Application Instructions Guidelines
Concept Note Form Guidelines
In general, the most successful concept notes include the following components: They focus on specific forms of violence against women—as opposed to addressing all forms of violence—thus ensuring more effective and dedicated interventions; they demonstrate sustainability, reflecting a deeper understanding of how competencies will be institutionalized and relationships strengthened, for example, between civil society and governments; they specify partnerships, especially that of women’s groups and networks and describe their specific roles in the project; they indicate both qualitative and quantitative mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation; and lastly, they demonstrate a clear, logical, and realistic chain for achieving results. This includes articulating what results should be achieved, for and with whom, where and how, and for what ultimate purpose.
Concept Note Budget Guidelines
Please ensure the following guidelines are adhered to in developing your concept note budget:
- The Fund for Gender Equality will NOT fund the following:
- Costs of infrastructure such as purchase of land, property, acquisition of office space, construction, repair of existing buildings or offices, including for example, the building and furnishing of service facilities, shelters or short-stay homes;
- Purchase of any type of vehicles (i.e. cars, motorcycles, boats etc.);
- Costs that can be financed by other funding sources in the country or by the government (i.e. providing ARTs);
- Activities where a substantial part of the budget is allocated for travel and/or conference costs and services;
- Activities where a substantial part of the budget covers institutional recurrent costs and/or personnel costs;
- Grants for filling a ‘funding gap’ for ongoing initiatives/projects;
- Regional/international learning events or international travel. Please note that the Fund for Gender Equality will only support those regional and international workshops that it convenes itself.
- The Fund for Gender Equality will NOT give priority to project proposals in which:
- A substantial part (e.g. more than 20 per cent) of the budget relates to institutional recurrent costs (e.g. rent, utilities) and/or personnel costs.
- Equipment purchases are too high in the context of total project costs.
- Personnel costs:
- For Civil Society Organizations, Professional Associations and Research Institutions:
- For projects between US$ 50,000 and US$ 500,000: Personnel costs for managing the project must not exceed 20 per cent (20%) of the grant requested.
- For projects between US$ 500,000 and US$ 1,000,000: Personnel costs for managing the project must not exceed 10 per cent (10%) of the grant requested.
- Please note that the amount you specify will be reviewed in relation to the overall project cost and will be subject to revision.
- For Government Entities and UN Country Teams: It is expected that full personnel costs will be borne under the government's and UN Country Team’s regular or project budget and should be reflected as such. Short-term consultancies needed specifically for implementation of this project may be considered and should be reflected under the Contractual Services budget line.
- Fund for Gender Equality Capacity Development Workshop:
- For all applicants: All projects are required to allocate US$ 10,000 of the grant requested for a capacity development workshop to be convened by the Fund for Gender Equality. This amount should also be indicated in the first year of implementation under the Training/Seminar/Workshops budget line.
- Travel:
- Please note that the Fund for Gender Equality will not support any international travel costs.
- Contractual Services:
- For all applicants: Please specify what services related to project implementation the contractual services budget line will entail, and justify the need for it in the Budget Narrative.
- Equipment:
- For all applicants: Please specify which equipment is crucial for the implementation of the project, and justify the need for it in the Budget Narrative. Please note that the amount you specify must be minimal and will be reviewed in relation to the overall project cost. Please note that the Fund for Gender Equality does not allow for the purchase of hardware and furniture for offices.
- Monitoring and evaluation:
- For all applicants: Monitoring and evaluation costs of the project cannot exceed 10 per cent (10%) of the total grant requested.
- Please note: The recommended budget allocations for monitoring and evaluation should be used as a guide to determine a precise budget amount based on factors such as the size and scope of the project, baseline and end line studies, as well as costs for external evaluators in the country/region. This in turn will also dictate the type of end of project evaluation that can feasibly be conducted.
- Please explain the costs of the monitoring and evaluation components of the project in the Budget Narrative.
- Audit:
- For Civil Society Organizations: One external financial audit is required at the end of the project period. A provision for the cost of this activity, not exceeding 5 per cent (5%) of the total amount requested should be included.
- For Government Entities: It is expected that audit costs will be borne under the government's regular budget and should be reflected as such.
- For UN Country Teams: Activities carried out by UN agencies shall be audited in accordance with their own financial regulations and rules. The cost for the audit shall be borne by the UN agencies.
- Indirect costs:
- Indirect project costs are related to administrative support of the project including financial management and information resources management. Other indirect expenses comprise additional rental of office space, office maintenance and utilities, telecommunications and office supplies.
- For Civil Society Organizations: The maximum indirect project costs cannot exceed seven per cent (7%) of the total grant requested and must be related to the approved project, with no exceptions. Please note that the amount you specify will be reviewed in relation to the overall project costs and is subject to revision.
- For Government Entities: Indirect costs are not applicable and government applicants are requested to submit their proposed budgets accordingly.
- For UN Country Teams: The Fund for Gender Equality will utilize the Standard MOU for Joint Programming Using Pass Through Fund Management. The rate of indirect costs shall be fixed seven per cent (7%) of the total of categories I-VII.
- Administrative Agent Fees:
- For UN Country Teams ONLY: The Administrative Agent will be entitled to allocate an administrative fee of one percent (1%) of the grant requested to meet the Administrative Agent’s costs of performing its associated functions.
- Matching Funds:
- For all applicants: Indications of matching funds from participating UN agencies, government and other stakeholders, in addition to in-kind contributions (office space, staff, conference facilities, media outlets, supplies, other) should be clearly specified and broken down by budget line
- Grant Request Restrictions:
- For large civil society organizations, governments and UN Country Teams: Budget requests should be within the range of a minimum of US$ 300,000 to a maximum of US$ 1 million total for duration of two to three years. Budgets must be based on the proposed project and take into consideration the organization's operational and absorptive capacity.
- For small civil society organizations, especially grassroots women’s organizations and youth led organizations: Budget requests will also be considered for a minimum of US$ 50,000 for duration of two years. Budgets must be based on the proposed project and take into consideration the organization's operational and absorptive capacity.