Utlysing av prosjektbistand til Nord-Kaukasus / Grants North-Caucasus - call for proposals

The call hereby invites grant applications within the following thematic areas:

• Strengthening and capacity building of civil society organisations, independent media and promotion of women's rights.
• Legal aid to victims of violations, including vulnerable groups (in particular women).
• Combating impunity and promoting rule of law in the region.
• Project/programmes which improve the conditions for IDPs and other vulnerable groups in the region.

Application requirements

• Applicants must use the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MFA) forms: S01 (Norwegian) or S51 (English). Application forms are available at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Only legal entities with capacity to enter into legal agreements can apply. Accurate and sufficient information about the legal structure of the organisation must be provided in the application.
• Applicants must describe project/programme partners and provide a full overview of their owners.
• Applicants must identify the specific beneficiaries for the project/programme.
• Applications must have clearly defined objectives which facilitates satisfactory reporting on results and comprehensive risk assessments. Clear goals with indicators must be developed at activity level. The sum of the activities' effect on beneficiaries (outcome) must give an indication of results achieved at society level (impact).
• Applicants shall identify, assess and mitigate any relevant risks associated with the implementation of the project/programme, including the risk of corruption and other financial irregularities, and any potential negative effects that the project/programme may have on the environment and climate, gender equality and human rights.
• A full, detailed budget and financing plan, including an overview of funding from other sources, must be submitted.
• Applicants must have assessed how the project/programme fits in with other relevant actors' activities in order to fil gaps rather than overlap with other efforts.
• Applicants must ensure sustainability and local ownership. The project/programme must aim at continuing without Norwegian public support (exit strategy).
• Applicants must be able to document established contact with local and/or international cooperating partners, and as far as possible, having assessed their reliability.
• Applicants must be able to document relevant qualifications and competence, including results achieved through previous projects/programmes.
• Applicants must demonstrate solid knowledge of the challenges in the region within the relevant thematic area.
• Applicants shall seek to limit administrative costs. Administrative costs/overhead exceeding 5% will, as a main rule, not be accepted.

Only one application will be accepted from each potential grant recipient. Several activities may be included in each project and included in the same application.

Applicants with a former record of weak reporting or weak financial management or lack of satisfactory results, will not be prioritised (former MFA-financed projects/programmes).

Applications submitted which do not meet the above-mentioned requirements will not be eligible for a grant.

Within available funds the following will be given priority:

• Projects/programmes with a three year planning period.
• Project/programmes of a sufficient size in order to secure efficient use and management of the grants.
• Projects/programmes with clearly defined objectives which facilitates satisfactory reporting on results.

Projects/programmes not compatible with the EEA-agreement provisions on state-aid (ref. lov om offentlig støtte) will not be considered. (Veileder om EØS-avtalens regler om offentlig støtte er publisert på Nærings- og fiskeridepartementets hjemmesider )

Furthermore, the following activities cannot be supported:

• Financing of export or import of goods and services.
• Marketing of goods and services.
• Operating costs exceeding the start-up phase.Establishment and operation of business in Norway.
• Development or testing of new technology.
• Transportation costs related to relief aid consignments.
• Revolving funds.

Zero tolerance towards financial irregularities

The MFA practices zero tolerance towards any financial irregularities within and related to projects/programmes. The zero tolerance policy applies to all staff members, consultants and other non-staff personnel, contractor, implementing partners and beneficiaries of the grant. Zero tolerance towards all kinds of:

a) corruption, including bribery, nepotism and illegal gratuities;
b) misappropriation of cash, inventory and all other kinds of assets;
c) financial and non-financial fraudulent statements;
d) all other use of Project funds not in accordance with the Agreement and the latest agreed Application, implementation plan and budget.

Grant recipients must be firmly committed to prevent, detect and manage financial irregularities and:

a) organise their operations and internal control systems in a way that financial irregularities are prevented and detected;
b) cooperate fully to prevent, stop and handle financial irregularities within and related to the Project;
c) require that all staff involved in, and any consultants, suppliers and contractors financed under the Project refrain from financial irregularities.

MFA will react if MFA determines that financial irregularities have occurred.

Any repayment claim may also include interest, investment income or any other financial gain obtained as a result of the financial irregularity.

Deadline: 31 March 2017.

Applications, using the Ministry's application form, must be sent electronically to post@mfa.no with a copy to grant.application.russia@mfa.no.

Please state clearly that the application is for the grant scheme 118.71.101 "North- Caucasus".

Please note: Applications submitted after the deadline will not be processed.

If you have any other questions, please contact:
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Section for Russia, Eurasia and regional cooperation
PO Box 8114, Dep.
N-0032 Oslo
E-mail: grant.application.russia@mfa.no.