Support for
International Partners
Support for International Partners
Action for Inclusion and Participation (ACTION) Fund NOTICE
FOR CALL FOR PROJECTS
CALL No. 1 – 2023 Duration: 36 months
Amount : C$150,000 – C$300,000
TARGET COUNTRIES : Benin and Bolivia
Mission inclusion is launching an initiative to support organizations in the South: the Action Fund for Inclusion and Participation (ACTION). This fund aims to support the empowerment of civil society organizations (CSOs) and advocacy organizations, particularly women and the underserved, to implement innovative projects and transformative initiatives to achieve more egalitarian societies, more inclusive governance processes, and respect for human rights.
Mission inclusion encourages international solidarity across all communities and promotes feminist, participatory and transparent principles for evaluating the projects submitted and monitoring their impact in their localities and communities.
OBJECTIVE
The ACTION fund aims to reduce inequalities by supporting innovative, transformative, and local initiatives to address the challenges of inclusive governance and promote both the leadership of the advocacy groups and CSOs and the inclusion of so-called marginalized groups.
Inclusive governance is an approach aimed at actively integrating all people’s voices, perspectives, and experiences, with a particular focus on women and marginalized groups, to contribute to changes in power structures to ensure greater participation by all in decision-making. Through this approach, we aim to provide equitable access to essential services adapted to the needs of all, to improve the management and responsible and sustainable implementation of policies, programmes, and services accessible and adapted to all people while respecting their rights and individual and collective freedoms.
The ACTION fund aims to strengthen the knowledge and practices of organizations that focus on social inclusion and work with and for people from traditionally excluded and marginalized groups to meet their needs more inclusively while empowering them to assert their rights.
This first call encompasses all people experiencing different forms of systemic and intersectional discrimination and exclusion, including (but not limited to) women, young people, people with disabilities, indigenous people, minorities, displaced people/refugees, and people who identify as part of sexual and gender diversity.
OBJECTIVE
The ACTION fund aims to reduce inequalities by supporting innovative, transformative, and local initiatives to address the challenges of inclusive governance and promote both the leadership of the advocacy groups and CSOs and the inclusion of so-called marginalized groups.
Inclusive governance is an approach aimed at actively integrating all people’s voices, perspectives, and experiences, with a particular focus on women and marginalized groups, to contribute to changes in power structures to ensure greater participation by all in decision-making. Through this approach, we aim to provide equitable access to essential services adapted to the needs of all, to improve the management and responsible and sustainable implementation of policies, programmes, and services accessible and adapted to all people while respecting their rights and individual and collective freedoms.
The ACTION fund aims to strengthen the knowledge and practices of organizations that focus on social inclusion and work with and for people from traditionally excluded and marginalized groups to meet their needs more inclusively while empowering them to assert their rights.
This first call encompasses all people experiencing different forms of systemic and intersectional discrimination and exclusion, including (but not limited to) women, young people, people with disabilities, indigenous people, minorities, displaced people/refugees, and people who identify as part of sexual and gender diversity.
To achieve this objective, Mission inclusion has identified,
four (4) main areas of focus:
1) Defending human rights, especially for the excluded and underserved;
3) Voice and leadership of women and excluded groups in the public arena;
2) Equitable access to essential services for women, girls and marginalized groups;
4) Inclusive, fair and sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity.
This call for projects is in line with the general objective of the ACTION fund to help reduce inequalities.
To achieve this objective, Mission inclusion has identified
four (4) main areas of focus:
1) Defending human rights, especially for the excluded and underserved
2) Equitable access to essential services for women, girls and marginalized groups
3) Voice and leadership of women and excluded groups in the public arena
4) Inclusive, fair and sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity
This call for projects is in line with the general objective of the ACTION fund to help reduce inequalities.
PROCESS SEQUENCE
Please note that the process will take place in four (4) stages:
Step 1: Mission inclusion launches the call for projects
An announcement on the Mission inclusion website and media platforms will mark the launch of the call for projects. We will then share this announcement with other partner organizations.
After the launch, we will organize webinars for interested organizations. During these online sessions, we’ll explain Mission inclusion, the details of the project call, and show you how to fill in the concept note form. You’ll be able to ask your questions live and get immediate answers.
For webinar times, please consult calendar. All communications with the team will be by email at action@missioninclusion.ca.
Step 2: Concept note
Interested organizations will be asked to submit a concept note accompanied by the following documents:
• Latest financial statements document
• Legal recognition or registration document (not expired).
• Legal recognition or registration document (not expired).
The application will be assessed from two (2) angles:
1) Organization eligibility criteria
2) Eligibility criteria for the concept note
2) Eligibility criteria for the concept note
Our committee of Mission inclusion staff will review all applications. Only shortlisted organizations will be contacted. Thank you to all who applied.
