- How to apply?
Start with downloading the Guidelines for Grant Applicants, Informative Grant Application Form, Budget Form and the List of Supporting Documents. All these documents can be found on www.rycowb.org under “Open Calls”.
Please read carefully the Guidelines for Grant Applicants. Next you will have to register in the online grant platform and start filling out your profile with basic information about you and your partner(s). In the next stage you will need to fill in the application. You will have to upload all the requested documents as specified in the List of Supporting Documents.
Applications will be accepted in the English language only.
Only applications received through the online platform will be considered.
Applicants must verify that their application is complete by using the checklist in the Informative Grant Application Form. Incomplete applications will be declared ineligible.
The deadline for the submission of applications is 12 October 2020, 23.59 pm.
- How do I know if I am eligible to apply?
Please read the Guidelines for Grant Applicants carefully. It will give you all the necessary information to check if you are eligible to apply for this Call. All information on the eligibility of applicants/partners and actions are stated in the sections 2.1. to 2.7 of the Guidelines for Grant Applicants.
- Can I attach other documents to the application form?
No, all the information relevant to your application must be included in the format provided; no additional documents will be accepted nor additional information considered. If your application form is not complete by the time it is submitted, it will not be considered.
- Can I edit the information in my application after having submitted my application?
No, once you have submitted your application you will not be able to make any changes. If you need to update information on the organisation such as address, phone numbers, names of legal representatives etc. because they have changed since the submission of the proposal, please send such information to: [email protected] stating in the subject of the email:
CHANGE OF INFO: RYCO CfP 2020/PROJECT TITLE/CONTRACTING PARTY[1]
However, you can edit your application on the platform as often as you want until the deadline, and make changes online before submitting it.
- What should I do in case of a problem with the application platform?
In case you are having issues with the application platform, please contact RYCO via email at [email protected], before 5 October 2020, 17:00.
- The deadline has passed, can I still apply?
No, applications submitted after the deadline (12 October 2020, 23.59 Central European Time) will not be considered.
- How many partners can we have on the project?
Each applicant must act with at least one other partner from a different WB6 contracting party. Each proposal needs to gather partners from at least two different WB6 contracting parties. There should be not more than 5 partners included in any project proposal,
A partner must be registered as a legal entity in a Western Balkans six Contracting Party. Please check section 2.2.1. and 2.2.2. of the Guidelines for Grant Applicants before selecting your partners.
- Is it possible to apply with more than one project proposal for the Call?
No, the applicant may not submit more than one (1) application under this Call for Proposals.
In addition, the applicant may be a partner in only one (1) other application under this Call for Proposals.
In the case that an applicant or partner appears twice or more, either as an applicant or as a partner, all the respective project proposals will be automatically disqualified.
Please, do strictly adhere to this rule (1 x applicant, 1 x partner) to protect your project partnerships from exclusion!
- Is it possible to budget salaries of project coordinators/other staff members working on the project?
Yes. Please refer to the Guidelines for Grant Applicants, points 2.9. to 2.11 for eligibility of costs and the Budget Form.
- In which language should I complete my application?
All applications must be completed in English. Applications completed in other languages will not be considered. However prospective applicants who wish to ask questions about the process in their local language can do so by reaching out to the corresponding Local Branch Office.
- What are the evaluation criteria for the proposals under this Call?
Evaluation of the project proposals will be conducted in three steps:
- Administrative check of the application:
RYCO will assess whether the submission deadline has been met, whether the application is complete and if other basic requirements have been met.
The proposals that do not pass the administrative check will not be further assessed.
- Eligibility check of the application:
Assessment of whether the applicant and partners satisfy the eligibility criteria in sections 2.1. – 2.6. and sections 2.10 – 2.11 of the Guidelines for Grant Applicants.
The proposals that do not pass the eligibility check will not be further assessed.
- Technical Assessment of the proposal according to 5 criteria listed in the Assessment Grid
The Evaluation Grid is available in the Grant Application Form and the Guidelines for Grant Applicants.
Please make sure that your application meets all the criteria set in the Checklist of the Informative Grant Application Form.
- Strategic Assessment by RYCO’s Selection Committee according to the criteria listed in the Guidelines for Grant Applicants.
The assessment results lead to the establishment of a shortlist (top-scored projects per Contracting Party).
As a final step of the assessment process, RYCO’s Selection Committee reviews the shortlist in light of the strategic criteria outlined in the Guidelines for Grant Applicants.
- How do we know if our application was selected?
You will be contacted by RYCO in case your project is selected.
- If selected, what are the next steps?
Following the decision to award a grant, the grantee will be offered a grant contract. By signing the contract the applicant agrees to accept RYCO’s contractual conditions.
Prior to the signing, the applicant must submit additional documents requested by RYCO in due time (Financial Identification Form and Legal Entity Form, both to be provided by RYCO).
After the signing of the contract, the grant will be disbursed through 2 payment instalments – 80% the RYCO’s approved contribution to the budget at the start of the project implementing period and 20% upon approval of the final report.
- What is a FIF and how can I get it for my organization?
FIF is a Financial Identification Form stating:
- banking details of the applicant such as account name, IBAN/account number, currency, BIC/SWIFT code, bank name and address
- account holder’s data as declared to the bank, account holder, street & number, town/city postcode
At the first application stage, it is not necessary to have a FIF. This document will be needed in case your project proposal is selected for funding. In that case, RYCO will send you a FIF to be filled out and stamped by the bank where you have your organisation’s account.
