THE UNITED NATIONS RECOVERY AND PEACEBUILDING PROGRAMME

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR NGO GRANT COMPETITION

«Sustainable collaboration between veterans and local authorities in the hromadas of Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr oblasts»

1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this Call for Proposals is to inform non-governmental organizations operating in Ukraine on the grant competition held by the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme and to explicate the procedure for submitting project proposals. The Call for Proposals describes the eligibility criteria, the procedure of submission and selection of project proposals, as well as the criteria for evaluating projects that will be selected as a result of this competition.

The competition is held within the following target area:

UN_RPP_3_2021_14_VET: Sustainable collaboration between veterans and local authorities in the hromadas of Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr oblasts.

2. INFORMATION ON THE UNITED NATIONS RECOVERY AND PEACEBUILDING PROGRAMME

The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine has had a direct and profoundly negative impact on social cohesion, community security, and the rule of law. Recognizing the need to urgently address rehabilitation, economic recovery and peacebuilding needs in the areas affected both directly and indirectly by the conflict, in late 2014 the Government of Ukraine requested technical assistance and financial support from the international community to assess priority recovery needs. In late 2014, the United Nations, the World Bank and the European Union conducted a Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment, which was endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers in mid-2015.

Prior to the conflict, UNDP has been active and present in eastern Ukraine for the past decade, with a focus on community development, civil society development, and environmental protection. Addressing the aforementioned specific and conflict-related development challenges is based on this earlier engagement and established partnerships. The activity started in 2015 through the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP), a multi-donor funded framework programme jointly implemented by four United Nations partnering agencies in cooperation with the Government of Ukraine. 

The United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme is implemented by four UN Agencies: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

The programme is supported by twelve international partners: the European Union, the European Investment Bank, the US Embassy in Ukraine, as well as the governments of Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Japan.

The United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme is being implemented to respond to and mitigate the causes and effects of the armed conflict. It is based on the findings of the Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment (RPA), while being aligned to the National Target Programme on Recovery and Peacebuilding in Eastern Ukraine, as well as to the two oblast-level development strategies up to 2020. The UN RPP involves three pillars for action: 1) supporting economic recovery in the communities (hromadas) affected by the armed conflict; 2) promoting decentralization and healthcare reforms; and 3) enhancing social security and social cohesion. The Programme is fully in line with the Government of Ukraine - United Nations Partnership Framework. It is closely interlinked with the Democratic Governance Programme operating both nationally and through all Ukraine’s oblasts, and is consistent with the SDGs, in particular, SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong institutions).

As an area-based programme specifically developed for the conflict-affected areas of eastern Ukraine, the UN RPP addresses the key stabilization, peacebuilding, economic and governance priority needs in eastern Ukraine following the start of the conflict. It considers the opportunities that have arisen from the Minsk Protocol of September 2014 and the renewal of its cease-fire provisions and is also fully adjusted to the humanitarian-development nexus.

The Programme’s interventions are grouped under the following key Programme components, which reflect the region’s priority needs:

Component I: Economic Recovery and Rehabilitation of Critical Infrastructure

Component II: Local Governance and Decentralization Reform

Component III: Community Security and Social Cohesion (CSSC).

The funding for the grant competition will be provided with the support of the Kingdom of the Netherlands' Government.

Financial administration of the grant competition is entrusted to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

3. PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION AREAS

The Call for Proposals is intended for organizations interested in working with local hromadas to support the reintegration of ATO and JFO veterans. Potential grantees must have experience in project implementation, working with ATO and JFO veterans and related groups (veterans’ families), as well as experience in working with local authorities. Experience in advocacy activities, information campaigns, and analytical work will be a significant advantage.

