The Grant Fund will enable CSOs to strengthen their policy advocacy work and increase civil society led policy reforms in sustainable development and good governance, including for groups affected by COVID-19.
The grant fund will lead to: increased engagement of civil society in democratic consultations and decision-making processes; and increased capacity to effectively pursue advocacy in the long term.
The grant fund will be accompanied by capacity development, and support for networking among civil society groups and organizations and with policy makers.
CSOs and CBOs in Bhutan can apply for the Grant Fund, on the condition that they:
The Grants will be awarded to the following categories of CSOs and CBOs:
Category A:
Organizations registered with the CSO Authority:
Category B:
Community based organizations which include:
Government bodies, for-profit entities, and individuals are not eligible to apply.
In line with the objective of the Grant Fund, CSOs and CBOs are eligible to submit proposals on policy advocacy around four core themes:
Eligible activities can include events, studies and research, publications, panel discussions, media engagement, and other initiatives that are clearly aimed at advocating for the above core themes.
Activities not eligible include: construction activities, pre-award costs, profit-generating projects, scholarships to support the education of individuals, support for single party in electoral/lobbying, religious activities, loans/seed money for enterprises.
A Technical Sub-Committee comprising members from International IDEA and HELVETAS, and representatives from GNHC, National Assembly Secretariat and National Council Secretariat will assess the project proposals based on the following:
Criteria |
Guiding Questions |
Score |
---|---|---|
Relevance |
Is there congruence with the project objectives?Does it correspond to the theme/s of the Grant Fund?Does it include and address the needs of marginalized and vulnerable groups, including those affected by COVID-10?To what extent has gender equality and women’s empowerment been considered? |
40 |
Feasibility |
Is the problem statement clear?Are the expected results and activities clearly linked?Can the objectives be realistically achieved within the implementing context, project timeframe, and capacities of the applicant?To what extent has the proposal assessed potential risks and identified mitigation measures? |
25 |
Project management |
Does the applicant organization have a track record of project implementation and management, including financial management of a similar funding level?Does the project idea converge with the experiences and expertise of the applicant organization? |
15 |
Value for Money |
Is the ratio of activity costs to administration costs appropriate?Are the project inputs priced reasonably? |
15 |
Innovation & Sustainability |
Is the proposal idea innovative or contains elements of innovation?To what extent can the idea be sustained beyond the project period? |
5 |
The secretariat to the Technical Sub-Committee will be the HELVETAS project focal person.
Calls for proposals will happen once a year, and will be announced through social media, local radios, national television, and newspapers with the widest outreach. In addition, local leaders will be requested to share information on the call for proposals within their constituencies. Tentative months are indicated below:
Round | Call for proposal | Deadline for proposals |
1 | 1st August 2021 | End of August 2021 |
2 | 1st August 2022 | End of August 2022 |
The duration of projects shall be minimum 3 months and maximum 12 months.
Eligible Costs | Ineligible Costs |
---|---|
Any costs related to services and work related to the activities approved in the proposal. Costs approved in the proposal budget. Costs that is verifiable. This means that the costs are recorded in the accounting ledgers of the applicant using standard accounting procedures. | Other capital expenditures unrelated to economic empowerment initiative (e.g., vehicles, etc.). Costs already covered by other projects. Taxes, unless approved in the proposal budget. Contributions in kind. Depreciation. Provisions for future liabilities. Debts and debt‐service charges. Any credits to third parties. Fines, financial penalties, and any litigation costs. Personal expenses. Any additional fees and charges from the applicant’s staff and management for services such as overtime, holiday pay, vacation pay, gift reimbursement, unauthorized travel, and housing expenses. |
The budget floor and ceiling were determined based on past experiences with grants spending capacities of civil society groups and organizations, and minimal requirements to carry out an event based on approximate real costs in the country.
Project proposals can be submitted in either English or Dzongkha and must follow the Fund Grant application formats in the Annexes. Applications forms will be different for national CSOs and for CBOs in order not to disadvantage the latter group which may have lesser proposal development experiences.
Proposals that do not follow the outline of the application formats and that are received after the deadline will not be accepted. The project proposal shall be accompanied by:
Applications shall either be emailed to csogrant@helvetas.org or via post to:
HELVETAS Bhutan
P.O. Box 157, Changangkha
11001 Thimphu, Bhutan
Phone +975 2 32 28 70
bhutan@helvetas.org
Should applicants have any further queries that are not covered in the guideline, kindly contact the secretariat to the Technical Sub-Committee tshering.phuntsho@helvetas.org
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM HERE
Should an applicant have a grievance or complaint during any step of the grant management cycle, an official complaint can be made to the International IDEA Project Manager (P.Tenzin@idea.int).
Grievances or complaints shall be in written and signed by the complainant. Every effort will be made to ensure the security of the compliant, by protecting that person’s identity (if they wish) and by keeping the content confidential. All grievance and complaint submissions shall be acknowledged by a return call to the person filing the claim, within one day of receipt of the complaint.