With support from Sweden, SEI will be funding events focused on sustainable development, gender equality and poverty reduction; organizations across Asia are invited to submit concept notes.
The Regional Asia Environment Conference Support Programme, funded by Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), aims to promote dialogue and knowledge-sharing among different groups and stakeholders, with the goal of helping to shape public policy to advance sustainable development. The programme is an initiative under the Sida-SEI Strategic Fund managed by the Asia Centre.
Call for concept notes
SEI welcomes concept notes for events in Asia focused on advancing sustainable development, gender equality and poverty reduction. The events should preferably bring representatives from government, the private sector, and civil society together with researchers, and feature active exchanges between participants.
The programme will prioritize events that build new knowledge, build leadership, strengthen existing capacity, enhance and foster networks and partnerships, and generate new collaborations and undertakings in ways that are gender-responsive. There is also scope to consider collaborations with the private sector and partnerships for development and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Events should also demonstrate a likelihood to change practice and policy.
Recipient organizations should be based in Asia or, if they are based outside the region, be addressing issues relevant to Asia. Applicants can be public nonprofit organizations or networks with experience in providing dialogue platforms to enable different groups and other stakeholders who can share their knowledge in the areas of environmentally sustainable development, gender equality and poverty reduction.
Programme grants
A total of 1,200,000 SEK (roughly 185,000 USD) will be awarded annually. The goal is to support 5-6 strategic events each year. The awards can fund an event in its entirety or provide supplemental funding. Funds can cover meeting/conference expenses, travel costs of strategic participants, outreach costs (such as for communication and media), monitoring and evaluation, and (as needed) auditing fees.
Grants will be issued on a quarterly basis; concept notes should be submitted at least 3 months before the planned activity; the deadlines for the remainder of 2014 are:
• Quarter 2: 31 March
• Quarter 3: 30 June
• Quarter 4: 30 September
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