The thematic part of the Development Co-operation instrument (DCI) provides assistance to all developing countries in Latin America, Asia (including Central Asia) and Africa.  Information on how to apply is compiled on this webpage and can be downloaded here.

Background	Project Duration
Types of Grant	Deadline
Grant Size	Application Forms
Own Contribution	Application & Procedures
Funding Priorities	Languages
Grantmaking Criteria	Tips
Guidelines	Pdf Download

The thematic part of the Development Co-operation instrument (DCI) provides assistance to all developing countries in Latin America, Asia (including Central Asia) and Africa. The instrument is valid for the period from 2007 to 2013. The overall goal of the instrument is the eradication of poverty in partner countries and regions in the context of sustainable development, including pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as well as the promotion of democracy, good governance and respect for human rights and for the rule of law. Co-operation is intended to

• consolidate and support democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, good governance, gender equality and related instruments of international law;
• foster the sustainable development - including political, economic, social and environmental aspects - of partner countries and regions, and more particularly the most disadvantaged among them;
• encourage their smooth and gradual integration into the world economy;
• help develop international measures to preserve and improve the quality of the environment and the sustainable management of global natural resources, in order to ensure sustainable development including climate change and biodiversity;
• and strengthen the relationship between the Community and partner countries and regions.

The thematic part of the regulation establishing the DCI was adopted on 18 December 2006 and replaces the thematic budget lines valid until 2006. The overall DCI budget for thematic programmes for the period from 2007 to 2013 is € 5.596 billion.

Co-funding of NGO projects.

To be defined in the annual action plans 

To be defined in the annual action plans

The thematic programmes focus on one theme and are not country specific. They are intended to add value to actions funded under geographic programmes in cases where EC objectives cannot be achieved in an appropriate manner through geographic programmes. Thematic programmes are implemented by an intermediary organisation such as non-governmental organisations or international organisations. Further, they apply to multi-regional or cross-cutting actions, including pilot projects and innovatory policies; actions in cases where there is no agreement on the action with the partner government; actions in cases where there is no geographic programme or it has been suspended.

The following list provides an overview on the new thematic programmes and their priorities:

Investing in people

• Good health for all: fight against poverty diseases targeting the major communicable diseases; improve reproductive and sexual health in developing countries; improve equitable access to health providers, commodities and health services
• Education, knowledge and skills: to achieve universal primary education; increase basic, secondary and higher education as well as vocational education and training
• Gender equality
• Other aspects of human and social development: Culture; Employment and social cohesion; Youth and children

Environment and sustainable management of natural resources including energy

• environmental sustainability through capacity building
• current and future climate change issues, biodiversity, desertification, forests, land degradation fisheries and marine resources, compliance with environmental standards, sound chemicals and wastes management, fight against pollution, sustainable production and consumption and environment-related migration.
• strengthening environmental governance
• supporting sustainable energy options

Non-State actors and local authorities in development

• promote an inclusive and empowered society
• increase the level of awareness of the European citizen regarding development issues
• achieve more efficient cooperation, foster synergies and facilitate a structured
• dialogue between civil society networks and local authorities' associations;
• Support to local authorities in situations such as difficult partnerships, fragile states and post-conflict.

Food security

• research and technological innovation,
• food security information and early warning;
• support food security in specific fields such as agriculture,
• support networking of policy experts and non-State actors
• advocating and advancing the food security agenda.
• addressing food insecurity in exceptional situations of transition and State fragility

Migration and asylum

• fostering the links between migration and development, especially by encouraging
• the contribution of diasporas to the development of their country of origin
• promoting well-managed labour migration,
• fighting illegal immigration and facilitating the readmission of illegal immigrants,
• protecting migrants, including the most vulnerable such as women and children

Funds are allocated following thematic strategy papers which set out the priority areas to be funded, the specific objectives, the expected results and the performance indicators. They also give the indicative financial allocation, both overall and per priority area. Further, the European Commission prepares annual action programmes, which specify the objectives, the fields of intervention, the expected results, the management procedures and total amount of financing planned. They contain a description of the operations to be financed, an indication of the amounts allocated for each operation and an indicative implementation timetable. These documents will be available on the EC’s respective delegation website or here.

