From July 13, 2020 the Centre of Electoral Systems Development, Reform and Training (hereinafter – the Training Center) is announcing the grant contest for the following direction determined under the Central Election Commission of Georgia (hereinafter – the CEC) July 3, 2020 №41/2020 Ordinance (available in Georgian) – Informing Voters for the Parliament of Georgia 2020 Elections.

Contest topic: Informing Voters for the Parliament of Georgia 2020 Elections

Grant project proposals submitted under the above-mentioned topic shall focus on the following: implementation of informational-training programs, informational campaigns, programs and/or other activities to facilitate raising voter electoral awareness, enhancing civic responsibility and invigorating voters for the Parliament of Georgia 2020 Elections. It is important that the informational-training activities envisaged under the projects are focused on informing voters about election related legislative amendments, the rule of holding elections during the Pandemic and safe voting procedures at election precincts, electoral rights and the procedures for exercising those (including the principle of the secrecy of vote), as well as other important electoral matters that will facilitate voters to make informed choice and will stimulate increased activeness of voters (including young voters) in the electoral process.

The target groups the project will cover shall comprise voters’ group in general or at least one target group provided below:

• youth;
• women;
• ethnic minorities;
• people with disabilities (PWDs);
• Internally displaced persons (IDPs).

In case ethnic minorities and/or PWDs are identified as target groups, it is important to implement the project in consideration of language, tradition/religious barriers, needs of the PWDs.

Grant project duration: September 25 - October 25, 2020.

The area for the implementation of the grant project and the range of funding

Grant project proposals shall be submitted for one of the areas designated below, in consideration of the relevant range of funding:

• Tbilisi (Mtatsminda, Krtsanisi, Vake, Saburtalo) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 40,000, of this, the funding limit per grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Tbilisi (Isani, Samgori, Chughureti) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, the funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Tbilisi (Didube, Nadzaladevi, Gldani) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, the funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Kakheti (Sagarejo, Gurjaani, Signagi, Dedoplistskaro) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 40,000, of this, the funding limit per grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Kakheti (Kvareli, Lagodekhi, Telavi, Akhmeta) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 40,000, of this, the funding limit per grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Kvemo Kartli (Rustavi, Gardabani, Marneuli, Bolnisi) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 40,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Kvemo Kartli (Tsalka, Tetritskaro, Dmanisi) - total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Shida Kartli (Kaspi, Gori, Kareli, Khashuri) - total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 40,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Mtskheta-Mtianeti (Mtskheta, Tianeti, Dusheti, Kazbegi) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 40,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Samtskhe-Javakheti (Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe, Adigeni) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Samtskhe-Javakheti (Aspindza, Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminda) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Imereti (Tkibuli, Terjola, Zestaponi) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Imereti (Kharagauli, Sachkhere, Chiatura) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Imereti (Kutaisi, Khoni, Tskaltubo) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Imereti (Bagdati, Samtredia, Vani) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti (Oni, Ambrolauri, Tsageri, Lentekhi) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 40,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 20,000.
• Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti (Abasha, Martvili, Senaki) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti (Tsalenjikha, Chkhorotsku, Khobi) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti (Poti, Zugdidi, Mestia) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Guria (Ozurgeti, Chokhatauri, Lanchkhuti) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Adjara (Kobuleti, Batumi, Khelvachauri) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project is GEL 16,000.
• Adjara (Khulo, Keda, Shuakhevi) – total funding of grant projects for this area is GEL 32,000, of this, funding limit per grant project tis GEL 16,000.

Note: Grant funds will be available from October 1, 2020.

Total funding for the direction: GEL 760,000.

Note:

• Pursuant to the Rules of Awarding Grants, for participating in the contest, NGOs may submit only one grant proposal under the announced grant contest.
• Based on the goals prescribed under the contest topic, grant project proposal submitted by an NGO shall envisage holding of informational programs and/or other activities throughout all election districts within the area of project implementation. The failure to comply with the above-mentioned condition is the basis for removing the contest documentation from the competition.
• It is recommended that labor remuneration expenses are under 35% of the grant project budget, while labor remuneration of project leader shall be within 35% of the labor remuneration fund. It is important to take into account the regulations of the Law of Georgia on Accumulative Pension in the course of designing the budget for projects.
• The leader of an NGO and individuals implementing the project funded under the announced grant contest shall be independent and impartial during the grant project implementation; in the course of activities envisaged under the projects, they shall refrain from any such action that may be perceived as an action in support/against any of the electoral entities. In case the failure to comply with this requirement is proven, the measures of responsibility envisaged under the Rule for Awarding Grants will be applied in relation to such NGOs.

Who is eligible to take part in the grant contest:

Local non-commercial legal entities (hereinafter – NGO) registered pursuant to Georgia legislation prior to announcing of competition are eligible to participate in the competition.

Those NGOs whose managers and/or the individuals envisaged to implement submitted grant project shall not be eligible to participate in the competition if they 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. NGO management implies individuals having the authority to lead/represent an NGO according to an extract from the Registry of Entrepreneurs and Non-commercial Legal Entities.

Documentation to be submitted to the grant contest:

To participate in the grant competition, an NGO shall submit the following documents according to the indicated rule:

1. a)  Grant application as per the form in the Annex N1 (available in Georgian) (hard copy and an electronic version (CD));
2. b)  An extract from the Registry of Entrepreneurs and Non-commercial Legal Entities obtained after the grant competition announcement (July 13, 2020) evidencing that the NGO does not have the following obligations: attachment/injunction, tax lien, registry of creditors (hard copy);

Reviewing body:

Grant Competition commission takes a decision on dismissing competition documentation, on funding/refusal to fund an NGO, removal of competition documentation from competition. Grant competition commission takes such decisions in absentia of a representative of an NGO that has submitted the competition documentation.

Members of grant competition commission will evaluate grant projects according to the criteria stipulated in the competition documentation evaluation sheet (Annex N2 (available in Georgian)).

Publicity of grant competition results:

Bidders will be informed about competition results via e-mail notice to their e-mail. Information about NGOs funded based on the grant competition committee decision will also be posted to the CEC and the Training Center websites: www.cesko.ge; www.electionreforms.ge

Grant contest schedule:

• Announcing a contest: July 13, 2020;
• Timeframe for the submission of contest documentation: from July 13 through July 24, 2020 (except for weekends), from 10:00 am to 18:00 pm, to the following address: 13^th km, D. Aghmashenebeli Alley (the CEC Building), fifth floor, Tbilisi;
• Informational meetings about the rule of submission of contest documentation: July 15, 2020, 15:00 at the following address: 13^th, David Aghmashenebeli Alley (the CEC Building), Tbilisi.

For the Rules for Awarding Grants, follow the Link

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