Questions and Answers – Call for Proposals – Dismantling Barriers and Improving the Quality of Education for Women and Girls in Fragile, Conflict and Crisis Situations 

Application process and eligibility

• Can organizations participate in multiple applications as signatory or non-signatory applicants? (January 9, 2019)

  Applicants may participate in multiple applications as a signatory or non signatory. However, applicants can only submit one application as the lead signatory. The lead signatory is the signatory that will complete the organization and contact information in the proposal form.

• When can applicants expect to receive results of the call? (January 9, 2019)

  As described in the call for proposals page, applications to this call will first undergo an eligibility check to verify that they meet all organization eligibility requirements and required project parameters listed on this page. Next, eligible applications will be assessed to ensure that the required project experience has been demonstrated. Applications that meet this requirement will proceed to merit assessment. Applications that do not meet the required project experience will not be further assessed. You will be notified if your application is found to be ineligible or does not meet the required project experience. Successful applicants will be notified upon completion of the assessment process. We cannot provide any specific timelines as to when this information will be shared with applicants.

• Will Global Affairs Canada accept a partnership application where the lead signatory is a Canadian organization partnering with non-signatory partner organizations which are based outside of Canada or targeted country of implementation? (January 9, 2019)

  Yes.

• Can signatories that are not the lead applicant or non-signatory partners contribute to the required project experience?  (January 9, 2019)

  Yes, the required project experience can be collectively demonstrated by the lead applicant, other signatories and non signatory partners.

• Organizations may only submit one application under this call as the lead signatory. How is this interpreted in the context of universities? (January 22, 2019)

  Global Affairs Canada can only sign funding agreements with legal entities. In this call, only one application can be submitted from any legal entity with itself as the lead applicant/signatory. In the case of universities, unless a faculty or institute has a separate legal identity from the rest of the university, only one application can be submitted with the university as the lead applicant.

• Is this call only open to Canadian organizations? (January 22, 2019)

  To be eligible in this call, the proposed signatory (or signatories) must be legally incorporated in Canada. However, lead applicants (Canadian organizations) are permitted to collaborate with other organizations (Canadian and/or international), either as signatories (Canadian organizations) and/or non-signatories (Canadian or international organizations).

• What are the eligible countries for this call for preliminary proposals? (January 22, 2019)

  Projects funded by this call must take place in one or more official development assistance (ODA)-eligible fragile, conflict- or crisis-affected or refugee-hosting countries, such as those included in this indicative index: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s States of Fragility Framework 2018: Highlights. Applicants wishing to propose projects in ODA-eligible fragile, conflict- or crisis-affected or refugee-hosting countries that are not included in this index may do so with an accompanying rationale aligned with the call for proposal objectives.

  To view the list of ODA-eligible countries for this call, please visit the Partners@International portal. Applicants must have an Organization Profile account registered in the portal. Organizations that do not yet have such an account are encouraged to follow the instructions provided on the call page and application form and to do so as quickly as possible. Once they are logged into their Partners@International account, applicants must create a proposal via the Access Proposal section of their Organization Profile. While in the Proposal view in the portal, applicants have the option to view all eligible countries in the country drop-down menu.

• Do all partners (signatory and non-signatory) of a particular application have to meet the organization eligibility requirements of this call? (January 22, 2019)

  Only the signatory (or signatories) must meet the organization eligibility requirements of the call. In the case that there will be multiple signatories, all signatories must individually meet all of the organization eligibility requirements. Non-signatory partners do not need to meet the organization eligibility requirements.

• How will Global Affairs Canada assess proposals (including from consortia) for the same countries in sub-Saharan Africa? Will proposals be assessed on their own merit or will the department look to approve projects in as many countries in the region as possible? (January 22, 2019)

  We usually receive more proposals than we can fund. As such, we will identify a package of proposals at this step that, together, best meet the objectives of the call. The strongest proposals are considered first, but are not automatically chosen. We look at how each project is designed and its strengths relative to other strong proposals. We avoid similar or overlapping projects and try to ensure the appropriate geographic and thematic coverage to meet the call’s objectives.

• Can you provide a definition of a Local Partner? Would an organization qualify as a local partner if it is based in a country that is ineligible for ODA, but it is officially registered in and has most of its staff in an ODA-eligible country? (January 30, 2019)

  Local partner means an organization established in a recipient country participating in the implementation of the project pursuant to a sub-agreement. An organization based in a country ineligible for ODA but is officially registered in an ODA-eligible country with most of its staff in that country would not qualify as a local partner.