The regulation establishing the DCI allows a broad range of actors to access the DCI funds: Regarding non-state actors, they have to be non-state, non-profit making actors operating on an independent and accountable basis. This includes non governmental organisations, organisations representing indigenous peoples, organisations representing national and/or ethnic minorities, local traders' associations and citizens' groups, cooperatives, trade unions, organisations representing economic and social interests, organisations fighting corruption and fraud and promoting good governance, civil rights organisations and organisations combating discrimination, local organisations (including networks) involved in decentralised regional cooperation and integration, consumer organisations, women's and youth organisations, teaching, cultural, research and scientific organisations, universities, churches and religious associations and communities, the media and any non governmental associations and independent foundations, including independent political foundations. The annual action programmes determine how assistance is provided. It will also give details about eligibility restrictions when applying for funding.

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The practical implementation of the DCI is regulated by two documents:
1 “Rules and Procedures”
This document explains the basic principles the implementation of an action, which is supported by a grant from the Community.
2 “Practical Guide to Contract Procedures for EC External Actions” (PRAG)
The purpose of the PRAG is to provide users with all the information necessary to undertake procurement or a grant procedure from the very first steps to the award of contracts. The annexes cover both the procurement phase and the execution of contracts. The Guide provides the procedures to be used in centralised systems (centralised and indirect centralised) and de-centralised systems with ex-ante approval or with ex-post controls by the European Commission.

To be defined in the annual action plans

To be defined in the annual action plans

The annexes of the Practical Guide to Contract Procedures for EC External Actions” (PRAG) (see below) include standard forms used in calls for proposals. For each call for proposal, they are provided together with the guidelines setting out the objectives of the call.

Management of the thematic programmes is shared by the Europe Aid Co-operation Office in Brussels and the EC delegations. Call for proposals are published on the delegation website and on the Europe Aid website. This website has just been reviewed in order to make it more user-friendly. Tenders and grants are awarded following strict rules. These rules apply to the management and nature of calls for proposals/tenders. All EC external assistance follows the same set of rules (EC management procedure). 

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The new external aid structure has less dedicated programmes. This gives the European Commission the possibility to shift funds from previous fields of intervention to other ones. Hence, calls for proposals specifically targeting SRH and population will not be available every year. SRH NGOs are advised to make use of all thematic programmes to get their projects funded. The following programmes allow for this:

• Investing in people
• Non-State actors and local authorities in development
• Food security
• Migration and asylum

In order to succeed in accessing EC funds, a good understanding of the rules and procedures of the calls are crucial. Little administrative mistakes, such as submission after the deadline or missing documents lead to an immediate rejection. NGOs considering responding to a call should carefully read the guidelines. Project objectives should directly be linked to the objectives of the call. Applicants should also read the relevant policy papers and refer to them, when appropriate.

EC officials use an EC handbook explaining how to draft and manage a proposal. This document can also be useful for NGOs especially part 2 on the logical framework approach. It is called “Aid Delivery methods – Volume 1 – Project Cycle Management Guidelines”.

NGOs with little experience in applying for EC funding should consider participating in other NGOs’ projects funded by the EC. As a junior partner they can build their capacity and get acquainted to EC requirements without taking full responsibility for a project. Consult and liaise with both the EC Delegation in the beneficiary country and the Brussels-based officials. Another information source is CONCORD Europe, the European confederation of relief and development NGOs (contact details below). You also might get support from your national NGO platform.

CONCORD Secretariat aisbl
10 Sq. Ambiorix
1000 Brussels
Belgium
Phone: +32 2 743 87 60
Fax: +32 2 732 19 34
secretariat@concordeurope.org
http://www.concordeurope.org/

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