Stage 3: Detailed project and organizational diagnosis
This stage will consist of two (2) parallel phases:
Phase 1 – Detailed Project: Shortlisted organizations will be required to submit a more detailed project based on the initial concept note.
This detailed project will include a project form
complete and a budget.
complete and a budget.
Phase 2 – Organizational Diagnosis: At the same time, discussions will take place between the preselected organizations and Mission inclusion to better understand their needs. Please note that this step does not yet confirm project selection, but initiates a dialogue aimed at understanding the organizational context.
In an inclusive approach, a committee of volunteers representative of the targeted groups will evaluate the coherence and relevance of the projects in relation to the expected results and the countries concerned. Then, all organizations involved will be contacted individually for notification of decisions, whether positive or negative.
Step 4: Negotiation and signing of agreement
Selected organizations will be invited to proceed to the negotiation and signing phase requiring information and documents such as tax numbers, banking information, and identity cards of the signatories of the contract.
Thematic sessions on inclusive governance, Mission inclusion’s financial and compliance procedures, the feminist approach and gender equality strategies will be carried out during the project to allow organizations to strengthen their knowledge and exchange with stakeholders. other organizations on these themes.
PROCESS SEQUENCE
Please note that the process will take place in four (4) stages:
Step 1: Mission inclusion launches the call for projects
An announcement on the Mission inclusion website and media platforms will mark the launch of the call for projects. We will then share this announcement with other partner organizations.
After the launch, we will organize webinars for interested organizations. During these online sessions, we’ll explain Mission inclusion, the details of the project call, and show you how to fill in the concept note form. You’ll be able to ask your questions live and get immediate answers.
For webinar times, please consult calendar. All communications with the team will be by email at action@missioninclusion.ca.
Step 2: Concept note
Interested organizations will be asked to submit a concept note accompanied by the following documents:
• Latest financial statements document
• Legal recognition or registration document (not expired).
• Legal recognition or registration document (not expired).
The application will be assessed from two (2) angles:
1) Organization eligibility criteria
2) Eligibility criteria for the concept note
2) Eligibility criteria for the concept note
On this basis, all applications will be reviewed by a committee of Mission inclusion staff.
Stage 3: Detailed project and organizational diagnosis
This stage will consist of two (2) parallel phases:
Phase 1 – Detailed Project: Shortlisted organizations will be required to submit a more detailed project based on the initial concept note. This detailed project will include a project form complete and a budget.
Phase 2 – Organizational Diagnosis: At the same time, discussions will take place between the preselected organizations and Mission inclusion to better understand their needs. Please note that this step does not yet confirm project selection, but initiates a dialogue aimed at understanding the organizational context.
In an inclusive approach, a committee of volunteers representative of the targeted groups will evaluate the coherence and relevance of the projects in relation to the expected results and the countries concerned. Then, all organizations involved will be contacted individually for notification of decisions, whether positive or negative.
Step 4: Negotiation and signing of agreement
Selected organizations will be invited to proceed to the negotiation and signing phase requiring information and documents such as tax numbers, banking information, and identity cards of the signatories of the contract.
Thematic sessions on inclusive governance, Mission inclusion’s financial and compliance procedures, the feminist approach and gender equality strategies will be carried out during the project to allow organizations to strengthen their knowledge and exchange with stakeholders. other organizations on these themes.
ELIGIBILITY OF APPLICATIONS
To assess your eligibility, please strictly adhere to the following requirements and provide all required supporting documents.
No specific comments will be made regarding the requesting organization.
No specific comments will be made regarding the requesting organization.
Organization Eligibility
• Be an eligible non-profit organization (civil society or advocacy organization). Religious, political and state organizations are not eligible;
• Be established in an eligible country;
• Be a legally registered organization (with valid proof);
• Have at least two (2) years of existence and experience in the country concerned by the call;
• Be an organization that works with and for people from the above-mentioned marginalized groups;
• Submit a complete application: concept note + requested documents.
Eligibility of a concept note
• Must contribute to the fund’s objective and involve at least one of the areas targeted by the call for proposals;
• Must be prepared according to the concept note form available on the Mission inclusion website;
• The following must be submitted by the deadline;
• Must have a duration of 36 months;
• Must have a budget between CA$150,000 and CA$300,000;
• Must not include or target ineligible activities.
Ineligible activities
• Financing of individual, general education scholarships;
• Financing construction, land or building purchases;
• Financing of political parties and religious groups;
• Projects involving proselytizing, religious or partisan activities;
• Projects, including microcredit activities;
• Weapons financing and activities promoting violence, terrorism and war;
• Illegal activities or goods.
