Deadline: 30-Nov-22
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA) announces a Call for Proposals for International Non-governmental Organisations (INGOs) for support in Development Cooperation.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA) opens a call for proposals for core and project support for International Non-governmental Organisations’ (INGOs) development cooperation interventions. Approximately EUR 13 million will be allocated during this application round for use in 2023–2025.
Focus Areas
The search focuses on the following themes:
- sexual and reproductive health and the promotion of these rights
- promoting tax fairness and transparency
- strengthening food security for children and young people, focusing on school meals
Objectives
- The cross-cutting objectives that Finland promotes through its development policy include gender equality, non-discrimination, climate-resilient and low-emission development as well as environmental protection, with an emphasis on safeguarding biodiversity.
- Development cooperation is one way to implement development policy. It involves practical cooperation with developing countries and such other partners as the UN and civil society organisations in order to achieve the development goals. The objective of Finland’s development cooperation is to strengthen developing countries’ own carrying capacity. It is of key importance that the countries assume responsibility for their own development.
- Finland channels its contribution to international climate funding as part of the exclusive official development assistance (ODA) administered by the Foreign Ministry.
- Humanitarian assistance is an independent part of Finland’s development policy. Humanitarian assistance is needs-based. Finland’s humanitarian work is grounded on international humanitarian law, human rights treaties and refugee law, as well as on such humanitarian principles established by the United Nations as humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.
Thematic Areas
- The number of proposals to be funded and the maximum amount of grant available under each thematic focus area is tentative. The MFA may also reallocate funds between thematic focus areas depending on the quality and relevance of the applications.
- Promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights globally, regionally and locally, especially among women and girls in vulnerable positions (e.g. persons with disabilities, persons belonging to minorities) and situations (humanitarian and fragile contexts).
- Grant allocated by the Unit for Civil Society. Financing will be available for 0-3 proposals with contract duration of 3 years (2023-2025). The maximum total amount of funding available for this thematic focus area is 8 million euros.
- Financing will be available only for core funding and only to INGOs that meet the eligibility criteria for official development aid (ODA), set by OECD/DAC.
- Promotion of tax justice, transparency and sustainable social contracts. Priority will be given to initiatives that support the capacities of civil society to hold government duty bearers accountable for increasing tax revenues and using them adequately for public services, social protection and inclusion with a view to reducing inequalities and ensuring the realization of human rights for all.
- Grant allocated by the Unit for Civil Society. Financing will be available for 0-2 proposals with contract duration of 3 years (2023-2025). The maximum total amount of funding available for this thematic focus area is 3 million euros.
- Financing will be available for core or project support that fulfill the ODA criteria.
- Core funding can be granted only to INGOs that have a minimum operating annual budget of 3 million euros over the period of last two years.
- Project funding can be granted to INGO’s projects.
- Strengthening the food and nutrition security of children and youth, with an emphasis on school meals. The focus will be given to initiatives that support the development of system for Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF). HGSF constitutes a school feeding model that is designed to provide children in schools with safe, diverse and nutritious food, sourced locally from smallholders.
- Grant allocated by the Unit for Civil Society. Financing will be available for core or project funding for 0-2 proposals with contract duration of 3 years (2023-2025). The maximum total amount of funding available for this thematic focus area is 2 million euros.
- Financing will be available for core or project support that fulfill the ODA criteria.
- Core funding can be granted only to INGOs that have a minimum operating annual budget of 3 million euros over the period of last two years.
- Project funding can be granted to INGO’s projects.
Requirements
- The MFA considers INGOs to be non-profit organisations that operate politically and administratively independently from governments. In the case of a consortium, a fund will be granted to one applicant only, not to a consortium.
- In order to be eligible for support the INGO and its proposal have to meet the following Minimum Requirements.
- The INGO has to have:
- At least three different nationalities represented in its governing structures.
- Operations in more than two countries.
- Been registered and/or legally competent for at least two years.
- Funding from at least one other source.
- The INGO has to have:
- The proposal must:
- Contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- Be aligned with Finland’s development policy goals and principles.
- Be aligned with the Theories of Change and Aggregate Indicators of Finland’s development policy.
- Be at least human rights-sensitive as defined in the guidance note of human rights-based approach in Finland’s development cooperation.
- Apply the Foreign Ministry’s cross-cutting objectives in development policy.
Criteria for review of applications
Only applications that fulfill the above-mentioned minimum requirements will be evaluated and assessed according to the following criteria:
- Alignment of the proposal with one of the thematic focus areas and related objectives.
- Results framework outlining impact, outcome, outputs and including clearly set indicators, targets and assumptions.
- A comprehensive risk matrix of the proposal.
- Relevant previous experience and proven results in the applied thematic focus area.
- Experience of working in developing countries (including in Least Developed Countries and fragile states defined by OECD).
- Reliable and high-quality monitoring, evaluation and learning as well as reporting systems.
- Financial stability (e.g. ability to cover operational expenditures by fund-raising or other activities).
- Solid risk management structures and procedures that address risks comprehensively, including policies on anti-corruption as well as on sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment, also in line with the Ethical Code of Conduct of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for Development Cooperation.
For more information, visit https://um.fi/support-for-international-non-governmental-organizations-ingos-