British Embassy Caracas calls for expressions of interest for 2023-2024 project cycle
The British Embassy in Venezuela invites organisations to submit expressions of interest to become implementers for our 2023-2024 project cycle.
We invite interested organisations to send in their project proposals to become implementers for our 2023-2024 project cycle. Projects will be aligned to our areas of work.
The Embassy’s expected areas of work and objectives for the financial year 2023-2024
This year, our priority areas cover human rights, gender and equalities, and modern slavery. Project proposals must be designed to achieve at least one of the objectives listed below. These objectives are in no particular order.
1.Improve the capacity of civil society organisations to carry out independent and impartial evidence collection on human rights violations, in line with international standards. Project proposals that prioritise beneficiaries based outside Caracas are encouraged. Outputs that contribute to monitoring, documentation, and reporting efforts before international human rights mechanisms are within the scope of this objective.
2.Identify and document modern slavery dynamics in the Venezuelan-Colombian border. This objective is part of a broader joint initiative with the British Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia. Therefore, project proposals must include:
a. the specific locations where research will be conducted
b. alliances with organisations in Colombia, if any
c. experience implementing similar projects, if any
3.Promote the construction of historical memory of minorities and vulnerable groups in Venezuela. Project proposals with an intersectional approach to gender and equalities are encouraged. Examples of outputs could include but are not limited to: open-access digital archives, audio-visual products, exhibitions, podcasts/radio programmes.
4.Strengthen capacities and networks of civil society organisations focused on gender and equalities (e.g. women’s rights, LGBT+ rights, rights of people with disabilities). Project proposals that include mentorship-like formats within their methodology are encouraged. Examples of the programmatic content may include but are not limited to: theory of change for civil society organisations, strategic communications, evidence-based advocacy and engagement, networking.
Key points to consider before submitting your bids:
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funding available for objectives 1 and 2 is no more than USD 60.000 approx. (GBP 50.000) for each objective
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funding available for objectives 3 and 4 is no more than USD 18.000 approx. (GBP 15.000) for each objective
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activities should be carried out before 15 March 2024. Please plan to start activities by mid-September 2023
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payments are made in arrears (reimbursements) after an invoice, receipts for all expenses, and a project and financial reports updated. This means that the Embassy is not allowed to pay up-front for project activities which have not taken place or properly documented
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overhead/administration costs should not exceed 10% of the overall project budget
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make sure the proposed project purpose (in the application form below) is well defined and specific, and fits within at least one of the listed expected areas of work
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co-financing from other institutions is welcomed. Please include this as part of your bid if appropriate
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when feasible, proposals presented by more than one (1) organisation in coalition is welcomed and encouraged
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each organisation may only present one (1) proposal per objective. For example, this means that an organization cannot present more than one (1) proposal for Objective 2: Identify and document modern slavery dynamics in the Venezuelan-Colombian border. However, an organization can present different proposals for different objectives
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purchase of capital goods, including infrastructure, properties, furniture and/or IT equipment, is not authorised
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all projects must align with the Paris Agreement and consider climate and environmental risks, as well as their impact on gender and other vulnerable groups equality
These points are subject to change at the discretion of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Gender equality
The British Government is committed to achieving gender equality at home and worldwide, which is why we pushed for a standalone Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on gender.
As such, we expect that all projects funded by the Embassy are gender mainstreamed by:
- paying careful consideration to the level of female participation in the delivery of project activities, which applies both for implementers and beneficiaries
- understanding and responding to the different needs of women and girls taking part/benefitted by the project, which should be considered at the project design stage, during its implementation, and as part of the evaluation of the project impact
- and considering and preparing for the differentiated impact the activities may have on women and girls taking part in the project
Organisations eligible to send in a project proposal
- state institutions – at all levels
- non-governmental organisations (NGOs), legally registered
- universities
- think tanks
- private sector and commerce and industry chambers
Before applying, please be sure you are able to submit the following legal documentation, when required by the Embassy (do not forward these documents when applying):
- digital copy of the Trade Register/Articles of Incorporation (Registro Mercantil o Acta Constitutiva)
- copy of the Fiscal Registration identification number (Registro de Identificación Fiscal -RIF)
- letter-headed document specifying bank account details, issued by the bank
- a copy of the Identity Card (Cédula) of the legal representative of the organisation
Indicative process timeline
- 11 July 2023 – Deadline for potential implementers to send in their project proposal
- 31 July 2023 – Embassy notifies shortlisted potential implementers of their semi-finalist status, and asks them to develop a full project proposal, accompanied by an activity-based budget (ABB)
- 9 August 2023 – Deadline for implementers to submit first iteration of full project proposal and ABB
- 21 August 2023 – Embassy sends feedback on first iteration of full project proposal and ABB
- 27 August 2023 – Deadline for implementers to submit second iteration of full project proposal and ABB
- 11 September 2023 – Embassy project board meets to agree and approve successful projects. Successful and unsuccessful bidders notified the following working day
- 25 September 2023 – After due diligence assessment is successfully completed, grant agreements/contracts/MOUs signed with approved project implementers and project implementations starts
These dates are subject to change.
The selection process
If you think your organisation can contribute to the Embassy’s expected areas of work and objectives, please complete the application form. The form needs to be completed in English.
Please consider that access to the application form will not be available after 11 July 2023 11:59 PM (Venezuela time; GMT-4).
If you have any problems accessing the application form or you have questions related to our project cycle 2023-2024 that are not answered in this call, please send an e-mail to projects.caracas@fcdo.gov.uk. Please take into account that your e-mail and attachments cannot exceed 50 MG. You should receive a confirmation auto-reply e-mail when you send a query. If you do not receive an automatic confirmation of reception within 24 hours, it means that your e-mail was not receive.
Please do not send project proposals to the e-mail provided, as they will not be considered. The official channel to send project proposals is through the application form as described above.
The form is designed to determine why your organisation is best suited to deliver a project in one of our expected areas of work, what type of activities you envisage as part of a project funded by the Embassy, how much it would cost and with whom you would partner up to deliver project activities. Please note we will not consider proposals submitted in a different format.
After receiving your project proposal, the Embassy will produce a shortlist according to criteria (these included sustainability, value-for-money and gender and climate mainstreaming).
Those with higher marks will be shortlisted and required to develop a full project bid. Please note the Embassy may consider asking organisations to join up as partners and work on a full project bid together.
The Embassy project board will then meet to assess project bids.
The monitoring process for projects
Once approved, and in accordance with the grant agreement/contract/MoU, the implementing organisation must submit quarterly reports, a final evaluation report and receipts for every expense made.
Please note that Embassy staff will keep in touch with your organisation throughout the project implementation and may call for monitoring meetings or participate in project activities.
A few examples of projects financed by the Embassy:
- creation of a network of organisations aimed at tackling violence against women and girls in Venezuela
- diploma course on a culture of peace and human rights for civil servants in Merida municipalities
- raising awareness on LGBTI rights with police officers.
- training on PRECIS Climate Modelling System for government officials
- enabling reduction of subsidies of Liquefied Petroleum Gas
- supporting participatory biodiversity assessment in a local natural area.
- implementation of an on-line participatory budget and procurement system in eight Venezuelan mayoralties
Deadline
Tuesday 11 July 2023 11:59 PM (Venezuela time; GMT-4).
Last updated 21 June 2023 + show all updates
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Deadline for submissions of expression of interest corrected to 11 July
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First published.