Call for Proposals: The EC-UN Joint Migration & Development Initiative

In line with the framework of the EC-UN Joint Migration and Development Initiative proposals are requested for projects which seek to create positive linkages between the phenomenon of migration and development in countries of migration origin, destination or transit.

Projects proposed should be in one or more of the four thematic areas - migrant capacities, migrant communities, migrant remittances and migrant rights - and should take account of the guidelines produced for each area, which can be accessed via the links on the left.

The total amount available for this Joint Initiative is about €10 million and the value of each project proposed be a maximum of 200,000 Euro, and a minimum of 50,000 Euro. Projects should have a duration of a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 18 months.

Projects will only be considered from two or more applicant groups working together in a consortium. Grants will be awarded separately to each partner organisation in the consortium, to a maximum of 100,000 Euro per partner organisation. The proposal of the consortium must aim for a developmental impact in one of the following countries:

Georgia, Moldova, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Senegal, Cape Verde, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Jamaica, Ecuador

Each consortium can include any number of applicant organizations, but at least one of the applicant organizations must be based in one of the 16 target countries of the Joint Initiative, and one applicant organization must be based in one of the 27 EU Member States.

Proposals should be completed according to the online formats, templates and guidance available on this website, and submitted before the deadline of 12.00 noon Brussels time/CET, Friday 13th March.

Considering that this Call for Proposals is targeting civil society groups and local governments it is understood that some applicants may need assistance in formulating their proposals and in integrating internationally recognized project management principles and practices. To this end, the EC-UN Joint Migration and Development Initiative will provide Technical Support to applicants who may require it. For more information on this, please click here.

Goals and Principles
The EC-UN Joint Migration & Development Initiative aims to support civil society groups and local governments to become more active and effective in linking migration to development, in line with relevant policy frameworks. Proposed projects may have one or more of the following goals:

• Facilitate networking for practitioners to learn from each other, and support to the creation of partnerships to strengthen the role of migrant groups in development processes and interventions in countries of origin;
• Provide capacity building to eligible actors to help them advocate positions, formulate development interventions and deliver sustainable results;
• Facilitate replication of current best practice; scale-up successful existing initiatives; and develop new, innovative projects that contribute to relevant development outcomes

Review criteria have been developed to evaluate project proposals submitted and help the Steering Committee to allocate funds to projects. The criteria are based on a number of overarching principles which provide a framework for the decision-making of the Steering Committee:

• First, all projects proposed should be within the legal mandate and competency of the relevant actors of each consortium. It is recognized that mandates of local government and civil society actors to engage in activities related to migration and development vary from country to country.
• Second, projects proposed should be fully in line with national development priorities and policies, as well as international conventions to which the relevant country is signatory.
• Third, projects should offer tangible and measurable development impact in the relevant country. Applicant consortia must agree to the rigorous monitoring and evaluation regime. Part of the wider responsibility of the Joint Initiative is to map, assess and disseminate best practice in the emerging field of migration and development.
• Fourth, project results should be sustainable, with a view to achieving ongoing development impact beyond the duration of funding from the Joint Initiative.

Who is Eligible?
Eligible institutions
Applicants eligible to receive grants from the JD&MI must have non-profit legal status (be non-profit making and be legal persons). These institutions include, but are not restricted to:

• Community organizations
• NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations) and foundations
• Diaspora organizations, professional or scientific networks
• Migrant associations working to support their home countries
• Academic institutions
• Local and municipal Authorities
• Not-for-profit microfinance & other finance institutions
• Chambers of Commerce
• Employers organization or Trade Unions
• Regional organizations or networks eligible to apply for funding for transnational initiatives

Applications will only be accepted by consortia of actors working in partnership. Each consortium can include any number of partner organizations, but at least one of the partner organizations must be based in one of the 16 target countries of the Joint Initiative, and one partner organization must be based in one of the 27 EU Member States.

