Request For CSO Best Practices And Innovations at USAID ZIMBABWE

job Description

1. SUMMARY
East West Management Institute, Inc. (EWMI), in partnership with local Zimbabwean Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), is implementing a five-year Citizen Engagement for Accountability Activity (CEAA), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). CEAA contributes to strengthening a culture of political and civic engagement in Zimbabwe by promoting greater and more effective citizen participation in governance processes at multiple levels with an eye to improved, citizen-driven development. The Activity works with and through local organizations' initiatives and seeks unique methods, innovative pathways, and partnerships to achieve this purpose.

CEAA's objectives are to:
(1) Activate citizen agency for accountability;
(2) Strengthen women's leadership and inclusion;
(3) Increase youth empowerment and positive engagement. In support of CEAA’s flagship Social Labs Approach which encourages grantees to experiment with innovative approaches to solving local problems, EWMI, through the Best Practice and Innova^on Awards (BPIA), is providing an opportunity for Community Based Organizations (CBOs), local, national and locally registered international organizations to showcase their innova^ons, collaborations and learn from each other. EWMI/CEAA plans to award up to two (2) cash prizes under the Best Practice Innovation Activity. EWMI/CEAA expects to present the Prizes at the NANGO 14th NGO Directors Summer Retreat, to be held at Troutbeck Hotel in Nyanga, on 23 to 25 October 2024.

Duties and Responsibilities

2. BEST PRACTICE AND INNOVATION AWARDS
EWMI/CEAA will award Best Practice and Innovation Award using a two-step process:
Step 1: This entails the submission of the Best Practice and Innovative Approaches/ Activities to tackling
pressing development challenges across diverse scales by applicant organizatons. Applicant submissions must conform to the format provided in Sec^on 6 below and will be evaluated based on the criteria listed on Section 5 below. The best practice and innovation should not be older than three (3) years.

Step 2: Shortlisted Applicants will make presentations of their Best Practice and Innovation
Approaches/Activities at the NANGO 14th NGO Directors Summer Retreat, scheduled for 23 - 25 October 2024, at Troutbeck Hotel in Nyanga. EWMI/CEAA will award the BPIA on the basis of the presentations at the event. CEAA plans to award up to two (2) awards under the Best Prac^ce Innovation Activity. The cash prize for each Best Prac^ce and Innova^on is up to USD$1,000.

3.AWARD PRIORITIES
CEAA will give priority to CSOs and CBOs that:
Show best practice and/or innovative approaches in tackling pressing development challenges faced by their constituents at local and/or national level Work collaboratively with a mix of key stakeholders and actors Supported with a reference or lefer of commenda^on from the constituencies that they
represent, or from key stakeholders involved in the solution

Qualifications and Experience

CSOs and CBOs legally registered in Zimbabwe or not formally registered are eligible to submit audio-visual presentations and supporting documentation of their best practices and/or innovations in response to this request.

Interested CBOs and CSOs should:
i. Either be locally embedded Civil Society Organizations working at the district, or national levels.
ii. Be available to attend the NANGO 14th NGO Directors Summer Retreat in October 2024.
iii. Be prepared to make an oral presentation of their best practice and innovative approach during the NANGO 14th NGO Directors Summer Retreat at Troutbeck Hotel in Nyanga to an audience of multi-sectoral CSOs. Please note that the final awards for BPIA will be adjudicated on the basis of the oral submissions.
iv. Must operate as an independent, non-politically affiliated organization.
v. Must not be debarred, suspended, excluded, or otherwise ineligible to receive U.S. Government funding.

5. EVALUATION PROCESS AND CRITERIA
An independent Review Committee (RC) established by EWMI/CEAA for this request will administer the
selection process. Applicants may be requested to provide additional information if their application is
shortlisted for the Best Practice Innovation Activity award.

CEAA will assess Best Practice Innovation Activity based on the following criteria:
Innovativeness: how new is the service opportunity in the development of a sustainable solution to the pressing local developmental challenges?
-Desirability: is there a group/ organization that desires this solution?
-Feasibility: How possible is this idea to be scaled up? Are the right people involved collaboratively?
-How does this solu^on compare with available solutions?
-Viability: How strong is the solution overtime? Is it contextually sustainable? How does the solution overcome implementation constraints?
-Urgency: How urgent is this idea/ solution?

How to Apply

APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCEDURES
-EWMI/CEAA will accept written submissions, presentations, video snippets, pictures and audio
presentations of CSOs best practices and innovative ideas. CSO submissions should be in the English language, although the intervention could be in local languages. EWMI/CEAA encourages applicants to submit their ideas or activities in the best form that
showcases innovation and best practice.

Submission Guidelines
-Written submissions must not exceed seven (7) pages single-spaced and must use 12-point Times
New Roman font and one-inch margins on the electronic equivalent of 8.5 x 11-inch paper, leM justification, with page numbers in the footer.
-Videos should not exceed 20 minutes
-Audio presentations should not exceed 20 minutes
-Picture submissions should not exceed 20 different pieces
-A combinaNon of the different media forms is acceptable
-EWMI/CEAA will disqualify all submissions that do not follow the instructions and guidelines.
-Submissions must showcase the original and sole work of the applicant organization.
Misrepresentation will result in disqualification from the competition.
-EWMI/CEAA will retain all materials and documents submitted by applicants. It will not use this
informa^on for purposes other than those outlined in this solicita^on and engagement with internal
stakeholders.
-CEAA will not reimburse applicants for any costs associated with the development of the submissions.

Clarifications: Applicants should submit clarification requests by the deadline listed in Section VII
above via email to [email protected]. Best Practice and Innovation Award submissions: These should be made via email to [email protected] by 17:00, October 01, 2024.
Emails must have “RFA # CEAA-BPIA-02: Best PracUce and InnovaUon Award” in the subject line.