• Are non government-controlled areas eligible under the geographic scope of this call? (January 30, 2019)

  Yes, non government-controlled areas are eligible under this call provided that the area is in a country that is eligible for this call. Please keep in mind that proposals must demonstrate existing organizational capacity to readily implement the project in the proposed country(ies).

• How should we measure the ultimate outcome of our project? (January 30, 2019)

  Applicants must determine which indicators they will use to measure the ultimate outcome of their project. Additional guidance on indicators at the ultimate outcome level can be found on pages 51 to 56 and pages 80 to 84 of the Results Based Management How to Guide.

• What is meant by gender equality in a targeted or fully integrated manner? (January 30, 2019)

  As described in the application form, a gender equality targeted project is one where the principle objective is to address gender equality and where all outcomes—ultimate, intermediate, immediate—are considered gender equality outcomes. A project that integrates changes for gender equality that are focused on behaviour, practice or performance is generally considered to fully integrate gender equality.

• How will gender equality responsiveness be assessed? Are additional resources available online? (January 30, 2019)

  Gender responsiveness refers to an approach to programs, policies, budgets, etc. that assess and respond to the different needs and interests of women and men, girls and boys, as well as to the different impacts projects have on them. Through gender responsive programming, gender gaps in decision-making, access, control and rights can be reduced. An initiative’s gender-responsiveness is linked to the quality of its gender equality analysis. Tips on conducting a gender equality analysis are available.

  See also “Gender equality” under Full assessment criteria.

• Do the Required Project Experience examples need to demonstrate impacts in education, gender and crisis situations? Can three different examples be presented? (January 30, 2019)

  Yes, the required project experience should demonstrate results in education and gender equality in fragile, conflict or crisis situations. Only two project examples can be submitted.

• Will preference be given to multi-country projects? (January 30, 2019)

  No.

• Are faith based organizations encouraged to apply? (January 30, 2019)

  All experienced and eligible Canadian organizations are welcome to apply.

• Does the lead signatory need to be involved in at least one of the Required Project Experience examples? (January 30, 2019)

  No, there is no requirement for the lead signatory to have participated in one of the project examples.

• Are multi-sectoral development initiatives eligible for the required project experience? (January 30, 2019)

  Yes, you may use multi-sectoral examples to demonstrate your experience.

• Is there prescribed language for the results statements in the logic model? (January 30, 2019)

  There are no prescribed outcome statements for this call. Please refer to the Results-based management for international assistance programming: A how-to guide for general guidance on writing results statements.

• How does Global Affairs Canada code the outcome statements of the corporate logic model for the overall $400-million commitment to education for women and girls in crisis and conflict situations with regard to gender equality (GE2/GE3)? (January 30, 2019)

   A gender equality targeted project (GE-3) is one where the principle objective is to address gender equality and where all outcomes—ultimate, intermediate, immediate—are considered gender equality outcomes.

  A project integrating change for gender equality that is focused on behaviour, practice or performance is generally considered to fully integrate gender equality (GE-2). This change for gender equality is integrated in at least one intermediate outcome of the logic model, and supported appropriately at the immediate and output levels. Gender equality outcomes (GE-2/GE-3) need to be supported by the gender equality analysis and other elements of the proposal, including the theory of change and the performance management framework.

• What are some examples of eligible infrastructure-related activities? (January 30, 2019)

  New construction will not be considered. Some refurbishment of existing structures could be considered. Refurbishment means any improvement to an existing structure.

  Light refurbishment could include: changing hardware, doors and windows; floor, wall, ceiling and baseboard finishes; stationary furniture, such as that in laboratories or classrooms; upgrading of electrical and mechanical systems; landscaping and urban furniture; caulking of windows and doors; cleaning of walls and repairing of masonry; decks, stairs and access ramps; roofs.

  More extended refurbishment could include: redoing a roof, a load-bearing wall, adding an extension, protective fencing, latrines.

• Can project examples include projects that took place more than five years ago? (January 30, 2019)

  Yes, you may include projects that took place more than five years ago. There is no requirement on how recent a project example must be.

• Can project experience include a project currently being implemented but not yet completed? (January 30, 2019)

  Yes, however only the portion of the project that is already complete can be counted towards the minimum five years of experience required.

