Prosperity Fund: How to apply in Chile
Project proposals must contribute directly to one of the key areas: economic reform, climate change or science and innovation.
Climate change is one of the key areas of interest.
Concept bidding round is now open for the year 2014-2015, focused on projects related to economic reform, climate change or science and innovation.
The British Embassy in Santiago is seeking project proposals for the Prosperity Fund.
1. Eligibility
Project proposals must contribute directly to one of the key areas: economic reform, climate change or science and innovation. In the key areas the objectives and indicators of areas of interest (non-exhaustive) are:
Economic reform
Objective:
Contribute to promoting transparency, national structural economic reform and a strong, rules-based international economic system in Chile.
Chile has already subscribed to open markets and international trade free of barriers and is taking steps regionally with this objective. It is in the UK’s interest as a key international interlocutor in this process to influence such strategy development that benefits given the global benefits. We are looking for projects that help promote ambitious trade agreements and help develop business by improving the overseas business environment. We want to promote transparency to combat protectionism, including through the Open Government Partnerships and OECD. We are keen to support this through sharing UK expertise and experience and by helping to build institutional capacity, and a strong, rules-based international economic system. We are keen to fund projects that lead to:
Areas of interest:
- Technical assistance to promote the implementation of effective public private partnership (PPP) e.g infrastructure (hard and social infrastructure)
- Promoting integrated infrastructure/transport systems to improve the business environment
- Improved effectiveness and transparency of economic policy making, including in extractive industries
- Implementing policies to improve the business environment in Chile
- Implementing economic policies to promote an open and competitive business environment, including trade facilitation.
Climate change
Objective:
Promoting low carbon energy, energy efficiency and resilient energy markets in Chile by using science and innovation as solutions to global challenges.
With its natural resources (e.g. hydro, marine, wind, solar, forestry) and increasingly strong high-level political will to tackle climate change, Chile has a real opportunity to make the transition to a low-carbon, green economy a reality and potentially play a lead role in the race to a green economy. We want our projects to accelerate the economic and political conditions for a secure and affordable transition to a low carbon economy. We are keen to fund projects that lead to:
Areas of interest:
- Support to government efforts of drawing up Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) to reach domestic emission reduction goals
- Developing low-carbon sectors in sustainable construction, transport and urban planning
- Increased deployment of energy efficiency initiatives in sectors with significant potential for emissions reductions
- Increased deployment of lower carbon energy production, particularly through renewable and clean energy technology
- The creation of political conditions necessary to achieve an ambitious, legally binding, global climate change agreement, including national climate change legislation
- Support the development of mechanisms that help the private sector reduce emissions
- Improved meteorological systems (data collection, analysis).
Science and innovation
Objective:
Promoting Chilean economic growth through science and innovation.
Chile is increasingly looking to power economic growth through science and innovation. We want to support this. We also want to create opportunities for UK institutions through supporting UK-Chile partnerships in education, science and research and by using innovation as a driver of growth. We are keen to fund projects that lead to:
Areas of interest:
- The development of long term policies to promote innovation and competitiveness in key economic sectors (e. agriculture)
- Capacity-building and developing policies to promote innovation and the commercialisation of science.
2. What we are looking for
- All projects must be in support of at least one of the above objectives for the Latin America Prosperity Fund and demonstrate how if possible they can use UK expertise. The primary beneficiary of the project proposal submitted to the Prosperity Fund must be Chile. Projects that combine two or more focus areas and/or are co-financed are particularly welcome.
- We are looking for practical and high-impact interventions that will lead to a real and timely difference to decision making. Proposals must clearly be a catalyst to transformational changes in policy and practice in target countries and/or their behaviour in global fora. Proposals focussing purely on research, analysis, seminars or workshops will not be relevant unless they lead to specific and measurable action or behavioural change. Prosperity Funds cannot be used to fund one-off visits.
- Typical projects range in value from £30,000 to £50,000 and the fund has worked well with organisations from the government (both national and sub-national), civil societies, international organisations and the private sector. The budget must be presented in pounds (GBP); however, in the case that a successful bid has the project implementer in one of the eligible countries, we will pay the implementer the equivalent in local currency.
- Projects must trigger further incremental action and gain leverage out of proportion to the money the FCO spends e.g. by leveraging co-funding from co-donors. Projects with strong co-funding will be particularly welcome. Experience has shown that an effective way to do this is to work towards high level policy change, on local policy development, supporting implementation of regulatory frameworks, building capacity in a sustainable way, translating evidence or analysis into action plans, and working in partnership with host government.
