The following are the three types of grants provided bya FCS: –
The Foundation can only make grants to organizations that are established for not-for-profit purposes. Even if the activity for which you have applied is charitable, you will not be eligible for a grant unless your constitution clearly states the charitable nature for which your organization has been set up. If you think your organization may be affected by this condition, please get advice from FCS before you make an application.
The Foundation will NOT make grants available for/to:
The Foundation will have two main types of call for proposal as presented below:-
i)General call for applications: The Foundation will make at least one call for applications as per annual plan based on key result areas which are good governance and Livelihood/Economic development. The general calls will be made in November of each calendar year or January of the following year or depending on the availability of funds and upon the determination by the management from time to time.
ii)Special calls:These are the calls made to facilitate interventions on specific issues or to provide rapid response on emerging issues of national interest on areas of good governance and Livelihoods/Economic development. Special calls will also be given to attract grant applicants for specific projects outside the basket fund. From time to time also based on specific needs, FCS may approach specific organizations to intervene on specific issues. Project identification numbers will be categorized by windows with the name of special donors supporting the program.
In both calls, applications for Grants are made through a prescribed Form which is available in both Kiswahili or English languages and thus the applicant organization can apply using any of the two languages. The Form contains elaborative instructions on what is required. Applications can be filled out online or by filling in hard copies of the Application Forms. Grant applicants will be encouraged to apply online and ensure that all necessary attachments as instructed from time to time through a call for proposal are attached. There will be no difference in the type of attachments submitted by applicants in an online system and in hardcopies. FCS will provide between 21 to 30 days for applicants to submit their proposals. However, in the case of fund delays, the management will decide on the time needed for applicants to submit their proposals.
The following are mandatory checks and documents.
Any organization which is in the sanction list or has not fulfilled the above listed mandatory documents will be dropped at the pre-screening stage.
Due diligence visits are essential in assessing the FCS’s risks before committing its time and money. All new applicants who have successfully passed the screening process will undergo due diligence exercise (Except those that will qualify for a waiver as indicated under risk management chapter). During Due Diligence FCS commissions, a physical reality check on all prospective grantees. This exercise is meant to establish the authenticity of the prospective grantees, assess internal organization capacity as well as the relationship of the organization with its stakeholders, beneficiaries and the local authority. In carrying this exercise among other issues, the consultants will use a Due Diligence questionnaire to be provided by FCS The exercise will be conducted by a firm that will be appointed through the normal procurement process. Results of the Due Diligence exercise will be presented in the management meeting and reports submitted to the Finance and Operations Department.
All approved grantees under solicited proposals will undergo Manage Your Grant Training (MYG). These trainings are conducted prior to the signing of contracts. Therefore, attending the training does not guarantee that a project would be funded by FCS. In case a controversial situation arises before signing the contract, which is seen to affect the success of the project outcome and its set objectives, the contract can be canceled. The training is aimed at building the capacity of the grantees on grants management in the areas of finance and grants management, monitoring and evaluation, preparing good work plans and formulating a framework for good accounting practices for their project. The participants of this training will be the key implementers of projects. Learning from experiences in the previous strategies, MYG training requires a lot of effort in terms of logistics and management of prospective grantees in the event of the training. Therefore, from time to time FCS can consult a fiscal agent to manage finances related to MYG but the implementation of the MYG itself is to be done by FCS staff and where a necessary external consultants may be recruited to support and build the capacity of the grantees during MYG.
FCS considers monitoring and evaluation as a critical process through which it can share learning experiences, strengthen program relevance and effectiveness and ensure that the FCS and its grantees are accountable for achieving the intended results. Monitoring and Support visits are an important part of the communication and monitoring relationships between the organization and the FCS . Any visit to the organization should support open and positive communication as well as quality project management and reporting.
The aim of the exercise is to assess possible changes seen at the community level as a direct result of the FCS’s – interventions through civil society grants and its capacity-building programs. It also enables the Foundation to understand better the work on the ground, monitor progress, compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant contract, learning and challenges.
Every grantee is required to be visited at least once a year. In every visit before exit FCS staff will discuss with the grantee staff on issues observed and agree on the way forward. This will be done by filling in support visit exit form.
Continued control mechanisms are in place which includes capacity building the experience indicates a great improvement in terms of compliance especially by grassroots CSOs including very nascent CSOs in the recent past. While there are many risks associated with grantmaking, financial management risks are more serious because they also cost FCS resources.
Therefore the following will be common procedures to be followed during implementation and after audit:-
As for cases where fraud is suspected, FCS will require that confirmed amount of money be refunded and report these matters to the state organs like Prevention and Combating Corruption Bureau (PCCB) or Police who are authoritatively and legally mandated to address criminal cases.