GUIDE TO APPLICANTS KIBERA FUND - Call for Proposals Return to: The Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Community Development Foundation, Junction of Chai and Pamba Roads, Pangani, P.O Box 10501-00100, Nairobi Email: grants@kcdf.or.ke Website: www.kcdf.or.ke Page 1 of 5
1. ABOUT KCDF Established in 1997, KCDF supports local community development initiatives through grantmaking and capacity building of local organizations. KCDF holds strongly that rapid and enduring change is only possible when organized communities are able to initiate their own solutions to development challenges affecting them and are able to harness and grow their own resources to respond to them as well as tap from other networks that offer relevant solutions. KCDF invests in enhancing the capacity of organizations and associations as a unit of promoting a variety of community-driven development efforts that touch people s priorities. In line with this theory of change, our work has fundamental principles that drive it:- a. Community led development: In general, our process is that we start by spending time with the communities and facilitate their understanding and articulation of their problems and solutions that are available to them. This is then followed by an exercise in understanding the resources already available to them and how they could best optimise them in solving their problems. A belief in themselves and their own ability to achieve prosperity is essential to this model. b. Building on existing efforts and investments: We work with communities to identify and exploit locally available resources with a view to strengthening their self-sufficiency and reducing their dependency on other players. In this way, ownership is assured and therefore sustainability can be achieved. c. Long term view approach: Sustainability is at the heart of KCDF s work. We believe that energy must be spent in programmes that are sustainable and that enable the community to continue managing their development even after the exit of external supporters. d. Inter-generational social investment: To achieve sustainable development, we make most of our social investment in programmes that affect the youth and women directly, because of our well founded belief that women and youth constitute the majority of our population and core to sustainable community development. Our vision All Kenyan communities giving and working together in a prosperous nation Our mission KCDF promotes sustainable development of communities through social investment, resource mobilization, endowment building and grantmaking. 2. WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND OF THE KIBERA FUND? The Kibera Fund (sometimes called the Fund in this document) was set up by Comic Relief, a UK-based fundraising organisation that uses television and the power of entertainment to bring positive change to people living tough lives in many parts of the world, but predominantly in Africa. Comic Relief makes hard-hitting documentaries and appeal films that are broadcast annually on British television (the BBC) to raise funds for various needs, including urban Page 2 of 5
poverty. Comic Relief is fortunate to have the backing of many celebrities with a high profile in the UK, who are willing to endorse the fundraising campaigns. In 2010, Comic Relief sent four celebrities to live and work in Kibera, one of Africa s largest urban slums, for a week. The four a radio DJ, an actress, a former news reader and a comedian were stripped of all their personal possessions for a week and given just KES. 200. Under the watchful eye of a small camera crew, they recorded on film their experiences of taking a low-paid job in Kibera (ranging from emptying pit latrines to washing clothes), and living within Kibera for seven days. The resultant film footage was made into a two-hour documentary called Famous, Rich and in the Slums, which was broadcast on national BBC television in March 2011. The film followed the four celebrities who described the whole experience as life-changing. The documentary evoked a huge response from the UK public, who donated around One Million UK Pounds (approximately KES 140 Million) towards Comic Relief s work in urban slums in Kenya. Comic Relief decided to reserve this money for community projects in Kibera and other slums in Nairobi, and called it the Kibera Fund. Next, Kenya Community Development Foundation has been appointed to administer the Fund on Comic Relief s behalf, by making grants and building the capacity of local organisations trying to improve life for people living in Nairobi s slums. The Fund will run for three years from December 2011, with follow-up support and monitoring of the funded schemes for a further two years, making five years in total. 