International Development
As part of its grantmaking, Corra Foundation funds work to support communities overseas.
Corra has recently completed a learning process, including a small number of pilot grants, with the aim of continuing to improve our approach to supportive and accessible grant-making, with a focus on the international development sector.
To share the learning ad perspectives gathered through this process we’ve produced a range of materials:
- The short animated clip where you can listen to participants discussing shifting the power
- The first Insight Briefing from this process shares learning on the application and assessment stages.
- The second Insight Briefing shares learning on reporting and relationships.
- The Conclusions report reflecting on the process as a whole.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, in 2020 Corra made a number of micro grants to organisations already known to Corra to support their partnership work overseas.
Corra has also been working in partnership with the Scottish Government to administer and manage a number of the Scottish Government’s development assistance programmes.
Information on all the different international grants programmes Corra works on is provided below.
Please direct all enquiries to international@corra.scot
Or you can call Chrissie, International Specialist, on 0131 444 4020
- Corra learning process and pilot
- Corra Coronavirus Grants
- SG Small Grants
- SG Climate Justice Innovation Fund
- SG Malawi Main Grants
- SG Zambia & Rwanda Main Grants
Voices, Relationships and Partnerships in International Development
Learning and Pilot Fund for International Development Small Charities in Scotland
What this is
Corra has recently completed a learning process with the aim of continuing to improve our approach to supportive and accessible grant-making, with a focus on the International Development sector.
The learning initiative aimed to explore supportive, accessible and (potentially) innovative grant-making processes that can:
- Support powerful and equitable partnerships that generate lasting positive change for both partners and the communities involved.
- Help ensure the voices of all those involved in a project/initiative are heard.
- Facilitate learning and connections of value to all those involved in the funded activities.
A key element of the process was a pilot fund supporting five partnerships between Scotland-based organisations and overseas partners. Complementing the pilot, Corra also consulted the international development sector in Scotland and overseas partners more widely to gather additional perspectives.
The insights from this learning initiative are shared to support current thinking and practice.
The first Insight Briefing from this process shares learning on the application and assessment stages.
The second Insight Briefing shares learning on reporting and relationships.
This animated clip with audio shares participants’ perspectives as they discuss what shifting the power means to them.
This Conclusions Report shares reflections on the process as a whole.
Background
Corra Foundation is an independent foundation in Scotland which works to strengthen and amplify people’s voices and their power to make change. In March 2020 Corra launched its 10-year strategy with the emphasis on voice, being bold, shifting power and collaboration.
Corra has a long-standing relationship with Scotland-based charities working in the International Development sector. In the early 2000s Corra was one of the first independent funders in Scotland to support charities working in this field. More recently, Corra has worked closely with the Scottish Government in administering their funding priorities for the Small Grants programme and Climate Justice Innovation Fund. In 2020, Corra responded to the coronavirus pandemic by providing small international micro-grants to organisations and their partners overseas.
In recent years there has been a growing awareness and energy in the sector in Scotland to address how inequalities affect relationships. Equally, the international development sector as a whole continues to discuss good practices relating to community participation and ownership and the importance of ‘localisation’ or shifting the power toward partner organisations based in the country of implementation.
For funders this has raised questions about how partnerships and international relationships can be best formed and supported, recognising the challenges of being a relational funder while ensuring accountability, risk and safeguarding, which have an obvious impact on funding partners. Through this learning process, Corra gathered perspectives to help inform our own thinking and share learning with others.
About the Pilot
Corra is committed to helping people, communities, and organisations to work alongside people to develop support that meets their needs. A co-design approach was taken with the organisations involved, exploring what the opportunities and barriers are to working with funders and how we can shift power dynamics within the sector (between funder and grantholder and between partners in Scotland and overseas).
The initial £30,000 pilot fund helped us to explore and test how we as a funder continue to support participatory approaches, be more supportive to international partnerships, and best support such partnerships through reducing bureaucracy while ensuring safeguards and accountability, most importantly to the communities the grant is intended to support. The pilot fund was an invite-only process through which five partnerships received grants from Corra’s own funding programmes. These partnerships were a mix of small to medium charity sizes with a geographic and thematic spread to their partnership work.