• Will recently incorporated organizations be at a disadvantage compared to organizations that have been operating for longer? (January 30, 2019)

  All applications will be evaluated against the same merit criteria.

• Due to the fact that the initiative will be implemented in fragile, conflict and crisis situations areas, how comprehensive must the risk assessment be? (January 30, 2019)

  Your proposal will be evaluated against the Full Proposal merit criteria which includes Responding to Risks. Given that these projects will be operating in fragile, conflict and crisis situations, a robust risk assessment will be important.

• Does the project location within country need to be deemed fragile/conflict-affected itself? (January 30, 2019)

  Yes, this is the intent.

• Can the five-year experience component come from the local partner(s) and not a signatory? (January 30, 2019)

  Yes. The signatory(ies) and/or non-signatory partners must collectively demonstrate the required project experience.

• Must the application package be written in both English and French, or can we write it in only our language of choice? (January 30, 2019)

  Applicants may submit their proposals in English or French. Your application can include documents in both English and French.

• For this call, applicants are encouraged to collaborate with other Canadian or international organizations. Do UN bodies qualify as international organizations? (February 4, 2019)

  Yes, UN bodies qualify as international organizations. Please note, however, that the signatory(ies) (Canadian organization(s)) must ensure that the international organizations can adhere to the clauses outlined in the financial instrument such as a contribution agreement.  Additionally, please refer to the department’s cost share policy for further guidance regarding international organizations contributions.

• Projects must demonstrate collaboration with one or more local organizations. In a multi-country project, must one local organization be identified in each country, or is it the requirement that one local organization be identified for the entire project? (February 4, 2019)

  Projects must clearly demonstrate collaboration with one or more local organization(s) or include a plan outlining how this collaboration will be formed. In a multi-country project, projects should meet this requirement for each proposed country.

• Can you clarify what “member of umbrella organization/network” means on the Local Partner Information form? (February 4, 2019)

  Please indicate whether or not the local partner identified is a sub-organizations of an umbrella organization or network.

• Is there a maximum number of signatory/signatories and non-signatory/signatories in one application? (February 4, 2019)

  There is no maximum number of signatory(ies) and non-signatory partners that can participate in an application in this call.

• Should local government departments be listed in the partnership section of the application form? (February 4, 2019)

  Yes.

• Are research activities eligible under this call? (February 4, 2019)

  As indicated in the call page under “Objectives”, your project may build the evidence base through research and strengthened gender-sensitive education-management information systems. However, please note, your project must align with at least one of the three programming pillars in fragile, conflict and crisis situations, including in refugee-hosting countries as outlined in the call page.

• The Logic Model template only allows for two intermediate outcomes and two immediate outcomes per intermediate outcome. Can Logic Models have more intermediate and immediate outcomes? (February 4, 2019)

  Yes, by using the (+) sign in the application form logic model template, it can generate columns for additional intermediate and immediate outcomes.

• Can non-signatory partners receive funding to support their implementing activities under this call? (February 4, 2019)

  For this call, the signatory(ies) organization(s) may use partner organizations to implement the project. The partner organizations can receive funds to carry out the project activities for which they are responsible. This is the responsibility of signatory(ies) organization(s). Global Affairs Canada will only send funds to the signatory organization(s).

• The list from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - States of Fragility Framework 2018 establishes five levels of fragility: societal, political, economic, environmental and security. For this call, will Global Affairs Canada prioritize highly fragile countries in sub-Saharan Africa, or highly fragile countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa? (February 4, 2019)

  No. The OECD States of Fragility Framework 2018 represents an indicative listing of countries only. Projects that pass organizational eligibility will be assessed as described in the How we assess your proposal section of the call page. Please note, approximately 75% of the funding will be allocated to initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa.

Financial and budget information

• Can non signatory partner organizations, Canadian or international, contribute to the cost share requirement? If so, do these funds need to be sent to the Canadian organization to be included in the amount required for the cost share? (January 9, 2019)

  As described in the Policy on Cost-Sharing for Grant and Non-Repayable Contribution Agreements, the cost-share contribution can be provided by the recipient and/or other sources, including other civil society organizations, other donors or international organizations, other country governments, regional institutions or the private sector. However, eligible cash contributions coming from other sources must flow through the accounts of a signatory to the agreement.

• Is there a maximum or minimum amount that can be requested for this call? (January 22, 2019)

  There is no maximum or minimum project amount specified in this call for proposals. However, please keep in mind that the total amount of funding available for this call is up to $80 million over five years. Global Affairs Canada may fund any number of proposals or none, up to the maximum funding available. However, the department expects to fund up to seven or eight initiatives with project durations of at least three years up to a maximum of five years.