Type of eligible activities
We propose a (non-exhaustive) list of eligible activities:
• Advocacy and the production of innovative social alternatives;
• Activities to ensure transformative and inclusive leadership;
• Awareness-raising, education or training activities against reprisals or threats (physical or virtual) that certain groups may experience because they believe in human rights;
• Innovative activities to foster more inclusive and participatory governance at local, national, or regional level;
• Awareness-raising activities (events, cultural expressions to highlight diversity, denounce exclusion);
• Advocacy and political influence (in line with an inclusive and participatory advocacy plan);
• Pooling/federating activities for networking.
APPLICATION PREPARATION
Deadline
You must send your proposal (or profiles) together with the duly signed concept notes and the requested supporting documents no later than November 24, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. (GMT) by e-mail to the following address: action@missioninclusion.ca.
Any application submitted after this time will not be accepted. An automatic response email confirming receipt of the file will constitute your
acknowledgment of receipt.
Your application must include the signed concept note form and the supporting documents requested.
Please do not change the format of the form.
Please do not change the format of the form.
Information Sessions
Mission inclusion expresses its gratitude to the organizations that attended the information sessions on October 23 for Benin and October 24 for Bolivia. Your active participation truly delighted us!
It’s important to note that attendance at an information session is not a requirement for applying. Our process is open to all organizations interested in submitting projects for Benin or Bolivia.
Attendance at these meetings is not mandatory and does not constitute a selection stage.
Please note
• Applications must be submitted in French or Spanish, depending on the country. Only applications in these languages will be accepted.
• All documents must be submitted together in a single file.
• You cannot change your request once it has been submitted.
• Incomplete applications or the use of different models will not be considered.
• Required supporting documents can be submitted in JPEG, Doc or PDF format.
• Please DO NOT return your application unless you receive an acknowledgement of receipt.
• If you find it difficult to sign electronically, print out Section III, sign it, fill it in and then scan or photograph it. Don’t forget to include it with the other required files in your mail.
• Mission inclusion does not accept spontaneous applications. Applications are only accepted during calls for projects. Only forms specific to the call will be accepted.
• Responses to the concept note form must respect the word limits indicated and the format requested. No additional documents to answer the questions will be accepted.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. Which organizations are eligible for the ACTION fund?
The ACTION fund is aimed at civil society organizations (CSOs) and human rights organizations (associations, NGOs, community groups, and foundations) that work with excluded or marginalized groups to meet their needs while empowering them to assert their rights. These groups include women, young people, people with disabilities, Aboriginal people, minorities, displaced persons/refugees, and people who identify as sexually diverse.
International organizations are not eligible.
2. Can organizations apply as a consortium?
Yes, projects submitted by CSOs and rights organizations as consortiums are eligible. The organizations are jointly responsible for project implementation and reporting, although one organization must coordinate communications and administrative procedures (lead organization). All organizations in a consortium must meet the same eligibility criteria, be registered, co-sign the application form, participate in defining and implementing the project, and be included in the proposed budget.
The lead organization is Mission inclusion’s primary contact and represents the consortium. Management costs must be shared between the organizations in the consortium according to equitable principles and levels of effort.
3. Is it possible to create a partnership with an institution that is not a CSO or a human rights organization to apply for this fund?
Yes, partnerships with institutions such as research centers and universities are possible. The CSO or human rights organization is responsible for project management and reporting. The partnership must be established in an internal agreement specific to the project to provide services or carry out activities.
4. Can a foundation that also makes grants apply to the fund for redistribution as a small grant?
Foundations are eligible for the ACTION fund, but activities involving the redistribution of funds in small grants or micro-credits are unsuitable. However, if an event involving several other local organizations (non-grant recipients) is planned, they may have expenses for their services.
5. Can an organization submit more than one project per call?
No. A lead organization, consortium or partner organization member may not submit multiple applications under a call for projects.
6. Can an organization submit the same project in response to multiple calls?
An unsuccessful project can be submitted to a subsequent call in the country. However, it is recommended that organizations check the eligibility criteria carefully and make any necessary adjustments.
7. In what currency should the project budget be presented?
The concept note must present the project budget in Canadian dollars. Projects selected for the detailed proposal must submit a clear budget in local currency and be converted into Canadian dollars.
8. Are organizations required to contribute to the project budget?
No, organizations are not required to contribute to the project budget.
9. Are management fees eligible for projects submitted to the ACTION Fund?
Yes, successful project budgets may include management costs. The concept note must consist of the total management costs, but details of the precise amounts of management costs do not have to be presented at this stage.
Additional Resources
Fonds ACTION
Appel à projets no 1 – 2023
(French only)
(French only)
Fondo ACCIÓN
Convocatoria de proyectos nº1 – 2023
(Spanish only)
(Spanish only)
For more information
ACTION fund – CALL No. 1
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Jules and Paul-Émile Léger Foundation
Jules and Paul-Émile Léger Foundation
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