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VOICES FOR CLIMATE ACTION PROGRAMME

TUNISIA CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2021

Background

The Voices for Climate Action (VCA) programme is a lobby and advocacy programme being implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Netherlands SouthSouthNorth (SSN), Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), Slum Dwellers International (SDI), Fundación Avina, WWF North Africa and Hivos under the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ five-year strategic partnership: “Power of Voices”.

The programme aims to ensure that by 2025, local civil society and underrepresented groups will have taken on a central role as creators, facilitators and advocates of innovative and inclusive climate solutions. Their inclusion is crucial for effective and lasting climate responses. It is also crucial, and because the climate crisis is also a societal challenge with ethical and human rights aspects occurring alongside a number of inequalities based on gender, socioeconomic class, race, ethnicity, nationality, ability, sexual orientation, and age. The overall approach of the programme is to work with civil society to build widespread societal support for locally shaped climate solutions through an inclusive and rights-based approach.

This includes building a broad-based climate alliance at country level, bridging divides (urban-rural, gender, youth) that amplifies voices in new unusual ways. In addition, it will influence national and global policies and financial flows (e.g. climate finance, private sector investments) in support of these locally shaped solutions. Climate justice approach Climate change is essentially a human rights issue because of its devastating effect on human life – and rights. It exacerbates existing inequalities between rich and poor, ethnicities, sexes, generations and communities. It undermines democracy and threatens the economy and development at large. Likewise, by far the greatest burden falls on those already in poverty and on underrepresented groups such as Indigenous peoples, the rural and urban poor, women and youth, although they are the least responsible for climate change. Through a climate justice approach, the programme intends to see an expanded civic space where civil society voices, in particular those of indigenous and/or marginalised people are heard on climate action.

 Main strategic interventions at global level  

The programmes main strategic interventions are centred around the following three pillars

• Mutual capacity strengthening for co-creating alternative scaled climate solutions
• Agenda setting and movement in climate action through amplified storytelling
• Joint lobbying and advocacy to make policy and financial flows responsible to locally shaped climate solutions

Voices for climate justice in Tunisia

This programme is being implemented in Tunisia by consortium members AMwA, Hivos, SSN and WWF NA. We are seeking partners for the programme to join forces with us to amplify and strengthen voices for the achievement of the programme goals, with strategies focused around any of the main interventions as outlined above. Please read on for the specifics of this particular call.

 Specific intervention strategies for Tunisia are: 

• Mutual capacity strengthening for CSOs and entrepreneurs to co-create alternative climate solutions and connect.
• Knowledge system strengthening to enable inclusive and accessible agenda setting and climate action movement through amplified storytelling
• Joint lobbying and advocacy provide an enabling environment for civic space

Who we are

• Akina Mama Wa Afrika

Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) is a feminist Pan-African leadership development organization with headquarters in Kampala, Uganda. Our work is rooted in feminist principles and beliefs guided by the Charter of Feminist Principles for African Feminists which define our leadership development program and movement building activities. We envision a world in which African women are politically, economically and socially autonomous and are champions of change in their lives and society. Our thematic areas of focus include; Women’s Political Leadership, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and Economic Justice and Climate Change. The organization’s work is advanced through feminist and transformational leadership development, feminist research and knowledge building, and policy influence and movement building. AMwA provides strategic direction in key Pan-African networks including NGO CSW Africa, Solidarity for African Women’s Rights, and the Gender Is My Agenda Campaign. AMwA also has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

• Hivos

Hivos is an international development organization guided by humanist values. Together with citizens and their organizations, we aim to contribute towards just, inclusive and life sustaining societies where people have equal access to opportunities, rights and resources. We work in partnership with others in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America on three impact areas: civic rights; gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and climate justice. Our approach is solution driven, and we build wider movements for change by amplifying and connecting voices.

Hivos works for a world where people can realize their full potential, unleashing their ingenuity and creativity to build fair, just and life-sustaining societies for themselves and generations to come. Our mission is to amplify and connect voices that promote social and environmental justice and challenge power imbalances. We particularly empower marginalized rightsholders to raise their voice and demand freedom of choice.

Hivos supports the development of alternative solutions to deep-seated problems so that individuals and communities can make responsible and equitable choices within political and economic systems that serve their needs and preserve the planet. We connect people and organizations offering alternatives to those looking for solutions in their fight for social and environmental justice.