The partnerships supported were:
Action for Rural Women’s Empowerment (ARUWE) and Signpost International working to support participatory work with communities in Nebbi District, Uganda to develop systems for improved safeguarding.
Children of Rwanda-UK and Children of Rwanda-RW working on organisational development of the partner in Gishyita, Rwanda which was established as a separate organisation 3 years ago.
The CIFA Trust and Ungweru working in Mzuzu, Malawi to support the inception phase for a new climate-conscious programme aiming to raise living standards and tackle household poverty among smallholder farmers.
Global Concerns Trust and Environmental Support Group working in Bengalaru, India to promote environmental and public health awareness and waste management.
Isaro Community Initiative working with the Fred Nkunda Vocational Training Centre on a needs assessment for tackling teenage pregnancy, and with Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Action (SDHA) on the pilot for a social enterprise model to increase climate resilience and reduce poverty, both in Muhanga District, Rwanda.
International Pilot Participants Map
About the Consultation
Alongside the pilot, Corra consulted a range of stakeholders and partners to gather additional perspectives and input on grant-making processes and funding approaches.
Consultation included a sector-wide survey and conversations with the two Scottish networks of organisations undertaking international development work, Scotland’s International Development Alliance (SIDA) and the Scotland Malawi Partnership (SMP), and overseas partners.
The sector-wide survey was for organisations based either in Scotland or outside of the UK which work in the international development sector. The questions aimed to gather views on how funders can adapt their approaches to better support powerful and equitable partnerships that generate lasting positive change for both partners and the communities involved.
The sector-wide survey was for organisations based either in Scotland or outside of the UK which work in the international development sector. The questions aimed to gather views on how funders can adapt their approaches to better support powerful and equitable partnerships that generate lasting positive change for both partners and the communities involved. We have summarised the survey responses (all anonymous) in an infographic and a Survey Summary Report.
Timeline
The pilot launched in late June 2021, with the majority of the learning sessions with pilot participants completed by January 2022.
The wider consultation began in September and completed by December 2021. Conclusions from the learning process were finalised in April and published in May 2022.
More Information
If you are interested in learning more about this approach or the findings from the learning initiative and pilot then please contact elaine@corra.scot or chrissie@corra.scot.
Scottish Government International Development Small Grants Programme
Please note: this call is now closed.
The Scottish Government’s International Development Small Grants Programme 2020 invited applications from June onwards and closed on 8 November 2019. Applications from organisations working in the field of international development were assessed and awards for grants to commence in April 2020 were made in March 2020. Details of funded organisations are available here.
With the intention of supporting smaller organisations, this programme limits eligibility to Scotland-based organisations with an annual expenditure of less than £250,000. This year’s funding opportunity round sees a particular focus by the Scottish Government on building skills and capacity to support future work, with grants of up to £15,000 available for one-year feasibility studies and capacity building initiatives.
These feasibility study and capacity building grants are open to organisations working in any overseas country rated as either medium or low in the United Nations Human Development Index, although priority will be given to those working in one of the three Scottish International Development Strategy Sub-Saharan Africa Partner countries: Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda.
The funding will support organisations working with some of the world’s most vulnerable people and communities and will contribute to the current International Development Strategy and overarching Scottish Government outcomes.
International Development Minister, Ben Macpherson said:
“The International Small Grants Programme demonstrates the Scottish Government’s commitment to helping some of the world’s most vulnerable people and enhancing Scotland’s role as a good global citizen.
“We would particularly welcome applications from Scottish-based organisations working in any country rated as either medium or low in the United Nations development index, to strengthen their governance and safeguarding policies and procedures especially with our partner countries, Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda
“I strongly encourage all eligible Scottish-based organisations to consider submitting an application for this funding round.”
Corra Foundation Chief Executive, Fiona Duncan said:
“Corra Foundation is delighted to manage the 2020 Small Grants Programme on behalf of Scottish Government. The Programme’s aims of supporting people to create positive change and address challenges, often through relatively small but vibrant organisations, fit well with Corra’s vision and wider work. We are happy to support this new round of grants to connect communities and strengthen capacities for the future.”
