Request for Proposals: SBIF -Sashakti (Women Empowerment) (India)

Deadline: 19-Dec-23

The SBI Foundation (SBIF) is inviting proposals from NGOs/NPOs for implementing projects under SBIF- Sashakti.

SBIF intends to engage non-profit organisations registered in India for funding projects in the thematic area of prevention of violence against women in all its forms which includes building safe spaces like shelter homes, rescue homes & counseling centers to hold conversations and agency, to reduce gendered violence and enhancement of livelihood opportunities for marginalized women communities like Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Landless, Single Women (Windows, Divorcee), economically weaker section, below poverty line, victims of trafficking and sex workers.

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to invite potential grantees with a proven track record to implement projects in the aforementioned thematic areas during the current financial year FY of 2023-24.

The focus areas of SBIF are Rural Development, Healthcare, Women Empowerment, Disability & Inclusion, Education, Livelihoods/Entrepreneurship and Environment.

Thematic Area

• Women Empowerment

Funding Information

• The proposed budget for the proposals under various thematic areas should be in the range of Rs.1.50 Crore to Rs.2.00 Crore for a period of 1 to 2 years.

Framework of SBIF- Sashakti

• Partner organizations applying for a project in the above mentioned thematic area must follow the broad framework for SBIF- Sashakti for each of the following interventions:
  • Intervention 1: Psychosocial Counselling Centres addressing Violence Against Women in communities
    • (Note: The organisation should have an established structure for the center and required permissions from the government regarding the same or have been working with psychosocial counselling centers)
    • Project Location: Assam, Delhi, Odisha
    • Project Budget: 1.5 Cr.
    • Target Demography:
      • Urban Areas: The inhabitants of the marginalized communities in the urban areas (women in urban slums).
      • Rural Areas: Women living in the rural areas where access to legal, health care and protective services are limited.
    • Project Duration: 2 years
    • Activities to be undertaken:
      • Identification of women affected by violence: Working in the communities, the organisation should have in place their system to identify women affected by violence and assess the issue of violence against women prevalent in the community through baseline surveys.
      • Introductory Meetings and Awareness Generation: In person Counseling Sessions by Trained Social Workers, Individual Meetings with the client, Joint Meetings with the client and respondent to be undertaken at the center.
      • Community Organisation: Raising awareness within communities, at a larger level through awareness building and consciousness raising activities should be undertaken. Community based models for addressing violence against women should be existing. The women and men in the community should be able to address incidences of violence against women on their own.
  • Intervention 2: Shelter homes and Rescue Homes for Women affected by violence
    • (Note: The organisation should have an established structure for the shelter home, required permissions from the government, and registration regarding the same or have been working with shelter/rescue homes)
    • Project Location: Assam, Delhi and Odisha
    • Project Budget: 2 Cr.
    • Target Demography: Women and children who are vulnerable and victims of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.
    • Project Duration: 2 years
    • Activities to be undertaken:
      • Identification of beneficiaries
      • Renovation and reconstruction of the shelter home as per the guidelines of the government.
      • Healthcare facilities: Convergence with the government hospitals, PHCs, CHCs. Implementing partners should also engage a part time doctor at the center as well.
      • Provision of basic necessities: Inclusive of food, clothes, other need based items
      • Legal Aid: Awareness about the rights of the women, facilitating access to the justice system, support in cases involving legal issues should also be provided to the beneficiaries.
  • Intervention 3: Working with Women involved in Commercial sex work
    • Project Location: Maharashtra, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh
    • Project Budget: 2 Cr.
    • Target Demography: Women and children who are vulnerable and victims of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.
    • Project Duration: 2 years
    • Activities to be undertaken:
      • Referrals and Networking provision to connect the women with basic social protection schemes that they are entitled to, ensuring their documentation is in place, providing legal assistance if required etc.
      • Counseling services to be provided to the women through counsellors appointed at the centers.
  • Sub theme 4: Livelihood interventions for women Project Location: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha
    • Project Budget: 2 Cr.
    • Target Demography: Intervention will be in rural areas, habitations of marginalized women communities like Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Landless, Single Women (Windows, Divorcee), economically weaker section, below poverty line, victims of trafficking and sex workers.
    • Project Duration: 2 years
  • Activities to be undertaken:
    • Village Meetings: Village level meetings for Mobilization, Sensitization & Awareness Generation
    • Baseline Survey: Situational Analysis through Baseline Survey
    • Group Formation: women participants will be selected for individual and group based enterprises according to their interests and existing skill sets. Groups will be formed for group based enterprises.

Eligibility Criteria

• Proposals should be submitted in English language only.
• The Agency should be a non-profit organization/trust/society registered in India.

Ineligible

• The Agency shall be rejected if:
  • Annual revenue of the organisation for the last 3 years is less than 5 Crores
  • It has political or religious associations
  • Does not have the due diligence documents mentioned
  • The number of board members is less than 3
  • The number of permanent employees is less than 5
  • The individual donors are among the top 3 donors

Grant Terms and Schedule

• Grant will be released on a quarterly basis on satisfactory performance by the agency and submission of quarterly reports (activity and financial utilisation) duly signed by the authorized signatory and duly certified by the auditors of the successful agency. Brief monthly updates on activities conducted would also be required to be submitted.
• All terms regarding the grant will be in accordance with the amendment to the Companies Act 2013, with effect from 22nd January 2021 and any further enactments by the government shall be binding on all the stakeholders. c. Any unutilised disbursement lying with the agency at the end of the Financial Year i.e. on 31st March of the preceding year shall be promptly intimated and refunded to SBI Foundation, not later than 30 days from the closure of the Financial Year i.e. on or before 30th April.
• A separate bank account (preferably a savings bank account) in State Bank of India for the purpose of this grant and proof of the same should be furnished to SBI Foundation. All receipts and payments related to the said project must be routed through this account.
• SBIF will release the grant, subject to verification of the reports submitted by the successful agency and subsequent approval by the Competent Authority, on submission of invoice and all other supporting documents being in order.
• A grant agreement/MoU will be executed between SBIF and grantee with details of additional terms and conditions. The Project will be executed as per the terms and conditions of the grant letter or MoU and shall be binding on the Agency.

For more information, visit SBIF.