• SouthSouthNorth

SouthSouthNorth (SSN) supports national and regional responses to climate change through policy and knowledge interventions, partnerships and deep collaboration. We do this by connecting people and information, enhancing capability and mobilising resources to respond innovatively to the challenges and opportunities that climate change presents. Being positioned in the Global South affords SSN a deeper understanding of, and connection to, the climate and development challenges facing the region. SSN’s roll in this programme will focus on:

• Convening and connecting stakeholders across the science-policy divide;
• Aggregation and synthesis of existing knowledge into easily accessible formats for different audiences. Accessible and responsible communication through news, blogs, briefs, and other digital formats; and
• Learning collaboratively: with wider communities of practice, participating in and convening learning initiatives and capacity strengthening.

• WWF NA

WWF North Africa is an independent conservation organization which is part of the WWF Mediterranean program.

Created in 1994, WWF North Africa acts in order to offer to the future generations a living planet.

With our experts and the support of our donors, we are striving to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and wildlife. From individuals and communities to business and government, we are part of a growing coalition calling on world leaders to set nature on the path to recovery by 2030. Together, we seek to protect and restore natural habitats, stop the mass extinction of wildlife, and make the way we produce and consume sustainable.

The fields of intervention of WWF North Africa cover essentially the following areas:

• The conservation of ecosystems: marine and coastal protected areas, wetlands, forests and national parks.
• Sustainable fishing
• Capacity building of environmental protection associations
• Environmental awareness and education
• Ecotourism
• The creation of job opportunities in the field of sustainable development

Our projects and activities are aimed at a single objective which is: “To stop the degradation of the environment and build a future where human beings can live in harmony with nature.

Call for proposals

The Alliance welcomes proposals for partners working around climate change adaptation and advocacy especially with a focus on women, youth, urban poor, rural communities, and marginalized groups. Partners will support the creation of multi-stakeholder platforms to co-create, document and advocate for local solutions, linking and strengthening existing social and grassroots movements around climate action, Public-Private-Community-Partnerships (PPCs) such as informal social audits by bringing the community, particularly those most vulnerable, and duty bearers together on issues of climate change to influence policy.

The Alliance encourages applications from coalitions of local civil society actors (including formal and informal CSOs, CBOs, FBOs, grassroots organizations, local climate action champions etc), classic and alternative Medias. Coalitions should include unusual groups and bridge divides (national-local, urban-rural, gender, youth), to amplify the voices for just climate action especially in relation to the following outcomes:

• A strengthened & inclusive civic space is equipped and empowered to influence decision-making and co-create climate solutions
• Knowledge systems are in place and decision makers are better informed through amplified storytelling and an enabled civic space to represent vulnerable groups in influencing agenda setting
• A joint roadmap is established to lobby and advocate on policies and financial flows on natural resources essential to livelihoods

The alliance is seeking for interested groups to apply to one of the three following grants:

• Climate grant: for an organization or coalition (two or more organizations)
• Campaign / movement grant _ for coalition (two or more organizations): the coalition could be a legal registered entity and or hosted by a legal entity (non-profit local organization)
• Media fellowship or storytelling grant – for an organisation or coalition (two or more organisations)

Climate grant

This grant will support individual or group of organisations that will create a program in any combination of the program pillars related to climate action and climate justice.

If applying as coalition:

The coalition must consist of at least three organisations, and one organisation must apply as the lead organisation. The lead organisation should also be able to demonstrate in assessments if shortlisted, institutional capability to manage sub-granting to the other organisations in the coalition. This program must include an element of policy and/or budget influencing and can operate at either sub-national or national level, or both. If operating at sub-national level please indicate the counties you intend to work in. The program pillars are:

• Mutual capacity strengthening for co-creating locally shaped climate solutions;
• Agenda setting and movement in climate action through amplified storytelling;
• Joint lobbying and advocacy provide an enabling environment for civic space
• Budget: Up to 100 000 €

 Campaign / movement grant

The alliance seeks to partner with organisations aligned with the goals of the program, which are involved in existing or potential climate movements, women’s rights and feminist movements, digital activities, environmentalists, artists in Tunisia. Of key interest are movements led by youth, women, indigenous people or other marginalised groups. This grant will focus on strengthening the movement to achieve its goals through supporting campaigns spearheaded by the movement, and any capacity development the organisation might need. If applying as a coalition, one organisation must be designated the lead in the application. The lead organisation should also be able to demonstrate in assessments if shortlisted, institutional capability to manage sub-granting to the other organisations in the coalition.

