Deadline: 8 November 2019

Europe Foundation (EPF) has announced a call for proposals aimed at promoting participatory civic monitoring and advocacy in Georgia under the Foundation’s Engage and Monitor for Change program. The call is designed to foster active and informed participation of Georgian community groups, CSOs, and media outlets in the political, social and economic decision-making in their regions by building capacity of civic groups, encouraging monitoring and evaluation of policy reforms, and facilitating public discussions and network building.

The goal of the grant program is to support civic monitoring and advocacy efforts in various spheres of life, through fostering cooperation between CSOs and media outlets, so that together they contribute to inclusive decision making and responsive public policies.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the call are as follows:

• Support initiatives that foster dialogue between civil society and public authorities to improve public transparency and accountability, quality of public policies and programs, or delivery of public services;
• Promote lasting partnerships among CSOs, community groups, and the media in the process of monitoring and advocacy;
• Build capacity of local communities to take action to effect specific positive change.

Grant Information

The maximum grant award for each proposal is GEL 50,000. The minimum duration of the project is 12 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Non-profit civil society organizations legally registered as well as networks and coalitions of CSOs, community groups, and local media in Georgia are eligible to submit proposals for the call. Media outlets can take part in the call only in partnership with qualified CSOs.
• Civil servants, members of the current parliament, staff of the public broadcaster, and/or leaders and members of political parties cannot participate in a grant project as a grant remunerated participant.
• Interested applicant can submit one proposal within a call.

Selection Criteria

Grants will be awarded to projects demonstrating the following:

• Persuasive, evidence-based justification (such as available research and/or surveys) of the importance and saliency of an issue selected for the proposed civic monitoring and advocacy effort(s);
• Results-oriented, feasible, and needs-based action plan ensuring wide participation of citizens in monitoring and advocacy processes, including a clear description of the methods to be applied in monitoring, advocacy, and citizen mobilization;
• Efficient and well-thought-out strategy of interaction between CSOs, media outlets, and public authorities in the process of civic monitoring and advocacy, directed toward achieving positive outcomes for the communities;
• Sound action plan for equipping CSOs and grassroots community groups with knowledge and skills needed to implement professional civic monitoring and advocacy campaigns, which in turn will contribute to developing local civic resource;
• Partnership with at least one media outlet or a clearly articulated media component to be implemented by the potential grantee;
• Well-thought-out project monitoring and evaluation plan with reliable quantitative and/or qualitative baseline data and indicators for measuring and evaluating the project’s impact;
• Scope and relevance of the project’s impact;
• Sustainability of a project (please note that sustainability can refer to activities, structures, knowledge, and outcomes that result from project implementation);
• Cost-effectiveness of the project.

The following general criteria will also be used to assess the projects:

• Degree of compliance with the objectives and conditions of the call;
• Effectiveness of project methodology;
• Sound analysis of internal and external risks and efficient methods of risks mitigation;
• Demonstrated commitment from major stakeholders, including concrete information about formal or informal partners;
• Organization’s capacity to implement a project as demonstrated by: (a) relevant qualifications of the involved personnel and/or experts, (b) past experience in civic monitoring and advocacy, and (c) capacity to manage a grant;
• Gender-based analysis to ensure equal access of men and women to project activities and products to influence decision-making processes;
• Analysis of minority considerations that relate to direct or indirect effect of the project activities and expected results on different minority groups;
• Opportunities of co-funding from other sources.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should submit their full application via email at the address given on the website.

For more information, please visit http://www.epfound.ge/call-for-proposals-to-promote-participatory-civic-monitoring-and-advocacy-4/