Sida, represented by the Embassy of Sweden in Tirana (hereafter referred as the Embassy), is looking for Innovative ideas for support to environmental civil society in Albania.
The Embassy calls for new ideas on how to further enhance the capacity of environmental civil society organisations to effectively address environmental challenges in Albania. The ideas must be aligned with Sida’s current strategy in the Western Balkans and with the results achieved through the previous Sida supported environmental civil society SENIOR. Furthermore, the ideas should also contribute to enhanced environmental responsibility among the general public and civil society.
The Embassy is inviting non-governmental organisations to submit concept notes outlining ideas for new programmes. The programme should align with the core mandate and competences of the implementing organisations, for the purpose of enhancing the capacities of ECSOs and contributing to enhanced environmental responsibility.
The concept note must include information in accordance with the instructions below.
Time schedule
Concept Notes should be submitted to rezarta.katuci@gov.se no later than 8th of May. The Embassy plans to contact the concerned organisations after the assessment period by 15 June 2020. Please note that only pre-selected organisations will be contacted.
Concept Notes
Concept Notes should include information about the organisation, such as experience of providing institutional support to other organisations, environmental expertise, etc.; routines for handling external programme/project funding; as well as routines for forwarding of funding. Concept Notes should outline how the programme idea strategically aligns with the core mandate of the implementing organisation, i.e. its unique competencies.
Concept Notes should be brief, maximum 10 pages without the annexes. The Concepts Notes should provide the rationale for the proposed programme/approach as well as the main arguments for the proposed activities, including a preliminary cost-effectiveness of the programme. Concept Notes should be written in English and contain two completed annexes: 1) a budget template, including narrative budget clarifications and 2) a template on basic information about the concept (max 1 page).
Any other annexes that are presented will not be included in the assessment of concept notes.
The Concept Notes should describe how the programme is expected to enhance the capacity of environmental civil society organisations to effectively address Albanian environmental challenges and enhance environmental responsibility among the general public and civil society. The programme should generate specific and measurable results through processes of change. This requires attention on the part of the implementing organisation to ensure ownership, peer-to-peer mentorship and coaching.
Implementing organisation
Sida, represented by the Embassy, is inviting non-governmental organisations as implementing organisations and formal partners to the Sida cooperation agreement. The applicant organisation is strongly encouraged to engage in partnerships with other organisations in order to further strengthen and complement the implementation team. Relationships within the implementation team should be duly regulated between partners (e.g. regarding the forwarding from the implementing organisation to other organisations; financial responsibilities, tasks related to mentoring and coaching, etc.).
Merit will be given to implementing organisations with previous experiences of similar work, and organisations should hold adequate thematic competences (civil society development and environmental expertise) in theory and practise.
Target Group
The main target group in the proposed programme should be primarily small and consolidated environmental organisations and networks of environmental CSOs working on common environmental themes, but also networks and alliances between environmental CSOs and other CSOs/actors cooperating on environment and combining various expertise.
Depending on the context, the target groups could be human rights organisations, youth organisations, young activists, and broader group of relevant actors such as media, academia, private sector, public institutions at local and national level.
Thematic Scope
Since the main purpose of the programme is to empower environmental civil societies to effectively address Albanian environmental and sustainable development challenges, the main objective of the suggested programme should be institutional support for Albanian organisations through mentoring, coaching, providing opportunities and incentives for networking, training and supporting core activities of the organisations, etc.
With regards to the content of intervention and grants, the following themes are prioritised:
- Watchdogging and advocacy on environmental issues and rights
- Environmental education that could be oriented towards empowering local communities to actively participate in environmental movement
- Protection of environmental rights that could be oriented towards providing support including legal support particularly to socially vulnerable groups subjected to environmental and climate-change induced risks
- Monitoring the impact of environmental pollution on public health particularly women and children for evidence-based advocacy, lobbying and policy initiatives
- Addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation challenges
Methodology
Sida is looking for innovative and cost-effective concepts for support to environmental CSOs and alliances of CSOs that synergies theory, practise, and mutual learning. The concept should incorporate methodologies such as a mix of granting schemes for small, consolidated organisations, networking grants, training, peer to peer learning, helpdesks, mentorships, etc. It is important to apply a methodology that involves a wider community of stakeholders in the change processes throughout the programme. The Concept Notes should describe the methodology and theory of change that effectively contributes to achieving the set outputs and outcomes.
Sida’s/Embassy commitment
The Embassy in Tirana will assess the incoming concept notes, based on the presented instructions. At this point, Sida/the Embassy will not commit to any further elaboration regarding an agreement, nor will it commit to any funding. However, the Embassy expects each potential implementing organisation that submits a concept note to possess the administrative and organisational capacity to manage a programme grant of 4,2 MSEK annually.
After the assessment, Sida will select the most relevant concept note and engage in strategic dialogue with the implementing organisation in order to further elaborate the programme concept. Following this, Sida will appraise the elaborated programme. After the appraisal period, tentative programme implementation may start by November 2020.
Depending on appropriations from the Swedish government, the first disbursement of funds could take place as early as 2020. Concept notes should include a duly completed budget proposal based on the attached template. Please note that co-funding is not required for this call however it is encouraged. There is an option to supplement this budget template with a 1-page narrative that clarifies the budget. Please also complete the template on basic information about the concept (maximum 1 page).
Personal data
Read more about how the Embassy processes personal data here: here
Further questions?
Questions may be sent to rezarta.katuci@gov.se
Background documents
- Guidelines for organisations seeking financial support from Sida:https://www.sida.se/contentassets/ec8ecdbe0a064a97b7fcb43a7cf0b4f0/guidelines-for-organisations-seeking-financial-support-from-sida.pdf
- Results Strategy for Sweden’s Reform Cooperation with Eastern Europe and Western Balkans and Turkey: https://www.regeringen.se/49b72b/contentassets/12a89180bafb43e3823b6c6f18b6d86a/results-strategy-for-swedens-reform-cooperation-with-eastern-europe-the-western-balkans-and-turkey-2014-2020
- Evaluation of Sida Support to Civil Society in Albania:Evaluation of Swedish Civil Society Support in Albania
