Call for Proposals: Protecting Civic Space in Kenya and Uganda

Background

ICNL is pleased to invite proposals for sub-grants as part of the to the “Protecting Civic Space in Kenya and Uganda” program. Through this program, ICNL seeks to strengthen civil society’s ability to successfully advocate for an improved legal environment that protects the fundamental rights to association, assembly and speech and expands operating space at the regional and national levels in Kenya and Uganda. To achieve these program goals, ICNL will provide sub-grants to support innovative projects and provide technical assistance to grantees as needed.

Please contact Emerson Sykes via email at esykes@icnl.org or by telephone at +1 202 499 5282 should you have any questions.

Application Instructions

To apply for a grant, applicants must submit via email to esykes@icnl.org the following items:

• Application coversheet;

• Proposal (no more than five pages);

• Budget (from $5,000 to $20,000).

Content of Proposal

In five pages or fewer, please describe your proposal for a project addressing civic space concerns in Kenya or Uganda.
Proposals may address any of the following issues:

• Improving legislation currently under consideration, reforming existing legislation, and/or creating enabling implementing regulations;

• Innovative public outreach initiatives to improve the public image of civil society;

• Facilitating coalition-building among Kenyan and Ugandan civil society to exchange successful advocacy strategies for protecting civic space;

• Enhancing civil society’s capacity to protect civic space on the local, national and regional levels, including marginalized and rural-based groups;

• Providing technical assistance, research support, or capacity –building activities for government regulators and parliamentarians to support their work in creating an enabling environment for civil society; and

• Research on the regulation of civil society to support evidence-based advocacy.

The proposal should include the following information:

• Applicant’s experience in working on civil society legal reform, the rights to association, assembly, or speech, or other civic space related issues;

• Existing initiatives by the applicant dealing with similar or related issues. Where applicable, the plan for ensuring complementarity between the proposed project and existing initiatives;

• An overview of the proposed project, including a description of proposed activities, outputs, and outcomes;

• The proposed activity plan and timeline for the project, recognizing that grant activities must be completed no later than December 31, 2016;

• Specific goals and how you will measure results; and

• The plan to sustain the impact of the project beyond the grant support.

Please also attach a line-item budget (which does not count toward the 5-page limit for the proposal).

Eligibility Requirements

Proposals are welcome from any organization registered and carrying out activities in Kenya or Uganda. 

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following factors:

• Compliance with eligibility requirements and application procedures;

• Demonstrated commitment of applicant to protecting civic space;

• Quality of proposed project, including the innovativeness of the proposal, the proposed methodology/design, feasibility of the project (e.g., activities are targeted to achieve stated results, and anticipated results are realistic and attainable);

• Likelihood that the proposed project will protect civic space in Kenya and/or Uganda;

• Sustainability of the proposed project beyond the grant period;

• Proposed budget and apparent value for money; and

• Inclusion of reasonable indicators to measure project success.

Note that priority will be given to proposals that address needs in both Kenya and Uganda.

Terms of Reference

All grant recipients will be required to submit progress reports during the grant period and a final report on the use of funds, activities conducted, and outcomes of their projects prior to receiving their final grant disbursements.

Deadline

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis through October 31, 2016 or until all grant funds are awarded.

For more information please visit ICNL Website