Eurasia Partnership Foundation is pleased to announce a request for proposals (RFP) for projects aimed at supporting nascent grassroots civil society organizations in Georgia. This grant competition is a part of EPF's Engage and Monitor for Change (EMC) Program designed to foster the active and informed participation of Georgian community groups, CSOs, and media outlets in the political and economic decision-making in their regions.

Background:

Eurasia Partnership Foundation's (EPF) mission is to empower people to effect change for social justice and economic prosperity through hands-on programs, helping them to improve their communities and their own lives. EPF engages citizens in social, economic, and political developments, in order to effect substantive and sustainable positive socio-economic change at the local, regional, and national level through both operational programs and grant-making. EPF also houses the Caucasus Research Resource Center, a network of centers working to improve social science research and public policy analysis in the South Caucasus. EPF is supported by USAID, Sida, and other public and private donors, and is a member of the Eurasia Foundation (EF) Network: five local foundations supporting civil society that are based in Russia, Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Eastern Europe, and Washington, DC. In the South Caucasus, EPF is present in Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

Problem Statement:

The development of relatively new grassroots CSOs into significant civic actors is often delayed by their weak institutional capacity, including problems in management and governance that, in turn, hinder these CSOs from raising funds needed for their development and for building sustainable connections with their constituencies. In addition, recently founded CSOs lack practical experience of effective networking and lasting partnership with their peers, as well as with more experienced civic actors. These shortcomings decrease CSOs participation in the local economic and political decision-making and lower communities' trust to the civil society and their activities.

Competition Goal:

The goal of the call is to make recently established grassroots CSOs proactive participants in solution to communities' salient problems through the improved institutional capacity and effective interaction with communities and experienced CSOs.

Competition Objectives:

** Support activities directed at the enhancement of capacity of newly established CSOs in terms of organizational development, project management, public relations and networking with colleagues

** Support along with organizational development the activities focused on resolving a topical problem(s) of the local concern in cooperation with local community, experienced CSOs and the media

Selection Criteria:

Grants will be awarded to the projects demonstrating the following:

** A sound and feasible action plan (to be included in the proposal) about improving CSO governance, management and promoting organizational growth, which includes creation of organization's board, multi-year strategic plan of development, plans for fundraising, modern accounting, human resources, and public relations

** Creating capacity of the applicant organization's members in problem analysis, monitoring, advocacy and networking by training and/or educational activities

** Detailed and feasible plan of solution to at least one salient problem of the local concern (justified by evidence-based assessment) after creating the capacity of the organization to solve it.

** Wide engagement of the target communities in the identification and solution of the problem, mechanisms of lasting partnership with the local media, methods of effective dialogue with state bodies and continuous efforts to find inclusive solutions for challenges faced by the local communities

** Partnership and/or coordination with a more experienced CSO, building and/or strengthening sustainable networks and/or coalitions with peer CSOs

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

** Degree of compliance with the objectives and conditions of the competition

** Degree of compliance with EPF's mandate and mission

** Scope and importance of the project's impact

** Effectiveness and feasibility of project methodology focused on attaining goals

** Innovativeness and efficiency of strategies and approaches

** Cost-effectiveness of the project

** Effectiveness of the evaluation plan

** Sustainability of the project

Selection Process:

To ensure an objective and non-discriminatory selection process, proposals will be reviewed by a board of independent experts. The final decision on grant awards will be made by Eurasia Partnership Foundation. EPF reserves the right not to support any project proposal, if it deems the quality unsatisfactory. During the review process, additional information may be requested.

The applicant will be asked to present the requested information within three calendar days of the request.

Evaluation of Project Results:

During the selection process, special attention will be paid to the proposed criteria and mechanisms for evaluation of project results. The projects shall list project evaluation criteria, outcome and impact indicators, and baseline data for the proposed indicators.

To determine the degree to which a grant project accomplished its goals and objectives, EPF may carry out an independent evaluation of the awarded grant projects. EPF may diagnose institutional capacity of the organizations selected for a grant award using its Capacity Mapping Initiative (CMI) tool at the start of a grant project and after completion to evaluate the progress grantees made towards organizational development.

Grant Funds:

The maximum grant award for each proposal is USD 5,000 with project activities lasting no longer than four months or ending by June 30, 2014.

** Grant funds may be used for the following:

** Expenses related to the collection of data and evidence;

** Direct costs for project-related events, e.g. rental of facilities, translation, equipment, etc;

** Communication between partner organizations, e.g. phone, fax, e-mail;

** Pro-rated portion of salaries for key participants, e.g. director, accountant, and modest honoraria for project experts;

** Transportation of project participants;

** Purchase of a limited amount of equipment (e.g. fax, computer, software) and stationery;

** Other expenses directly related to project implementation.

Grant funds may be used only for activities directly related to the implementation of a grant project. Grant funds cannot be used for covering an organization's on-going expenses, construction expenses, the purchase of real estate, or an organization's debt. Clear justification must be provided for project staff salary levels and percentage of hours dedicated to project activities.

EPF reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted through this competition.

The following program activities will not be supported by EPF:

** Humanitarian activities

** Support for a particular political party (however work that includes all parties on issues like electoral processes may be possible if it is inclusive, fair, unbiased, and objective)

** Lobbying for partisan purposes (EPF may advocate for issues, which bring about public and social good - like better endowment laws)

** Religious activities (EPF may support a religious organization for non-religious aims if they correspond to our mission)

** Capital construction projects for commercial purposes

** Military projects of any kind

** Small credits and loans for start-up businesses

** Theoretical research

** Individual and/or travel grants

** Purchase of medical equipment

Eligibility:

Only the newly emerged non-profit civil society organizations with the record of two to three years of operation legally registered in Georgia are eligible to apply. Civil servants, members of the current parliament, staff of public broadcasting, and/or leaders and members of political parties cannot participate in a grant project as a director or any grant remunerated participant.

Application Submission Procedures:

Applicants must present the following documents to EPF:

** One original and five (5) copies of the proposal in Georgian, English, or Russian. If a proposal is approved for funding, the applicant may be required to translate it into English;

** A detailed itemized budget, as instructed in the Proposal Writing Guidelines;

Proposals submitted for the competition must be the original and sole work of the applicant organization. Any plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification from the competition.

EPF will retain all materials and documents submitted through the competition for record. The Foundation does not use information presented by applicants for purposes other than review and does not provide this information to any outside persons or institutions, except when required by Georgian law or requested by EPF's donors.

Application forms, the Proposal Writing Guidelines, and other instructions can downloaded from http://www.epfound.ge | http://www.epfound.ge/georgian/grantis-madziebeltatvis.html

Contact Information:

Eurasia Partnership Foundation is located at 3 Kavsadze Street, 0179 Tbilisi, Georgia

Tel./Fax: (995 32) 225-3942/43; 225-2782.

The contact person for this competition is Marianna Khalatyan, Program Assistant mkhalatyan@epfound.ge

Competition Timeline

Consultation Session at EPF office: January 17, 2014 during 15:00 - 17:00 Tbilisi Time

Deadline for submission of applications: January 22, 2014, by 17:00, Tbilisi Time

Award announcement: February 6, 2014

source: jobs.ge