Financial Support to Third Parties: Innovation for Social Impact Grants
Bridge for CSOs is a three-year Civil Society Strengthening Programme funded by the European Union and implemented by Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) in partnership with Eurasia Partnership Foundation. It aims to strengthen and build the capacity of Armenian civil society organizations (CSO) to effectively contribute to decision making processes in Armenia. A unique component of the programme is engagement of Diaspora talent and expertize. Local CSOs will have the opportunity to benefit from capacity building trainings, receive professional support from Diaspora experts, participate in CSO Management Certificate Program at a local university, apply for small grants, engage prominent individuals as Champions and Good Will Ambassador. This call is about financial support to third parties (grants) through the Programme. Bridge for CSOs will issue four types of grants, each with different objective, target audience, timeline and funding size. Following is the summary of each grant type.
Call 1: Innovation for Social Impact grants
Objective: to support innovative projects that will serve the public good, be responsive to the needs of people and communities, address the need of vulnerable population, reduce inequalities and promote social inclusion and tolerance, encourage volunteerism and community mobilization, ensure sustainable models and community participation through empowering youth, engaging women and girls.
Eligible Actors: CSOs registered in line with the Armenian legislation
Financial Allocation: AMD 9,000,000 to 18,000,000. Cash contribution in the amount of 5% is required.
Project Duration: Up to 12 (twelve) months
Projected Day for Call Announcement: November 2017
Estimated Start Date: March 2018
Call 2: Scale-up Entrepreneurship:
Objective: to strengthen financial viability of Armenian CSOs through scale up activities of existing social enterprises, enhancement of management skills, expansion of geographical reach, increase of social impact.
Eligible Actors: CSOs registered in line with the Armenian legislation
Financial Allocation: AMD 9,000,000 to 18,000,000. Cash contribution in the amount of 5% is required.
Project Duration: Up to 12 (twelve) months
Projected Day for Call Announcement: December 2017
Estimated Start Date: March 2018
Call 3: Innovation Seed:
Objective: to support activities that will serve the public good, be responsive to the needs of people and communities, address the need of vulnerable population, reduce inequalities and promote social inclusion, encourage volunteerism and mobilization, ensure sustainable model and community participation through empowering youth, engaging women and girls.
Eligible Actors: CSOs or informal groups (initiatives) without legal registration
Financial Allocation: AMD 3,000,000 to 9,000,000. Cash or in-kind contribution in the amount of 5% is required.
Project Duration: Up to 12 (twelve) months
Projected Day for Call Announcement: February 2018
Call 4: Start-up Entrepreneurship:
Objective: to strengthen financial viability of Armenian CSOs through supporting innovative business ideas and start-up projects to serve the public good, have social impact and address community challenges.
Eligible Actors: CSOs or informal groups (initiatives) without legal registration
Financial Allocation: AMD 3,000,000 to 9,000,000. Cash or in-kind contribution in the amount of 5% is required.
Project Duration: Up to 12 (twelve) months
Projected Day for Call Announcement: March 2018
CALL 1: INNOVATION FOR SOCIAL IMPACT
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?
To better serve citizens, Armenian CSOs need to overcome various challenges in terms of their professional/technical expertise, internal governance and financial sustainability. Recent Needs Assessment conducted in the frames of Bridge for CSOs Programme has revealed willingness of CSOs for organizational theory of change and need to improve their capacities in working with public, information technologies, social entrepreneurship, etc. To address these needs and further contribute to the sustainable development of the CSO sector, Bridge for CSOs Programme will engage Diaspora professionals to provide thematic support, organize trainings, consultations, CSO visibility activities, provide grants to improve services to beneficiaries and financial diversification through establishment or expansion of social enterprises.
WHY INNOVATION FOR SOCIAL IMPACT GRANTS?
Innovation is critical to support development of next generation of CSOs in Armenia. It is vital for organizations because it provides CSOs the opportunity to reach out beneficiaries that otherwise would be difficult to reach and provides a better connection to members, donors and beneficiaries. Innovation can also help develop original concepts in service delivery which decreases donor dependence and improves the quality of services for the beneficiaries. Innovation for Social Impact Grant component is designed to support Armenian CSOs serving the public good, working to ensure tangible social impact for communities and enrichment of life circumstances of beneficiaries. Innovation is not simply a new software, idea or method. It is also the process of revealing new ways to do things. It can be achieved through modifying operational models and adapting to changing environment. Legislative changes to allow provision of paid services by non-profits is one of the most recent changes for CSOs. CSOs that are working to advance their missions, serve their communities and improve services to their beneficiaries through public engagement and sustainable models of service delivery are encouraged to apply.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
We are ready to work with any CSO that will serve the public good, be responsive to the needs of people and communities, address the need of vulnerable population, reduce inequalities and promote social inclusion, encourage volunteerism and mobilization, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, ensure sustainable model and community participation through empowering youth, engaging women and girls. All projects must be implemented in Armenia. While the Innovation for Social Impact Grants does not discriminate proposals on a geographical basis within Armenia, a balance among awarded beneficiaries is pursued to cover different regions.
WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
The call is open to CSOs registered and operating in accordance with the Armenian legislation. We also look for original and creative partnerships – those, which bring people from different organizations, industries, backgrounds and communities together, and which show the power of collaboration and teamwork. We are also interested to hear from organisations who have never received a grant of this kind before or currently are not involved in managing EU grants. Those organisations that have difficulty accessing funding or have previously been rejected to receive funding due to organisational capacities but instead have good ideas are encouraged to apply.
WHAT DO WE OFFER?
Bridge for CSOs Programme will support 8-14 grant projects with funding ranging from AMD 9,000,000 to 18,000,000. Organisations with little grant management experience are encouraged to apply for minimal funding. Projects should be designed to run up to 12 (twelve) months. Applicants are required to provide cash contribution in the amount of at least 5% of the total requested funding. Proposals not meeting the match funding requirement will not be considered. In addition to financial support, we will also provide Organisational Capacity Building Assistance to selected organizations. From the first day of program implementation, each of the selected applicants will be granted support and guidance of hand-picked diaspora mentors from selected fields. Special funds, in the form of Capacity Building (CB) Vouchers will be designated for each CSO to address the needs and capacity gaps required for smooth implementation of their approved projects. CB needs will be identified through organisational assessments, which will be conducted by mentors and documented in CB Action Plans.
HOW TO APPLY?
Think you are a match? Then complete application package and submit an electronic copy to [email protected] mentioning in the subject line: Innovation for Social Impact Grants Proposal. In case you don’t receive an email confirming the receipt of your proposal within 24 hours after submitting the proposal, please contact Arpine Vardanyan, Grants Manager at +374 60 722 228.
Applications can be submitted in Armenian or English. Each applicant is only permitted to submit one application.
The deadline for submission of proposals is 14:00, 29 December, 2017.
Orientation session for the interested applicants will be held at 11:00, 11 December, 2017. For more information about the orientation sessions in the regions please follow us in social media.
The complete application package must include the following documents:
1. Technical proposal/application (Annex 1)
2. Budget and budget narrative (Annex 2)
3. Work Plan (Annex 3)
4. Logical Framework (Annex 4)
5. Copy of registration certificate
6. Copy of the organisation’s charter cover page and the pages relating to the goals and objectives of the organisation
7. Tax registration certificate of the organisation
8. Applicant’s bank name and account information issued by the bank
9. Key Personnel short resumes and job descriptions
The announcement in Russian here.
Source can be found here.