Scotland’s International Development Alliance Chief Executive, Jane Salmonson said:
“The Scottish Government’s Small Grants Programme makes an incredibly valuable contribution to Scotland’s international achievements. I recommend all small organisations take a look at the help they could get from a grant, especially if they want to improve their partnership working. This is a rare chance to get help to improve results by improving policies and procedures in vital areas such as safeguarding and risk management.”
Scotland Malawi Partnership Chief Executive, David Hope-Jones said:
“This innovative grant programme is achieving significant human impact in Malawi. It harnesses the energy, expertise and efficiency that exists in Scotland’s smaller charities: organisations that too often are excluded from development programmes. It builds on and supports the 160-year nation-to-nation and people-to-people friendship which Scotland enjoys with Malawi. We wholeheartedly support this programme.”
Further information on the fund is available at www.corra.scot, via Twitter @corra.scot or by contacting international@corra.scot
Criteria
Background Information and Criteria for the Scottish Government International Development Small Grants Programme 2020 round are available in the following document.
Information Sessions
Information Session, 11 September 2019
The Information Session was held on 11 September 2019 at the City of Edinburgh Methodist Church.
Slides from the session: https://www.corra.scot/all-slides-sg-2020-info-session-11092019-2/
Video footage of key presentations and discussion from the session:
General Introduction
Questions and Answers
These questions on Capacity Building grants address multiple issues, staff and expertise costing limits and in-country partners status, including collaboration with government agencies:
Webinar, 2 October 2019
Corra Foundation collaborated with Scotland’s International Development Alliance in their hosting of an online webinar about what makes a successful application to the Scottish Government International Development Small Grants programme on Wednesday 2 October. The webinar included introductions and inputs from the Alliance, a presentation from Corra and contributions from the Scotland Malawi Partnership, as well as questions from participants and responses.
Information about the webinar and all handouts and presentations are available from: https://www.intdevalliance.scot/events/previous-events/webinar-scottish-government-small-grants.
How to apply
This Scottish Government International Development Small Grants Programme 2020 round has now closed and applications are no longer being accepted.
For reference purposes, the following documents were used for the 2020 funding round.
Feasibility Study
Feasibility study budget sheet
Feasibility study grant application form guidance
Feasibility study grant online application form
Capacity Building
Capacity building budget sheet
FAQ and Useful Contacts
Please click on the following link to download the International Development Small Grants Q&A.
For guidance on completing the online form please view the International Development Small Grants Hints and Tips document.
Useful contacts
Scotland’s International Development Alliance (formerly NIDOS) and Scotland Malawi Partnership (SMP) both provide information and support for international development organisations. Their contact details are:
Scotland’s International Development Alliance
Scotland Malawi Partnership (for organisations with an interest in Malawi):
Information for Current Grantholders
Reporting Arrangements
A condition of the grant is that the Grantee shall keep the Scottish Ministers, via Corra Foundation, fully informed of the progress of the project. The requirement is to provide:
- One progress report due on 31st October (covering April – September) and another report due on 30th April (covering the previous April-March) until project completion.
- A copy of your updated budget spreadsheet updated every 6 months, tracking actual expenditure on your project shoould accompany the narrative report above.
- A final end of grant report due 30 days after your grant end date using a different end of grant reporting form.
The reports should include details of actual expenditure to date compared with the expenditure detailed within the original application form; details of the progress made in relation to achieving the outcomes as described within the application form; and information regarding the progress against the workplan.
The templates, which will help with completing the online reporting forms, are available to download below. The templates include guidance notes on how to complete each section.
Small grants progress report (for all grant types)
Project Grants templates
End of project grant report template
Budget spreadsheet – Project Grant
Feasibility Study templates
Feasibility study end of grant report template
Budget spreadsheet – Feasibility Study
Capacity Building Grant templates
Capacity building end of grant report template
Budget spreadsheet – Capacity Building
Changes to Grants
We appreciate that things can change throughout the duration of a project however it is important that you keep the Foundation informed of any significant changes promptly and not wait until the next reporting period. Some changes can be approved by the Foundation but major revisions may be subject to the written agreement of the Scottish Ministers, via Corra Foundation.