• In the budget spreadsheet, it is clear that the overhead should not be included in the "Budget per activity" tab. As such, should the total in the budget per activity be the same as the total budget per category before the application of the overhead? (January 30, 2019)

  Yes. The total for "Budget per activity" tab must equal the total direct costs of the initiative; overhead allocation must be excluded of this budget table. Each activity listed in the "Budget per activity" tab should reflect the total cost of the activity without overhead costs.

• The second tab of the budget template, budget by activity, indicates that activity names should use the Logic Model name and reference. However, the logic model no longer asks for the activities. How should we proceed? (January 30, 2019)

  Please disregard the statement asking you to use the logic model activity names in the "Budget by Activity" tab of the budget template spreadsheet. We will revise this statement in the future.

• Can construction costs be included in the cost-share contribution? (January 30, 2019)

  Applicants can include their contribution to the project on the budget line of their choice, including the “Construction Costs” budget line. Please note that applicants must ensure that all cost-share contributions are in line with Global Affairs Canada's Policy on Cost Sharing. Please note that for this call, Global Affairs Canada will not consider projects that include new construction. However, the department will consider refurbishment of existing structures. Refurbishment means any improvement to an existing structure. All refurbishment activities must contribute to the objectives of this call for proposals.

• Will projects with a higher cost-share portion be prioritized? (January 30, 2019)

  For proposals that pass eligibility, in the context of the comparative assessment, all other elements being equal, preference may be given to proposals that offer a higher percentage of cost share.

• How are eventual awards paid out by Global Affairs Canada? Is it results based? (January 30, 2019)

  Funding will be allocated through a contribution agreement.

• The webinar mentioned that projects above $50 million must be approved by Treasury Board. Does this apply to individual projects or the overall call for proposals? (January 30, 2019)

  Any individual project where Global Affairs Canada's contribution is $50 million or higher must be approved by Treasury Board.

• What should newly incorporated organizations submit as financial statements if they have never been audited before? (January 30, 2019)

  Audited financial statements are preferred however Global Affairs Canada will accept unaudited and/or internally prepared financial statements. If audited statements are not available, the statements must be signed by a member of each signatory’s board of directors, by the board’s delegate or by the owner(s). Note also that since financial statements usually provide comparative information from the previous year, these statements will be used to do a three-year trend analysis.

• Is a minimum revenue required on the signatory(ies) financial statements? (January 30, 2019)

  No.

• Will the cost for specific items such as teacher salaries, uniforms, school fees etc. be a reimbursable direct cost? (January 30, 2019)

  Please consult Global Affairs Canada's Guidance on Eligible Costs for Development Initiatives for more information with regard to eligible and ineligible costs.

• Does refurbishment include the expansion of existing structures? (January 30, 2019)

  Refurbishment means any improvement to an existing structure. More extended refurbishment may include limited expansion and must align with the call’s objectives.

•  Can you provide an example of what direct costs are considered to be ineligible? (January 30, 2019)

  Please consult Global Affairs Canada's Guidance on Eligible Costs for Development Initiatives as well as the Overhead Compensation Policy for Contribution Agreements for more information with regards to eligible and ineligible costs.

• Is the amount awarded for a project by Global Affairs Canada proportional to the lead signatory's average revenue? (January 30, 2019)

  No.

• What specific costs should be included in the "Monitoring Costs" rubric of the budget form? (January 30, 2019)

  All essential and reasonable costs related to monitoring your project should be included in the "Monitoring Costs".

• Would Global Affairs Canada fund a project at a lower amount than requested? (February 4, 2019)

  In line with the Government of Canada’s Policy on Transfer Payments and Directive on Transfer Payment and the Terms and Conditions of the development program, Global Affairs Canada will only fund the minimum amount of eligible costs deemed necessary to achieve expected results. This amount may be less than an applicant requests in their application.

• Is there a required proportion of the funds that needs to be spent by the local partner versus the Canadian organization? (February 4, 2019)

  No.

General

• Will preference be given to collaborations with Canadian organizations over international organizations? (January 22, 2019)

  Collaborations with both Canadian and international organizations are encouraged. Preference may be given to proposals that are submitted in collaboration with other Canadian organizations.

