From February 18, 2019, the Training Center is announcing a grant competition on the following directions of the grant competition stipulated under the Central Election Commission of Georgia February 8, 2019 Ordinance N 2/2019 (available in Georgian):

• First direction- raising voter awareness for the Parliament of Georgia Interim Elections scheduled for May, 2019, for interim Elections of Sakrebulo – Municipality Representative body and Snap Elections of Municipality Mayors.
• Second direction - support raising electoral awareness and civic culture of young voters

To ensure awareness of voters as part of the grant competition on the above-mentioned directions, supporting the initiatives submitted by NGOs is based on the recommendations of international/local observer missions and the results of the analysis of electoral process performed by the Election Administration; the analysis evidences the necessity for regular implementation of awareness raising/educational programs.

Competition topic under the first direction – raising awareness of voters for the Parliament of Georgia May, 2019 Interim Elections of Sakrebulo – Municipality Representative body and Snap Elections of Municipality Mayors

To promote raising activity of voters in interim/snap elections in May, 2019, grant project submitted for the above-mentioned topic shall consider an initiative of an electoral awareness-raising campaign that will be oriented at informing voters on the matters of the importance of citizens’ participation in the governance of the country through elections and legislative mechanisms of realization of suffrage. It is important that the project envisage implementation of awareness-raising training activities not only in the seminars/training format, but also as role, staged or other innovative events. Events to be implemented as part of the project shall be oriented at envisaging and promotion of gender issues.

Based on the goal of the competition topic under the first direction, grant project shall be submitted for one of the areas stipulated below, considering the relevant scope of funding:

• Grant project proposal submitted for the first area shall envisage holding voters’ awareness raising campaign in Mtatsminda election district, where the interim parliamentary elections are held. Total fund for grant projects in the mentioned area is GEL 60,000, of which, the maximum funding of each grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Grant project proposal submitted for the second area shall envisage holding voters’ awareness raising campaign within the Marneuli election district, where the Mayor's snap elections are held. Total funding available for projects in the above-mentioned area is GEL 80,000; maximum funding of each grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Grant projects proposal submitted for the third area shall envisage voters’ awareness-raising campaign within the Zestaponi election district, where the Mayor's snap elections and interim Elections of Sakrebulo – Municipality Representative body are held (bounds of the electoral district where the interim Elections of Sakrebulo are held see at the link (available in Georgian)). Total funding available for grant projects in the above-mentioned area is GEL 60,000; maxim funding for each grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Grant project proposal submitted for fourth area shall envisage voters’ awareness raising campaign within Chiatura election district, where the Mayor's snap elections and interim Elections of Sakrebulo – Municipality Representative body are held (bounds of the electoral district where the interim Elections of Sakrebulo are held see at the link (available in Georgian)). Total funding available for projects in the above-mentioned area is GEL 60,000, of this, maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Grant project proposal submitted for fifth area shall envisage voters’ awareness raising campaign within Zugdidi election district, where the Mayor's snap elections are held. Total funding available for projects in the above-mentioned area is GEL 80,000; maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Grant project proposal submitted for sixth area shall envisage voters’ awareness raising campaign within Khulo election district, where the Mayor's snap elections are held. Total funding available for projects in the above-mentioned area is GEL 60,000; maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Grant project proposal submitted for the seventh area shall envisage voters’ awareness raising campaign within the bounds of election precincts in Sagarejo, Akhmeta, Adigeni, Tkibuli, Tskaltubo and Ozurgeti Election Districts where interim elections of a representative body – Sakrebulo are held, see the link (available in Georgian). Total funding available for grant projects for the above-mentioned area is GEL 60,000; maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 20,000.

Total funding: GEL 460,000

Grant project duration:

April 15, 2019 – May 15, 2019 (1 month)

Note: Given the goals of the competition, after the election day is announced, project implementing NGO shall shift project implementation schedule according to the selection committee decision and notify the Training Center.

Competition topic for the second direction – promote enhancement of electoral awareness and civic culture of young voters

A grant project proposal submitted under the competition topic of the Second Direction shall envisage initiative of civic education of young voters oriented at informing young voters about importance of voters’ participation in the governance of the country through democratic elections and elections, the setup of the state in Georgia and the rule of forming elective bodies, the principle of accountability between the electorate and elected institutions thereof, promotion of elections and other issues for ensuring raising civic responsibility. It is important to model awareness-raising/educational programs to be implemented as part of the project, develop training materials and select and apply training methodology according to the age and interests of young voters. Activities to be implemented as part of the project shall be oriented at considering gender aspects and supporting.

