USAID CEP Request for Applications: Inviting Macedonian CSOs for Partnership Grants (PGs)

Deadline: 20 February 2018

The USAID Civic Engagement Project in Macedonia (CEP) is currently inviting civil society organization (CSO) alliances in Macedonia to apply for Partnership Grants (PGs). The CSO alliances include legally registered and non-registered CSO coalitions, platforms, networks, and alliances comprised of at least five (5) member CSOs.

Priority Areas

PGs’ aim to support CSO alliances that work in the following priority areas:

Good Governance and/or Anti-Corruption;
Rule of Law and/or Human Rights;
Economic Growth and/or Local Economic Development;
Public Service Improvement;
Environment

Grant Information

CEP plans to award up to 2 (two) grants under this RfA.
The maximum grant award for each proposal is 120,000 USD covering activities that may last not less than 30 months and up to 36 months.
Grant funds may be used only for activities directly related to the implementation of grant activities.
CEP reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.

Eligibility Criteria

CSO alliances legally registered and non-registered CSO alliances operating in Macedonia are eligible to submit proposals in response to this RfA. In cases of non-registered CSO alliances,
CEP will award the grant to one (lead applicant) CSO that is a member of the respective CSO alliance, based on a Memorandum of Understanding that is signed by all the respective CSO alliance members prior to the grant award.
The criteria listed below apply to the secretariat/coordinating body of the legally registered
CSO alliances and the CSO alliance members that will manage the grant on behalf of the CSO alliances that are not legally registered.
Applicant CSO alliances (or the legally registered CSO that will manage the grant on behalf of the CSO alliance that is not legally registered) should meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Be a Macedonian CSO alliance, meaning that it is managed by a governing body the simple majority of which are citizens or lawful permanent residents of Macedonia;
- Have at least five (5) CSO members – individual (person) members of the CSO alliances do not count for the purpose of this criterion;
- Be registered for at least three years (if registered as an CSO alliance) or have joint activities for at least the past three years (if not registered) in the priority areas of this RFA;
- Applicable only for non-registered CSO alliances – Provide relevant proof for the existence of the CSO alliance, that could include: reports on joint initiatives by CSO alliance members submitted to respective donors; correspondence with donors or/and public institutions related to the CSO alliance’s joint initiatives; minutes, list of participants, and pictures of the CSO Alliance’s meetings, etc.;
- Applicable only for non-registered CSO alliances – Provide a Memorandum of Understanding signed by all CSO members of the CSO alliance;
- The submitted project proposal duration must be between 30 and 36 months; and Have submitted and completed all sections of the Application Form for this RFA and deliver the full application package in hard copy before the deadline stated in the timeline of this RFA.