Guidance Note for Completing UNDP ACT Project Proposal Format
Section
Legal status of
requesting organisation
Note
Please enclose a photocopy of registration certificate.
Total project cost
Indicate total project cost in either Cyprus Pounds or US Dollars. Providing both currencies is not
necessary. Note that UNDP ACT can only disburse funds in Cyprus pounds. If the requesting
organisation is presenting the proposal in US dollars, it will need to take into account exchange
rate fluctuations and that the exchange rate applied for any disbursement will be the United
Nations official exchange rate applicable at the time.
A.1. Situation and
context
Socio-economic and political context and description of specific problem to be addressed.
Provide an analysis of the situation that justifies the project.
A.2. Project summary
Briefly describe the project, including its purpose and what it will aim to achieve related to the
situation and context described, and also the requirements of the call for proposals (if the project
is in response to such a proposal).
B.1. Project outcome
a) The project must demonstrate how it will contribute towards the wider objectives of the UNDP
Action for Cooperation and Trust Project, i.e. a strengthened culture of co-operation and trust
amongst all sectors of Cypriot society. Please select one of the following four outcomes which
is most relevant to the project being submitted:
(i)
Education initiatives that promote multi-culturalism and dialogue
(ii)
Civil society networking and capacity development initiatives that create
environment for civic engagement
(iii)
Expansion and/or establishment of inter-communal partnerships for sustainable
development (e.g. environment, cultural preservation, waste management,
agriculture, forestry)
(iv)
Strategic communications initiatives
(Note 1: if the requesting organisation is submitting a project proposal in response to a formal
call for proposals, the organisation will find more detailed information in the proposal guidelines.
Note 2: If the requesting organisation finds that its project is cross-thematic and relates to more
than one outcome area, it needs to establish to which outcome it is most closely associated. Any
other association the organisation identifies may be explained in narrative underneath the table.)
The outcome selected is the overall and intended result of the project. It means that the
requesting organisation may not achieve the outcome on its own, but it may contribute towards it
through a combination of its project, its collaboration with other stakeholders, and other
stakeholders’ activities, including UNDP’s. The requesting organisation should ensure that its
project’s activities and expected final outputs (products, goods and services) are aligned to the
outcome specified. The outcome will be monitored by UNDP ACT staff.
b) Write a brief description on how the project and its expected outputs will contribute towards
the project outcome.
B.2. Project outputs and
indicators
Provide a summary of the outputs to be achieved (i.e. final products, goods, services that result
directly from the completion of the project’s activities) and a description of how these outputs
may be measured (i.e. indicators). The requesting organisation should be realistic about the
outputs it expects the project to produce and therefore keep the number of project outputs to
between one and four. Essentially, the more complex and longer-term the project, the greater
number of outputs. At least one indicator per output is required.
For example, one output might be 45 journalists across Cyprus trained in gender principles. A
relevant indicator might be the number of newspaper articles on gender issues over a given
period, or level of knowledge of journalists on basic gender principles. Another might be
increased horticultural production, with indicators such as number of hectares of orchards
established and producing, number of farmers participating in at least one form of horticultural
production, or number of seasonal jobs created.
B.3. Project activities
Keeping the same outputs mentioned in section B.2. above, indicate the main activities to be
carried out for each output. Normally there should not be more than six activities per output.
Provide also a description of the project’s inputs for each activity. Inputs may include personnel
(e.g. technical staff, trainers, translators), contracts (e.g. room hire, publications), equipment (e.g.
laboratory, IT), materials (e.g. training manuals), transport and communications (office related).
For each activity, specify the main responsible party, especially if the project is being proposed
by a partnership of organisations.
C.1. Organisational
capacity
Demonstrate how the organisation has the necessary capacity and experience to achieve the
expected results of the project.
C.2. Partnership
Explain how the organisation will collaborate and partner with other organisations/ businesses/
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strategy
Note
academics/service providers for ensuring achievement of project results.
C.3. Advocacy and
communications
How will the project use communications and public education as tools towards achieving
results? For example, organisation of public events, publications, promotional/educational
materials etc.
For each planned communication product (except press releases) please complete the table in
Annex 3 to answer the following questions:
 What is the purpose of the publication/event and its contribution to the overall project?
 What is the target audience?
 What is the time frame?
 What language versions will be produced (publication materials only)?
 What are the distribution plan and launch plans, if any?
C.4. Monitoring and
evaluation
Describe how progress towards the project’s expected results (i.e. outputs) will be monitored and
analysed (e.g. surveys/questionnaires, experiments, reviews, interviews, visits to sites, focus
groups, reports), and who is responsible for undertaking monitoring and overseeing follow up
within the organisation.
Mention how the organisation will analyse the project’s progress and contribution towards the
outcome. For example, taking again the example of journalists, how will the organisation study
and analyse the media content related to gender awareness, or work out the number of seasonal
jobs?
Project evaluations are voluntary and the successful organisation will be further advised by
UNDP ACT staff if one is to be conducted.
C.5. Sustainability
Describe approaches and methods for ensuring the sustainability of the project and the
possibility for replication or scaling-up.
C.6. Gender and Human
Rights
Gender: Identify any particular women and men needs associated with the project and ensure
that women and men are equally involved and benefit from the project.
Human Rights: Demonstrate the project’s sensitivity to the rights defined in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights
See call for proposal solicitation document.
