Call for Proposal – Building Capacities of CBOs to Support Women’s Economic Participation in Jordan

1. BUILDING CAPACITIES OF CBOs TO SUPPORT WOMEN´S ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION

1.1 introduction:

EuroMed Feminist Initiative (EFI) is a policy network that provides expertise in the field of gender equality, democracy building and citizenship, and advocates for political solutions to all conflicts, and peoples´ rights to self-determination. EFI Headquarters are in Paris, with offices in Amman, Beirut and Erbil.

From 2021, EFI in partnership with Business Development Centre (BDC), and Tamkeen for legal Aid and Human rights are implementing in Jordan a second phase of Madad for Women program, titled “Towards stronger economic participation of women in Jordan” funded by the European Union (EU) Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crises, the “EU Madad Fund”. The overall objective is to contribute to women’s economic participation in the labour market.

1.2 Objectives of the call for proposals and priority issues

The objective of this call for proposals is to build the capacities of local organizations in order for them to sustainably address issues related to women’s employment and other needed supportive services. The CBOs will expand and diversify their involvement on a grass-root level to influence public opinion towards women’s rights to work and ensure financial independence.

The expected results of the projects:

· Improved coordination and community dialogue among individuals, CBOs and other local authorities

· Women and girls in the local communities are empowered

· Jordanian and Syrian women refugees have increased awareness on their labour rights

· Community level dialogue and reconciliation promoted

· Day-care centers and home-based nurseries are established/upgraded

· Small and medium projects developed by women in the targeted areas are strengthened

· Local campaigns are conducted with the private sector and decision makers to enhance the work environment for women

· Educated and vulnerable women are connected with employment and self-employment opportunities

· Local communities have increased awareness on women’s labour rights and economic participation

· Supportive services to women are provided in the labour market including legal counselling and representation, dialogues between employers and employees, and referrals to existing employment and funding programs.

1.3. Financial allocation provided

The overall funding amount made available under this Call for Proposals is EUR 150,000

The EuroMed Feminist Initiative reserves the right not to award all available funds.

Size of funding:

Any fund requested under this Call for Proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:

§ Minimum amount: EUR 5,000 **

§ Maximum amount: EUR 10,000

2. RULES FOR THIS CALL FOR PROPOSALS

2.1. Eligibility criteria

2.1.1 Eligibility of Applicants

In order to be eligible for the fund, the applicant must:

· Be a registered CBOs or initiatives

· Have potential and intend to organize in the long term.

· Should be a non-for-profit organization.

· Should be a non-governmental organization.

· Manifest commitment to women’s rights.

· Have clear goals and vision towards social change.

· Active involvement in the response to the Syrian crisis.

· Capacity to reach out and engage local communities.

· Have potential for development and the will for change.

2.1.2. Eligible actions: actions for which an application may be made

All project activities must be implemented in one or more of the project targeted locations: Jerash, Ajloun, Zarqa, Azraq City, Irbid, Ramtha, Karak, Ain Al Basha and East Amman.

Project Duration: The project starting date is 1 September 2022 until 28 February 2023. All project activities must be implemented within the project duration.

Types of eligible actions:

• Supporting the economic empowerment of women and girls in the local communities

• Provision of supportive services for women.

• Awareness raising of local communities on women’s rights to work and ensure financial independence.

Types of eligible activities:

• Run existing day care centers/ home-based nurseries or establish new ones: there is a high demand in Jordan for childcare facilities as the offer is scarce. EFI consortium will assess at the beginning of the project whether there is a need to support existing day care centers that have suffered financial setback because of the Covid-19 situation and/ or to establish new facilities.
• Provide seed funds to small and medium projects developed by women in the targeted areas
• Conduct local campaigns with the private sector to enhance work environment for women
• Raise awareness of local communities on women’s labour rights and economic participation
• Provide supportive services to women in the labour market including legal counselling and representation, dialogues between employers and employees, and referrals to existing employment and funding programs.
• Distribute occupational safety tools to women who are exposed in their workplace to Covid-19 hazards
• Provide community-based peer to peer mentorship of working or prospective working mothers within a network of family and neighbours/community members to provide support and share resources and information about quality day care services, and best commutes.

2.1.3. Eligibility of costs: costs that can be included

To be eligible, costs must:

· Be directly related to the action, be provided for in the contract signed at the beginning of the project and comply with the principles of sound financial management, in particular value for money and cost-effectiveness;

· Have been incurred during the implementing period for the action,

· Be recorded in the beneficiary’s accounts or tax documents, be identifiable and verifiable, and be backed by originals of supporting documents,

· Subject to those conditions and where relevant to the contract-award procedures being respected.

Eligible direct costs include:

· Costs of staff assigned to the action, corresponding to fees or actual salaries plus social security charges and other remuneration-related costs,

· Costs for fees or salaries must not exceed those normally borne by the beneficiary and in all cases, it must not exceed 30% of the total cost,

· Travel and subsistence costs (=per diems) for staff taking part in the action, provided they do not exceed those normally borne by the Beneficiary, and in all cases, they must not exceed the scales approved annually by the European Commission;

· Cost of purchasing equipment and services, provided they correspond to market rates

· Costs of consumables and supplies,

· Costs arising directly from the requirements of the action (dissemination of information specific to the action, translation, printing, insurance, etc.) including financial service costs.