Budget: Up to 60 000 €

Media fellowship or storytelling grant

The alliance seeks to partner with Tunisian organisations active in the media space to see an increase in both stories of inspiring climate action in the media, and more citizen stories being amplified for the public. Your organisation should have experience in facilitating storytelling sessions with communities and citizens with tangible outputs, and/or experience implementing media trainings and fellowships, as well as using stories for influencing at local and national level. Use of other (new social) media and innovative approaches to engage audiences, are welcome. If applying as a coalition, one organisation must be designated the lead in the application.

Budget: Up to 50 000 €

Who is eligible to apply?

• Locally registered non-profit Tunisian organizations
• Coalitions, networks, consortiums, and alliances with at least one locally registered non-profit Tunisian organization with sufficient operational and financial management experience
• Applicant with a clean human rights record
• Applicant with track record on developing and advocating for locally shaped climate solutions
• Applicant with ability to link to and mobilize larger networks or capacity to access, mobilize, convene, and influence power holders

It will be considered favourable if the coalitions/organizations:

• Have prior experience carrying out activities in priority areas related to climate change adaptation and mitigation including (desertification, water, food security and sovereignty, deforestation, coastline, energy, etc…)
• Includes actors not traditionally working in climate justice issues, but that have skills and tools which are relevant and/or scalable
• Reflects a diverse perspective and intersectionality approach which will enhance participation and strengthen the wider climate justice movement and advocacy
• Led by or who work with women groups, youth, persons with disabilities, or other marginalized groups.
• Willing to collaborate with other actors to influence stronger impacts and to build capacity over time and jointly develop and implement a capacity strengthening plan.

Non eligible organization:

International organizations

Evaluation Criteria

Generally, applications will be assessed based on eligibility or threshold criteria (minimum standards must be met), the quality of the proposal and the quality of the applicant organization or lead party of the coalition.

Key thematic area of evaluation:

• Climate solutions
• Approach of stakeholders engagement
• Innovative practices and enhancement process
• Gender and social inclusion
• Marginalized and minoritized groups
• Access to water and sanitation services & rights (social justice & environmental rights)
• Just energy transition

Specifically, the following criteria will be used during proposal review and selection:

• Clear aim and objective: the proposal is instrumental and/or strategic in contributing to VCA strategic objectives / outcomes (or even better the ToC)
• Context analysis: the extent to which the proposal defines the problem and objective
• Rights holder representation: the degree to which the organization involves, represents, and potentially amplifies the voices of most impacted and underrepresented groups and communities
• Advocacy and lobby: the degree to which the project potentially influences the stakeholders to implement new procedures and policies, create new and unexpected connections and practice
• Innovation: the degree to which the project/coalition provides clear innovative methods to enhance civil society participation in climate action (innovative solutions, now-how potential of local communities and indigenous people, nature based solutions NSBs)
• Knowledge brokering: how the project plans to use the available knowledge and package relevant information in easily accessible formats, to reach key stakeholders to support evidence-based decision-making for just climate action
• Thematic focus and relevance: project addresses at least one of the thematic areas (desertification, water, food, deforestation, coastline, energy, etc…)
• Intersectionality approach: adopts a diverse, gender-equality and rights-based perspective to climate action and advocacy
• Regional presence: Tunisia, the priority is given to the hotpots of climate change vulnerability zone.
• Covid-19 context: clearly outlines covid-19 context and effective ways of working in light of the pandemic: mitigation risk plan
• Note: grants will be awarded by respective Alliance members directly to selected partners, depending on the thematic area chosen and applicant suitability. Grants will not be awarded collectively by the Alliance.

Grant Value

Grants will be awarded for the duration of the VCA programme (2021 – 2023) depending on performance and availability of funds. Grants range to a maximum of 100,000 Euros and applications should be within this range. Applications should include an indicative budget in the proposal. A full and detailed budget is not expected at the proposal stage.

 Application Timeline

Proposal Requirements

Proposal should include the following:

• Indicate your thematic area of interest
• Title of project
• A brief description of your organization or coalition and why you are well-suited to carry out the proposed project
• A detailed description of the experience of your organization related to the thematic (advocacy, stakeholders engagement at the local level, concrete projects and actions related to climate solutions, NBSs, capacity building, etc…)
• A detailed description of the proposed project including overarching goals. Clearly explain the targeted results, and how they will be measured
• A description of how the project will be implemented in the context of Covid-19: Risk mitigation plan
• Identify lead organization and list coalition partners in the case of coalition, network, consortium, and alliance applications
• Identify lead contact and list contact name, phone number, and email information
• Amount of requested and indicative budget