Overview

What is project funding?

Irish Aid’s project funding, known as the Civil Society Fund (CSF), provides annual and multi-annual grants to NGOs for small to medium-sized projects in some of the world’s poorest regions.  This grant enables NGOs to undertake innovative development projects in a range of areas including human rights, health, education, gender, water and sanitation, and food security. 

Why we provide project funding? 

The CSF supports the implementation of Irish Aid’s Civil Society Policy and all interventions funded have a strong focus on achieving results for communities in the poorest parts of the world. 

The CSF also ensures that Ireland’s overseas development funding contributes to the Government’s stated development policy priorities outlined in the White Paper on Irish Aid. The White Paper on Irish Aid is currently under review and the main priorities for the Civil Society Fund in 2013 will reflect the outcome of the review process. 

How we realise policy objectives through the project grant? 

Each year a competitive funding call is held for the Civil Society Fund.  A number of main policy priorities are identified and a call for proposals to contribute to these priorities is then made.  The main priorities for the 2013 funding round as outlined in the CSF Annual Grant 2013 Guidelines are:

A.Contribution towards Irish Aid’s priority focus on Reducing Global Hunger: Irish Aid in particular welcomes projects which support:

1. Climate-sensitive agriculture;  
2. Local governance including access to land and credit and strengthening the voice of women and smallholder farmers' associations;
3. Promoting environmental and climate resilient growth initiatives in areas such as access to clean and renewable energy sources, supporting community initiatives to address the growing impacts of climate change including Disaster Risk Reduction, and support/advocacy work on environmental and climate issues. 

B.Gender inequality: Irish Aid in particular welcomes initiatives that support:

1. Economic empowerment, in particular of rural women;
2. Addressing gender based violence – both response and prevention;
3. Better linking gender equality and HIV/AIDS responses;

C.Human Rights with a focus on the protection of human rights defenders and a focus on strengthening the participation and representation of poor and marginalised in the international Human Rights system. Irish Aid also wishes to support the protection and promotion of civil society space more broadly. 

In 2013, the Department also welcomes development proposals that include Volunteering. Such proposals should seek to strengthen volunteering practice.  Proposals including innovative initiatives that will increase the number of opportunities for Irish people to volunteer overseas whilst responding to identified skill gaps in developing countries will be particularly welcomed.  Proven capacity in this area will need to be emphasised. 

The focus of Irish Aid’s work is in sub-Saharan Africa and priority will be given to organisations working in that region.

Project partners

Who are our project partners?

Irish Aid currently has 46 partners in receipt of a project grant.

In 2012, over €2.1 million in funding was approved for 17 partners. Successful applicants were those who responded to Irish Aid’s priority areas, which include human rights, gender equality and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The successful NGOs and the grant amounts approved in 2012 are as follows:

Apply for Funding

How to apply for project funding?

Irish Aid issues an annual call for project grant proposals. The CSF scheme is open to Irish-based organisations and invited International organisations only.

Grants are allocated for projects and the maximum ceiling is €200,000 per year for up to 3 years. All proposals need to have a strong focus on results for individuals and communities in the poorest parts of the world. 

The 2013 Call for Proposals is now open.

Eligibility and Expression of interest

The funding call is open to organisations which meet the eligibility criteria which are set out in Section 3 of the CSF 2013 Guidelines for Applicant Organisations.

If you wish to apply, you must contact us for an Eligibility Criteria Form and return the completed form by Monday, 25^th February, 2013

The completed Eligibility Criteria Form must be submitted with the audited accounts for the previous 2 years.  Ineligible applicants will be notified as soon as possible.

Organisations which do not meet the deadline will not be considered.

Application Form

The Application Form must be submitted using the Application Form for CSF 2013.  When completing the Application Form please refer to the Guidelines for CSF 2013 for further information on the process and requirements. 

Completed Application Forms from eligible organisations must be received by close of business, Monday, 18 March, 2013.

Irish Aid also requires 1 original hard copy, signed by the legal representative of the organisation (e.g. the chair of the board of trustees) to be sent to the address: 

Development Education and Civil Society Section, Irish Aid, Riverstone House, 25-27 Henry Street, Limerick, Ireland

Please note that organisations should ensure that the content of the application form is clear and complete as Irish Aid will not seek further information during the appraisal process.

Appraisal/Approval Process 

The Approval's Committee meeting is scheduled to be held in April, 2013. The Committee includes in its membership independent external expertise. 

Notification of funding decisions to applicants with contracts prepared and issued to successful applicants in May 2013.

Further Information 

An Information Session on the CSF Annual Grant application process will be held in the Irish Aid Centre, O Connell St, Dublin 1 on Tuesday, 19^th February, 2013 at 2pm.

Irish Aid officials will not be available to answer questions or provide clarifications on an individual basis while the call is active.  Any questions should be raised at the information session or alternatively, questions can be addressed to the Civil Society Fund email 

Please find below all the relevant documents for Irish Aid’s Civil Society Annual Grant 2013.

FAQ

Answers to some frequently asked questions are available here: ‌Civil Society Funding 2013 FAQ

APPLICATION DOCUMENTATION

Civil Society Fund 2013 Application Guidelines

Civil Society Fund 2013 Application Form

DAC Country Codes

DAC Sector Codes 

Focus on results

Organisations who receive CSF grants are responsible for effective and ongoing monitoring throughout the course of the funding period. 

Each project grant is based on a contract and an agreed set of results. The organisations must report on the progress towards the expected results annually to Irish Aid through the annual reporting process.

Reporting requirements

Irish Aid monitoring of CSF grants includes:

• Annual report on results and expenditure
• Audited accounts to be submitted annually