The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Secretariat is calling for proposals for the NEPAD-Spanish Fund for Empowerment of Women. With the support of the Spanish government through the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI), and on behalf of the NEPAD/AECI Steering Committee, the Secretariat is inviting proposals from institutions involved in implementing programmes that have the potential to “unlock women’s economic potential, fight poverty, close gender gaps, empower women, and are contributing to the achievement of millennium development goals (MDGs) and the attainment of sustainable development.”

Selection criteria:

• suitability to the sector-based and geographic priority lines in the announcement for proposals;
• technical competency, agency capability, and experience of the applicant in the sector of the action, as well as in the increase of the capacity and autonomy of women and the promotion of gender equality;
• technical quality of the proposal submitted - including innovative actions and suitable indicators to measure the progress achieved, broken down by gender;
• suitability and feasibility of the action, as well as ability to implement the proposed project within the project framework, parameters, timeframe, and budget;
• high impact of the action in the protection of women’s rights, fighting poverty, reducing / eliminating gender inequality/disparities, and increasing the capacity, enhancing empowerment, and creating equal opportunities for African women;
• alignment and complementary nature with national policies and strategies; and
• a commitment to fostering the capacities of women, civil society
  organisations, and governmental beneficiaries that make it possible to give
  continuity to the activities once the project is over.

Click here to download more information on the fund in Microsoft Word.

The application format should include the purpose, beneficiaries, duration of the project to be financed (up to 6 months), proposed budget, geographical location, and thematic priority. The application should be in a prescribed format and will be subjected to selection criteria.

Applicants must submit:

• a brief and schematic Concept Identification Note not exceeding two pages, in line with the application characteristics provided above, summarised to facilitate a technical evaluation; and
• a detailed Project Proposal, well formulated in accordance with the above provided issues and fulfilling key operational, technical, and procedural requirements required for final evaluation of the proposal.

The fund is for:

• African non-governmental organisations (NGOs);
• African governments, including national and local governmental agencies and NEPAD country structures;
• local associations and networks of women entrepreneurs;
• community-based organisations (CBOs), and community cooperatives;
• African education and research institutions;
• regional bodies, networks, and cooperatives;
• women’s groups/networks in Africa; and
• African women’s funds and foundations of women.

All the applications should be addressed to the Steering Committee and be submitted electronically to the NEPAD Secretariat by January 15 2008 at the address given below. The proposals will be studied by a Technical Team for its evaluation, and the Steering Committee of the Fund will make the final decision. The organisations pre-selected will be required to send additional information to NEPAD. The results will be announced no later than two months after the deadline.

Institutions addressing gender inequality with the requisite capacity, networks, and experience of working with women groups, community cooperatives, and the informal sector are encouraged to apply.