3.1. Non-governmental or charitable organizations wishing to participate in this competition must meet the following requirements:

• be officially registered and have the status of a legal entity in the Government controlled areas (GCAs);
• have the status of a non-profit or charitable organization (non-profit activity codes 0032, 0034, 0036, 0038, 0039 or 0048);
• have at least 3 years of relevant experience;
• have confirmed experience in implementing and reporting on at least two projects dedicated to the competition’s topic. The applicants must provide examples of the implemented project results.
• have experience in working with ATO and JFO veterans and their families;
• have experience in working with local authorities and understand the principles of the local self-government;
• having experience in the target oblasts (Dnipropetrovsk and/or Zhytomyr) will be a significant advantage.
• have relevant experts and project staff to implement the project (project manager, financial expert/accountant, and other specialists to respond to the project needs, e.g. on-staff or involved specialist/consultant on social adaptation of ATO and JFO veterans, communications expert, etc.). Should the experts be involved only on the condition that the project proposal is selected, the application must include the key requirements for each of the specialists envisaged by the project (field-specific education, work experience, etc.). The project team must include ATO and JFO veterans. Their participation must be supported with documentary evidence.

3.2. Project staff must meet the following requirements:

• The project team should at least consist of: a project manager (in charge of the general coordination of project implementation and reporting to the UN RPP), an accountant (in charge of accounting and financial reporting), and persons directly involved in the project implementation;
• At least half of the project team members must have higher education (this requirement applies to those being directly in charge of the project implementation);
• At least one year of experience in the public sector (for the project manager);
• Language proficiency ​​- fluency in Ukrainian;
• The accountant must have higher (accounting) education, experience in accounting for at least two years;
• Willingness to follow all rules and regulations of cooperation set by the international donor;

3.3. Areas of grant implementation, registration requirements and required experience of the organizations:

• The project which will be implemented with the funds provided under this grant competition must be delivered in Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr oblasts (at least four hromadas in each oblast. "Hromada" shall be understood as a settlement (Amalgamated Territorial Community (ATC), town, raion). In Zhytomyr oblast, the UN RPP has worked with the veteran community in Baranivka ATC, Vysoke ATC, Zhytomyr ATC, Nova Borova ATC, Novohrad-Volynsk ATC, Semenivka ATC, and Chervone ATC. In Dnipropetrovsk oblast, the activities focusing on the veteran community were carried out in Nikopol, Novomoskovsk, and Pavlohrad. The applicant can propose its own list of hromadas with due account of the hromadas where such work has already been initiated. Should the project proposal be approved, the list of project hromadas will be finalized together with the UN RPP through negotiations with hromada's initiative groups regarding their willingness to participate in the project and by receiving letters of support from the local authorities.

3.4. UNDP will determine whether an NGO is eligible for the funding based on the results of the Capacity Assessment Checklist (CACHE).

Proposals from organizations that do not meet the above requirements will not be accepted. Applications submitted by individuals, commercial organizations, government agencies and organizations, local governments, trade unions, political parties, and religious organizations will not be accepted.

Organizations that have an ongoing grant agreement with the Community Security and Social Cohesion component of the UN RPP may submit project applications for this call provided that activities under the current agreement are fully completed by May 10, 2021 (including the financial and program reporting).

3. COMPETITION OBJECTIVE AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES

This call for proposals should result in the selection of one NGO followed by setting up working groups incorporating members from the veterans' community to advocate for such issues as social adaptation and medical and psychological rehabilitation of veterans at the hromada level. The project implementation shall start on May 10, 2021. The project shall be fully completed by March 31, 2022.

It is expected that the grantee will perform the following scope of work to achieve the listed below objectives (the list of works is a mandatory minimum; the grantee's application may include other activities proposals within the scope of this project):

The grantee must achieve the following practical objective:

An increase in the number of decisions by the local authorities and the number of developed and approved local policies affecting veterans and initiated by the veteran community in the target hromadas of Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr oblasts.

Under this project, the selected organization is expected to achieve the following deliverables:

1. Each selected target hromada of Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr oblasts has in place active “working groups to support reintegration of veterans in hromadas[1]» (tentative title which should be changed after the start of the project); representatives of the veterans' community coordinate these working groups[2] together with other representatives of the public sector or local authorities; the representatives of the veteran community (ATO and JFO veterans, their family members, volunteers) should constitute at least 50% of the group members.