• How are gender equality results in fragile, conflict, crisis situation of refugees hosting countries defined? (January 30, 2019)

  Gender equality results/outcomes are measurable changes that explicitly aim to reduce gender inequality, or improve equality between women and men, boys and girls. Gender equality outcomes contribute to one or more of Global Affairs Canada’s gender equality objectives including: Enhance the protection and promotion of the human rights of women and girls; Increase the participation of women and girls in equal decision-making, particularly when it comes to sustainable development and peace; and Give women and girls more equitable access to and control over the resources they need to secure ongoing economic and social equality.

  This definition applies to fragile, conflict and crisis situations.

• Are there countries in which Global Affairs Canada is opposed to Canadian organizations working with public institutions? (January 30, 2019)

  There are no restrictions on the countries in which Canadian organizations can work with public institutions. Please note guidance under Geographic scope outlined on the call page.

• Are there any key points related to community mobilization and political mobilization efforts to consider? (January 30, 2019)

  No.

• What is the difference between humanitarian assistance and international development? (January 30, 2019)

  Humanitarian action aims to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintains human dignity following conflict, shocks or natural disasters, whereas international development/assistance is aimed at longer-term capacity building.

• Can you define development cooperation? (January 30, 2019)

  Development cooperation refers to international assistance.

• Will preference be given to specific regions of sub-Saharan Africa under this call? (January 30, 2019)

  No.

• Is Global Affairs Canada expecting to issue further calls for proposals related to the overall $400-million commitment to education for women and girls in crisis and conflict situations? (January 30, 2019)

  This information is not available at this time.

• Will preference be given to projects that focus on women and girls with disabilities? (February 4, 2019)

  This call is looking to fund projects that best meet the objectives outlined on the call page. Please note, proposals must apply a human rights-based approach and examine how intersecting identity factors impact access for and inclusion of those most at risk of being left behind, including persons with disabilities.

• Due to the fact that contingency funds are ineligible, what does Global Affairs Canada suggest organizations do to mitigate the risk that a project’s activities and associated costs could need to adapt to changing needs, security contexts and shifts in populations over the project’s implementation period? Is Global Affairs Canada prepared to support projects with flexible programming initiatives and funding needs? (February 4, 2019)

  The Directive on Transfer Payments  states that the department has to ensure the amount of a proposed grant or contribution is at the minimum level required to further the attainment of the objectives of the transfer payment program and the results expected from the recipient, and that the amount is appropriate taking into account other sources of funding available to the recipient. Moreover, the funding has to describe the type and nature of expenditures that must be made mostly for audit purpose. Contingency funds are not an expense category that describes the nature of the expense and could be viewed as profit. It is not, therefore, allowable to present these funds as expenses for the project. However, if considerable unforeseen expenses are identified during the project, the organization may request an amendment. Global Affairs Canada will decide if it will approve these additional expenses or not.

• Can you please provide a link to the Management of Students and Trainees in Canada: Manual for Executing Agencies? (February 4, 2019)

  Effective October 1, 2016, the Global Affairs Canada (Development Stream) Guide to Managing Award Holders in Canada replaces previous versions of the Management of Students and Trainees in Canada: Manual for Executing Agencies. Any reference to the Management of Students and Trainees in Canada: Manual for Executing Agencies document in a contribution agreement or a service contract is a reference to this guide.

• Can the terms fragile-, conflict- and crisis in relation to situations/countries be used interchangeably in the proposal? Should the theory of change take into account situations of potential crisis? (February 4, 2019)

  In the context of this call, the terms “fragile-, conflict- and crisis-affected” in relation to situations/countries have not been assigned particular definitions. The terminology used in the theory of change should reflect the country context in which it is expected the project would be implemented.

• Would Global Affairs Canada consider initiatives that also target men and adolescent boys? (February 4, 2019)

  Yes, gender equality cannot be achieved by women and girls in isolation. Men and boys must also challenge the traditions and customs that support and maintain gender inequalities. As indicated in the call page, your project may “support boys’ or men’s engagement to accelerate progress toward gender equality in education”.

• Is there a public site where we can find Global Affairs Canada’s current and past projects? (February 4, 2019)

  Please visit Global Affairs Canada's Project Browser, an interactive tool that allows you to search Global Affairs Canada’s international projects and download information as open data files. Project Browser is part of the Government of Canada’s continued commitment to Open Government and to the International Aid Transparency Initiative.

