Deadline for submitting proposals: 25 December 2024. 

1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

To develop the SGP 8th Operational Phase Country Programme Strategy, a call for project proposals from non-governmental/civil society organizations or academic institutions is being held. The proposal must clearly present the experience of the applicant and the experts involved. 

II. PROJECT PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PROCESS

Interested non-profit organizations registered in the Kyrgyz Republic are invited to submit their project proposals in Russian, which must include the following:

1) Project proposal, in accordance with the template of the GEF SGP in Kyrgyzstan. 

2) Copies of the charter and certificate of registration of the organization, indicating the legal status of the applicant.

3) Organization profile (not more than 2 pages) indicating data on developed strategic documents, implemented projects and/or research in the field of global ecology, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, involvement of local communities in the protection of ecosystems, as well as integration and transfer of knowledge. Copies of documents confirming the implementation of these projects will be requested in case of approval of grant funding. 

4) List and CVs of team members and experts who will be directly involved in the implementation of the proposed project, indicating their roles.

5) Bank statement with account details in Kyrgyz soms.

6) Guarantee Letters from partners.

7) Other documents supporting the project application. 

The project budget must be in US dollars, and the amount requested from the GEF SGP must not exceed USD 25,000. To implement the project, the applicant must mobilize funds in the form of their own contribution and the contribution of partners, which in total must be equal to or exceed the amount of the GEF SGP grant. The GEF SGP grant cannot be more than 50% of the total cost of the project. The applicants' and their partners' own contribution may be expressed in the form of cash, goods and materials, works and services. Administrative expenses such as staff salaries, office rent, communications, etc. should not exceed 20% of the requested GEF SGP grant amount.

The entire process of engagement with the selected grantee, comprising the 3 key steps described above, is expected to be completed within a four-month time frame with the First Step completed within a month. Please provide a detailed timeline and budget as part of your proposal. The grant agreement for the approved project is expected to be signed by the end of January 2025.

The complete set of project application documents with the required signatures and seals must be scanned and sent as one file by e-mail to irinat@unops.org no later than 17:00, December 25, 2024. All senders of project proposals will receive a response with a notification of receipt of the project by e-mail within 24 hours. If necessary, the original documents will be requested separately. Also, the complete set of documents can be submitted in a sealed envelope to the following address: UNDP Programme Office, 720010, Bishkek, Kiev Street 195, 6th floor, Small Grants Programme.

All questions regarding the requirements and application procedure can be addressed to e-mail irina.talkambaeva@undp.org  or by phone +996 (312) 650120 (extension 163).

Important note! Project applications submitted to the competition will not be returned or commented.

Ш. SELECTION CRITERIA

Project proposals will be assessed by the National Coordination Committee of the GEF SGP in Kyrgyzstan according to the following criteria:

• Registration of the applicant in the Kyrgyz Republic.

• Proven experience of the applicant and experts in working with government agencies, civil society, and public organizations, as well as international development agencies, in particular in the field of environmental protection. Experience working with indigenous people and communities living near protected natural areas will be an advantage.

• Proven experience in working with community-based initiatives and leading community and stakeholder processes.

• Experience of the applicant and experts in the field of global/local environment issues, biodiversity conservation, sustainable development issues and landscape/ecosystem management.

• Proven capacity to produce high quality qualitative research and analytical works as well as ability to systematize and synthesize large amounts of complex information within tight deadlines.

• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and analyze.

• Strong presentation and facilitation skills.

• Experience in developing strategic and regulatory documents with confirmation of previous contracts and agreements.

• Exceptional writing skills of policy and communication materials for a variety of audiences, including the civil society and policymakers.

• Excellent writing, presentation, communication and facilitation skills in Russian, Kyrgyz. Fluency in English will be an advantage, as the Grantee is expected to study documents in English.

• Compliance of the professional experience and education of the experts. 

• The integrity, reasonableness and realism of the measures proposed in the project, as well as the project budget. 

• Ability to complete the Strategy development within the proposed timeframe, develop and provide detailed timeline.