UN Democracy Fund Project Grants

Publish Date: Nov 23, 2015

Deadline: Dec 31, 2015

The Ninth Round of UNDEF Funding will begin when the call for project proposals is launched on 15 November 2015. The deadline to submit project proposals will be 31 December 2015. Organizations wishing to submit a project proposal to receive UNDEF funding should visit the UNDEF website where they will be prompted to complete an online application form. An outline of the requirements of the Online Project Proposal System (OPPS) is provided in Annex 1 to this document.

Project proposals will be accepted by the OPPS only during the call for project proposals i.e. 15 November – 31 December. Fund will not accept proposals submitted via e-mail, regular post, facsimile, diplomatic or UN pouch, hand or courier delivery or any other channel. Project proposals can be submitted only in English or French, the two working languages of the United Nations. A confirmation email will be generated by the OPPS. The UNDEF Office will communicate directly with the applicant if additional information should be required.

Eligibility Criteria

Local and Global/Regional Projects

UNDEF will invite proposals for projects that either take place in one country only (local), or occur in several specified states of a region or sub-region (regional) or intend to operate at the global level (global). UNDEF will reserve at least 70% of its programmable resources in each funding round for projects taking place in one country and will allocate no more than 30% to global/regional projects.

The United Nations Democracy Fund invites civil society organizations to apply for funding for projects to advance and support democracy during the annual proposal window, which is open only from 15 November to 31 December at www.un.org/democracyfund. Only on-line proposals during this period, in either English or French, will be accepted.

UNDEF projects are two years long.  Applicants can request a grant of  a minimum of 100,000 US dollars and a maximum of 300,000 US dollars.

UNDEF supports projects that strengthen the voice of civil society, promote human rights, and encourage the participation of all groups in democratic processes. The large majority of UNDEF funds go to local civil society organizations -- both in the transition and consolidation phases of democratization. 
Proposals are subject to a highly rigorous and competitive selection process, with fewer than two per cent chosen for funding. Projects fall under one or more of seven main areas:   
  • Community Activism
  • Rule of Law and Human Rights
  • Tools for Knowledge
  • Women’s Empowerment
  • Youth Engagement
  • Media and Freedom of Information
  • Strengthening Interaction with Government
 
The stages of the process are:
 
1. Online Project Proposal System 
The on-line project proposal system can be accessed at the UNDEF website at www.un.org/democracyfund, only during the annual window. Please read an example of an application form,  project proposal guidelineslessons learned for applicants, frequently asked questions and summaries of existing projects
 
Project proposals submitted by e-mail, regular post, facsimile, diplomatic or UN pouch, hand or courier delivery or any other channel will NOT be considered. Neither will project proposals in any language other than English or French.  
 2. Long ListProposals are subjected to a thorough process of assessment, quality control and due diligence. An initial examination by a team of independent assessors is conducted, a process in which all applications are judged on their inherent quality and scored according to the following criteria:
  • The project promotes the objectives of UNDEF
  • The project draws on the United Nations comparative advantage
  • The project will have a significant impact
  • The project will encourage inclusiveness
  • The project will enhance gender equality
  • The project has strong prospects for successful implementation
  • The applicant organization has a strong track record
  • The project is technically sound in conception and presentation
  • The project represents good value for money
  • The project has strong prospects of sustainability beyond the project duration.
  • The UNDEF team then narrows down the list to 200-300 of the highest scoring projects. In doing so, the global and regional projects is considered separately from the various national project proposals and are considered within the respective global and regional baskets.
3. Short-ListThe long list produced by the  team of independent assessors is then examined by the Fund’s Programme Consultative Group -- comprising the Department of Political Affairs, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Development Programme, the UN Development Fund for Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime -- in consultation with United Nations Resident Coordinators in the field. 4. UNDEF BoardThe Programme Consultative Group review yields a short list which is reviewed by the UNDEF Advisory Board -- comprising Governments, civil society and individuals. 5. UN Secretary-General The final short list is then submitted to the UN Secretary-General for approval, usually in May or June.6. Project DocumentOnce the short list is approved by the Secretary-General, the proposal moves into the final stage in the selection process: the negotiation of a project document, which is in effect the contract between UNDEF and the grantee.  This negotiation requires the applicant to provide a more elaborated project design, and involves detailed input from both UNDEF and the applicant, as well as scrutiny and due diligence enquiries by UNDEF.  Only upon successful conclusion of the project document, and its approval by the United Nations Controller, will the project proposal formally be approved for funds disbursement. This can be expected to happen in September at the earliest.

This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

http://www.un.org/democracyfund/sites/www.un.org.democracyfund/files/10R_guidelines%20project%20proposal%20EN.pdf

Similar Opportunities


Disciplines

Democracy Studies

Human Rights

Sustainable Development

Opportunity Types

Grants

Eligible Countries

International