Deadline: 28 May 2020
UNDP has announced a Call for Proposals for Grant Competition for Introducing Smart Villages in Georgia in Response and Building Resilence to COVID–19 Pandemic.
Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, rural areas in Georgia are facing new, unprecedented challenges in public health, education, food security, economy, mitigation of virus prevalence, etc. To address the needs and challenges affecting rural areas in these domains, this Call for Proposals will contribute to response and building resilience to COVID-19 outbreak through conceptual approach of ‘Smart Village’, by supporting bottom-up initiatives that find solutions for shortfalls in service delivery (mobility, logistics and local supply; health and social care; education and training; communication) as well as by promoting the digital transformations of rural areas.
The primary objective of the call is to respond and build resilience to COVID-19 outbreak of rural areas in Georgia by finding practical, innovation-driven solutions to challenges they face and potentially seize new opportunities, notably with a view of substantial inclusion of disadvantaged groups. This further means, enacting innovative solutions to complex challenges in service access and delivery that are matching the characteristics and assets of distinct rural areas.
The EU financed and UNDP implemented project “Improving Rural Development in Georgia” (IRDG) is addressing the challenges of rural areas in Georgia by taking actions to achieve: (1) Improved governance for effective implementation of the Rural Development Strategy (2017-2020), it’s Action Plan and related programmes; (2) Improved rural economic diversification, employment and services; (3) Improved environment, sustainable management of natural resources and climate action.
Priority
The priority will be given to the proposal ideas that will ensure:
- Support rural communities to address the needs through social and digital innovation that have potential of response and building resilience to COVID-19 pandemic with a clear social and economic impact and transferability to broader spatial dimensions.
- Encourage coordination and partnership among key stakeholders in multi-sectoral, integrated approaches to rural development, e.g. policy makers, rural entrepreneurs, local governments, national agencies, CSO, development organizations, etc. Such coordination and partnerships should ensure complementarity of measures to existing public and private programs and projects.
- Ensure reach-out to disadvantaged groups, including youth, women, PWDs, IDPs, ethnic, religious, sexual and other minorities from rural areas.
Funding Information
Any funds requested for the grant(s) under this Call for Proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
- minimum amount: USD 8,000.
- maximum amount: USD 15,000.
Eligibility Criteria
LEADER/CLLD and non-LEADER/CLLD entities are invited to apply for this Call for Proposals. For the purposes of this Call for Proposals:
- LEADER/CLLD entities (non-profit (non-commercial) legal entities) are: Local Action Group (LAG) and local community group (AMAG) organizations established with support of ENPARD program in IRDG project target municipalities (Keda, Khulo, Borjomi, Akhalkalaki, Tetritskaro, Lagodekhi, Dedoplistskaro and Kazbegi).
- Non-LEADER/CLLD entities are non-profit (non-commercial) legal entities (NGOs), except: (1) Local Action Group (LAG) and local community group (AMAG) organizations established with support of ENPARD program in IRDG project target municipalities (Keda, Khulo, Borjomi, Akhalkalaki, Tetritskaro, Lagodekhi, Dedoplistskaro and Kazbegi); (2) Religious and Political organizations; (3) Government owned entities.
- LEADER/CLLD and non-LEADER/CLLD entities should be registered in accordance with the legal requirements of the Government of Georgia, must be able to provide organization’s statute and the debt certificate.
- All applicant organizations must demonstrate proven experience and capabilities in carrying out rural development interventions, including but not limited to: needs appraisal, community mobilization, socio-economic development actions, measures related to inclusion and support of disadvantaged groups (youth, women, PWDs, IDPs, ethnic, religious, sexual and other minorities).
- Coalitions (based on co-application) with NGOs and private sector is encouraged. Note: Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the primary applicant.
For more information, visit https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=65423