Questions and Answers – Call for Concept Notes – Strengthening Civil Society and Democratic Spaces in the Indo-Pacific 2024-2028

This page includes questions from potential applicants and our answers about the Strengthening Civil Society and Democratic Spaces in the Indo-Pacific 2024-2028 Call for Concept Notes. The deadline for submitting questions for this call is October 27th, 2023 at noon ET. We'll post answers to questions received before this deadline on a rolling basis while the call is open. We may re-draft questions to make sure they apply to all applicants and to protect their identities.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult this page frequently.

This page is not a substitute for the guidance contained on Strengthening Civil Society and Democratic Spaces in the Indo-Pacific 2024-2028  or on Partners@International.

Questions and Answers

General

• Are local partners accountable for contributing to or completing the reporting process?

  Local partners are accountable to the signatory organization for contributing to the implementation of the project and the reporting process pursuant to a Sub-Agreement with the signatory organization.

• What is the deadline for submission of Concept Notes for the Strengthening Civil Society and Democratic Spaces in the Indo-Pacific Call?

  The deadline for submission of Concept Notes has been extended by two weeks, it is now 12 p.m. (noon) Eastern Time on November 28th, 2023. This will be reflected on the call page.

• How will organizations know if changes have been made to the call page?

  Any changes made to the call page will be mentioned on the Questions and Answers page of this call.

• What is the definition of a non-signatory partner?

  For the purpose of this Call and the assessment process, a non-signatory partner does not sign the funding agreement and is not accountable to Global Affairs Canada for the implementation of the project (because it does not completely meet eligibility requirements), but will participate in the project implementation in partnership with the lead organization(s). The non-signatory partner must be legally registered in Canada or be an Indigenous organization in Canada.

• Are ALL the Indo-Pacific countries included/admissible in the call?

  As indicated on the call page, your proposed project has to take place in two or more Official Development Assistance-eligible countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Will we have the flexibility at the full proposal stage to change previously identified partners, listed in the Local Partner Information form and/or the proposed project target location?

  If you are invited to present a full proposal, specific locations (this could result in a change of local partners), may be changed only if they remain in the same country(ies) as those presented in the concept note, bearing in mind, however, that a change of specific location for certain countries may require an updated assessment of the programming context. Your proposal should mention any such changes and the rationale for them.

• Does Global Affairs Canada have a definition of an Indigenous organization? What is considered an Indigenous organization?

  For this call, Indigenous organizations are Indigenous-led organizations that demonstrate support to Indigenous communities. Indigenous organizations that apply for funding under this call must provide supporting documentation regarding their history, governance structure and/or ownership.

  The following text is from the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues: “Considering the diversity of Indigenous peoples, an official definition of ‘Indigenous’ has not been adopted by any UN-system body. Instead, the system has developed a modern understanding of this term based on the following: self-identification as Indigenous peoples at the individual level and accepted by the community as their member; historical continuity with pre-colonial and/or pre-settler societies; strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources; distinct social, economic or political systems; distinct language, culture and beliefs, from non-dominant groups of society; resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinctive peoples and communities.”

  https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/5session_factsheet1.pdf

  In Canada, Indigenous Peoples is a collective name for the original peoples of North America and their descendants. The Constitution of Canada recognizes 3 groups of Aboriginal peoples: Indians (more commonly referred to as First Nations), Inuit and Métis. These are 3 distinct peoples with unique histories, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs. Source: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Indigenous peoples and communities

• Will Global Affairs Canada extend the deadline for submitting questions concerning the call?

  No. The deadline for submitting questions remains October 27, 2023 at 12:00 p.m (noon) Eastern Time as mentioned on the call page.

• Is there a word limit for the concept note?

  No. There is no word limit to the concept note. However, there is a page limit as indicated on the call page and concept note template. If you enter content exceeding the maximum page count, you will not be able to validate the form.

• Does this call require that we meet Global Affairs Canada’s definition of youth-led organization(s)?

  This call does not have requirements or criteria of what a youth-led organization(s) is.

