FCRA PROJECT: IRIS AID SUPPORTS FUND.

Deadline: Round The Year.

 

Name of ODA agency/Ministry: Irish Aid

Name of grant programme: In-Country Micro Project Scheme

Background:

Irish Aid is the Government of Ireland’s programme to provide assistance to developing countries, which began in 1974. Irish Aid in India is managed by the Embassy of Ireland, New Dehli, through the In-Country Micro Project Scheme (ICMPS). The Micro Project Scheme is designed to provide financial assistance primarily to Non- governmental Organisations.

Types of grant: Co-funding projects

Grant size:

So far, the maximum grant size has been € 26,000, with a maximum implementation period of three years.

Own Contribution:

This fund covers about 75% of the project costs for NGOs in recipient countries. (International travel and costs for expatriate staff cannot be covered by the grant.)

Funding Priorities:

The Micro Project Scheme funds innovative projects that are in line with the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals, especially projects that address the root causes of poverty in a way that is strategic and cost effective, enhances local capacity and ownership, and is consistent with Irish Aid’s other work. Priority is given to projects in the following sectors:

• Basic Education

• Primary Health Care

• Water and Sanitation

• Micro-enterprise development

• Training and Capacity Building

• HIV/AIDS

• Democratic governance

The project should be sustainable; it should include all sections of society without any discrimination on the basis of gender, it should be effective and it should make use of appropriate and innovative technologies. The geographical focus is generally on the underserved districts of Orissa, Karnataka, West Bengal, Dehli NCR and Tamil Nadu.

Eligibility Criteria:

Eligible applicants are registered NGOs, community based organisations, faith-based organisations involved in development work, cooperatives, farmer associations and trade unions, registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) of the Government of India. Applicant organisations are expected to possess a verifiable track record of public-private partnerships, transparency in governance, financial accountability and facilitation of community stake holding, in previous project. Projects that are NOT eligible for funding under this scheme are:

• Projects that are primarily of a welfare nature and that are clearly not sustainable without external support, such as feeding programmes or the provision of financial relief

• Emergency projects that are in response to natural or human disasters

• Projects that involve evangelization or the proselytizing of religious beliefs

• Projects involving sponsorship or scholarships of individuals or families

• Projects that have received funding in the past from

Irish Aid under other budget lines such as the NGO Co-financing Scheme or the Human Rights and Democratization Scheme.