2. There are formal and efficient working relations with civil society organizations, local authorities, relevant executive bodies, in particular with territorial units of the Ministry of Veterans' Affairs of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr oblasts, with other key veteran public entities such as Veterans' Councils (oblast and local level), veterans' unions, veterans' spaces, etc.

3. Veterans participate in other community-based tools of local democracy through the set up working groups[3].

4. A record of a public event[4] on the needs of veterans; the event should bring together all target hromadas in Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr oblasts, other oblasts can be involved if necessary.

5. Implemented advocacy measures to improve the opportunities for medical and psychological rehabilitation and social adaptation of veterans in the target hromadas.

In order to achieve the defined project deliverables, the selected organization has to present a range of outputs. One part of the outputs list shall be mandatory for implementation (see the list below), while the other part shall be proposed by the applicant in the application form to support the implementation of the objectives and deliverables specified in this call.

Mandatory outputs to achieve the overall project goal, objectives and deliverables:

1. Each selected target hromada of Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr oblasts has in place active working groups on veteran reintegration:

1.1. Select hromadas to participate in the project. The selection should take into account those hromadas in the target oblasts where the UN RPP is currently operating (for more details see section 3.3 of this Call for Proposals).

1.2. Develop Provisions on working groups, define the composition of the working group, formally agree the documents with the local authority and approve them through formal and informal consultations with the veteran community.

1.3. Arrange an information campaign on the activities of working groups in the target hromadas (by own efforts or with subcontracting).

1.4. Hold introductory meetings with representatives of the veteran community in each target hromada.

1.5. Perform a socio-demographic analysis (by own efforts or with subcontracting) of each target hromada, using open data and inquiries, in particular exploring the socio-economic capacity of the hromada, local policies and regulations related to the reintegration of veterans. Socio-demographic analysis should include expert interviews with key field experts.

1.6. If applicable, cooperate with veterans' spaces funded by the UN RPP in the target hromadas.

2. There are formal and efficient working relations with civil society organizations, local authorities, relevant executive bodies:

2.1.In each target hromada conduct an analysis of potential partners (by own efforts or with subcontracting) among civil society organizations, local authorities, and relevant executive bodies at the level of the target hromada, raion, oblast.

2.2. Hold working meetings and establish working relationship with identified potential partners in each target hromada in Zhytomyr and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts.

3. Veterans participate in other community-based tools of local democracy through working groups:

• 3.1. Analyze tools of local democracy being available and in use in each target hromada (by own efforts or with subcontracting).
• 3.2. If necessary, conduct training for veterans on the use of local democracy tools.

4. A record of a public event  on the needs of veterans; the event should bring together all target hromadas in Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr oblasts:

• 4.1. Develop a program for an event that will bring together stakeholders both from the target and other oblasts.

5. Implemented advocacy measures to improve the opportunities for medical and psychological rehabilitation and social adaptation of veterans in the target hromadas:

• 5.1. Develop an algorithm for processing inquiries in the hromada knowing the availability of services and service providers in each particular hromada.
• 5.2. Identify the key issues that the working group will deal with to support the reintegration of veterans in the hromada.
• 5.3. Conduct a series of advocacy activities.
• 5.4. If necessary, cooperate with experts of the UN RPP in the field of veteran reintegration.
• 5.5. If necessary, provide training on advocacy for the veteran community.

The selected organization will get access to the successful experience of the UN RPP in organizing a network of working groups in Donetsk, Zhytomyr and Luhansk oblasts, as well as standard documents developed during the operation of such working groups.

All reports and other project documents must be agreed with the UN RPP prior to any publications.

Quarantine warning: all public events must take place online. If the epidemiological situation so allows, public events can be held offline, yet with adhering to all quarantine restrictions and anti-epidemic measures.

