Call for bids for the Human Rights Fund 2018-2019 in Colombia
The British Embassy in Colombia is inviting proposals for the Human Rights Fund, supporting human rights and democracy work overseas.
The Human Rights Fund is the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s global fund to support human rights work overseas. The UK’s Human Rights Fund aims to make a difference to people’s lives, helping to build the capacity of governments and civil society to promote and protect human rights.
In Colombia for 2018-2019, we would like to invite proposals for the topics outlined below. We will particularly prioritise projects that focus in conflict-affected areas and that are cross-cutting across the themes stated.
We encourage bids from NGOs, civil society organisations and not for profit organisations. Although we are unable to enter into direct contract with government entities, we strongly encourage NGOs to consult and work in partnership with the government in order to ensure the effective implementation of proposals.
We will consider bids between COP 250.000.000 and COP 550.000.000.
Please apply only to these thematic areas, bids outside them will not be considered.
Objective: Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict/Women, Peace and Security
Priority areas for Colombia
- countering traditional assumptions about sexual violence in conflict and working to end stigmatisation of victims of sexual violence
- tackling impunity and promoting greater accountability through domestic judicial/legal reform, or awareness-raising of victims’ rights and redress
- increasing use of the UK’s International Protocol on the Investigation and Documentation of Sexual Violence in conflict to improve the capacity of local actors and first responders
- building the capacity of women to participate effectively in peace-building, including a gender approach in peace-building mechanisms such as the transitional justice mechanism
Objective: Support for human rights defenders
Priority areas for Colombia
- improving the protection of human rights defenders through strengthening monitoring and verification mechanisms and preventative measures
- increasing access to justice and legal support of human rights defenders
- reducing impunity in cases of human rights abuses against human rights defenders by supporting the investigation, reporting and monitoring of threats against human rights defenders
How to apply
The Human Rights Fund is a strategic programme and we assess every bid we receive very carefully to ensure it will achieve its goals and that it fits with the UK’s Colombia Human Rights Strategy.
Proposals should be sent to the British Embassy in Bogotá. The Human Rights team in the UK will not accept proposals submitted directly. Instructions for this bidding round in Bogotá are outlined below.
The following documents are attached and available in our website, please read all guidance:
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with standard terms and conditions. Our Grant Contract is not negotiable. No article can be modified or taken out of the contract. Please revise it before you submit your application, to guarantee that you will be able to work under these terms and conditions.
Instructions for the Human Rights 2018 - 2019 bidding process
Implementers are invited to submit project proposals commencing from 1 June 2018 and running for a maximum length of 9.5 months (until March 2019). Selected projects might be eligible for a one year extension. The Embassy in Bogotá is available for consultation via email: pmobogota@fco.gov.uk; however, please bear in mind that replies can take up to five working days.
Stage 1
Potential implementers are invited to submit a project proposal in to pmobogota@fco.gov.uk by Friday 13 April 2018, 1:30 pm Bogotá time (concept form available in the website). Concept bids should be no more than three pages in length. Email’s subject must be “Concept Form HR 18/20 –name of your organisation”. We will not consider proposals delivered after the deadline.
The Political Team will contact potential implementers if questions regarding the Concept Form arise. Unfortunately, due to the volume of bids we receive we will be unable to provide feedback to every proposal at this stage.
Stage 2
The Embassy in Bogotá will evaluate all Concept Forms and decide which proposals should move forward in the funding round. Only potential implementers invited to continue in the process will be contacted by Friday 20 April 2018, notifying them of the decision and inviting them to prepare full project proposal forms.
If you have not heard from the Embassy by then please assume your bid has been unsuccessful.
Stage 3
The deadline for submitting full project proposals is 3 May 2018, 5:00 pm Bogotá time (again, only implementers that are asked to by the Embassy should send full proposals). We will not receive proposals after this deadline. Three hard copies should be delivered to the British Embassy (Carrera 9 No. 76-49 Recepción Edificio ING, Bogotá, Colombia), as well as a digital copy sent to pmobogota@fco.gov.uk Hard and electronic copies should be addressed to the Political Team, labelled clearly “Full Proposal HR 17/18 –name of your organisation”.
Stage 4
The British Embassy in Bogotá will review and assess proposals locally before submitting supported projects to the Programme Team in London. Potential implementers will be contacted for adjustments and/or additional information regarding the projects.
Stage 5
Successful bids will be announced by 21 May 2018. Projects approved for funding will start in June 2018.
Selection Criteria
Bids will also be assessed against the following criteria:
- value for money
- alignment with HR Strategy, Colombia’s Human Rights priorities and FCO’s Foreign Policy Priorities
- evidence of local demand/need
- number of regions where the project plans to have impact
- project viability, including capacity of implementing organisation(s)
- project design, including clear, achievable objectives/outputs
- sustainability
- good risk and stakeholder management
Additional information
- the overhead/administration costs should not exceed 10% of the overall project budget. We do not accept budgets with “contingency” or “risk” or “miscellaneous” costs
- 85% of the budget must be completely spend by December 2018
- the monthly payments are made in arrears
- electronic devices are not eligible for funding
All organizations with the competence and experience to develop projects supporting the fund’s objectives are encouraged to apply.