3. WHO CAN APPLY FOR THE GRANTS? The overall aim of the Kibera Fund is to alleviate poverty and improve the health of vulnerable people living in Kibera and other slums in Nairobi. Priority will be given to proposals that make a lasting difference to people s lives, and which address several needs of the target population at once (e.g. income, food security and education). We are also happy to consider innovative proposals for modest match-funding if this will act as an incentive for other funders to come on board. In common with the principles guiding Comic Relief s own grant making, the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) are looking for proposals that: a. Demonstrate a good understanding of the local context and need; b. Show that local people have been consulted and will be involved in the work; c. Have a balanced approach, addressing not only immediate needs but also people s rights to services; d. Show that the applicant is not working in isolation but is collaborating with other organisations or government departments, as appropriate; e. Help to build the skills, confidence and capacity of local people or organisations; f. Offer some useful lessons for future interventions, and show how the applicant will gather information and learn from it. Page 3 of 5
Examples of the type of work that the Fund seeks to support The following is not an exhaustive list, and should be seen as a guide only. Projects that improve the well-being of families, particularly child-headed households and single parent households; Projects that improve the status and safety of women and the girl child; Preventative health care; Projects that promote employment and entrepreneurship; Youth development; Water and sanitation projects; Arts and culture initiatives for people living in the slums; Civic education, especially with regard to the new constitution and realisation of Vision 2030; Projects that seek to promote ethnic cohesion and peaceful coexistence especially as the country heads towards another election process in 2012 Projects that will benefit the environment and/or combat climate change. What the Fund will NOT support Projects with a large degree of capital expenditure, such as buildings, vehicles, machinery; Individuals; Participation in international conferences; Work that is being carried out by (or is normally the responsibility of) government; School fees, bursaries, scholarships, university costs and the like; Projects that encourage child labour; Feeding schemes except as a small part of a larger developmental proposal; Drugs and medicines except as a small part of a larger developmental proposal; Care homes and orphanages except short-term, emergency or rescue accommodation; Anything outside Nairobi. 4. GRANT SIZE AND DURATION? Project Duration: The project implementation period shall be 12 months, although 24 months may also be considered. Grant Size: The average size of grants will be between KES 1 Million and KES 2 Million shillings; however this decision will be based on potential impact, scope and the capacity of the applying local organization. Page 4 of 5
5. HOW DO I APPLY? The applications must be made in writing or typed, in English (or in exceptional cases Kiswahili) on the STANDARD application form (KCDF/CR/KF/2011). Applications NOT submitted in this form will be disqualified. The GRANT APPLICATION FORMS are to be filled out and submitted to KCDF offices in printed HARD COPIES or through email to grants@kcdf.or.ke on or before the deadline of 4 th May 2012. These application GUIDELINES have been developed to assist applicants in filling out the application form and should be read and understood before completing the proposal form. The documents can be collected at KCDF offices in Pangani, Junction of Pamba and Chai Road or downloaded from the KCDF website: www.kcdf.or.ke. 6. HOW ARE APPLICATIONS/PROPOSALS SELECTED? In addition to the earlier provided criteria submitted applications will be assessed on: a) Sustainability: the impact of the project being proposed should be able to continue being felt beyond the funding period. b) Results and Measurability: All projects must have well defined targets. Achievements thereof should be tangible and quantifiable. c) Partnerships: The potential to initiate strategic alliances and bring different stakeholders together to increase success needs to be demonstrated. d) Promotion of gender equity: especially as regards inclusion and active participation of women. e) Important deadlines and dates: applicants are requested to keep these dates in mind Call for Applications 2 nd April 2012 Dissemination 2 nd to 27 th April 2012 Deadline for submission of Proposals 4 th May 2012 Screening, Review & Visits: 7 th May 2012 Notification of awards & Agreements Signing 4 th June 2012 Disbursements of grant 22 nd June 2012 All applicants should note that the KCDF grants staff will visit all those shortlisted for Grants Approval Panel Consideration. The visits are part of the approval process BUT do not in any way confirm that an applicant will be approved to receive a grant. Similarly, KCDF reserves the right to ask for additional information at any stage of the selection process. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION If in need of more information, applicants are advised to send their inquiries through email to grants@kcdf.or.ke Page 5 of 5