Expected quantitative and qualitative indicators of the project:

• At least 4 hromadas in Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr oblasts are selected, with due consideration of the UN RPP's previous experience.
• Provisions on working groups in each target hromada are developed during the first month of the project.
• During the second month of the project, the Provisions are approved by the local authorities or approved in another way, where relevant.
• During the first month of the project, information about the activities of the working groups is spread.
• Information campaigns covering the ongoing activities of the working groups are held throughout the project period. The information events involve at least social media and local media, as well as other communication channels being accessible and convenient for the target audience.
• At least one meeting with the representatives of the veteran community should be held in each target hromada prior to the launch of the working groups' activity.
• Working groups should have at least 6 meetings throughout the project implementation.
• As a result of the working group meetings, socio-demographic data on the participants of these meetings are collected on a regular basis.
• A socio-demographic analysis of each target hromada should be performed before the launch of the working groups followed by preparation of a short report based on its results.
• Completed analysis of potential partners in each target hromada prior to the launch of the working groups activity and a brief report on the findings.
• Formally established cooperation with identified potential partners in each target hromada.
• Gender distribution in working groups should approximate 50% of men and 50% of women.
• As a result of the project activity, each working group should include representatives of the ATO/JFO veteran community; youth under 18 years; youth aged 19-24 years.
• At least 1 plan, policy, proposal, etc. for local authorities should be developed in each target hromada to improve opportunities for medical and psychological rehabilitation and social adaptation of ATO and JFO veterans.
• There is formal and informal cooperation between the veteran community and local authorities.

More detailed quantitative and qualitative indicators of expected outcomes will be developed together with the selected NGO.

5. CO-FINANCING REQUIREMENTS AND PROJECT DURATION

The project shall start on May 10, 2021. The project shall be fully completed by March 31, 2022.

Project proposals involving co-financing (at least 10% of the total project budget) will be awarded additional points when evaluated according to the Criteria for evaluation of project proposals. Co-financing implies having a source of funding other than the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme. The organization's financial contribution must be corroborated by the relevant accounting documents at the stage of submitting financial statements under the project. Material assets ​​of the organization (including office premises and office equipment) are not regarded as co-financing.

Additional preference shall be given to those organizations whose project applications will be supported by partner organizations (non-governmental organizations, public authorities and local self-governments). The project applications must be accompanied by the appropriate letters of the project support. Such letters should mention the support and the specific role of the supporting organization.

6. PROJECT COSTS

6.1. Eligible costs

The costs are deemed as eligible if:

- they are necessary to achieve the project goals and objectives;

- they are consistent with the cost and benefit principle ("highest quality at the lowest price");

Funds provided as the grant proposal can be used only to pay for:

- the work of the organization's staff and involved experts;

- goods and services required for the implementation of project activities;

- communication and information services;

- consulting services required to achieve project objectives;

- rent of premises (for trainings, group work, etc.), servicing of events, and other services involved under the project activity;

- printing and copying services;

- consumables and stationery;

- transport and other costs related to the project activity.

6.2. Mandatory costs:

- Payment for the services of the project manager and financial expert/accountant (or qualifying these services either as NGO's own contribution or as funded from other sources);

6.3. Non-eligible are the costs related to:

- project proposal preparation and submission;

- payment of debts;

- reimbursement of expenses related to exchange rate fluctuations;

- international business trips;

- renting an office and paying for utilities.

7. PROCEDURE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROJECT PROPOSALS AND  CONSULTATIONS ON THEIR PREPARATION

The application package shall include the following:

1) An online application form found by link, that contains basic information about the organization and the project proposal.

2) Full application form (completed in MS Word format) which describes the organizational plan and project implementation plan (*.docx/*.doc) (Annex 1);

3) The financial proposal (proposed budget in Excel format), compiled in US dollars and calculated according to the UN exchange rate as of April 2021 (28 UAH/1 USD) (https://treasury.un.org/operationalrates/OperationalRates.php) (Annex 2). Tranches will be paid in UAH according to UN exchange rate on the date of payment.

4) Scanned copies of the following documents (*.PDF or *.JPG):

• registration certificate or an excerpt;
• certificate from the tax authority on registering the organization in the Register of non-profit organizations with the non-profit activity code.

5) All documents proving the consistence with the technical criteria specified in sections 3.1 and 3.2 of this Call for Proposals;

6) Completed capacity assessment checklist (CACHE) and supporting documents (Annex 3);

7) Letters of support from the local executive bodies and/or local authorities which have to mention the following:

• granting support and readiness to participate in the implementation of project activities;
• The amount of project co-financing by local authorities and specific budget items to be funded (if co-financing is available)).

