The Greek government co-finances NGO projects in target countries through annual calls for proposals. 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

Within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the rehabilitation and development directorate YDAS-2 (or Hellenic Aid-2) is in charge of co-operation with non-government organisations (NGOs). It is responsible for all the phases from evaluation to implementation of development programmes submitted by NGOs or universities and aimed at the sector-by-sector development and reconstruction of developing countries. It oversees compliance with the conditions that these programmes must satisfy, based on sectors and priority countries. Moreover, it supports, coordinates and assists NGOs and other agencies in the implementation of development programmes, in accordance with the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), with the focus on combating poverty. It handles Greece’s relations with the OECDs Development Assistance Committee (DAC), participating in its working groups and networks, as well as in the ministerial councils.

Co-financing of NGO projects in target countries.

In 2005, 150 projects were financed out of a budget of € 10.61 million This is an average of € 70,700 per project.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-finances 50% of the total budget for the programme. The NGO is required to contribute at least 15% of the total cost either financially or in kind; however, the ministry could provide up to 75% of the total budget for programmes where:

• the programme is implemented in priority countries of national development policy;
• new NGOs that have not acquired two years of experience in implementing programmes in developing countries are acting jointly; or
• there is a reliable local partner, development priorities of the developing country are compatible, and the programme contributes significantly to combating poverty.

Basic priority sectors for co-financed development programmes are those:

• pertaining to the social sector, basic health, basic education and vocational training involving young people and women in particular;
• for environmental protection, agricultural growth, housing, and material and technical infrastructure;
• in sectors producing income and substantially reducing the level of poverty;
• in the department of small infrastructure and local business initiatives that combat underemployment and unemployment; and
• in the sectors of human rights, gender equality, the building of democratic institutions, enhancement of local communities and participatory decentralised growth.

Agencies permitted to implement programmes are the ministries and NGOs registered in the Foreign Ministry’s registry of NGOs and other civil society agencies.

Hellenic Aid is only able to fund Greek NGOs. Efforts are being made to alter regulations to also enable it to fund, through the local Greek embassy, international NGO projects in developing countries. Hellenic Aid is not able to fund activities by NGOs from other OECD countries.

 

Eligibility criteria for Greek NGOs are:

• Good acquaintance with the country and particularly the specific area where the programme is to be implemented, in addition to the local needs, situation and problems;
• Ability to co-operate and co-ordinate with local NGOs, other local development agencies, in addition to knowledge of government priorities;
• Ability to co-operate with European NGOs and international organisations actively involved in the same area;
• Ability to motivate Greek civil society and new volunteers in solidarity activities involving problems in developing countries and countries in transition;
• A minimum of two years’ field experience and adequate human resources and administrative experience to implement the proposed project;

Programmes should meet the following fundamental criteria:

• They should meet the fundamental needs for economic and social development of the population in developing countries effectively, particularly with regard to poorer or vulnerable groups, such as children and women.
• They should improve the quality of life of the target group and also enhance the local population’s ability to promote development and the enhancement of its income by employing their own powers.
• They should promote ownership of development advantages deriving from implementing programmes within local communities.

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The objectives are to guarantee that all the approved programmes or projects meet the goals of the overall development strategy and the geographical and sectoral priorities of Greece’s five-year development co-operation and assistance programme, and to administer the implementation of the bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget.
The same procedure is followed for emergency humanitarian and food aid project proposals, as well as for proposals for development education programmes submitted to the relevant Hellenic Aid directorates. These programmes must be compatible with the principles of the DAC and, more particularly, the MDGs, and they must match the priority sectors and countries for Greek bilateral state development co-operation for 2005 (see also the annual YDAS announcement).
In February 2001, Hellenic Aid published a handbook entitled Special Guide for NGOs and Civil Society Institutions which describes its philosophy and priorities and includes details of the requirements and procedures for registration and requesting co-financing. It is available from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

One year

Call for proposals are published in January with a deadline in April.

Each programme proposal submitted must be accompanied by:

• a written agreement with a reliable local NGO or, in the absence of such, with a local municipal or state authority;
• a document from an official state authority in the recipient country, in co-operation with the NGO, regarding the need for the proposed programme; and
• written consent from the nearest Greek diplomatic mission regarding the programme (to be requested by the implementing agencies).

Once a year, Hellenic Aid invites expressions of interest from ministries, legal entities, NGOs, universities, etc., who wish to submit proposals for programmes or projects for consideration. This invitation sets out the goals of the development co-operation policy for the year, the priority sectors for aid, the priority countries related to the MDGs, and details regarding the proposal submission procedure.
Proposals are first evaluated by the relevant Hellenic Aid directorates and then by the nine-member NGO Certification and Evaluation Committee, in an advisory capacity. Projects considered worth funding are then proposed to the minister who takes the final decision.

Greek

The presence of a reliable local partner able to ensure the sustainability of projects after the involvement of the Greek NGO has ended is a fundamental condition for receiving co-financing from Hellenic Aid.

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