1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA

Civil Society Challenge Fund20th June 2006Maggie Di MaioJanette KirkRobert MorrisonRobert MacIver1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HEAbercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA

1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HEAbercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA

Prerequisites

Fire Procedure

Security

Smoking / Toilets


Agenda for 20th June 0610:00IntroductionRobert MacIver Concept Notes Process & FormatRobert Morrison BreakConcept Notes What we look forRobert Morrison Lunch Examples of Good Concept NotesGroup14:00Close


Introduction Robert MacIverWhat departments in DFID provide funding?

What Projects get funded through the CSCF?

CSCF Project Officers and Project Assistants.

Basic Facts about CSCF

CSCF Application Process (Overview)

A little advice on Proposals

Some Advice


DFID Funding DepartmentsDFID Country Offices

Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department (CHASE)

Information & Civil Society Department (ICSD)


Information & Civil Society Department (ICSD)Based in Abercrombie House

Made up of 4 teams

Development Awareness Fund (DAF)Strategic Grant Agreements (SGA)Partnership Programme Agreements (PPA)Civil Society Challenge Fund (CSCF)


What projects does the Civil Society Challenge Fund support?Very basically.

Rights based projects

That may be innovative service delivery.

That may be service delivery in a difficult environment.

That may be innovative service delivery in a difficult environment.

but overall the project must be rights based.


CSCF - What projects do we fund?


Project AssistantGeneral support to Project Officer

Monitor the application processes and receipt of reports

Discussion on team policy

Payment of funds


Project OfficerResponsibility for a portfolio of Civil Society Organisations

Responsibility for the day to day management of CSCF projects

Liaise with External Consultants on CSCF funding decisions and Project Completion and Evaluation Reports

On-going development of CSCF processes


Some basic facts about CSCFDFIDs main central channel of support to UK based Civil Society OrganisationsAlmost 300 projects supported since 2000Currently supporting 160 projectsProjects can receive funding for up to 5 yearsCan fund projects up to 500,000 Willing to consider 100% fundingOne funding round per year


2005 / 2006 roundThis year we agreed funding for 39 new projects7 of these were new applicants.The value of these projects for 2006/07 alone will be around 5m148 proposals were submitted by 106 different CSOs78 CSOs had only 1 proposal under consideration29 CSOs had a proposal under consideration for the first timeWe considered proposals covering 76 different countries


Application System Concept Notes


Application System - Proposals


ProposalsYou can get an idea of the format of proposals from the website

There are 3 main elements of a proposalThe proposal outline and descriptionThe budget for the proposalThe logframe for the proposal


Additional Key Areas of Focus in the Project Appraisal ProcessHIV/AIDS

Disability

Gender


Advice (1)Are you a UK based organisation?

Are you a not for profit organisation?

Do you share DFIDs overall goal of poverty eradication?

Is your project operating in a country eligible under CSCF (contact ICSD for advice if unsure)?

Do you have a recognised local partner or partners in country?

Is your local partner a not for profit, non-government organisation?

Did the local partner(s) assist in formulating the project idea?


Advice (2)Is your project able to demonstrate how it will lead to a reduction in poverty and is targeting the poorest and most vulnerable members of society?

Does your project make it clear what rights are being addressed, whose rights these are, what the framework is to substantiate these rights and from whom they are being demanded?

Does the project not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, sexual orientation, disability and religion?

Does the project consider gender, disability, HIV/AIDS?

12 Are you requesting 500,000 or less?

13 Is the amount of funding you are requesting less than your annual income as an organisation?


Advice (3)14 Are you requesting support for 5 years or less?

15Can you provide evidence to show that you have the necessary experience to undertake the project?

16Can you provide evidence that you have the capacity to manage the level of funds requested?

17 Can you provide evidence to show all project partners including yourselves (from your base in the UK) are adding value to the project (beyond providing a channel for funding) with roles and responsibilities clearly defined?


Advice (4)Can you clearly explain the projects objectives and how you will achieve them?

Are the proposed activities sustainable?

Can you show that the project is not an extension of current CSCF funded work?

Have you checked DFIDs web site for the most up to date version of the CSCF guidelines before submitting a concept note?