The following costs are not eligible:

· Debts and provisions for losses or debts

· Interest owed

· Items already financed in another framework

· Purchases of land or buildings

· Currency exchange losses

2.2. How to apply and the procedures to follow

2.2.1. Application content

Applications must be submitted in accordance with the guidelines annexed to the call (Annex A).

Applicants can apply in English or Arabic.

In the concept note, applicants must provide all relevant information concerning the action. A detailed budget and indicative action plan must be submitted.

The detailed budget must be submitted in EURO currency.

Any error or major discrepancy related to the points listed in the concept note instructions may lead to the rejection of the application.

Hand-written concept notes will not be accepted.

Required documents to be submitted on or before the due date by all applicants include the following:

1. Concept note – Annex 1.

2. Detailed Budget – Annex 2.

3. Indicative Action Plan – Annex 3.

4. Copies of annual audits and annual narrative reports of the previous 2 years (submitted to MoSD or the relevant Ministry of registration) – Annex 4

5. Copy of the organization’s official registration with the Jordanian government – Annex 5

6. Internal bylaws and statutes including the governance and organizational structure of the Organization – Annex 6

2.2.2. Information and Deadline for submission of Application

Applicants must send electronic format of the concept note, detailed budget and indicative action plan in separate files not later than (30 April 2022) to the e-mail address: [email protected] Please indicate in the subject line the name of the project: Toward Stronger economic participation of women in Jordan.

Any Application submitted after the deadline will be rejected.

The shortlisted organization/s shall subsequently receive the final approval, which upon finalization and agreement with EFI will be the basis for the fund Agreement.

2.3. Evaluation and selection of applications

Applicants will be examined and evaluated by the evaluation committee composed of consortia members. All documents submitted by applicants will be assessed according to the following criteria:

· Compliance with the submission deadline. If the deadline has not been met, the application will automatically be rejected.

· Compliance with submitting all required annexes; concept note, detailed budget, indicative action plan, annual audits, annual narrative reports, official registration and internal bylaws and statutes.

· The relevance of the actions with the objectives of the call of proposals.

· The relevance of the action to the particular needs and constrains of both Syrian and Jordanian women in the targeted local communities.

· The quality of the technical and financial proposal, which will outline the justification for the fund, how it will be used and dispersed, what impact the actions are expected to have on the community, and a sustainability plan.

· Coherency and feasibility of the Application.

· Level of experience in project management of the Applicant.

· Ability to implement activities that are relevant to achieve results, consistency and feasibility of their actions.

· Decision-making structure of the Applicant.

The Applications that pass the first administrative check will be evaluated on the relevance and design of the proposed action.

The Applications will receive an overall score out of 10 based on the above mentioned criterion.

Once all Applications have been assessed, a list will be drawn up with the proposed actions ranked according to their total score.

First, only the Applications with a score of at least 5 will be considered for pre-selection. Secondly, the number of Applications will be reduced, taking into account the ranking, geographic location, and number of applications.

After the evaluation of Applications, EFI will send letters to all applicants, with the results of the evaluation. The selected applicants will subsequently be invited to sign the agreement.

2.4. Notification of the selection decision

An evaluation committee is established with consortia members to review submitted proposals. An assessment is depicted in a decision-making memo for each CBO. The exact amount to be forwarded to each CBO is determined after the assessment according to the minimal criteria and according to the ability and capacity of the CBO to implement relevant actions and develop fundraising strategy. It might vary according to size, experience of organization and scope of the action.

2.5. Conditions for implementation after the decision to award a fund

2.5.1 Conditions for payment release

The fund is divided into several payments. The first payment is rewarded upon signing the agreement. Each following payment is made after receiving and approving interim financial and narrative reports, accompanied by supportive documentation. In order to minimize the risk of mismanagement and/or corruption EFI agreements include a clause that raises the anti-corruption measures and states that EFI may terminate the agreement in case of non-compliance with the conditions therein. Should this happen, further payments are withdrawn and unused funds are requested to be repaid.

Selected CBOs receiving grants are also offered coaching during the lifespan of the intervention, to provide on-going support as well ensure that spending is in line with the submitted technical and financial outline as well as ensure transparent and accountable standard operating procedures. Training workshops (twice per year) will be conducted with the selected organizations on project management, M&E and reporting. EFI will ensure that the coaching also focuses on key issues related to due diligence and compliance procedures, such as public procurement principles, transparency, non-discrimination, equal treatment, and proportionality in order to monitor transparent and accountable implementation of the grant, and report any irregularities and misuse of funds. EFI will also provide mentoring for the visibility of the actions.

2.5.2 Reporting Mechanisms for CBOs, financially and on results

EFI will provide a specific reporting mechanism for the grantees, using EFI’s guidelines for narrative and financial reports. Interim reporting will be requested and its number will be defined in accordance with the length of the different actions.

2.6 Call for proposals Q&A

Questions and inquiries regarding the call for proposal including technical issues related to filling the concept, budget and action plan formats can be sent via email to [email protected]. Deadline for requesting any clarifications is not later than Thursday 21 April 2022.