Letters from local authorities confirming their readiness to cooperate can be submitted after the list of the target hromadas will have been approved together with the organization selected by the evaluation commission.

To submit project proposals organizations must fill out an online application form (paragraph 1), as well as submit a complete application package (see paras 2-7 above) per email to grants.ua@undp.org with the following text in the subject field:

UN_RPP_3_2021_14_VET: Sustainable collaboration between veterans and local authorities in hromadas of Dnipropetrovsk and Zhytomyr oblasts

The full application package must be submitted by 12:00 May 4^th, 2021. The application package (see paras 2-7) must be sent as one letter in the archive (*.rar) which should not exceed 30 Mb.

The received project proposals will be checked for compliance with the Call requirements, and those that meet the requirements will be forwarded to the Evaluation Commission.

Project proposals received after the deadline specified in this Call for any reason will not be accepted.

Further information or clarification about the project proposals can be obtained per email with subject field “UN_RPP_3_2021_14_VET: request for information” through the following address: grants.ua@undp.org. Answers will be provided within 1-2 business days. All requests must be submitted not later than 48 hours prior to the submission deadline.

8. PROJECT PROPOSAL EVALUATION

8.1. Evaluation of project proposals takes place in several stages.

Stage 1: Evaluation of submitted project proposals by the Evaluation Commission. At this stage, the submitted project proposals are evaluated according to the evaluation criteria, and project proposals that scored less than 70 points of the total score will be rejected. Proposals requiring further improvement in accordance with the recommendations of the Evaluation Commission will be returned for revision with a deadline for submission of an updated proposal.

Stage 2: Final approval of the winning project proposals recommended by the Evaluation Commission for selection.

The Evaluation Commission will be composed of representatives of the UN RPP in accordance with their key areas of work, and the experts involved. At the same time, during the selection of project proposals, the Evaluation Commission reserves the right to seek independent expert opinion or the opinion of local authorities being in charge of territories intended for project activity.

8.2. Project evaluation criteria:

NB!

• The submitted materials will not be returned or reviewed.
• Participants will be notified of the competition results by e-mail.
• The final decision on the project or application is not subject to revision.
• Reasons for rejection or approval of the project will not be reported.

9. REPORTING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF GRANT PROJECTS

9.1. Monitoring and evaluation

The grantee is responsible for monitoring the project implementation and evaluating its results. UNDP will monitor the implementation of the grant project through the reports by the grantee, meetings with project staff, their partners and beneficiaries, as well as through participation in project activities.

9.2. Reporting

The grantee shall submit reports in the format specified by UNDP:

• interim reports which include a description of activities and results in accordance with the agreed monitoring indicators and financial component (to be specified under the respective grant agreement);
• brief ad hoc reports that may be required from time to time by UNDP seeking information on the grant project beyond regular reports;
• a final report on activities and results, as well as a financial report covering the entire period of the grant agreement.

10. FINANCING

The grantee will receive an advance payment for the planned activities under the grant agreement. The amount of advance and subsequent payments will be stipulated in the grant agreement. This amount will be determined individually based on the total grant amount, type of activity, etc. Subsequent tranches will be disbursed upon receipt and approval by UNDP of the organization's interim reports.

NB! Upon 100% completion of project reporting, including confirmation of all financial transactions, the grantee shall receive the final disbursement amounting to 10%.

[1] Reintegration of ATO and JFO veterans includes social adaptation and medical and psychological rehabilitation of ATO/JFO veterans and their families.

[2] A similar tool of working groups has been piloted by the UN RPP in several target oblasts. The working groups being currently supported by UN RPP embody a participatory approach to addressing important to the hromada issues and implementing shared decisions related to social cohesion and community security. Find more information on the UN RPP's approach to social mobilization of communities here.

[3] For example, submission of public initiatives, participation in public hearings, participation in general meetings, use of the participatory budget, generation of electronic petitions, etc.

[4] Roundtable, conference, panel discussion, etc.

Annexes

Application form

Budget 

CACHE