Annex 1 – Technical
Details
Annex 2 – Project
Budget
a)
Using the budget format provide an estimated budget for each calendar year for the
whole project period and specify the currency used (see note against ‘Total Project Cost’).
(The requesting organisation may use the version in MS Word or an adapted version in MS
Excel for easier calculation.)
b)
Indicate the main responsible party for that part of the budget, particularly for projects that
entail more than one implementing organisation. Not all budget categories may be
relevant to the project so use only those that are applicable. Also add in extra lines under
the appropriate budget category where necessary.
Budget categories:
Project costs – These are costs associated directly with the project
(i) Human resources – project – includes salary costs and fees for experts, consultants, other
technical staff, and project officers. Terms of reference for each position should be attached.
(ii) Contractual services-companies – includes procured services in, for example, areas of
studies/research, organised trainings and workshop events etc. Terms of reference for each
service to be provided should be attached
(iii) Materials and goods – where the eligibility criteria allow, these could include specific
technical equipment, products or educational materials, training kits, equipment for centres
or buildings funded by project. Include depreciation expenses for furniture and electronic
assets purchased (again if eligible)
(iv) Audio visual & print production costs – includes audio visual productions, printing and
publications, promotional materials and distribution, translation costs, audio-visual
equipment, other media costs
(v) Information Technology – includes purchase of computer hardware, software and supplies
for project purposes only (if eligible)
(vi) Travel – includes international and local travel tickets (excluding taxi fares), subsistence
allowance for project staff, and shipment of goods that relate only to the project.
(Subsistence allowance for any meeting/event participants should be budgeted under
‘contractual services-companies’)
Organisation costs – These are costs associated with co-ordination and office running costs for
implementing the project and should not exceed 15% of the total project budget
(i) Human resources - management – refers to salary costs of the requesting organisation for
co-ordinating and overseeing the project
(ii) Travel - for management/support staff, but not eligible for funding from UNDP ACT
(iii) Equipment and furniture – includes transportation equipment, furniture for organisation’s
office costs only. Not eligible for funding from UNDP ACT
(iv) Office supplies and communications – includes communications equipment, telephone
charges, postage charges, email and internet charges, stationery and other office supplies
(v) Office rental and maintenance – includes rent, cleaning, utilities
(vi) Monitoring and reporting – includes costs for monitoring and analysing project progress, and
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Note
report-writing
(vii) Miscellaneous – includes bank charges, sundries, audit fees and legal fees
c)
Organisation’s contribution: requesting organisations are required to contribute at least
25% of total project costs to the project, either in-kind through existing resources or
management activities or through allocating funds for activities/project costs, or both. Please
refer to the Call for Proposal instructions for further information since the minimum expected
may be higher.
Annex 3 - Project
Timeframe
Keeping the same outputs and activities specified in sections B.2. and B.3. develop a timeframe
for each activity that covers the whole period of the project being proposed. Mark with a ‘X’ the
cells against the activity and the relevant year quarter/s in which the activity is planned.
Annex 4 - Publications
Matrix
See call for proposal solicitation document.
Glossary of Key Terms
Outcome: A generic definition of outcomes is: “the intended or achieved short-term and medium-term development
changes, usually requiring the collective effort of partners”. In other words, the project outcome represents changes
in development conditions and therefore the overall results being pursued. The intention of a project is contribute
towards these changes in conditions (outcome) through its outputs (i.e. activities and inputs). For UNDP ACT, the
changes in development conditions (outcome) are associated with the strengthening of co-operation and trust
amongst all sectors of Cypriot society.
For projects that receive funds from UNDP ACT, the project outcome equals one of the four results, as stated in
section B.1. above, that relate to networking and education, civil society, sustainable development and
communications.
Outputs: The products/goods and services that result from projects and associated activities, initiatives and
advocacy efforts. They are what projects deliver and contribute towards a change in a development situation, i.e.
outcome.
Indicators: Output indicators are important for project planning, management, tracking, learning and improving.
Without them it is difficult to monitor, report and evaluate performance, progress and development change. Indicators
are signs that show the extent of change in a given situation. They help to measure what actually happened in terms
of quantity, quality and timeliness against what was originally planned. They also measure a project’s progress in
achieving results.
In selecting indicators one critical question to ask is: “how easy is it to obtain and analyse data for the indicator?”
Other questions before, during and at the completion of implementation to consider are:
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Are these the right actions for achieving the outputs?
Is this the right strategy to follow? (Efficiency)
Are the outputs being delivered in a timely manner?
Do the results meet the aspirations and the needs of stakeholders and/or beneficiaries?
What changes in the situation/context have occurred? Are they positive or negative? Have they increased or
decreased or stayed the same? Have they improved or worsened or stayed the same?
Is there a plausible association between the changes and outputs of the project?
Do the outputs lead to the expected positive changes or outcomes?
Some additional examples of indicators are: percentage of citizens active in community-level
organisations/associations; ratio of men and women in management positions in public service; trust in the media as
measured by public opinion survey; civic education in school curriculum; road traffic accidents in a given period;
cleanliness of medical services; availability of ecological data; level of toxins in duck eggs; internet connectivity in
rural areas.
Activity: How the intended outputs will be achieved. Actions taken or work performed through which inputs are
mobilised to produce specific outputs.
Inputs: Financial, human, material, technological and information resources that will be used for the activities.
Project Proposal Guidance Note Rev2 – 20/01/06