In particular, any budget variances should be reported to the Corra Foundation as soon as possible.
Scottish Government Climate Justice Innovation Fund
Please note: this call is now closed.
2019 Climate Justice Innovation Funding Round
The concept of climate justice is based on a simple and powerful message: the poor and vulnerable at home and overseas are the first to be affected by climate change, and will suffer the worst, yet have done little or nothing to cause the problem.
The negative impact of climate change is felt the most by those who are already vulnerable because of geography, poverty, gender, age, indigenous or minority status, and disability. The concept of climate justice, which links human rights and development, provides a new and progressive policy platform for a sustainable climate agenda.
While the Scottish Government supports other funding opportunities for international projects addressing climate change or promoting environmental protection, the Climate Justice Innovation Fund (CJIF) has a clear focus on innovation.
CJIF projects should be delivered in one or more of the Scottish Government’s International Development sub-Saharan partner countries (Malawi, Zambia or Rwanda) and must also support the project country’s own development priorities as well as the Scottish Government’s Climate Justice and International Development aims.
Click here to download a copy of the Scottish Government Climate Justice Policy
Click here to download a copy of the Scottish Government International Development Strategy
Open to any Scotland-based organisation, working in partnership with in-country partner(s), the Scottish Government’s 2019 CJIF closed for applications on the 8th of August. Applications responded to the requirement to support the delivery of climate justice-related projects which field test the feasibility of new methods, technologies or approaches in tackling climate change, or trial new innovations on the path to scale. (Please see below if you are interested in more detail on the 2019 round.)
The three projects which will be funded through the 2019 round of the Climate Justice Innovation Fund are below:
Organisation: Malawi Fruits
Project: From Plant to Plate – Improving farmer incomes and food security by reducing post-harvest losses
Project description: This project aims to address post-harvest losses in northern Malawi (Mzimba) and generate increased farming profit for women farmers and persons with disabilities through combining training with the establishment of a co-operative-owned and solar-powered cold store.
Total funding: £124,525
Organisation: Scottish Environment Protection Agency
Project: Community Advocacy for Sustainable Rural Water Services in Malawi
Project description: This project will empower women, youth and other disenfranchised, vulnerable stakeholders in southern Malawi (Chiradzulu) to hold water service providers to account through awareness raising and training to support engagement and partnership between communities, service providers and regulators, thereby helping ensure the long-term sustainability of rural water supplies.
Total funding: £116,061
Organisation: University of Glasgow
Project: Development of sustainable clean cooking facilities to boost resilience to climate change in Malawi
Project description: This project aims to help address deforestation in southern Malawi (Machinga) through delivering a sustainable biofuel production (biogas and biosyngas) and utilisation unit for clean and efficient cooking, manufacturing and maintaining the bioenergy kit in Malawi and attracting attention from local business.
Total funding: £122,583
- For details of successful grants from our 2018 funding round, please click here.
- For a list of successful grants from our 2017 funding round, please click here.
2019 Call Guidance & Documentation
For reference purposes, the following documents were used for the 2019 funding round.
Information Session
A Climate Justice Innovation Fund information session was held in Edinburgh on Wednesday 26 June 2019. The slides from the session are available here.
A film of the session can be viewed below.
Charlie Goodwin-Smith, Climate Justice Innovation Fund Manager for the Scottish Government, speaks until 11:53. Chrissie Hirst, International Project Manager for Corra Foundation, speaks about Grant Criteria from then till the video's end.
Information for Current Grant Holders
Reporting Arrangements
A condition of the grant is that the Grantee shall keep the Scottish Ministers, via Corra Foundation, fully informed of the progress of the project. The requirement is to provide:
- One progress report due on 31st October (covering April – September) and another report due on 30th April (covering the previous April-March) until project completion.
- A copy of your updated budget spreadsheet updated every 6 months, tracking actual expenditure on your project shoould accompany the narrative report above.
