Call for Proposals 2018 - Southeast Europe

Foundation Schüler Helfen Leben (SHL)

SHL is seeking applications for support of educational youth project activities in the eligible countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia).

Who is SHL?
Schüler Helfen Leben (SHL) is Germany’s largest humanitarian organization managed by young people. SHL was founded in 1992 during the wars in the former Yugoslavia in 1992 by high school students who brought relief supplies to the region. Since 1998, SHL organizes the annual Social Day in Germany. The principle is simple: students swap their school environment for a job for one day. Wages are donated by the students to support SHL’s projects for children and youth.

At SHL’s project selection conference, the students decide themselves which projects they want to support. Currently, SHL works with 18 partner organisations in Southeast Europe and Jordan in the areas of education, youth activism, social inclusion of marginalized groups as well as peace and conflict resolution. Additionally, SHL runs its own programs for youth in Southeast Europe and provides young people with the opportunity to do a voluntary service in SHL’s offices and partner organizations.

Areas of Support
Behind every family of the world, there is a story of migration. The reasons for migration are as diverse as the consequences for human beings and societies. Refugee movement, migration and mobility concern all of us. Especially young people and their living environment are affected by migration on different levels.

The general objective of this Call for Proposals is to empower young people to actively shape their own living conditions and environment in the context of migration. Based on their migration experiences, children and adolescents should get enabled to advocate for themselves and to lead a self-determined life.

The specific objectives of this Call for Proposal are:

• to respond to immediate consequences of migration, which affect (forced) migrants as well as the local community; and/or
• to address longer-term individual and societal impact of migration experiences and histories; and/or
• to contribute to positive perspectives in the region and/or avoid negative consequences of migration.1

Following the principles of SHL special priority will be given to activities integrating decision-making and participation structures of youth.

Who is Eligible to Apply
SHL cooperates with local non-governmental organisations that:

• have participatory and decision-making youth structures in their organizational statute and in daily practice
• have a proven track record in the proposed activities
• have the technical, managerial and financial capacity to effectively and efficiently implement its activities
• share SHL‘s values, including vision, mission, internationally recognized principles concerning human rights, labour and child protection policies
• an use SHL funding to extend their core activities in ways that create additional opportunities for children and youth.

Financing Instruments
SHL finance will consist of direct funding.
The financial support for any individual intervention will be in the range of EUR
100,000 to 150,000. SHL funding should cover a period of minimum one year to maximum three years.

Selection Criteria
SHL has limited resources and hence each application will be assessed to determine its development impact and effectiveness. The quality of the proposal and not the financial outlay is the overall guiding principle for assessment of suitability of the intervention for support from SHL.

The objectives must be achievable within a specified period of time. Past track record of the applicant, including technical, managerial and financial capacity to execute the intervention and reach the targeted goals in stipulated time is an important consideration in selection.

SHL will select the best applications based upon the proposed activity that contributes the most towards SHL’s aims and objectives.

Monitoring and Evaluation
A suitable monitoring and evaluation system to assess the impact of the SHL supported activities shall be integral part of SHL financing. The baseline data for each activity is to be available or collected to demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of the activities before the activity or cooperation starts. At the completion of the activity an assessment of the outputs and development impact shall be made. In interim and annual reports, results are presented as compared to the planned objectives.

Approval Procedure

• Proposal must be submitted electronically via email by completing the application form.
• The applications received will be screened internally by SHL staff for their completeness and for meeting the basic criteria as given above.
• The applications passing the screening process will be subjected to a detailed approval process commencing with an evaluation by SHL selection committee.
• The applicants of proposals being recommended for long application may be required to provide further information along with supporting documentation, as required by SHL.
• The selection committee reviews the long application and approves or rejects the proposal. The project coordinator will communicate the decision by the selection committee to the applicants.

Process after Approval by the Selection Committee for the Long Application
Once a proposal is approved by the selection committee, the proposals will be presented at the project selection conference (10.-13.05.2018) where high school students will decide on which project receives funding. At this stage after the approval of the long applications, SHL may engage with the organisation and assist in obtaining desired information to complete the presentation of the proposal which may include visits to the proponents and activity sites.
Engagement of SHL in the process does not guarantee funding by SHL of the proposal since the final decision is taken by students at the project selection conference.

Application Process
Applications must be presented using the project application template provided by SHL. Project proposals must be submitted in either English or German. The template must be completed fully and accompanied by all requested supporting documentation.
Incomplete applications (i.e. applications which are not presented in the template provided, fail to fully address all points in the application form, do not stick to the sign limit, and/or which are not accompanied by the relevant documentation) will NOT be taken into consideration.

The deadline for applications within this Call for Proposals is December 18, 2017. Proposals received after this deadline will NOT be taken into consideration. Please note that technical factors which may prevent receipt of a proposal before the given deadline will NOT be taken into consideration; it is strongly recommended that applications be submitted well in advance.

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Timeline
The following timeline will apply for consideration of applications:
a) Deadline for receipt of short applications – 18 December 2017
b) 1st review by the selection committee of SHL – 19 and 20 January 2018
c) Notification of successful applicants no later than 22 January 2018: Invitation for long application
d) Deadline for receipt of long applications – 15 February 2018
e) 2nd review by the selection committee of SHL – 16 and 17 March 2018
f) Notification of successful applicants no later than 20 March 2018
g) Selection of final project on project selection conference – 10-13 May 2018

The applicants of proposals being placed for consideration of long applications may be required
to provide further information, in the formats provided by SHL, for the proposed intervention together with supporting documentation.

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1 Please mind the reference made on „employability“ projects in the FAQs.

Important information

Deadline for receipt of short applications - 18 December 2017

Deadline for receipt of long applications - 15 February 2018

Selection of final project on project selection conference - 10-13 May 2018

Downloads for Call for Proposals 2018

[SHL] Call for Proposals 2018
[SHL] Short Application Template - CfP 2018
[SHL] Funding Guidelines
[SHL] Project Overview
[SHL] FAQs CfP 2018
[SHL] One Pager 2018