All the documents relating to this Call for Proposals can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
Context
The Trade for Development Centre (TDC) is a programme of Enabel, the Belgian development agency.
The TDC aims to promote sustainable production and responsible consumption. It accomplishes this by strengthening production and consumption chains so that they become more sustainable (diversified, climate-smart), more inclusive and more respectful of human rights.
Through this Call for Proposals, the TDC aims to support Business Support Organisations (BSOs) so that the MSMEs they support have access to quality support services in terms of sustainability and respect for human rights.
Objective
- The general objective of this call for proposals is to contribute to making the first links in the production chain more sustainable.
- The specific objective is to support BSOs (Business Support Organisations) so that they have the know-how and tools to help businesses export to EU markets in a way that is sustainable, respectful of decent work, and respectful of human rights.
What amount?
All applications for a grant under this call for proposals must range from a minimum of EUR 30,000 to a maximum of EUR 50,000.
The beneficiary must co-finance at least 10% of the total project budget.*
The grant will be paid in 3 instalments**.
* Details in point 1.3, page 4 to 5 of the Guidelines
** Details in point 2.1.5, pages 11 of the Guidelines
To finance what types of projects?
The development of tools and the acquisition of know-how in the following areas:
- Support towards decent work / decent income
- Strengthening the position of producers’ organisations towards primary buyers
- Promoting climate-smart agriculture
- Traceability and transparency
- …
Carrying out or facilitating a small survey of the organisations supported a few months after the end of the training, the use of new tools, or the roll-out of new support modules, to ensure that these meet the needs and so that adjustments can be made if necessary.
A clarification regarding any training that could be subsidised: By way of example, we consider the following approach to training to be ‘good practice’. It consists of “3-step” training, during which participants will be trained in the following order:
- theoretical training
- in tandem, where the trainee follows the coach/trainer on a practical case study in the field
- implementation of what has been acquired by the trainee, with the support of the coach/trainer.
A clarification regarding any development of tools and support modules that could be subsidised: By way of example, we consider the following approach to the development of tools and support modules to be ‘good practice’. It consists of a methodology that includes several phases:
- designing the module or tool
- piloting the module/tool (test phase)
- adjustment of the module/tool based on reactions (feedback loop).
Details in point 2.1.3, pages 8 to 10 of the Guidelines
Who can apply?
A Business Support Organisation (BSO), which:
- offers, at the very least, support services to MSMEs in the field of trade, trade facilitation and export promotion;
- has – in whole or in part – as clients, users, or members (i.e. the organisations to which it offers support) producers’ organisations and/or cooperatives and/or social economy enterprises, active in the cocoa, coffee and/or cashew nut sectors;
- is established in one of the following countries:
- Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Mali, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, or Uganda
- BSOs providing support to organisations active in the cocoa sector may also be established in Côte d’Ivoire or Ghana
- BSOs providing support to organisations active in the coffee sector may also be established in Ethiopia or Kenya
- has a legal status since at least 2 years
All the eligibility criteria can be found in point 2.1.1, pages 5 to 7 of the Guidelines.
When to apply?
You have until Monday 6 May 2024 at 12.30pm (Brussels time) to submit your application.
We strongly advise you not to wait until the last day or the last minute, and to anticipate possible power cuts, variations in the quality of the Internet connection, bad weather preventing you from reaching areas to send your application, etc.
How to apply? Application procedure
The proposal must be submitted via the following link: https://submit.link/2v7
All the documents relating to this Call for Proposals can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
Documents to be completed
- ANNEX A: grant application file (proposal) (Word format)
- ANNEX B: budget (Excel format)
- ANNEX C: logical framework (Word format)
- ANNEX D: legal entity form (Word format) duly completed and signed by the applicant, accompanied by the supporting documents requested.
Documents to be submitted
- proof/certificate of registration with the local authorities; or the official decree establishing the creation.
- the articles of association (by-laws, memorandum of association, statutes, constitution) and any internal regulations.
- a copy of the certified financial statements for the previous 2 years (income statement + balance sheet for the last two closed financial years). This does not apply to public entities.
- To demonstrate your expertise in supporting organisations: Please enclose with your application two support records carried out in 2022 or 2023 including ALL THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: the methodology used, the tools created, the reports exchanged between the BSO and the coached organisation, the amount invoiced, the number of days of support, etc.
- To demonstrate your experience in managing grants: Please enclose with your application a contract + a certificate of completion for each experience presented / action managed by your organisation over the last three years in the same sector and on a scale comparable to that for which a grant is requested (see point “2.4.1 The applicant’s experience” in the Grant application file).
- Legal entities of private law “for which profit maximization is not the priority objective”, must also provide internal documents and regulations explaining the allocation of profits in previous years, the composition of the shareholder base, and a copy of any certifications relating to the organisation.