Thanks

Concept NotesRobert Morrison

CIVIL SOCIETY CHALLENGE FUND

The Application Process

Concept Note1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HEAbercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA


Concept Note Why?The Concept Note is intended to provide enough information for us to decide whether or not a project idea is suitable for CSCF support

Concept Notes reduce the risk of the applicant and DFID being involved in work in producing and assessing proposals that would not meet the criteria of the CSCF.

First of a two stage process which makes for a more effective and manageable evaluation process. For example : 350 concept notes received for the 06/07 funding round.


Concept Note : ProcessApplicant submits concept note to [email protected] Concept Notes should be submitted between 1 February and 15 June each year.All CNs received during this period willbe registered andwe will acknowledge receipt within 3 days Any Concept Notes submitted outwith these dates will be held on our database but no action will be taken on them until 1 February. You will receive a decision within four weeks of the date your concept note is registered and acknowledged. Your Concept noteis passed toour external contracted advisersfor appraisal For all rejected CNsour external adviserswill provide comprehensive feedbackdetailing the reasoning behind our decision Applicants of accepted CNs will be invited to submit a proposal for consideration


Concept Note: FormatSection A must be no longer than one side of A4 in lengthSection B must be no longer than two sides of A4 in lengthFont size to be no smaller than Arial 12Must include 1st column of the logframeNew applicants must send Articles of Association and Accounts


Concept Note: ContentSeries of Set Questions to be answered to complete sections A and BSection AApplicant detailsApplicant backgroundSection BProject detailsProject backgroundProject approach


Break


Concept Note: What We Look ForIs the applicant based in the UK?Is the applicant new to DFID?Does the applicant have a track record in this activity?Are the applicants goals consistent with the Challenge Fund?Does the applicant have the capacity to manage the level of funding?Does the concept note meet the basic challenge fund criteria?


Concept Note: Basic CriteriaRights based approach (RBA)Advocacy, empowerment, capacity buildingParticipation, inclusion, fulfilling obligationsInnovative Service DeliveryMust include a key component of RBAService Delivery in a Difficult EnvironmentMust include an element of RBA


Concept Note: What is a Difficult Environment?Where government service provision is small or non-existent Areas not reached by government services and unlikely to be reached in the foreseeable future Post conflict environments, particularly where systems have been destroyedCommunities whose lifestyle does not conform to a universal service delivery system


Concept Note: Venn Diagram


Concept Notes: Common ProblemsToo long

Added value of UK organisation lack of convincing arguement

Project partnerships not detailed or explained adequately


Concept Note: DecisionSuccessful applicants will receiveInvitation to submit a full proposalFeedback on concept noteDetails of how to submitUnsuccessful applicants will receiveLetter confirming decisionFeedback on concept note


Lunch Break


Concept Note Example 1StrengthsRights Frameworks have been identifiedA Domestic Workers Bill (to be passed)UN Convention on the rights of the ChildRights to EducationIn line with CSCF theme i.e. targeting a poor and vulnerable group targeting the hidden poor i.e. Child Domestic Workers (CDWs) are not visible In accordance with at least 2 MDGs i.e Achieving Universal Primary Education and Promoting Gender EqualityAdvocacy and Empowerment of target groupStrong Local Partner (Pioneering work on CDW,s)Sustainability capacity building of SUMAPI movement and Educational Institutions working with already established organisations. Also working with CDWs through to mediaProject identified through a review of the local partners work with CDWs Taking account of lesson previously learned Areas for Clarification1. Ambitious Timescale2. Logframe: The current dual purpose statement is confusing.


Concept Note Example 2StrengthsProject Type - innovative & in an unstable environment service deliveryCross Cutting Issues Gender Sensitivity and inclusion of disabled groupsSustainability bridging short term relief with longer term stabilization. The microfinance methodology offers potential for long term sustainability.Local Partners Evidence of a strong relationship between UK and local partner. Local partner has a strong track record on income generation in that country.

Areas for ClarificationRights based approach not enough on the rights that are being addressed. E.g. the policies targeted or the frameworks employed.Empowerment not enough on how internally displaced people could be empowered through the initiative.Capacity Building - links between the Trust Bank framework & decision making bodies to be clarified.

1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA

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