Financial Information

• Where can we find guidance on questions related to categories of personnel and eligible costs categories, and under what eligible costs category should the lead signatory organization provide remuneration funds to non-signatory partners and local partners? Are non-signatory partners and local partners subject to budget restrictions, like the limitation for subcontractors at 20% of direct costs?

  Please refer to Contribution Agreement – General Terms and Conditions and Guidance on Eligible Costs for Development Initiatives webpages for guidance on questions related to budgets and categories of personnel (local, subcontractors, etc.). Costs for non-signatory partners will be included in the same budget categories as the signatories. Budget restrictions, such as subcontractors capped at 20% and minimum of 5% for cost-sharing contribution, apply to the entirety of the budget. Sub-agreements that the signatory signs with implementing partners must mirror that of the financial instrument signed with Global Affairs Canada.

• Can a registered Canadian organization present the financial statements and experience examples of its parent organization registered outside Canada?

  No, the applicant organization must provide only its own financial statements and experience examples. The call is open to experienced organizations registered in Canada and Indigenous organizations in Canada, who can demonstrate their organizational capacity and provide relevant evidence-based example(s).

• Are organizations still eligible to apply for this program despite not having audited financial statements for the previous years?

  Yes, however instead of audited financial statements (preferred option), organizations will have to provide the last two financial statements signed by a member of the board of directors or delegate, or by the owners.

• Will proposals with higher than 5% contractual match be considered more favourably?

  No. In accordance with GAC’s Policy on Cost-Sharing for Grant and Non-Repayable Contribution Agreements, the (co)signatory organization(s) is required to provide at least 5% of the total eligible direct project costs over the life of the project in cash and/or in-kind.

• Is there a cap on the amount or percentage of funding that can be forwarded to a single partner organization or organizations in a single country?

  No. There is no cap. Amounts flowing to implementing partners are based on cash flow requirements to deliver their activities / components within the project. However, note that transfers to subcontractors are capped at 20%.

  Please refer to Contribution Agreement – General Terms and Conditions and Guidance on Eligible Costs for Development Initiatives webpages for guidance on questions related to budgets.

• Do organisations intended to receive forwarded funds have to be registered?

  We understand that you would like to know if GAC’s recipient Organizations should only transfer funds to registered organizations. The recipient organization should preferably transfer GAC’s funds to legally registered organizations considering that several conditions of the agreement signed between GAC and the recipient organization should be reflected in the recipient organization agreements with third-parties.

• Can a signatory organization transfer project funds to an organization which is not based in an ODA country but which has an international assistance mandate for the implementation of the project-specific activities?

  Yes. As long as the transfer of funds respects Canada’s Terms and Conditions for the International Development Assistance Program and Guidance on Eligible Costs for Development Initiatives.

Project Information

• What is meant by “employees directly assigned to this initiative”, both in terms of our own organization and our local partner? Would they need to be assigned to the project full-time?

  Employees directly assigned to the initiative are paid for the time actually worked on the implementation of the project, whether they are hired by the signatory organization in Canada or locally employed. There is no obligation for them to be assigned on a full-time basis, their time on the project will depend on the project's needs. For further details please visit Guidance on Eligible Costs for Development Initiatives and Contribution Agreement – General Terms and Conditions webpages.

• Is it mandatory to address all four intermediate outcomes in our proposal? Or can we select the outcomes that align most closely with our project?

  No, it is not mandatory to address all four intermediate outcomes in your proposal, but your project-specific outcomes need to fully align with one or more of the four intermediate outcomes.

• Can you clarify what is the focus of the call?

  The call objectives are to strengthen civil society in the Indo-Pacific region, enhance inclusive governance, promote, and protect human rights, advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in support of sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Within these parameters, the call is putting emphasis on inclusive governance and human rights, with gender equality and women’s empowerment fully integrated in proposed interventions.

• Can a concept note include a multi-sectoral approach that aligns with Action Areas other than Action Area 5?

