Devex platform has published a report synthesizing the trends in funding from key donors, business development strategies and partnership at a global level. The document includes a selection of current movements in the development community, highlighting the opportunities offered by the European Union (EU), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the possibilities for the sectors of biodiversity, forestry, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), as well as the precautions to take into account when presenting cooperation projects.
On the first hand, the report addresses the generated situation for a new Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 of the EU (MFF), and the consequences of the recent political events in Myanmar. In this regard, although the EU established that development financing will come from the European budget within the framework of the MFF and will be channeled through the Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), the activities programmed under the MFF 2014-2020 will continue to be implemented. Regarding the context in Myanmar, USAID has focused a large part of its support on nongovernmental organizations in the last year (40% of the total) and will maintain restrictions only on financing directly received from the government.
Second, the report analyzes the possibilities of presenting a project to a multilateral development bank (MDB) and what USAID’s spending priorities have been in 2020. Those who present a proposal to the MDBs should consider that the Economic-financial evaluations have different degrees of flexibility in budgetary matters depending on how the call is written. Regarding USAID activities, those who wish to apply to its calls should bear in mind that the three most favored sectors in the last year have been HIV / AIDS, emergency response, and government and society.
Third, the report considers the reasons why a cooperation proposal is rejected and the investment / financing opportunities in the use of GIS. On the one hand, the proponents need to present their projects in narrative form following the frameworks of the calls (problem, solution, impact) and, in the event that they do not have experience in the required field, consider the associations. On the other hand, MDBs have invested in GIS especially in Southeast Asia and East Asia and the Pacific, with regional opportunities in Southeast and East Africa. Proponents are encouraged to prioritize places where they or their allies have experience.
Finally, the report analyzes the cooperation alternatives for projects focused on the Central Africa region and towards SRHR. Beyond the Gates Foundation, sexual and reproductive health and rights sector projects can be funded by foundations and CSR offices based in the United States. It is worth highlighting the emphasis placed on financing initiatives implemented by civil society organizations. Likewise, for those who own biodiversity and forestry projects in Central Africa, they can access financing, capacity building and policy improvement opportunities from the World Bank (WB), the German Development Agency (GIZ), the French Development Agency (AFD), the EU, the UK, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Global Environment Facility.
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