Based on the goal of the second direction competition topic, grant project shall be submitted for one of the areas designated below, considering the scope of relevant funding:

• Tbilisi – total amount of grant projects funding for the mentioned area is GEL 90,000; maximum funding of each grant project is GEL 30,000;
• Kakheti – total funding of grant projects for the mentioned area is GEL 60,000; maximum funding of each grant project is GEL 30,000.
• Kvemo Kartli – total funding available for grant projects in this area is GEL 60,000; maximum funding of each grant project is GEL 30,000.
• Shida Kartli – total funding available for grant projects in the mentioned area is GEL 60,000; maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 30,000.
• Mtskheta-Mtianeti – total funding available for grant projects in the mentioned area is GEL 60,000; maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 30,000.
• Samtskhe-Javakheti - total funding available for grant projects in the mentioned area is GEL 60,000; maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 30,000.
• Imereti - total funding available for grant projects in the mentioned area is GEL 90,000; maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 30,000.
• Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti - total funding available for grant projects in the mentioned area is GEL 60,000; maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 30,000.
• Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti - total funding available for grant projects in the mentioned area is GEL 60,000; maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 30,000.
• Guria - total funding available for grant projects in the mentioned area is GEL 60,000; maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 30,000.
• Adjara - total funding available for grant projects in the mentioned area is GEL 60,000; maximum funding for each grant project is GEL 30,000.

Total funding available: GEL 720,000

Grant project duration:

April 15 – June 15, 2019 (2 months)

Note:

• In coordination with winning NGOs under first and second direction competition topics, the Election Administration will provide contribution manifested by the participation of DEC representatives in awareness-raising meetings organized as part of the grant projects; during these meetings project beneficiaries will receive information about activities of the Election Administration and services offered to the electorate, including about electoral/education programs planned for 2019.
• In coordination with winning NGOs under the second direction competition topics who will implement projects in ethnic minority regions (Kvemo Kartli, Samtskhe-Javakheti), the Training Center will provide contribution during the project implementation process; the contribution will involve awareness-raising meeting for the target group to hold staged elections with direct participation of youth.
• Work and business trip expenses related to the contribution of the Training Center employees and representatives of DECs for awareness-raising meetings will be covered by the entities/organizations that are extending contribution.

Attention:

• Heads of NGOs funded under first and second directions of the announced grant competition and those in charge of executing grant projects shall be independent and impartial in the course of implementation of the grant projects; furthermore, in the course of implementing activities envisaged by the projects they shall refrain from such action that can be perceived as support/action against any of electoral subjects. In case of confirmation of the failure to comply with the above-mentioned requirement, measures of responsibility stipulated under the Granting Rule will be applied against such NGO.
• Pursuant to Granting Rule, an NGO is authorized to submit just one grant proposal for participation in the Competition.

Who is eligible to participate in the grant competition:

• Non-commercial legal entities (NGOs) registered according to Georgia legislation prior to the announcement of the competition are eligible to participate in the competition.
• NGOs shall not be eligible to participate in the competition in case leadership of such NGOs and/or the individuals envisaged to implement submitted grant project are either of the following: a member of the Central Election Commission of Georgia; a Head of a structural unit of the CEC Apparatus; a Head, a Deputy Head of the Training Center; Head of a structural unit of the Training Center; a member of a grant competition committee, committee secretariat and monitoring group. Leadership of an NGO imply individuals with leadership/representation powers at an NGO according to an extract from the Registry of Enterprises and Non-commercial Legal Entities.

Competition documentation to be submitted under the grant competition

For participating in grant competition, an NGO shall submit the following competition documentation, by observing the indicated rule:

1. a) grant application, following the format of Annex №1 (in print and electronic format (CD));  
2. b) an extract from the Registry of Enterprises and Non-commercial Legal Entities obtained after the announcement of the grant competition (February 18, 2019), the information in which confirms that an NGO does not have the following obligations: attachment/injunction, tax lien, Registry of Debtors (hard copy);

Reviewing body:

Grant competition committee will take a decision about dismissing competition documentation, about funding/refusal to fund an NGO, removal of competition documentation from competition. The grant competition commission takes the mentioned decisions in absentia of a representative of an NGO that has submitted competition documentation.

Grant competition committee members will evaluate grant project proposals according to the criteria stipulated in the evaluation sheet of competition documentation (Annex N2).

Publicity of grant competition results:

Grant competition participants will be notified about the results of the competition via a message to their e-mail. Information about NGOs funded at the decision of the grant competition commission will also be posted on the CEC and the Training Center websites.

www.cesko.ge; www.electionreforms.ge

Grant competition schedule:

• Announcing the competition: February 18, 2019;
• Submission of competition documentation: February 19-through March 4 (except for weekends), from 10:00 to 18:00, at the following address: 13th km, David Aghmashenebeli Alley, (the CEC Building), 5th floor;
• Information meeting about the submission of competition documentation: February 22, 2019, 15:00, at 13th km, David Aghmashenebeli Alley (the CEC building).

Follow the link for Grant Award Rule (available in Georgian).

For additional information contact us at: 261 21 11 (17)