About

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, through the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Pretoria, Republic of South Africa, announces a call for project proposals to be implemented with a grant under the Official Development Aid of the Republic of Bulgaria, with an initial implementation period in 2025.

Priority Area for Project Implementation on the territory of South Africa, Angola and Namibia:

• Improving access to inclusive and equitable quality education including by improving school infrastructure and ensuring a safe and secure school environment;

Objectives and Scope

• Reaffirming and enriching Bulgaria's reputation and positive image as an international donor;

• Improving quality and increasing inclusion in formal basic, secondary and higher education institutions by:

  • enhancing skills and practices of educators via teachers’ training and capacity building programmes (SDG 4 – Quality Education).

  • leveraging technology to improve educational services and improve students’ learning experience including by supplying and installing digital equipment (SDG 4 – Quality Education). 

  • conducting repair/reconstruction of school infrastructure to ensure higher functionality of classroom space and limit classroom “overcrowding” (SDG 4 – Quality Education).

  • fostering a safe and secure learning environment via implementing research-based violence prevention programmes, training staff and students on conflict resolution, assessing and correcting deficiencies in schools’ security systems (SDG – 3 Good Health and Wellbeing, SDG 4 – Quality Education).

  • increasing the school’s capacity/resources to manage complex behavioural needs to improve access to education for students at risk of being excluded (support for students with special education needs – SEM; support for students from low SES backgrounds and for students who exhibit disruptive or violent behaviour that may lead to suspension/expulsion (SDG – 3 Good Health and Wellbeing, SDG – 10 Reduced Inequalities, SDG – 4 Quality Education). 

  • implementing programmes that promote gender equality and equal participation of women and young girls in the education process by managing learner pregnacy (access to childcare, breastfeeding facilities and counselling on the school premises), ensuring adequate and safe sanitation in schools, tackling gender steryotypes and social expectations related to the social role of women (SDG – 5 Gender Equality, SDG – 6 Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 4 – Quality Education). 

  • encouraging students’ enrollment and attendance of education institutions via organizing education publicity campaigns, engaging with parents and family members, and developing teaching curicula that aligns the acquired skills with the skills required by the labour market (SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Funding Information

• Minimal amount of the project is 20 000 BGN/10 000 EUR

• Recommended maximum amount of the project is:

  • for projects aiming to deliver goods and/or services - up to 23000 BGN/11,500 EUR;

  • for projects with main purpose to carry out repairs and/or construction activities - up to 25000 BGN/12,500 EUR;

  • for projects with main purpose to carry out the so called “soft components of ODA: /trainings, seminars, programmes, colloquiums, etc. / - up to 25,000  BGN/12,500 EUR with a term of up to 9 months.

Duration

• Project proposals must include an indicative start date for project implementation after January 15, 2025 and no later than November 30, 2025.

• Projects must be completed no later than December 31, 2027.

Outputs/Results

• Ensured access to equitable and inclusive education;

• Improved educational services;

• Enhanced reputation and positive image of Bulgaria as a donor country;

• Contributed to enabling sustainable and inclusive economic growth;

• Diminished social and gender inequalities; 

• Improved quality of life of vulnerable groups.

Eligible Activities 

• Development of new/updating existing training modules.

• Capacity building activities/organizing and conducting trainings in areas of interest of the educational administration/institutions of the partner country.

• Conducting trainings on specific topics in Bulgarian institutions to exchange good practices and increase the qualification of employees from the education administration of the partner country.

• Organization and holding of seminars, forums, conferences.

• Research and strategy development.

• Activities to raise awareness of citizens' rights. 

• Activities to promote multicultural dialogue and to limit racism, xenophobia, hate speech, discrimination, intolerance and gender-based violence. 

• Activities related to improving the quality of educational infrastructure, i.e.: delivery of equipment and materials for state or municipal property – primary or secondary schools, universities, etc. construction and repair works to improve the condition of state or municipal education property - primary or secondary schools, universities, etc.

• Compulsory Activities to be provided in the Project:

  • Provision of an audit report issued by an independent financial auditor

  • Activities to ensure publicity and visibility of the financial assistance provided, in accordance with the Publicity and Visibility Guidelines of the Bulgarian Development Aid, worth 3 to 5% from the total value of the grant for the project, but not exceeding 5 000 BGN/2 500 Euro.

Target Groups

• primary, secondary and university students, teachers and lecturers at different educational institutions, administrative staff;

• representatives of various marginalized and minority groups, different categories of vulnerable people (disabled children, children and adolescents with complex behavioural needs);

• young girls and women;

• civil society and NGO representatives.

Ineligible

• As ineligible candidates in the procedure for 2025 will be considered: 

  • Individuals and legal entities for whom there are circumstances under Art. 23, para. 3-8 of Resolution No. 234 of the Council of Ministers of 01.08.2011 on the policy of the Republic of Bulgaria on participation in international development cooperation.

  • Beneficiaries whose projects from previous years have not been completed within the term of the contract/annex and without final reports approved by the MFA by 30 June 2024.

  • In the event that a candidate under the current procedure for 2025 implements a project under a previous financial cycle of the Development Cooperation Program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, a condition for consideration of the project proposal will be the successful completion of the project within the term of the contract/annex, but not later than 30 June 2024 and approval of the final reports by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria. 

  • Beneficiaries who have not submitted interim reports on projects from previous years within the term of the contract/annex.

  • Current beneficiaries who have not reimbursed due funds from previous projects financed under the Development Cooperation Program.

  • Applicants without a sustainable project history of less than 2 years.

  • Applicants with a registration period of less than 2 years.

  • Applicants who have received first payment in the end of 2022 and are still carrying out the project in 2024 and have no approved an interim report till the announce of the company for receiving the project proposals for 2025.

• Applicants may not submit more than one project proposal under this call for proposals. In the event that an applicant submits more than one project proposal, all of their submitted project proposals will be excluded from subsequent evaluation.

Eligibility

• Priority

  • Primary and secondary budget spenders - legal entities of South Africa, Angola or Namibia;

  • International and local non-governmental organizations;

  • Municipalities and their associations;

  • Educational and social institutions;

  • International humanitarian organisations;

• Others

  • Depending on country’s specificities.

Post Date: June 25, 2024