CEBU, Philippines -The European Commission is now accepting proposals for funding from local government units, non-government organizations, and stakeholders under its Dialogue on Governance: Strategic Projects Facility 2.
SPF2 will support projects that showcase innovative models for partnership on complementary capacities of different stakeholders in local governance in order to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
It will also reinforce accountability of LGUs for them to provide public goods and respond to the needs of all sections of the community, including the poor.
Poverty reduction is the overall objective of the said program in the context of sustainable development, including pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed targets.
This is also to catalyze actions of stakeholders to improve the quality of local governance.
Proposals should be designed to feature both cross-cutting themes and should focus on at least one sectoral theme.
Sectoral themes include harmonized development planning, basic utilities including water and sanitation, replication of sustainable upland development model and natural resources management (e.g. coastal, watershed management), and pollution control.
Cross-cutting themes in participation include, but not limited to, participatory governance structures, citizens’ feedback mechanism (ex. citizens’ scorecards on LGU performance), and civil society representation in sectoral committees.
Cross-cutting themes in cooperation include, but not limited to, cooperation mechanisms between LGUs, intra-local government cooperative arrangements, regional development councils, intra- and inter-local development councils.
Deadline for submission of concept notes is on April 15. One may download information from http://www.delhl.cc.europa.eu/ or http://webgate.ec.europaid/online-services/index.efm?do-publi.welcome or mail to The European Commission, 30/F RCBC Plaza Tower 2, 6819 Ayala Avenue corner Gil Puyat, Makati City. — Johanna T. Natavio/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)