Call for the reinforcement of CHM websites 2013 (closed)

Introduction

The technology and the access to the Internet have evolved considerably since the early days of the Belgian CHM partnership. Web-based tools are different, as well as the use of the Internet by society. Focal points around the world need to adapt to these changes in order to take the best possible advantage of the emerging technologies for their work on the CHM.

Since 2006, the training for the CHM makes use of the ‘European Community CHM Portal Toolkit’ (PTK). This toolkit has several advantages that make it especially useful. First, it is open source and available free of charge. Second, it enables the setting up of websites without having expertise in programming. Finally, various users can contribute to the contents of the website through a web interface (the only requirement is to possess a login and password).

The ‘Brainstorming Workshop on the Identification of a Strategy for the CHM Partnership for the Period 2008-2012’ held in Brussels, May 2007, and a follow-up "workshop to prepare the strategic plan 2014-2023" held in Benin, April 2012, identified several constraints for national CHMs. This includes insufficient time for managing the websites, as well as irregular and problematic Internet connections and a lack of computer expertise of some of the actors supposed to be contributing to the websites.

In order to prepare for its new programme of work for 2014-2018, the Belgian CHM partnership has decided to launch a call for proposals to help partner countries boost their national CHM networks. One of the objectives of the initiative is to obtain websites that are:

• officially endorsed by the national authorities
• operational both in terms of format and content
• updated with the relevant data
• contain comprehensive information and national documents
• make links with other relevant websites at national and international level

Eligible activities

This call for project proposals does not aim to tackle all constraints identified by CHM focal points. The focus of the present call is: development of a special section on the implementation of the Strategic Plan and/or improvement of the website content.

By way of example, the following activities are possible:

• data collection and acquisition (data mining)
• assistance for the digitisation of important documents or data
• establishment of thematic sections, of a kids’ section, etc.
• translation into local language(s)
• development of a communication plan and strategy for the CHM
• reaching out to policy makers and to other stakeholders (on the subject of the CHM and the CHM website)
• follow-up training given by the national CHM web manager (Only for countries where national training has been given by the Belgian tutors since 2010)

What will not be financed:

• Training by the Belgian tutors (such as continuous training at national level or the training of new national collaborators)
• Workshops, if their objectives are not directly related to the improvement of the CHM website
• Publication and printing of documents other than CHM brochures and flyers.

Project deliverables

In addition to the deliverables identified in the project proposal, it is obligatory that - at the end of the project - the national website should be up-to-date, functional and officially recognised by the country.

Eligible countries

Are eligible:

• CHM National Focal Points of partner countries of Belgium : Algeria, Bénin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroun, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinée, Madagascar, Mali, Maroc, Niger, R.D. du Congo, Rwanda, Zambia

Type of support

RBINS will finance the selected projects up to 80% of their estimated costs. The remaining 20% will have to be provided by the local partner.

The maximum amount funded by the Belgian CHM NFP is 4000 euros per project.

The distribution of financing will be the following: 80% of the requested budget at the beginning of the project and 20% after the end of the project. This last payment will only be made after reception of original justification of expenses (receipts and supporting documents).

Estimated number of projects

3 to 4 projects will be financed. This number will depend of the type, size and quality of proposed projects.

Project promoter and partners

The official project promoter is the CHM National Focal Point of the submitting country or the Contact Point of the regional organisation, in agreement with the supervisory authority. An approval letter of the supervisory authority must be joined to the application file.

Collaboration or subcontracting with a local partner is possible. In this case, such collaboration or subcontracting must clearly be indicated in the application.

Duration of the project

The projects must be completed by 31 December 2013.

Preparation of a proposal and submission instructions

Projects must be submitted to RBINS by 31 July 2013 at the latest, at the electronic address cbd-chm@naturalsciences.be.

Alternatively, and only if there are e-mail problems, the application can be sent by regular mail at the address mentioned at the end of this document.

Projects must be submitted using the template available below.

Reporting

A report of activities and a financial report must be submitted to RBINS at the end of the project.

All original supporting documents and justification of expenses will be asked, in order to conform to the requirements of the Belgian Development Cooperation. Any expenses that cannot be justified will not be considered and will have to be supported by the partner.

Shipping costs of these reports and of the supporting documents will have to be foreseen in advance in the budget.

Reports must be submitted using the following template: Financial template.

Indicative dates for the examination of proposals and for the execution of the projects

Contacts

The following persons will be in charge of the evaluation and follow-up of projects, with the support of experts of DGD:

• Luc JANSSENS, project coordinator "Development cooperation and Biodiversity".
• Han DE KOEIJER, National focal point for the CHM
• Marie-Lucie SUSINI, National focal point for the GTI and assistant nfp CHM

In order for each of these persons to be informed at all times of the status of the application, it is asked to use only the generic e-mail cbd-chm@naturalsciences.be.

Physical address

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
Rue Vautier 29
1000 Brussels
Belgium