1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this call for proposals is to support partnership projects seeking to improve access to quality public services (administrative, social, medical, and educational services) for all population groups, especially the most vulnerable, as well as projects encouraging socio-economic recovery and sustainable development of communities in Kherson Oblast. These initiatives are expected to strengthen community resilience amid the multi-dimensional crisis and enhance public trust in local, regional, and national authorities.

Civil society organizations are invited to participate where they have joined efforts with businesses and/or authorities to implement economic and social projects strengthening community resilience in Kherson Oblast.

The competition is held as a part of the “Strengthening Community Resilience in Kherson Oblast” project, implemented jointly by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the UK Government and financed via the British Embassy in Ukraine.

Please click the link to apply: https://forms.gle/hWFLVtDdZekqm8Ut9

All proposal related questions could be submitted by midnight Tuesday, 13 July 2021 via https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KdtxNkXc43beQ284mffJaQpEja5VPTsufSunEyZip58/edit

The follow-up discussion will take place on Friday, 11:00, 16 July 2021. All registered participants will receive a ZOOM invitation.

The competition is financed by the UK Government via the British Embassy Kyiv. Administration of the grants competition is entrusted to the UNDP in Ukraine.

2. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Civil society organisations, charities, and non-profits that have partnered with businesses and/or authorities are encouraged to apply with proposals targeting revitalization and activation of economic initiatives to bolster community resilience in Kherson Oblast.

Priority will be given to the initiatives focusing on economic and social empowerment of women and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable and affected groups (people with disabilities, the elderly, and rural residents).

The activities proposed for implementation may include, but are not limited to, identifying the social and economic needs of the region; using innovative solutions in the area of socio-economic development, education, employment, healthcare, and community engagement that contribute to higher efficiency and accessibility of administrative, medical, educational, and social services; developing entrepreneurial initiatives, social entrepreneurship, and tourism attractiveness of communities; engaging communities (with the focus on vulnerable groups) to response to the crisis and recovery during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Close partnership or cooperation is encouraged with social services, medical institutions, and businesses indicated in the proposed projects. The projects should not include the purchase of food/medications, though some funds can be earmarked in the budget to cover transportation and other logistics costs.

All project activities must be in strict compliance with the quarantine rules in force at the time of project implementation.

Applications will not be considered if sent by individuals, commercial organizations, government agencies and organizations, local authorities, trade unions, political parties, and religious organizations.

Civil-society and non-profit organisations from all over Ukraine can participate in the competition, but the initiatives are subject to implementation in Kherson Oblast only.

PROJECT DURATION

The duration of proposed projects is not expected to exceed three months.

3. AMOUNT OF FUNDING FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS

The value of the grant will vary between US$15,000 and US$25,000.

Acting on behalf of the established partnership, an applicant must co-finance the project (in monetary terms) to the amount of at least 20% of the total project budget. Co-financing may include partners' contributions, national or local budget financing, and/or extrabudgetary funds.

Under the grant agreement, a recipient organization will receive an advance payment of 80% for the planned activities.

The final installment of 20% will be provided to the grant recipient after project reporting, including the confirmation of all financial transactions.

4. GRANT SELECTION CRITERIA

The projects will be evaluated against the following criteria:

•      Fitness for purpose. The project should seek to improve access to quality public services (administrative, social, medical, and educational services) for all population groups, especially the most vulnerable ones, as well as to encourage the socio-economic recovery and sustainable development of communities in Kherson Oblast. It should pursue at least one of the priority goals:

a) improve the efficiency and accessibility of administrative, medical, educational, and social services;

b) develop entrepreneurial initiatives, social entrepreneurship, and tourism attractiveness of communities;

c) strengthen social cohesion and engaging communities (with the focus on vulnerable groups) in recovery and sustainable development efforts to respond to the multi-dimensional crisis.

•      Feasibility. The project should have clear goals that can be achieved with available resources within the established period. The project should clearly identify its target groups and final beneficiaries of the project activities, i.e., residents of Kherson Oblasts, Ukrainian nationals from other regions, including the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, particular vulnerable groups, including Internally Displaced Persons, etc.

•      Sustainability of results. The project should have clear and measurable targets, both quantitative and qualitative, that describe the expected results. The proposal should prove their sustainability after completion of the project.

•      Innovation and replication potential. Projects offering innovative solutions will be given precedence where such projects can be replicated by other communities in Kherson Oblast and beyond.

5. PROJECT PROPOSAL EXPENSES

6.1. Allowable expenses

Allowable expenses are those that are:

• Necessary to achieve the project goals and objectives;
• Consistent with the principle of efficiency and cost-effectiveness ("highest quality at lowest cost").

Funds provided within the grant may be used only as follows:

• Remuneration of the organization's staff and engaged experts (no more than 15% of the total project budget);
• Goods, equipment, and services necessary for the project implementation;
• Communication and information services;
• Consulting services necessary to achieve the project goals;
• Printing, publishing, and copying services;
• Consumables and stationery;
• Transportation and other costs related to the project activities.

6.2. Unacceptable expenses are those associated with:

• Preparation of the project proposal for the competition;
• Payment of debts;
• Reimbursement for costs resulting from currency fluctuations;
• Secondments abroad;
• Rent of offices and payment of utility bills.

This competition will not support proposals that provide for purchasing food packages, one-time events, gathering of people, purchase of drugs and/or medications; however, project activities can include online or offline events (subject to compliance with public health measures and recommendations) to assist in solving socio-economic issues at the local level during and after the quarantine period.

This competition will not support proposals that provide for purchasing medical and personal care items (e.g. medical face masks and antiseptics), as well as expensive items, including equipment, except for the purchase of minor personal protective equipment for partnership staff implementing the project and offline event participants.

6. PROCEDURE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROPOSALS

To submit the project proposal, please:

1.   Fill in the online form (the application package) https://forms.gle/hWFLVtDdZekqm8Ut9

2.   Prepare and submit the application package (as per documents below).

Composition of the application package:

1. Online Project Summary Form at the above link that contains basic information about the organization and the project proposal and allows uploading the following necessary files: the application form, financial proposal, and declaration of partnership;

2.      Application Form (Form C-3 filled in MS Word format, describing organizational plan and project implementation plan (in *.docx/*.doc format);

3.      Financial Proposal (Form С-3, proposed budget in MS Excel format);

4.      Declaration of Partnership (Form С-2 scanned in *.PDF or *.JPG;

5.      Application Letter signed by an authorized representative (Form С-1 in *.PDF);

6.      Letter of Guarantee for project co-financing.

Organizations submitting project proposals must fill in the online application form, as well as upload the full application package at the end of this form. Please send the application to grants.ua@undp.org, indicating the subject of the message: Application for the competition "Strengthening the Community Resilience in Kherson Oblast" (2021). A partnership may submit more than one application, but only one application with the highest score will be supported by the project.

The application package must be sent in one archive file (*.rar). The file size should not exceed 15 Mb.

Submitted project proposals will be evaluated against the selection criteria. Proposals that meet the criteria will be submitted for consideration to the Selection Committee.

NOTE!

• Materials submitted to the competition are not subject to return or review.
• Participants will be notified of the competition results by e-mail.
• Final decision on the project or application is not subject to revision.
• Reasons for proposal acceptance/rejection will not be disclosed.

7. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION SUBMISSION

The application deadline is 31 July 2021, midnight.

ANNEXES

•          Application Form (С3)

•          Financial Proposal (С3)

•          Declaration of Partnership (С2)

•          Letter of Guarantee