Open Call for CSOs as Actors of Governance and Development in Jamaica and Belize

Deadline: 10-Jun-22

The European Commission (EC) is inviting proposals to strengthen local civil society organisations’ engagement as actors of good governance and development at country level (regional or international may be included).

The overall objective of the CSO Thematic Programme is to strengthen local CSOs as independent actors of good governance and development. The action aims to contribute to an inclusive, participatory, empowered, and independent civil society which is pivotal for promoting a democratic space in partner.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this call for proposals are:

• To strengthen the capacities of local CSOs’ to engage in policy dialogue at national level to be partners in the implementation and monitoring of EU and national development plans and programmes
• To improve the ability of local civil society organizations to uphold and promote an enabling environment  on behalf of vulnerable communities, with some attention to digitalization (empowerment)
• To strengthen the capacity of local CSOs to engage in actions dedicated to promoting gender equality, women and youth empowerment & inclusion as well as promote cultural expression.

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 2,510,000. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.
• Indicative allocation of funds by lot/geographical distribution:
  • Lot 1: Actions to be implemented in Jamaica – EUR 1,798,000
  • Lot 2: Actions to be implemented in Belize – EUR 712,000
• Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
  • Lot 1:  Actions to be implemented in Jamaica
    • minimum amount: EUR 250,000
    • maximum amount: EUR 500,000
  • Lot 2: Actions to be implemented in Belize
    • minimum amount: EUR 150,000
    • maximum amount: EUR 300,000

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead applicant(s): In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
  • be a legal person and
  • be non-profit-making and
  • be a civil society organization,  including non-governmental non-profit organisations and independent political foundations, community-based organisations, and private-sector non-profit agencies, institutions and organisations and networks thereof at local, national, regional and international level, and
  • be established in  Jamaica (Lot 1)
  • be established in Belize (Lot 2) – international CSOs can apply only in Lot 2. International CSOs must be established in a Member State of the European Union or any country without limitation,
  • be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary [and]
  • be able to demonstrate the completion, within the last 5 years, of at least 1 project of a similar size and in a related field to the action being requested in the grant.
• Co-applicant(s)
  • Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
  • Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant himself.
  • Co-applicants must sign the mandate form.
• Affiliated entities
  • The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies).
  • Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant and/or to co-applicant(s):
    • Only entities having a structural link with the applicants (i.e. the lead applicant or a co-applicant), in particular a legal or capital link.
    • This structural link encompasses mainly two notions:
      • Control, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
        • Entities affiliated to an applicant may hence be:
          • Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the applicant (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
          • Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant;
          • Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies).
      • Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the applicant participates in the same entity (e.g. network, federation, association,) as the proposed affiliated entities

For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3KxHBFf