Funding for Development Projects to Strengthen CSOs and to Achieve SDGs 2024

Hello, agents of social change! The Funding for Development Projects program is here to support your efforts to strengthen civil society organizations (CSOs) and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Whether you’re working to promote gender equality, combat climate change, or reduce poverty, this funding opportunity could be your chance to make a real difference in the lives of people and communities around the world.

By investing in the capacity and leadership of local organizations, the Funding for Development Projects program is building a more resilient and sustainable future for all.

The Overview of Funding for Development Projects

The French Embassy in Bangladesh has issued its annual Call for Expressions of Project Intentions (AMI), which provides co-financing for development projects aimed at strengthening local civil society partners and attaining sustainable development goals.

This call for projects is by the French Orientation and Programming Law on Development and International Solidarity, which was approved by the French parliament on August 4, 2021, as well as the goals of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs important document “Civil Society and Civic Engagement” 2023-2027.

Themes of the Funding for Development Projects

• Food sovereignty, especially in Africa.
• Human rights, democracy, and the battle against deception.
• Migration, namely preventing human trafficking.
• Priority objectives of French government development assistance include the following themes:
• Combating climate change.
• Conservation of biodiversity, particularly forests and oceans;
• Youth, education, and vocational training.
• Primary health and resilience to health threats;
• Innovation and entrepreneurship, notably among young individuals from Europe and Africa;
• Supporting feminist organizations and those advocating for women’s rights can help to achieve gender equality.

Funding for Development Projects Eligibility Criteria

• AFD provides co-financing to CSOs founded under one of the following legal forms
• Associations or non-governmental organizations (including unions) established under the laws of the country in question, are non-profit and work in the field of sustainable development, and are already funded by the AFD group, either directly or through a French partner.
• AFD recognizes CSOs’ right to initiative, allowing them to propose projects that they have specified for themselves.
• CSOs registered in countries eligible for official development aid according to the list produced by the OECD Development Aid Committee (DAC) may now, under certain conditions, request for direct co-financing from AFD for their initiatives via the CSO Initiatives (CSO-I) mechanism.
• Non-profit national, regional, or international platforms that work in the field of sustainable development and have their headquarters permanently located in one of the countries affected by their work, by the country’s legislation, and are already supported by the AFD group through a French partner.
• This year, locally governed CSOs (including unions) are eligible if they have been financed at least once for a completed project (directly or through a French or international CSO) by an AFD Group entity (DPA/OSC, Operations Department, and Expertise France), regardless of the amount received. Alternatively, a French embassy may provide over €100,000 in annual support (Fonds Equipe France (ex-FSPI) initiatives, for example).
• programs to structure local CSO sectors (SMA) as well as programs concentrating on sustainable development and global citizenship education (also known as global education) in the nations will be encouraged and may be financed.
• Local CSOs may submit a single project intention (on their own or as part of a consortium) with the following two options:
• A new phase of an AFD group-supported project if the prior project’s implementation is deemed adequate by the AFD group, with a geographical and thematic scope that is stable over time, and may be renewed once when appropriate.
• A new project with a different geographical or thematic scope than the previously financed project can be renewed up to twice.
• The project intentions submitted to AFD for this call must promote and empower local stakeholders while also contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

NB: Foundations are not eligible for assistance from the AFD group through a French partner. For further information, you can visit the AFD.

Ineligible for the Projects

• Sending or giving equipment (medicine, books, and so on), or private fundraising
• Projects primarily or entirely oriented at the following sectors of activity are ineligible for AFD CSO Initiatives co-financing, save in rare instances that AFD alone may assess:
• Academic and scientific exchange
• Youth  exchanges
• Archaeology
• French language
• One-time, geographically limited initiatives may not be co-financed unless they are part of larger processes and actions.
• Projects including operations to create or restore infrastructure that represents more than 40% of the expected budget (unless in duly justified situations, discussed with the CSO in advance).
• Emergency one-time actions under the competence of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
• Organizing conferences, symposiums, and seminars when the project involves or is organized exclusively around this type of activity.
• Evaluations alone.
• CSO members can take individual or group trips.
• Covering logistical resources, such as transportation, containers, and cars.
• The project may not incorporate religious proselytizing or political promotion.
• Projects that are primarily or solely focused on the following activities are not eligible for AFD co-financing:
• Training initiatives or programs when the project involves or is designed exclusively around this type of activity.
• Publications or editorial efforts that involve or are based on this type of activity.

Funding Information

• The entire project cost must exceed or equal €500,000.
• Combating terrorism financing: AFD requires the CSOs it sponsors to follow the United Nations, European Union, and France-enacted rules to freeze assets and prevent the direct or indirect provision of financial or economic resources.
• The period
• Project duration is limited to three years unless otherwise justified.
• The project/program budget’s ratio to the CSO’s annual budget: the average annual cost of the project for the last three years must not exceed 70% of the CSO’s annual budget unless otherwise justified; the CSO’s minimum annual budget must thus be at least €238 000.
• Indirect costs are limited to a maximum of 14% of direct project costs.
• The maximum co-financing rate under AFD’s CSO-I method is 90% of the overall project budget.