The European Union (EU) has announced a call for proposals for the CSO-LA MAAP 2018-2020.

The European Union (EU) is founded on the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. EU policy in support of democracy and human rights in third countries has been articulated and developed in several Commission communications, European Parliament Resolutions and Council conclusions, including EU Guidelines on human rights issues.

Objectives and Priority Issues

The objective of this programme is notably to strengthen civil society organisations in EU partner countries. This objective is reinforced by the evolving international context of the 2030 Agenda and the newly adopted policies such as the Global Strategy for the Ell's Foreign and Security Policy 5 (2016) and the new European Consensus on Development 6 ('the Consensus) (June 2017). The Consensus values the participation of CSOs in development, promotes civil society space and recognises the need for support for building the capacity of CSOs. In addition, the programme takes into account the EU Gender Action Plan, Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment: Transforming the Lives of Girls and Women through EU External Relations 2016-2020. 

The global objective of this call for proposals is to strengthen CSOs in Suriname. This general objective is further aligned with general objective 3 of the Action Document, which is to increase local CSOs' capacity to perform their roles as independent development actors more effectively.

The specific objective of this call for proposals is the enhancement of life in Suriname's hinterland communities This specific objective is further aligned with the following specific objectives of the Action Document for the MAAP 2018-2020: 

• Specific Objective 1: Increase the participation of CSOs in tackling climate change and mitigating its adverse effects
• Specific objective 2: Women's participation in decision-making increased
• Specific Objective 3: The voice of youth in society is increased, including that of young people with fewer opportunities and having regards to the eleven Youth Goals proposed by young people in the EU Youth Dialogue process.

The priority (ies) of this call for proposals is/are:

• women's rights and empowerment, including related issues such as gender-based violence
• LGBTQ rights and related issues
• sustainable livelihoods and development
• combating illegal exploitation of natural resources, in particular illegal mining and logging
• indigenous and tribal peoples, and other minority rights
• conservation

Funding Information

The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 1,405,000. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.

Indicative allocation of funds by lot/geographical distribution:

• Lot 1 - Enhancing life in the hinterland: EUR 1,000,000
• Lot 2 - LGBTQ rights and related issues: EUR 405,000

If the allocation indicated for a specific lot cannot be used due to insufficient quality or number of proposals received, the contracting authority reserves the right to reallocate the remaining funds to (an)other lot(s).

Size of grants

Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:

• Lot 1:
  • minimum amount: ELTR 800,000
  • maximum amount: EUR 1,000,000
• Lot 2:
  • minimum amount: EUR 350,000
  • maximum amount: EUR 405,000

Eligibility Criteria

Lead applicant(s)

In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:

• be a legal person or a natural person and
• be non-profit-making and
• be a specific type of organisation such as: non-governmental organisation, public sector operator, local authority, international (inter-governmental) organisation as defined by Article 156 of the EU Financial Regulation and
  • be established in' a Member State of the European Union or in the country where the action is implemented, in this case Suriname,s and
  • be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary and
  • be able to demonstrate to have implemented activities in the priority areas.

Co-applicant(s)

• A minimum of 1 co-applicant is required for this call for proposals.
• Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
• Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant himself.
• Co-applicants must sign the mandate form. If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant(s) (if any) will become beneficiary (ies) in the action (together with the coordinator).

Affiliated entity(ies)

• The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies).
• Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant and/or to co-applicant(s):
  • Only entities having a structural link with the applicants (i.e. the lead applicant or a co-applicant), in particular a legal or capital link.
  • This structural link encompasses mainly two notions:
    • Control, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
      • Entities affiliated to an applicant may hence be:
        • Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the applicant (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
        • Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant;
        • Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies).
    • Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the applicant participates in the same entity (e.g. network, fedekation, association,...) as the proposed affiliated entities.

For more information, visit EuropeAid and download the guidelines.