GEF Small Grants Programme – Eswatini

Deadline: 21-May-2024

UNDP Eswatini is looking for a civil society organization, including research institutions, with expertise in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) to provide M&E support to ensure that the projects are on track towards the achievement of objectives and results, adhering to compliance requirements, and managing risks to achieve its intended impact.

The CSO, which should be based in Eswatini, will assess 15 projects within the GEF Small Grants Programme in Eswatini. This support aims to ensure projects are progressing towards their goals, meeting compliance standards, and mitigating risks to achieve desired outcomes.

The Small Grants Programme (SGP) is a corporate programme of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) that finances community-led initiatives to address global environmental issues through a decentralized, country-level delivery mechanism managed by a multi-stakeholder National Steering Committee (NSC) and supported by a SGP Country Program Team. SGP is designed to mobilize bottom-up actions by empowering local civil society and community-based organizations, including women, youth, and persons with disabilities. Evaluations led by the Independent Evaluation Offices of the GEF have proven that civil society-led initiatives can generate environmental benefits, while supporting sustainable livelihoods, gender equality and civil society empowerment. SGP therefore remains one of the GEF’s flagship initiatives.

Funding Information

• The maximum amount per grant award for the entire project will be limited to $50,000. All proposals must be expressed as an all-inclusive lump Sum amount.

Duration 

• The estimated duration of the assignment is 16 months from the time of signing the contract.

Duties and Responsibilities 

• The civil society organization will be expected to perform the following duties and responsibilities:
  • Monitoring
    • Develop a procedure for monitoring and evaluation of 15 projects up to December 2025. This must include a field visit schedule that reflects that the monitoring will be conducted in a systematic and continuous manner.
    • Conducting needs-finding to understand the range of barriers that grantees face to reach success in their endeavors.
    • Report on emerging trends and/or obstacles relevant to the project implementation for each granted project.
    • Establishing sufficient controls over awarded grantees to ensure that they are on track towards the achievement of objectives and results. Assess if project objectives are being reached.
    • Document the impact of activities on beneficiaries and the feedback of beneficiaries about the activities.
  • Evaluation
    • Assess the impact of the project on the local community, the environmental and the livelihoods of direct beneficiaries.
    • Document the beneficiaries’ assessment of the positive impact in their individual lives as a result of participation in the project.
    • Assess beneficiaries’ expression of a continued interest in the project after participation in the implementation.
    • Achievements of each granted project in relation to the set project milestones and at the end of the project
    • Conclusions/results documented through monitoring and evaluation.

Who may Submit Proposals?

• The project will be financed through a grant modality therefore may only be undertaken by civil society organizations, academic or research institutions registered and operating in Eswatini. Individuals or consultants are therefore not eligible. However, qualifying organizations are allowed to partner with individual experts or expert organizations and include them as part of their team. The proposal must clearly present the profile and experience (CVs) of the applicant and its partners (e.g., experts) on the tasks to be carried out.

Qualifications and Experience of the Successful Civil Society Organization

• Academic Qualifications/Education 
  • The Organization will provide at least 3 key personnel experts with Degrees in Social Sciences, Environment, or related fields. Experience in monitoring and evaluation is mandatory.
• Experience
  • The Partner shall demonstrate:
    • At least east 5 years’ experience in monitoring and evaluation. Experience in management of grant programmes is an added advantage.
    • Grant management or implementation of programmes, including experience of development of M&E frameworks, and evaluation of local initiative projects.
    • Experience in field monitoring and evaluation of environment related projects is mandatory.
    • Proven experiences in working with community-led initiatives as well as experience in community and stakeholder participatory processes.
• Language skills 
  • Good command of English (both written and spoken) is required.
  • Ability to communicate in SiSwati is mandatory.

Competencies Required for the Project 

• Corporate competencies: 
  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN.
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
  • Treats all people fairly without favouritism.
  • Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
• Functional competencies: 
  • Data analysis expertise, with an understanding of statistics
  • Expertise in gathering and comprehensively analyzing data.
  • Excellent analytical skills.
  • Ability to facilitate multi-stakeholder sessions.
  • Ability to navigate sensitive political environments.
  • Strong communication skills, including ability to produce high quality reports and knowledge products.
  • Excellent conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.

For more information, visit UNDP.