Each partner organisation of the consortium must be legally registered in the country in which they are based, and:

• Not act as an intermediary, but be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the proposal
• Have relevant experience in one or more of the priorities identified in the four thematic areas of Migration and Development; if the proposal is jointly presented, at least one partner should have significant experience in the relevant field
• Present audited financial statements for at least one previous year.

A consortium can submit only one application under this Call for Proposals. Applicant groups shall not be awarded more than one grant under this Call for Proposals, but organisations may submit proposals as members of more than one consortium.

Project Proposal Format
In preparing a Project Proposal for submission, please follow the format specified below. The overall length of your proposal should not exceed 7 pages (including cover page but excluding the required Appendices), and must be submitted on the Application Form that can be accessed here.

Applications should be submitted following the instructions provided here before 12 noon Brussels time/CET on Friday, 13th March.

I. Programme Summary
Please provide a brief description of what the project aims are, and how these aims will be achieved.

II. Background and Rationale

• Clearly articulate the opportunity or problem you are addressing, including the scope, context and factors that create the opportunity or cause the problem. Describe the intended beneficiaries and geographic area of intervention (if applicable).
• Describe how the proposed project relates to ongoing activities in the field and how your effort to capitalize on the opportunity or solve the problem would be innovative or complementary to existing efforts.
• Explain how the project will contribute concretely to improving the current situation at country level.

III. Intended Results

• Please define briefly the specific objective(s) of the proposed project, with reference to the objectives articulated in the relevant Thematic Areas (see links in the left-hand column).
• Please specify the results to be delivered by this project, showing how these contribute to meeting the objective(s). Be specific and try to quantify results as much as possible.
• Explain how sustainability will be secured after completion of the action. This may include aspects of necessary follow-up activities, built-in strategies, ownership, etc..

IV. Project Design and Implementation Plan

• Please describe the project design and major activities to be undertaken, linking these clearly to individual results outlined in Section III. This should be limited to broad, strategic categories of activities.
• Please describe which partner organization in the consortium will be responsible for undertaking each activity.
• Please explain how the project will be coordinated at the implementation level - linking the activities of national partners and other related donor initiatives.
• Please highlight potential parallel or co-financing opportunities if applicable, and/or involvement of the private sector as appropriate.
• Where the project is an extension or continuation of a previous project, please explain how the action is intended to build on the results of the previous project.
• Please identify any potential risks to achieving the project’s objectives, and identify the main preconditions and assumptions that affect the implementation phase.

V. Monitoring and Evaluation

• Please specify quantitative and qualitative indicators for all results and describe the proposed methodology for their measurement.

VI. Institutional Arrangements and Management Plan

• Please provide a brief description of the partner organizations of the consortium and their previous experience in programmatic and/or analytical collaboration in this field.
• Please specify the respective roles of the different consortium partners, and identify which partner will assume the lead responsibility for achieving any joint results of the project.
• Outline the organizational structure and personnel requirements proposed for implementing the project (there is no need to include the names of individuals).
• Please describe the proposed internal governance arrangements to provide oversight of the project, as well as any coordination groups/ forums in which consortium partners intend to participate during project implementation.

Appendices

A. Project Results Framework: Applicants must prepare a logical framework matrix for the project using the logframe template provided here.

B. Workplan: Applicants should complete and attach the work plan indicating when specific project activities will be undertaken under the proposed project.

C. Budget: Applicants must include a summary cost estimate/project budget for each consortium partner, using the budget template provided.

D. Partnership Agreement & Questionnaire: Each consortium partner should complete the partnership agreement & questionnaire provided in full, and must submit it in support of their application.

E. Legal Statutes: Each consortium applicant should attach in pdf format a copy of documentation verifying their legal status.

F. Financial Accounts: Each consortium applicant should attach a pdf of the organisation’s most recent audited statement of accounts.

Project proposals should be submitted by email to jmdi.pmu@undp.be.

Moreinfo: http://www.migration4development.org/call-for-proposals/