The Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) and the “INIDI” Public Foundation held an information session on September 24, 2024, in an online format. The session focused on discussing issues related to the funding competition for experts writing policy briefs and white papers, as well as for applicants seeking funding for advocacy projects under the “Civil Society for Kazakhstan (CS4K)” project, funded by the European Union.
During the event, participants asked many questions regarding the conditions for participation, funding, and project organization. Below, we have compiled the most frequently asked questions and their answers.
FAQ
1.Can CSOs/NGOs/NPOs/initiative groups from remote regions of Kazakhstan apply for funding?
Yes, the main condition is that all organizations applying must be registered in the Republic of Kazakhstan! Moreover, projects from remote regions are welcomed and given priority during the selection of applications.
2. What topics can applications be submitted on?
Applications can be on any topic related to human rights advocacy (especially women’s and youth rights). The project must include three stages:
- Conducting research during which it is necessary to collect and analyze data identifying the needs and priorities in the field of human rights protection in their regions. A methodology for data collection and analysis will be provided, along with a training session. The collected data will serve as the basis for subsequent writing of policy briefs and conducting advocacy campaigns. The research topic must be related to human rights, with priority given to issues concerning women’s and youth rights.
- Developing analytical notes (policy briefs) and white papers in collaboration with experts based on the data collected during the research. The experts, as well as the design and translation of the analytical notes (policy briefs) and white papers, will be funded by IWPR, not from the project funding.
- Conducting advocacy campaigns in the field of human rights.
3. What should be done if there is no registered CSO/NGO/NPO?
In this case, you can submit an application as an individual entrepreneur (it will be necessary to discuss what activities you have listed as an individual entrepreneur).
4. If an NGO plans to hire a specialist, for example, to improve social media design, is it necessary to conclude a contract with them?
Yes, contracts must be concluded with any specialists, consultants, and experts who will work on the project. Documentation for payment to these specialists is also required (invoice, receipt, payment order, etc.).
5. Use of funding
Funding cannot be used for expenses such as construction work, real estate purchases, purchasing alcoholic beverages, entertainment expenses, business class or first-class travel, or debt repayment. Salary and office expenses (rent, utilities, etc.) that are not directly related to project implementation will not be covered.
The purchase of equipment funded by the project will be discussed individually, depending on the planned project activities and urgent necessity.
6. Will a specific reporting format be provided?
Yes, there will be two templates for reporting: one for financial expenditures in Excel format and a second template for program activity reporting.
7. If CSOs/NGOs/NPOs/initiative groups plan to complete the project ahead of schedule, will this affect the consideration of the application?
The announcement states that the duration of the project is October 2024 – July 2026; in this case, July 2026 is the maximum available project end date. You may specify an earlier project end date if you are confident that you can complete the project in a shorter timeframe. This will not affect the decision-making process during selection if you indicate in your application that you have sufficient expertise and capabilities to complete the project within the specified time.
8. Do team members need to be paid if they can produce policy briefs and white papers themselves?
If your team includes experts who can write policy briefs and white papers themselves and you do not require an external consultant, you should indicate this in your application and include the fee for the team member who will write these documents in the project budget.
9. Can partners from remote regions be engaged to assist in data collection?
Yes, you can involve organizations and specify them in your application as partners, or you can find an individual and enter into a service agreement.
10. What should be done if, at the time of application submission, we cannot specify the names of partner organizations?
It is advisable to identify partners before signing the funding agreement; if this is not possible, it will need to be discussed later in a working order with IWPR representatives.
Partners for project implementation are not a mandatory condition for participation, but if you feel that your expertise is insufficient, it is necessary to involve partners.
11. How will the work of experts and projects be organized?
Project team members will be trained in data collection. After collecting data in the necessary regions, the data will be passed on to experts, who will write policy briefs and/or white papers based on the collected data. The team will also stay in touch with the expert to ensure that the focus of the document does not shift and to assist in formulating recommendations.
12. Can applications be submitted for both competitions (the funding competition for projects and the competition for experts)?
Yes! However, if you qualify for both competitions, you will be assigned to a different team as an expert for writing policy briefs to avoid conflicts of interest. In this case, please be aware that you will have to work on two projects, so accurately calculate your time to ensure you can manage everything.
13. How many applications can one organization or initiative group submit?
There is no limit to the number of applications; however, only one project from the applying organization can be funded.
We thank all participants of the information session for their interesting questions and active participation. We hope that the provided answers will help you better prepare for your applications and the implementation of your projects. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact the project manager via email: aziza.mukhametova@iwpr.net.
This FAQ has been created to simplify the application process and help you avoid common mistakes. Good luck to all competition participants!
To learn more about the project funding competition, click here.
To learn more about the expert competition, click here.
This publication was funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of IWPR and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.