Call for application for Danida Fellows Networkers Grant 2023

Danida Fellowship Centre is pleased to announce a new call for Danida Fellows Networkers Grant. Deadline Wednesday 15 March 2023 at 12:00 PM (noon) CEST.

Sharing knowledge and transforming knowledge into action is essential for finding sustainable solutions to the global challenges facing us today. However, this does not happen by itself. It requires a concerted effort and dedicated change-makers to transform knowledge into action.

As a member of Danida Fellows Network, you are part of a unique global network of skilled professionals and through Danida Fellowship Centres learning programmes you have the skills and knowledge that can bring about change across stakeholders and sectors through collaboration and partnerships and make a positive impact in your professional fields of expertise.

The Networkers Grants are about providing funds for smaller-scale initiatives that foster dialogue, collaboration, and action across actors within an organization or across a sector.

What?

The Networkers Grants will support:

Funding of up to DKK 35.000 for initiatives aimed at dialogue and collaboration within or across sectors, that gathers relevant stakeholders from the public sector, academia, the private sector, and civil society.

The activity must have the following aim:

• Spreading new knowledge and fostering debate and change within a specific theme
• Contribute to the further institutionalization of new knowledge and skills derived from learning programmes and research projects within organizations and sectors and inspire the joint formulation of concrete solutions or initiatives.

Who can apply and for what?

Danida Fellowship Centre offers Networkers Grants to alumni, who are members of the global Danida Fellows Network. You are automatically a member if you have participated in a Danida Fellowship learning programme. Researchers are not eligible to apply*. However, researchers are welcome to take part in the activity.

You can apply for a grant with the financial support of up to 35.000 DKK for an activity or event with the aim of achieving the following objectives:

1. Promoting knowledge sharing, networking, and collaboration within or across sectors/disciplines
2. Promote collaboration between stakeholders within a specific theme, for example, Green Transition, Digitalization, Public Private Partnership, Climate Change, or Health.
3. Aims to engage a minimum of 100 people
4. Strengthening your local alumni network and membership mobilization and/or creating sub-networks within a thematic area (for example within Energy in a specific country amongst alumni)

It should be observed that all Networkers Grant must target 1, 2, and 3 whereas 4 is optional.

All proposals should clearly state the change the initiatives or participation would contribute to achieving and how, as well as the method for documenting the change. All recipients must commit to providing stories and documentation to this effect.

The deadline for this call for proposals is Wednesday 15 March 2023 at 12:00 PM (noon) CEST. Applications will be accepted only if submitted via the online application form

Grant applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications within four weeks of the application deadline.

The conditions for receiving a Networkers Grant

Before you finalize and submit your application

• Coordinate with the coordinating team of your local alumni network: If you have an idea for an activity or event find out if there is a local alumni network in your country (find information here or contact nextstepnetworking@dfcentre.dk). If such a network exists, start by contacting the coordinator of the network in order to coordinate your activity with the wider alumni programme in your country. Note that in the application form you will be asked to name the coordinator (s) with whom you have discussed your proposed activity.
• Incorporate the wider alumni network: Make a clear and realistic plan for engaging as many Danida alumni as possible from the local area in your activity/event. The grant selection committee will prioritize those activities that clearly demonstrate how they will involve alumni beyond the organising committee and thereby contribute to strengthening the local alumni network.

If you are awarded a grant

• Inform the Danish embassy: You should inform the Danish embassy or consulate in your country in good time, possibly inviting a representative to attend the event.
• Invite all the alumni in your country: Activities/events may or may not be open to the general public and include external partners and stakeholders, but it is a precondition that all alumni in your region should be encouraged to participate and therefore also be informed and invited. In case of limited space for alumni participants, the principle of “first come, first served” should be applied.
• Publicize and communicate: It is the responsibility of the organizing team to ensure that the activity is widely publicized well ahead of the event to attract participants. Furthermore, an invitation must be posted on the Danida Fellows Network Facebook page well in advance of the event. After the event, photos and videos, etc. must be shared on the same platforms. Note that in connection with all public communications concerning the event, it must be stated that the grant was provided by Danida Fellowship Centre and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. You find the official logo/banners here.
• Respect the grant timeline: Your activity should not be scheduled to start earlier than eight weeks after the application deadline to allow time for the grant applications to be processed and grants to be confirmed. The activity must be implemented within six months of the award of a possible grant. DFC must be informed if a delay is anticipated.
• Complete grant reporting

Selection criteria and process

A Selection Committee at DFC will select the successful grant applications based on the following criteria:

• How well the activity responds to the objectives of this call, listed at the top of this document.
• Value for money, including the extent to which there are plans for reaching out to a broad number of participants
• Co-funding from other financial contributors (including alumni)

As part of the selection process, DFC reserves the right to consider a diverse selection of activities, and wide-ranging subject matter aimed at varied target groups in as many different countries/regions as possible.

Eligible costs & budget requirements

The amount applied for in DKK must be indicated in the application form and the costs must be broken down and quoted in the relevant budget lines. The grant must only be used to cover eligible costs included in the budget submitted with the application.

The budget may include

• Hire of venue(s) or professional online platform
• Refreshments (snacks and drinks)
• Supplies for the event (such as stationery, the printing of training manuals, or similar)
• A small payment to an external (non-alumni) keynote speaker, lecturer, expert or similar
• Communications costs (such as graphic design, flyers, video, photography, or similar)
• Logistical expenses (delivery costs for supplies, rental of additional equipment)
• Note that only 10% of the budget may be used for logistical expenses such as transport

Important: Accommodation costs are not eligible under this call. 

Co-funding of the activity by other sources is strongly encouraged.

Grant management, accounting, and reporting

The applicant will be responsible for managing the grant and must ensure the following:

• The approved activity is carried out within the agreed timeframe
• The outputs are achieved
• The grant is used exclusively for the approved activity and expenses
• The present grant guidelines are followed
• The deadlines and requirements for reporting and submitting accounts are met

Within one month of completing the activity, the following documentation has to be submitted electronically to DFC:

• Completion report/video (explaining how the activity has led to the anticipated outputs)
• Financial accounts, including scanned copies of vouchers/receipts specifying the use of funds, (unspent funds will have to be returned)
• Final programme
• List of participants
• High-quality photos and (if relevant) videos from the event (for DFC communications purposes)

If the reporting and accounts are not submitted to DFC on time, it will be considered a violation of the grant conditions and the applicant may be requested to return the funds provided under the grant.

If you have any questions, please contact the Network Team at nextstepnetworking@dfcentre.dk

 

*Through the KIA grants managed by the Danida Fellowship Centre’s Research Team, we also offers grants for researchers wishing to organize knowledge exchange between researchers, Danida alumni, and other relevant stakeholders, facilitate networks and collaborations within and across academia, policymakers, and practitioners, or promote dissemination and outreach of research results for uptake and use. Researchers will therefore not be able to apply for the grants above, but in all information from the Network Team on grant options, this other opportunity will be mentioned, and links to information from the Research Team provided.

 

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