Girls’ Education Skills Partnership (GESP) - Challenge Fund Request for Proposals

Aims to boost girls’ access to education and address the skills deficit in adolescent girls in developing countries. Call for innovative ideas to address this problem and support transitions to employment.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
29 June 2022
Last updated
9 January 2023 — See all updates
Funds:
Open
Countries:
Bangladesh, Nigeria
Sector:
Education, Empowerment and accountability, Girls and women
Eligible organisations:
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), UK-based non-profit organisations, UK-based small and diaspora organisations, Companies, Educational institutions, Individuals, Humanitarian relief organisations, Organisations based in Low to Middle Income Countries (LMIC)
Value of funding:
£500,001 to £1,000,000, More than £1,000,000

Thanks to applicants for their patience. Please see revised timelines:

  • a decision on ineligible proposals will be communicated at the end of January 2023
  • further review processes will take place in February, with final decisions communicated in early March 2023

Overview

The Girls’ Education and Skills (GESP) programme will be delivered through 2 components: Challenge Fund and Passport to Earning (P2E).

The Challenge Fund will award grants, each between £750,000 to £1.5 million (GBP) via a competitive grant call process. This call is for projects operating in Bangladesh and/or Nigeria. GESP projects are expected to run for 3 to 4 years, with actual duration dependent on the needs of the project. Projects must support any of the following broad themes employment readiness, 21st Century skills, economic empowerment, and STEM education.

What the fund will achieve

Projects should aim to tackle skills and employment barriers to empower female learners. The principal target group for your project should be adolescent girls and young women aged 13 to 25.

It is a requirement of GESP that projects are implemented through partnerships, which are defined as a formal collaboration among a group of public and/or private organisations. Partnerships may include, but are not restricted to, education and skills Institutions, private sector companies (as employers, investors or suppliers), NGOs, youth-led organisations and public sector agencies involved in education and skills.

How to apply

Applicants are required to complete a GESP project proposal form and budget template. You should submit the completed documents to davelyn.thompson@fcdo.gov.uk

Background information on the fund

Applicants should refer to the GESP Challenge Fund: Request for Proposals document and Important background and further information on the GESP programme for further guidance.

The establishment of a sustainable project that can continue after the life of GESP, or scaled up, will be a key consideration of any GESP project. Therefore GESP welcomes the support of other organisations in delivering the transformational change that it wants to bring about. That support may be direct financial support or it may be ‘in-kind’ support and can be included in applications.

Contacts

davelyn.thompson@fcdo.gov.uk

Published 29 June 2022
Last updated 9 January 2023 + show all updates

  1. Update on decision timings.

  2. The invitation to submit proposals for a project has been extended until 2pm on Friday 30 September 2022. You should submit the completed documents to <davelyn.thompson@fcdo.gov.uk>

  3. First published.

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