Call for Proposals for Small Grants for Disabled People Organisations
Background:
In Pakistan, little data is available on disability issues and persons with disabilities and this lack of data is a hindrance in effective lobbying with stakeholders in resolution of issues.
Disabled People Organisations ideally should be the driver and leader of advocacy work, and there is a need for more organised, consistent, predictable and evidence based advocacy work to reduce exclusionary practices through influencing Government policies. So far, thrust of DPO’s work remained on direct service delivery, which is good on resolving some of the problems, however its impact remained limited and often faces issues of sustainability.
In order to bring positive and sustainable changes in legislation, policies and practices, DPOs require to play a proactive role in advocating and lobbying for these changes with relevant stakeholders. Most of the DPOs have financial constraints and they are not able to carry out effective and evidence based advocacy with stakeholders.
Introduction to small grants:
Many obstacles and hindrances are faced by DPOs in Pakistan to effectively undertake advocacy activities to improve human rights situation for persons with disabilities and improve inclusion and mainstreaming in society. Financial constraint limits the ability of many DPOs to effectively implement activities which can contribute positively in creating an enabling environment for persons with disabilities.
To improve access of DPOs to financial resources to implement advocacy initiatives in more systematic, organised and evidence based manner the organisation has allocated a fund which will be utilised for supporting DPOs working on advocacy issues under different thematic areas given below.
Thematic Areas for which grant application will be accepted:
These small grant project meant to support systematic, organised and evidence based advocacy activities under the following thematic areas.
Proposals/concept notes contributing to following thematic areas will be considered:
- Accessibility and removing physical barriers (only advocacy)
- Economic empowerment
- Mass awareness on key disability rights related issues
- Inclusive education
- Improvement in laws related to person with disabilities and their implementation at national and sub national level
- Research to generate evidences for advocacy issues
- Social and economic inclusion
- Health rights of person with disabilities
- Inclusive disaster risk reduction
Selection criteria:
Submitted proposals / concept notes will be evaluated according to following criteria by selection committee
- Proposed concept/proposal clearly contributes to thematic areas
- Concept/proposal must have clear objectives, methodology and rationale for the proposed activity/activities and reasonable budget
- Proposal/concept notes must shortly explain how proposed activities will be contributing to positive change in thematic areas mentioned
- Proposed activities should have a timeline of not more than four months
- A clear sustainability of the intervention should be mentioned in the concept note
- The budget must be not be less than one million Pakistani rupees and should not exceed two million Pakistani rupees
- The applicant DPOs must be registered with under the Pakistani Laws governing not for profit local organisation
- Have a proper bank account in the name of DPO and not individual
- Proposed concept contributing to issues related with wide range of disabilities
- Proposals/concept notes should be inclusive and sensitive to gender balance and issues
- DPO must have similar past experience or have proven capacity in implementing activities they are seeking funds for
- Preference would be given to proposals addressing needs of women with disabilities
Generals Conditions for the grant recipients:
Following conditions will be applied to all DPOs qualified for the grants
- Submission of proposals/concept note activity plan and budget
- Grant money will not cover any administrative costs of the applicant DPO except logistic and operational costs directly related to implementation of activities
- Except technical service hiring no position from DPOs will be included in budget or paid from grant
- Grant qualified DPOs will submit short monthly reports, and final report at end of project completion
- Pictures depicting activities will be shared with donor INGO at the project completion along with expressed consent for further use by INGO
- The grant recipient will comply with INGO Child Safeguarding and code of conduct policies
- The grant recipients will comply with all donor INGO rules and regulations and submitted invoices as per the requirements
- Proposals/concept notes must not be about provision of services
- Project extension can only be granted on solid justification and would not be more than two months
Note: The grant is for Disabled People Organisation only, mainstream NGOs are requested not to apply.
Closing date: All applications should be submitted to [email protected] on or before 14th April 2017. Applications after due date will not be considered.