  Yes, the concept note can include a multi-sectoral approach that aligns with other Actions Areas. However, the call priority is about placing a specific emphasis on inclusive governance and human rights (Action Area 5) with gender equality and women’s empowerment fully integrated in proposed interventions.

• Can concept note outcomes be reworded to suit sensitivities of the specific project? For example, could we speak of “increased participation and representation of women in decisions by local authorities that affect their lives” instead of “increased political rights of women”?

  Yes. Because your project outcome statements must be grounded on your situational analysis and the reality of the proposed project. Accordingly, the concept note would use different language to describe project outcomes and this language must align with the expected intermediate and ultimate outcomes of the call. Note that we will reject concept notes which have copied and pasted the call’s expected outcome statements as-is. For guidance in crafting results statements, refer to Results-Based Management for International Assistance Programming at Global Affairs Canada: A How-To Guide.

• Are participants and/or beneficiaries from non-ODA recipient countries eligible to participate in project activities, provided the activity takes place in an ODA eligible country lead by eligible organizations?

  No. Projects under the call will be funded under Global Affairs Canada’s Official Development Assistance envelope, and as such must only be used to support beneficiaries in ODA eligible countries. However, people from non-ODA countries may participate in the project as subcontractors (e.g., as technical experts).

Application Process & Eligibility

• Can project experience have a minimum of three years of experience of programming in the Indo-Pacific region in its history, even if it is not in the past eight years?

  No, because this call requires examples of recent projects in the last eight years, with a minimum of three years' experience in programming in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Can government organizations and CSOs be the call target beneficiaries, or just one or the other? The call is specifically referring to CSOs and Indigenous organizations in Canada as project implementers.

  For this call, direct and indirect beneficiaries (Rights Holders) can include, but not be limited to, women and girls, persons with disabilities, ethnic minority groups, 2SLGBTQI+ people, Indigenous Peoples, and other groups living in poverty and/or marginalized conditions. Where a local partner (i.e., a project implementing local partner or intermediary) is a local civil society organization (CSO), Indigenous organization, and/or democratic oversight institution partner(s). Sometimes beneficiaries also act as intermediaries. Please include this information if this is the case.

• Can we merge two or more “pillars” of the FIAP Action Area 5: Inclusive Governance? Or the requirement is to keep the intermediate outcomes separated?

  No, merging pillars is not recommended as each pillar focuses on distinct elements of the Inclusive Governance Action Area. Projects can address one or more of the interrelated intermediate outcomes.

• Who are we supposed to mention in the local partner information form, implementing partners and/or beneficiaries? If the project is demand-driven, who do we mention?

  In the local partner information form, you need to specify the local civil society organization(s) that will serve as your local implementing partner(s) as mentioned in the Contribution Agreement – General Terms and Conditions webpage.

• Must the duration of the project be exactly four years or would shorter projects up to four years be considered?

  The project duration does not have to be exactly four years, but preference will be given to projects that align with a four-year duration as indicated on the call page. This will maximize the time available to achieve results.

• Can the applicant organization provide an example of a non-signatory partner’s experience?

  No, only the signatory organization can submit its own experience example.

• Can project experience include a project which started more than eight years ago and finished within the last eight years or currently being implemented?

  Yes, however the portion that occurred within the last eight years will be considered.

• Are international organizations based in Canada but not legally registered can also apply?

  No, this Call is open to organizations legally registered in Canada with a Canada Revenue Agency business number. Your organization must also have an office, employees, and/or board of directors in Canada. For Indigenous organizations in Canada, your organization must provide supporting documentation regarding its history, governance structure, and/or ownership.

• Can the required project examples come from other offices within the federated structure of an organization?

  No. The applicant organization(s) must provide ONLY its own experience example.

  All members of a consortium submitting a concept note must meet eligibility requirements and demonstrate this with the required documentation.

• Is it possible to demonstrate the “5 years cumulative experience” through multiple projects or does it have to be achieved through a single project?

  Yes, it is acceptable to demonstrate cumulative experience through multiple projects. However, these examples must meet all the project experience requirements found on the call page.

