Catanduanes Forum

you may want to check this out, especially if you're involved in a CSO who needs funding for projects.

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The Civil Society Fund in the Philippines

The deadline for submission of applications for the Civil Society Fund in the Philippines is February 28, 2009. The theme for this year is social dimension of climate change.

About the Fund

The Civil Society Fund or CSF (formerly Small Grants Program) supports activities related to civic engagement by providing small grants administered through World Bank Country Offices.
The CSF seeds and supports activities that empower and enable citizens to take initiatives to enhance and influence development outcomes. Activities strengthen mechanisms for inclusion, accountability, and participation. Activities also strengthen partnerships with public sector, other civil society organizations, and the private sector.

Before you Apply

The World Bank CSF is able to fund only a very small percentage of the requests it receives. Many requests are declined, not because they lack merit, but because they do not match either the current objectives, or the criteria of the CSF as closely as the selected proposals. Your activity may fall within the objectives and criteria, but the demand far surpasses the availability of funds. Before applying, please take time to read the Guidelines to determine if there is a match.

Who can apply?

*Civil society organizations based in the Philippines and working on issues of development
*Civil society organizations must be in good standing and have a record of achievement in the community and record of financial probity;
*Priority will be given to organizations not supported by the CSF in previous years (organizations are not eligible for more than three grants from the CSF within a five-year period).

What activities are supported?

The CSF supports activities whose primary objective is civic engagement. A thematic focus is adopted each year to complement the Bank program in the Philippines. For FY 2009, the theme is social dimension of climate change. CSF ‘09 shall support innovations on dissemination of information or promotion of knowledge sharing on social dimensions of climate change particularly in terms of their implications to vulnerable Filipino families/ households and communities.

In addition:

*Activities may include, but are not limited to workshops and seminars to enhance civic engagement skills and/or knowledge; appropriate communication campaigns to influence policymaking or public service delivery; or innovative networking efforts to build the capacity of the particular sector.
*The activity should be completed within one year of the date the grant is awarded.
*Priority shall be given to organizations that have not been supported by the Program in previous years.

What grant activites are not supported?

Small Grants cannot fund:

* Research programs, formal academic training programs, operational projects, provision of basic services, ongoing institutional core support (such as equipment), scholarships, fellowships, study programs, individuals applying on their own behalf, or non-legal entities.
* Proposed activities should not compete with or substitute for regular World Bank instruments; the activity should be clearly distinguishable from the Bank’s regular programs.

What size of grants are awarded?

Maximum grant per project shall be $10,000. CSF ‘09 expects to support about 2-3 proposals. The Grant should fund only a portion of the project cost, and therefore prefers that its grants help leverage additional contributions from other sources. Applicant organizations are asked to describe how a grant from the World Bank might help them to raise matching funds from other donors. A cash or in-kind counterpart from the applicant-organization of, at least, 20% of total cost required and should be reflected in the proposed budget.

How are grants awarded?

Applications are screened, reviewed and evaluated by a Committee composed of World Bank Office Manila Staff and technical expert. Applications are screened and reviewed to ensure that the criteria are met. Short-listed proposals are recommended to the Country Director who makes the final decision. Applicant-organizations with approved proposals are informed by mail of the Bank’s decision.

The CSF team will thoroughly review all proposals. The review may take up to two months to complete. Given the very large number of requests, we would appreciate it if personal visits and phone calls to the World Bank Office by the grantees are avoided.

How to apply for a grant?

The CSF Philippines is administered at the World Bank Country Offices in Manila. Guidelines and application forms are available from Knowledge for Development Center, Ground Floor, Taipan Place, F. Ortigas Jr. Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City or by download. Applicants are advised to read the criteria and the application form carefully before submitting an application. Proposals should be brief, concise and no more than four (4) pages, excluding attachments. Proposals with more than 4 pages run the risks of being disqualified. Only those proposals with complete attachments shall be reviewed.

Applications should be sent by:
Email to: phsocdev@worldbank.org or
Fax to: 637-5870 or

You may also deliver or mail to:

The Civil Society Fund
The World Bank Office Manila
23rd Floor Taipan Place, F. Ortigas Jr. Avenue (formerly Emerald Ave.), Ortigas Center, Pasig City

Applications should be received not later than February 28, 2009.

Requests and proposals should not be sent to the World Bank Headquarters, as decisions are not made at the Headquarters.

Additional resources for CSO’s are available from the World Bank Office Manila's website, www.worldbank.org.