• Will preference be given to applications that align with more than one of the three programming pillars of this call? (February 4, 2019)

  Applications that pass eligibility will be evaluated against the full proposal merit criteria.

Project information

• Do multi-country projects need to demonstrate geographic or regional consistency? (January 9, 2019)

  There is no requirement for “geographic or regional consistency” in multi-country projects. Keep in mind that your application must align with the geographic scope and objectives of the call and will be assessed against the full proposal assessment criteria.

• Which ODA-eligible countries are considered by Global Affairs Canada to be in sub-Saharan Africa? (January 22, 2019)

  Global Affairs Canada uses the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) - Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of recipient countries to define which ODA-eligible countries are in sub-Saharan Africa. This list can be accessed via the OECD website by downloading the DAC and CRS list of codes Excel spreadsheet and clicking on the Recipient tab. Countries considered to be in sub-Saharan Africa are those indicated as “South of Sahara” in the Region column.

• One of the cornerstones of the call’s agenda is “to expand and improve the provision of inclusive, safe, accessible, equitable, quality education that takes into account gender equality at the preschool, primary or secondary levels.” Can we consider as secondary education vocational training offered to girls of the same age as those pursuing a general training course leading to higher education? (January 22, 2019)

  Yes.

• One of the cornerstones of the call’s agenda is “to increase girls’ and women’s equitable access to skills development and quality higher education that takes gender equality into account.” Should the project aim to increase girls’ and women’s equitable access to skills development and quality higher education, or can it target only one level, namely skills development or higher education? Does higher education include university education as well as technical education? (January 22, 2019)

  The project may be focused on skills development and/or higher education. Higher education includes university education as well as technical education.

• Are applicants required to complete all columns of the preliminary performance measurement framework (PMF)? (January 30, 2019)

  There are no requirements as to the maximum or minimum number of indicators (and supporting details) that you should include in your PMF, but the information you provide will be used to assess your capacity to manage for results and monitor the performance of your project. It is recommended that you identify approximately 15 to 30 indicators that are gender-sensitive and measure outcomes at each level and output. You are asked to provide data-collection methods and frequency of measurement for each indicator, and to provide additional information for indicators (baseline and targets) at the output level and, where possible, at the outcome level (recognizing that baseline data may not be available at this time).

• How much of the project should be dedicated to innovation and/or advocacy? (January 30, 2019)

  As per the call page and application form, innovation and/or advocacy are not mandatory in the applicant’s proposal.

• Do projects need to focus on one particular aspect of  increasing access and reducing barriers to quality education for women and girls in fragile, conflict and crisis situations, including in refugee-hosting countries? (January 30, 2019)

  Please refer to the call page guidance under “Objectives” for further information regarding what proposals must align with and include.

• What is the suggested project start date? (January 30, 2019)

  There is no suggested start date. Notionally, projects may begin implementation in the fall 2019. Note however that factors, such as the call process timeline and the time required to negotiate funding arrangements with prospective partners, may influence project start dates in the context of this call.

• Will selected projects be asked to align with the outcomes defined in Global Affairs Canada's corporate logic model for the overall $400-million commitment to education for women and girls in crisis and conflict situations? (January 30, 2019)

  No. Applicants must establish their own outcomes/logic model based on at least one of the three programming pillars in fragile, conflict and crisis situations, including in refugee-hosting countries, under Objectives on the call page.

• Are there any regional funding priorities aside from sub-Saharan Africa? (January 30, 2019)

  Approximately 75% of the funding will be allocated to initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa. There are no other specific regional priorities for funding.

• For this call, are there any official development assistance-eligible countries that are too high risk to work in? (February 4, 2019)

  Please refer to guidance under the Geographic Scope section of the call page and note the need to provide robust risk assessments and mitigation plans relevant to the proposed context. The level of risk and the ability of organizations to respond to the risks will be assessed by Global Affairs Canada when assessing the merit of proposals.

• Is the construction of new water and sanitation facilities and upgrading of existing school structures considered refurbishment or new construction? (February 4, 2019)

  Yes, construction of new water and sanitation facilities and upgrading of existing school structures such as redoing a roof or a load-bearing wall for example, may be considered refurbishment. Refurbishment means any improvement to an existing structure.

• How do you define “new construction”? Does this refer specifically to the construction of new schools? (February 4, 2019)

  Construction that entails more than improving an already existing structure (refurbishment) is considered “new construction”. New construction includes, but is not limited to, the building of new schools.