- A final end of grant report due 30 days after your grant end date using a different end of grant reporting form.
The reports should include details of actual expenditure to date compared with the expenditure detailed within the original application form; details of the progress made in relation to achieving the outcomes as described within the application form; and information regarding the progress against the workplan.
The templates, which will help with completing the online reporting forms, are available to download below. The templates include guidance notes on how to complete each section.
Templates
Scottish Government Malawi Development Programme
Please note: this call is now closed.
About Scottish Government Malawi Development Programme
International development is a key part of Scotland’s global contribution within the international community. It encompasses Scottish Government’s core values, historical and contemporary, of fairness and equality. It is about Scotland acting as a good global citizen.
Scottish Government has a distinctive development contribution to make, through focusing Scotland’s expertise, being innovative and employing a unique partnership approach, for global good.
As noted in Global Citizenship: Scotland’s International Development Strategy[1] published in December 2016, the international development programme will build upon existing bilateral partnerships with four countries: Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda and Pakistan.
This funding round relates to projects specifically for work in Malawi, which would cover one or more elements of the following list, as provided by the Government of Malawi:
- Health
- Civil Society and Governance
- Education (General and Higher Education)
- Sustainable Economic Development (which includes Renewable Energy)
For a full breakdown of these thematic areas, please read the background information and criteria document.
In response to sector feedback following the Scottish Government’s Consultation on international development policy in 2016[2], the Scottish Government’s Malawi Development Programmes will operate as a two stage application process. The first stage of the process will be for interested organisations to submit a concept note which will provide a clear overview of the planned project and demonstrate the impact that the work will have.
From the assessment of the concept notes, successful organisations will be invited to complete a full application form which will require much more detail of the project plans.
[1] https://www.gov.scot/publications/global-citizenship-scotlands-international-development-strategy/
Timetable
Closing date for submission of concept notes
26 January 2018
Result of concept notes assessment
W/C 26 March 2018
Closing date for full applications
11 May 2018
Announcement of funding
July 2018
Projects start
01 October 2018
Information Session
An information session was held in Edinburgh on Wednesday 29th November from 9.30am – 1.30pm. Powerpoint slides from all of the days presentations can be found here.
If you have any questions following the session, please email international@corra.scot
Scottish Government Zambia & Rwanda Development Programmes
Please note: this call is now closed.
International development is a key part of Scotland’s global contribution within the international community. It encompasses Scottish Government’s core values, historical and contemporary, of fairness and equality. It is about Scotland acting as a good global citizen.
Scottish Government has a distinctive development contribution to make, through focusing Scotland’s expertise, being innovative and employing a unique partnership approach, for global good.
As noted in Global Citizenship: Scotland’s International Development Strategy[1] published in December 2016, the international development programme will build upon existing bilateral partnerships with four countries: Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda and Pakistan.
This funding round relates to projects specifically for work in Zambia and Rwanda and, in order to maximise impact, there will be a focus on specific regions in each country: Central Province, Zambia and Western and Southern Provinces of Rwanda.
In response to sector feedback following the Scottish Government’s Consultation on international development policy in 2016[2], the Scottish Government’s Zambia and Rwanda Development Programmes will operate as a two stage application process. The first stage of the process will be for interested organisations to submit a concept note which will provide a clear overview of the planned project and demonstrate the impact that the work will have. From the assessment of the concept notes, successful organisations will be invited to complete a full application form which will require much more detail of the project plans.
Timetable
Closing date for submission of concept notes
4th May 2017
Result of concept notes assessment
1st June 2017
Closing date for full applications
29th June 2017
Announcement of funding
w/c 7th August 2017
Projects start
1st October 2017
Information Session
Information Session – Edinburgh, Thursday 23 March
Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, Minister for International Development and Europe, introduced an information session on the Scottish Government’s new International Development Strategy in Edinburgh on 23rd March 2017. At the event, Corra Foundation also provided information and advice on the 2017 Zambia & Rwanda funding round. Copies of the slides shown at the event are available under Guidance & Documentation.