• How should an organization demonstrate their project experience and best utilize section 3 of the concept note form? For example, can it highlight the project with the most significant contributions in the project examples section while mentioning the others in the general organizational capacity section?

  It is for the organization to decide how best to use section 3 of the concept note form. Most importantly the examples must meet all the project experience requirements found on the call page.

• When there are 2 or more co-signatories, are all organizations required to demonstrate their eligibility and experiences? Should the examples only highlight the experience in Action Area 5, or will a combination of their experience in Action Areas 1,3, and 5 be an acceptable response?

  Yes, all signatory organization(s) must provide one or more examples of recent past projects. The examples must highlight experience in delivering international assistance projects in one or more aspects expressed in Action Area 5: Inclusive Governance, with a minimum of three years of such programming in the Indo-Pacific region.

• When there are 2 or more co-signatories, does each of them need to submit their own concept note?

  No, only one concept for all the signatories is required.

• Can an applicant meet the examples requirement by referencing a combination of evidence from Action Area 5: Inclusive Governance and Action Area 2: Human Dignity?

  No, you cannot provide your examples by referencing a combination of evidence from Action Area 5 - Inclusive Governance and Action Area 2 - Human Dignity. Describe why you believe your organization has the capacity to implement the proposed project successfully by providing one or more examples of recent past projects in delivering international assistance projects in one or more aspects expressed in Action Area 5: Inclusive Governance.

• Can an organization (in Canada), which is part of a federation, use examples of other members (e.g. in France) of the federation, as was possible with the Humanitarian call for proposals?

  No, because this call has its own eligibility requirements distinct from any other call.

• As examples of organizational capacity, can we include projects implemented with our own funds?

  No, because this call requires examples that demonstrate your experience working with projects funded by Global Affairs Canada’s Official Development Assistance envelope and/or other development agencies.

• As a regional women’s forum which is not eligible to be a signatory, and without a partnership with a Canadian organization, how can this call facilitate our direct engagement and support to women’s organizations/movements in the Indo-Pacific region?

  Only organizations that are legally incorporated in Canada are eligible to apply to this call. This call also allow organizations that do not meet eligibility requirements to partner with other applicants as non-signatory partners.
  Localization and participatory approaches are important values of the call. For example, projects are expected to respond to local needs, be jointly developed with at least one local partner, reinforce the capacity of local partner(s) and ensure that local partner(s) is involved in co-managing the project over its life cycle.

  For further information on other opportunities, please consult Global Affairs Canada funding opportunities for international assistance webpage.

• With respect to past project experience:

  1. is there a minimum $2 million of spending that must have been disbursed in the Indo-Pacific Region?
  2. Does the definition of “development agencies” include non-governmental foundations or only government agencies?

  1. Yes. The requirement for this call is to demonstrate that your organization possesses experience in delivering international assistance projects of a minimum of $2M of spending with a minimum of 3 years of experience in the Indo-Pacific region as mentioned on the call page.
  2. Development agencies in the context of this call only refer to government organizations.
• How can we add more than 2 examples in the concept note form in section 3.0 - Organizational Capacity?

  You can add additional examples in the narrative part of section 3.0 - Organizational Capacity.

• Will the call prioritize some countries in the region over others?

  No. All ODA eligible countries in the Indo-Pacific are eligible locations, the selection of a concept note will be based on the call criteria.

• At the full proposal step, if there is a change in the budget or other variables can we also change the number of intermediate outcomes (e.g. from 2 outcomes to 3 outcomes)?

  No. If an organization is invited to submit a full proposal, the same number of intermediate outcomes from the concept note should be used.

  No significant changes should be made at the intermediate and final outcomes stage. If some minor changes are made, these should be based on evidence from the analysis that informs the project design, such as gender equality, human rights-based approach, etc. For further information, organizations can consult the Results-Based Management : How to guide

• In the project parameters section of the concept note template, what do you mean by “sector(s)”?

  In the project parameters section, the term “Sector(s)” is referring to the OECD sector, you can find them in the Sector Coding Guide for Global Affairs Canada Partners. Please identify which sector(s) corresponds to your project.