that they possess the required capabilities to be a PR of GCERF funding.

Prerequisites
- Appropriate legal registration of the consortium lead in one of the four countries for this call.
- Willingness and capacity to accept and fulfil the role of a PR
Capabilities
- Established relationships and credibility with the relevant national and local authorities, institutions and front liners (e.g. multidisciplinary teams, schools, psychologists, social workers, etc.), and other stakeholders involved in R&R of FTFs and their families.
- Experience in addressing various forms of extremism, including through the digital space.
- Experience in managing sub-recipients and assessing and enhancing their capacities.
- Ability to manage community-based partners and implement multiple grants out of a consortium grant.
- Experience and capacity in programme management.
- Experience and capacity in financial management and in the management of and accounting for donor grant funding.
Willingness and capacity to engage international partners as subrecipients and service providers.