The Slovak-UNDP Trust Fund finances actions of NGOs in the field of development co-operation. Information on how to apply is compiled on this webpage and can be downloaded here.
Background
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have established the Slovak-UNDP Trust Fund as one component of the Slovak national Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme. The Administrative and Contracting Unit (ACU) has been established as a delivery mechanism to support national capacity building in the field of ODA, under the leadership and supervision of the Trust Fund steering committee.
The fund project is executed and implemented directly by the UNDP regional centre in Bratislava. It operates as a separate project, managed by a steering committee while making full use of the UNDP regional support centre’s administrative and financial capacities. The role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to provide strategic management and decision-making in ACU’s activities.
ACU’s task to strengthen national capacities for development co-operation and support development education, public awareness and national development constituency. ACU has no decision-making responsibility for funding Slovak ODA activities. The tasks implemented by ACU are set up in the framework of priorities approved by the steering committee.
Types of Grant
Co-funding
Grant Size
In the sixth round of Slovak ODA, announced in March and April 2006, the Trust Fund steering committee approved 11 projects out of a total number of 20 submitted. For this round the total amount allocated to the selected projects was about € 1.86 million, an average of €168,000 per project.
Own Contribution
Often projects receive additional co-funding by the Canadian and Austrian development co-operation agencies (usually 50%). For investment projects the applicant has to contribute at least 20% of the total investment expenditure of the project.
Funding Priorities
In 2006, forecasted grants directed into Kenya and Sudan amounted to € 786,000. Technical infrastructure (water management, roads, electrification) and social animation (primary education and basic health care, micro-loans, promotion of small and medium-sized businesses, and increased food self-sufficiency) are the main priorities.
Grants for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan amounted to € 655,000 and were channelled into the following priority sectors: building democratic institutions and promoting a market environment, and building local infrastructure with a focus on energy infrastructure and water management.
Projects in Ukraine and Belarus received funds of € 262,000, with the emphasis on supporting reforms, democracy building and strengthening the stability and effectiveness of institutions guaranteeing democracy and the rule of law, and supporting the development of civil society and promoting the participation of citizens in the decision-making mechanism through NGOs.
In 2004–2005 grants were made available for carrying out projects in other priority countries in 2006, which were Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Mozambique and Senegal. A total of € 1.05 million was earmarked for this. The scope of the supported projects will be building democratic institutions and a market environment; infrastructure (including social infrastructure); and landscape creation, environmental protection, agriculture, food safety and use of raw materials.
Grantmaking Criteria
Only Slovak applicants are eligible. This includes businesses, state organisations and NGOs. However, Slovak applicants need a partner in the recipient country. Projects have to fit with the national ODA programme of the Slovak Republik.
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Guidelines
Guidelines for the provision of ODA can be obtained in English and Slovakian from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Project Duration
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Deadline
Deadlines vary depending on the call for proposals.
Application Forms
Application forms are available from the Trust Fund’s ACU and can be found online at:
- Project document – Slovak Version
Application and Procedures
An initial project proposal can be sent to the respective country project manager at the ACU (this is not obligatory). The ACU will then answer with recommendations in writing on how to improve or adjust it. Then, the proposal can be redesigned in the form of a Final Approval Project Document; it has to be submitted before the deadline with all obligatory annexes (otherwise the application is rejected). Usually the decision of the Trust Fund steering committee comes two to three months after the deadline for submission for the Final Approval Project Document.
Languages
English
Tips
Non-Slovak NGOs should look for Slovak partners to submit their project. There are several possibilities for identifying a partner either in Slovakia or in the project country:
- through the Embassy of Slovakia to the partner country;
- through members of the Slovak Co-ordination Committee (state and public administration);
- through the Slovak development NGO platform; or
- through the ACU