- Proposals must make clear that they are adding value to, and not duplicating, existing activity of other bilateral / multilateral agencies or Latin American governments. FCO funding however may be used to leverage co-funding from other donors.
- Project designs must include strong engagement process with stakeholders and beneficiaries (e.g. governments, business). Host governments must have been consulted and are supportive (if not, the bid must explain how the project has sufficient buy-in from the necessary stakeholders to deliver the expected outcomes). Projects developed in direct consultation with beneficiaries at the concept stage and arising out of strong demand-driven process will be preferred.
- All proposals must include publicity, dissemination and outreach activities in the budget from the outset. All projects must have a strong communications strategy to disseminate the results of the project. All media work should be directly related to the project proposal. Administrative costs should be no more than 10% of the overall budget.
- At least 90% of Prosperity Fund activity in developing countries (OECD DAC list) should be designed to be eligible for classification as development assistance by the DAC. Implementers need to specify whether their projects are ODA-eligible or not.
- Proposals may be single-year or multi-year although funding for the programme is likely to decrease in future years. We would suggest that multi-year projects ideally be prepared on a modular (annual) format so that they will yield clear deliverables even if funding for future years is not available. Please discuss the length of your project with the relevant post before submitting a bid. Approved projects can start from April 2014 and need to be completed by 31 March 2014.
- Prospective bidders may also want to check the terms and conditions in the programme fund contract. The FCO will sign a standard agreement with all successful bidders. For businesses this will take the form of a contract; and for others, a standard grant agreement. The terms of the contract and standard grant agreement are not negotiable. The Grant form and other documents can be found here:
Regional bids
Regional/ multi-country bids could be accepted if they include other priority Latin American prosperity fund countries (Colombia, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica):
- A regional bid must be run from one of the target markets and have the support of all the relevant embassies.
- A regional bid must have an impact potential in all of the countries involved and explain how this will be realised.
3. Application process
Time frames
The bidding process is in two stages, a concept and full bid stage.
Concept stage:
A concept bid provides an outline of the project idea. After we receive the concept bids we will undertake a pre-selection of projects. If your proposal is selected, we will invite you by the end of February to prepare a full bid. Concept bids should include evidence of support from Host Government, supporting letter, cash or in-kind support.
The deadline for submission of concept bids is Friday 14 Feb 2014.
Full bid stage:
Prospective implementers whose proposals have been selected at the concept stage will be asked to complete a full bid form with a deadline in March.
Full bids that pass the second stage will receive funds. We estimate that implementation of these projects will begin in April 2014.
In both stages, bids are reviewed by the Latin America Prosperity Fund Board, a virtual Board, which evaluates and approves project bids. It includes members from the FCO, HM-Treasury, DFID, UKTI and Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| January 2014 | Call for concept bids published |
| 14 February 2014 | Deadline to submit bids to Programme Team at prosperityfund.chile@fco.gov.uk |
| 7 March 2014 | Programme Team notification to implementers announcing results of Concept Bid round, and invitation to send Full Bids for successful bidders |
| 21 March 2014 | Deadline to submit full bids to Programme Team at prosperityfund.chile@fco.gov.uk |
| 1 April 2014 | Notification to implementers announcing results of the Full Bidding Round FY 2014-2015 |
| April 2014 | Estimated start for projects |
What to include in bid form
- Overview of Project
- Strategic fit to the Latin America Prosperity Fund Objectives
- How the project will lead to transformational change. Proposals should outline impact. We want to know what changes the project will make
- Rationale for project – Including why the project should take place now
- How this project will profile UK expertise
- Support from Host Government
- Communication Strategy
- Sustainability once the Prosperity Fund project has been completed
4. How to apply
Those interested in applying to the Fund should complete (in English) the concept bid form, which can be found here: Prospective implementers should send the bid form by email to prosperityfund.chile@fco.gov.uk no later than 14 February 2014, with an email heading stating ‘Prosperity Fund proposal’.
Please read all guidance and ensure that project proposals are designed and submitted in accordance with it. Proposals that do not meet the criteria and guidance will be rejected. The following documents are:
- Please be aware that the areas of eligibility could change slightly. If there is a change we will publish an updated notice on our website.