EU Aid Volunteers Technical Assistance for sending organisations - Capacity Building for humanitarian aid of hosting organisations 2019

Deadline: Jul 4, 2019  
CALL EXPIRED

The EU Aid Volunteers initiative is a programme established by the EU, as envisaged by the Treaty of Lisbon1. It aims to strengthen the EU’s ability to provide needs-based humanitarian aid and to strengthen the capacity and resilience of vulnerable or disaster affected communities in non-EU countries. At the same time, it allows European citizens to show solidarity with people in need by taking part in humanitarian actions in these countries.

This Call for Proposals is written in accordance with legal documents listed under point 14.5 and the Annual Work Programme for the EU Aid Volunteers initiative 2019, which was adopted by the European Commission on 14 January 2019 (PE/2018/9650).

1. OBJECTIVES OF THE CALL FOR PROPOSALS

The objective of this call is to contribute to strengthening the Union’s capacity to provide needs-based humanitarian aid and to strengthening the capacity and resilience of vulnerable or disaster-affected communities in third countries, particularly by means of disaster preparedness, disaster risk reduction and by enhancing the link between relief, rehabilitation and development. It also seeks to contribute to increasing and improving the capacity of the Union to provide humanitarian aid through enhancing the coherence and consistency of volunteering across Member States in order to improve opportunities for Union citizens to participate in humanitarian aid activities and operations.

This call aims to support organisations in complying with the Certification's standards and procedures of the EU Aid Volunteers initiative. This shall contribute to increase the number of certified organisations which are available to take part in Deployment projects.

1 Article 214 (5) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: ‘In order to establish a framework for joint contributions from young Europeans to the humanitarian aid operations of the Union, a European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps shall be set up. The European Parliament and the Council, acting by means of regulations in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, shall determine the rules and procedures for the operation of the Corps.

In this framework, the present call for proposals will provide funding through support for actions aimed at strengthening:

• -  the hosting organisations’ capacity for humanitarian aid in order to enhance local preparedness and response to humanitarian crises and to ensure effective and sustainable impact of the EU Aid Volunteers’ work on the ground (art. 15 of Regulation 375/2014).

• -  the capacity of sending organisations to participate in the EU Aid Volunteers initiative and to ensure compliance with the standards and procedures of the initiative (art. 10 (6) of Regulation 375/2014).

  With this call, the European Commission expects to achieve the following results:

Capacities of around 70 sending and hosting organisations are strengthened in areas such as :

• -  disaster risk management, preparedness and response,

• -  linking relief, rehabilitation and development (LRRD)

• -  strengthening local volunteering in third countries,

• -  capacities to undergo certification including administrative capacity.

  On-line volunteering opportunities to support projects. ELIGIBLE BODIES

Projects shall be designed and implemented by transnational partnerships. The call for proposals is open to:

Sending organisations:

• -  non-governmental not-for-profit organisations formed in accordance with the law

  of a Member State and whose headquarters are located within the Union,

• -  public law bodies of a civilian character governed by the law of a Member State,

• -  the International Federation of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Hosting organisations:

• -  non-governmental not-for-profit organisations operating or established in a third

  country under the laws in force in that country,

• -  public law bodies of a civilian character governed by the law of a third country,

• -  international agencies and organisations.

2.1. Technical Assistance for sending organisations

Technical assistance projects for sending organisations shall be designed and implemented by transnational partnerships involving:

• -  at least three sending organisations from at least three different EU Member States or

• -  at least two sending organisations from two different Member States and the International Federation of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Already certified sending organisations can be part of the consortium to support non-certified organisations to achieve certification provided that the number of non-certified organisations exceeds the number of already certified organisations in the consortium.

• -  The lead applicant in each project must be active in the field of humanitarian aid as defined in article 3(d) of Regulation (EU) 375/2014 for at least 3 years.

• -  At least the lead applicant or one partner in each project must have been active in the field of volunteer management for at least 3 years.

2.2. Capacity Building for hosting organisations

Capacity building projects shall be designed and implemented by transnational partnerships involving

• -  at least two sending organisations from at least two EU Member States or

• -  at least one sending organisations from one EU Member State and the International Federation of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

  and

• -  at least two hosting organisations from at least two third countries in which humanitarian aid activities and operations as per article (3)(d) take place and which belong to the categories mentioned above.

• -  In each project, the lead applicant (sending organisation) and at least one additional sending organisation must have been active in the field of humanitarian aid as defined in Article 3(d) of the Regulation for at least 3 years.

• -  In each project, at least one co-applicant from third countries in which humanitarian aid activities and operations take place must be active in the field of humanitarian aid as defined in Article 3(d) of the Regulation.

• -  At least the lead applicant (sending organisation) or one of the other sending organisations must have been active in the field of volunteer management for at least 3 years.

3. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

Applicants are invited to take into account the results of previous EU Aid Volunteers Capacity Building and Technical Assistance projects and activities. In particular, they should not duplicate projects currently or previously financed under the EU Aid Volunteers initiative.

Eligible activities include:

Study / scoping visits to refine and finalise needs assessment of the action; Activities to build / strengthen capacities;
Training courses for third country trainers/coaches/mentors/multipliers; Seminars and workshops;

Job shadowing;
Twinning arrangements and exchange of staff;
Exchange of knowledge, organisational learning and good practices;
Study visits;
Activities to foster partnership building;
Activities to assist organisations in meeting the Core Humanitarian Standards; Activities to strengthen regional cooperation;

Administrative costs for the development of, and managing online volunteer opportunities that support the activities;
Coaching/mentoring of key sending organisation paid staff and volunteers (Technical

Assistance);
Making use of online volunteers to support project activities (Technical Assistance); Study visits of up to 3 months for key paid staff or volunteers from third countries to be based in EU applicant/partner organisations; (Capacity Building).

4. ELIGIBLE IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD

Projects start at the earliest when the last party signs the grant agreement and can last for a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 24 months.

Applications for projects scheduled to run for longer periods than that specified in this call for proposals will not be accepted.

No extension to the eligibility period beyond the maximum duration will be granted.

5. AWARD CRITERIA

Eligible applications will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

•   Relevance of the action to the objectives of the call (maximum 30 points)

•   Quality of the project design and implementation (maximum 30 points)

•   Quality and relevance of the partnership and cooperation arrangements (maximum 20 points)

•   Impact and dissemination (maximum 20 points)

  Projects scoring less than 60 overall points will not be considered for funding.

6. BUDGET AVAILABLE

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects under this call for proposals is estimated at EUR 4 600 000.

The maximum grant will be EUR 700 000. Each grant will amount between EUR 100 000 and EUR 700 000. Grant requests below EUR 100 000 will not be considered for funding. EACEA expects to fund 8 proposals.

EACEA reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.

7. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS
Proposals duly completed must be submitted by 12:00 (mid-day, Brussels time) on 4 July

2019.
Applications sent by post, fax or e-mail will not be accepted.

8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Applications must comply with the provisions contained in the application guidelines – Call for proposals EACEA 13/2019, be submitted on the e-Form provided for this purpose and contain the relevant annexes (official templates to be used).

The said documents can be found at the following address:

https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/eu-aid-volunteers/funding_en
In case of questions, please contact: EACEA-EUAID-VOLUNTEERS@ec.europa.eu