- What is a LEF and how can I get it for my organization?
LEF is a Legal Entity Form stating the basic legal information of the applicant.
At the stage of applying, it is not necessary to have a LEF. This document will be needed in case your project proposal is selected for funding. In that case, you will receive a LEF template from RYCO to be filled out by your legal representative.
- Is it possible to apply for co-financing a project that we are already implementing?
No, RYCO only funds initiatives that were designed specifically for this Call.
- What are the monitoring and evaluation obligations if our project is approved?
Regular progress updates will be necessary and one of the core obligations towards RYCO. Grantees should perform their internal monitoring and evaluation process as they state in the section 4.3 of the Application Form. The grantee will also contribute to RYCO’s monitoring and evaluation as defined in the contract, for example by providing all available documentation regarding the project implementation to RYCO upon request.
The grantees are also obliged to submit narrative and financial reports to RYCO, to receive the second instalment.
The grantee is also obliged to document all activities in regard to external communication/visibility (e.g. newspaper articles, TV appearances, campaigns, etc.) and to share them with RYCO on a regular basis, including any communication products produced in the course of the project, such as photos, videos, testimonials, etc.
- Can money be transferred to partner organizations during the implementation of the project for the implementation of project activities?
Yes, but the responsibility for the full implementation of activities and reporting on expenses related to them remains with the Lead Applicant.
- Can partners be from the same Contracting Party as the applicant?
Yes, but at least one of them needs to be a partner from a different Contracting Party.
- Can we include young people/participants from outside of WB6 such as Croatia?
Yes, they can be included as participants, but project funding cannot be transferred to organizations outside the WB6. They can still participate in the project on a voluntary basis or through their own funding.
- Can activities outside the WB6 be funded?
Not with RYCO’s funds, but projects can contain activities outside the WB6 that are funded by other sources. If it is your case, you need to state this explicitly, otherwise there is a risk of being declared non-eligible due to location.
- Can the co-funding within RYCO supported projects be provided by governmental institutions?
Yes.
- Are the project costs tax-free?
No, since tax exemption cannot be guaranteed in all contracting parties at this moment.
- Is there a predefined percentage for human resources in the budget?
No, it is up to applicants to demonstrate that the implementation of the project is cost-effective.
- In case of ineligible costs in the budget, can the proposal still be considered?
No, ineligible costs in the budget will make the proposal ineligible. Please refer to section 2.10. – 2.11. of the Guidelines for Grant Applicants for more information on the eligibility of the costs.
- What is the 80/20 rule?
RYCO will pay its grants according to the following procedure:
An initial instalment of 80% of the grant will be released within 30 days of receipt of the signed grant contract.
The balance (20% of the grant, or the remaining amount according to the actual budget spent/co-financing provided in case of under spending) will be released within 60 days after receiving and approving the final narrative and financial reports, including all additional documents that RYCO may request to substantiate these reports.
For more details, please refer to the Financial Guidelines for Grant Applicants, point 7.
- How can I get further information if my question is not addressed in the Guidelines?
Carefully read all the Open Call documents, including the FAQ which are available on the RYCO website. In case your question is not answered, write to [email protected] or contact your respective Local Branch Officer via email no later than 7 days before the deadline for the submission of applications (5 October 2020). RYCO does not accept phone inquiries.
- Am I allowed to buy equipment?
Yes, you are allowed, but only if it is fully justified by the project’s purpose.
- What will be covered during the info sessions and where to find additional information in case I couldn’t attend?
The info sessions will inform the applicants on the aims and the structure of RYCO and on the call, including general information on the call, objectives, eligibility criteria and financial package. During the info sessions, RYCO will also go through the application form in detail.
If you cannot attend these info sessions, information will be available on the call documents, and applicants are welcome to contact RYCO for further questions.
- Can RYCO help with project proposal development?
It is not possible for RYCO staff to provide individual applicants with project drafting support. However, key information about the call will be shared during the info-session.
Aynhow, please note that RYCO builds proposal development capacities throughout the year for a variety of actors (such opportunities are typically announced through RYCO social media channels).
- Does RYCO provide support for finding partners and establishing partnerships?
RYCO does not provide direct support to the applicants for creation of partnerships but provides information on platforms that serve the purpose of facilitating partnerships and peer learning. For example, you can visit the ‘RYCO Meeting Point’ Facebook group or the Western Balkans Cooperation Platform (www.connecting-youth.org) created by civil society organizations.
- Do contributions in kind count as co-funding?
No, in-kind contributions cannot be accepted as co-funding.
- Can RYCO accept flat rates or lump sums, for example for travel and accommodation?
No, RYCO requires budgeting and accounting with actual costs projected/incurred with the exception of the indirect/administrative costs that can be budgeted as a flat rate of not more than 7% of the total eligible costs of the project.
- What support can I get from the Head of Local Branch Office in my Contracting Party during the implementation?
During the entire implementation of the projects, applicants are invited to contact RYCO Local Branch Office in their respective Contracting Party for any questions related to the project implementation.
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[1] Contracting Party can be one of the following: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, or Serbia, according to the seat of the Applicant
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence