Fund for Local Cooperation: Call for Proposals 2025-2027 is open
The Fund for Local Cooperation (FLC) of the Embassy of Finland in Windhoek is an instrument for funding non-profit projects in Namibia. The call for proposals for project implementation in 2025-2027 is now open. Proposals must be submitted by 23.59 (GMT/UTC+2) on May 18, 2025.
Over the past years, the Fund for Local Cooperation (FLC) has been the core development cooperation instrument of the Embassy of Finland in Namibia.
The size of the FLC portfolio is dependent on the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland's annual budget. Among the candidates, the Embassy chooses 3-5 best project proposals from each call for proposals. The support is intended for projects only and not meant for core funding. Selected projects will receive a fund between EUR 50 000–75 000 and projects must be implemented within one or two years.
FLC Values
As a development policy instrument, FLC supports the goals and principles of the Finnish development policy and its priority areas. All proposals must be in line with these, as well as incorporate to the goals and principles of Finnish Government report on international economic relations and development cooperation.
Beyond the Finnish Government report on international economic relations and development cooperation, the proposals must also be in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN.
What are the Funds for Local Cooperation?
The Fund for Local Cooperation (FLC) is an instrument for the Embassy for supporting small-scale development cooperation with local partner organizations in Namibia.
As a development policy instrument, the FLC supports Finland´s overall development policy and priority areas as set in the Finnish Government report on international economic relations and development cooperation:
- Rights for women and girls
- Improving the level of education
- Support for climate action
Projects funded from the Finnish FLC must be in line with these priority areas. Additionally, FLC projects should be implemented with the human rights-based approach, meaning, for example, that there is a zero-tolerance for all kind of discrimination and racism. Finnish FLC grants have a comparative advantage to address sensitive issues related to human rights, democracy, and good governance.
The focus areas for the next call for proposals, covering 2025-2027 are:
1) Human rights and equality
- addressing inequality and advancing the rights of people belonging to marginalized groups, prioritizing especially LGBTIQ communities and the disabled
- protecting and advancing the rights of women and girls, prioritizing especially prevention of gender-based violence
2) Youth employment and entrepreneurship
- creating opportunities for young people in vocational education and training, as well as livelihood creation, especially in areas of sustainable mining and renewable energy
3) Circular economy
- supporting new innovative businesses/NGOs on circular economy related projects i.e. recycling, bioenergy & awareness raising
Eligibility criteria for FLC partnership
The FLC eligible partners include local non-governmental organizations, science and technology communities, universities and other educational and research institutions, independent media, public bodies and cultural institutions (museums, libraries, theatres, etc.), chambers of commerce and commercial associations, organizations engaged in the promotion of export and investment, businesses, cooperatives, interest groups of companies and employees, foundations or religious communities.
FLC funding cannot be granted:
- To the Government, ministries or municipalities of the Republic of Namibia;
- To an unregistered association or organization;
- To support the activities of a political party;
- For basic research;
- For single cultural events (that have no permanent development impact);
- For charity;
- For humanitarian aid;
- In the form of a grant, scholarship or assistance for the applicant’s personal use;
- For purchasing land;
- To a Fund;
- For building the capital of microcredit systems (however, development projects and training are possible);
- To Finnish Non-Governmental Organizations, municipalities, Government agencies or public bodies or projects of friendship associations in Finland.
With regard to applicants, which have not received funding from the FLC before, particular attention will be paid to their record of accomplishment with financing from other donors. Applicants are required to provide financial audit reports from the past two years. After an initial selection of a proposed project, it will have to undergo an on-site appraisal by the Embassy of Finland.
The applicants must have a sound financial record and professionally qualified financial management, as well as sufficient human resources and competence for the implementation of the project. The applicant should play an active part in the project and share its risks. The Embassy will have the right to audit and evaluate the project at any time during the project. The organization responsible for the project must provide all required documentation according to the terms of the agreement.
How to Apply
The deadline for project proposals is on Sunday, May 18, 2025, 23.59 (GMT/UTC+2). Please note that applications received after this time will not be taken into consideration.
Inquiries and applications of a maximum of two pages in PDF-format should be sent to the Embassy’s email sanomat.win(a)gov.fi and cc’d to the Programme Coordinator pietari.arikka(a)gov.fi titled “Fund for Local Cooperation Application”.
The application process consists of a two-step selection procedure. In the first round, all applicants are asked to send a maximum two-page (2) project idea using the template for proposals found at the end of this page. The free-standing proposal should include the following information:
- Short presentation of the project & Project Specific Plan;
- An indicative budget;
- How the project is related to the priority areas of the call for proposals;
- Planned results at outcome and output levels;
- Description of the project management, monitoring and reporting, including sound financial management;
- Sound financial record, as well as sufficient human resources and competence for the implementation of the project.
- Name, official registration number of your association, contact details and a signature of the authorized representative of the organization.
ANNEX 1: Template for Project Proposals
Applications will be evaluated according to their compliance with the objectives of Finland's development policy and the FLC priorities of the Embassy, as well as the quality and feasibility of the project plan, and the assessment of applicant’s capacity and competence.
A limited number of selected project proposals will be contacted and asked to provide a more in-depth project plan and a budget. The proposals for the second round will receive a package of guiding documents to accompany the application.
Legal and Normative Context
The FLCs are governed by Finnish legislation, particularly the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers (688/2001), and the FLC Internal Instructions (6/2014) of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Finland. The Internal Instructions set out the main principles concerning eligibility criteria for partners and use of the FLC funds.
The local partners implementing FLC projects must abide by the relevant local legislation. As a rule, all projects must be implemented by the local partners themselves, and only small procurements of a maximum of €15.000 from external agents may be allowed. If any procurement of goods or services for the value of over €15.000 is needed, the procurement shall be carried out in compliance with the Finnish legislation on competitive bidding.