United Nations Trust Fund on Family Activities

Guidelines

...family: resources and responsibilities in a changing world.

Technical Assistance

Families in the Process of Development

Publications and Documents

Meetings and Events

International Observances

• What kind of assistance is available from the Fund?
• Who can qualify for assistance?
• How can a request for assistance be submitted?
• What is a project?
• How are projects appraised?
• How is a project proposal prepared?
• What is a project document proforma?

What kind of assistance is available from the Fund?

The United Nations Trust Fund on Family Activities provides financial assistance for activities specific to the family and projects of direct benefit to it, with the special focus on least developed and developing countries, and countries with economies in transition. Grants from the Fund support practical action by governments and by non-governmental organizations at the national, regional and global levels in the following areas:

• Activities of a pilot nature or which form part of larger development initiatives which aim at building national capacities and institutional capabilities for improved livelihood and well-being of families in least developed and developing countries, and countries with economies in transition.

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Who can qualify for assistance?

Governments and non-governmental organizations can submit requests for assistance for consideration by the Fund.

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How can a request for assistance be submitted?

Governments can submit requests for assistance directly to the United Nations Secretariat or through the local office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Consultation with the local office of UNDP will help to ensure that requests are consistent with ongoing and planned multi- and bilateral development assistance activities.

Since the United Nations provide assistance to governments upon request, non-governmental organizations should obtain the concurrence/no objection of the concerned governmental officials in their country prior to submitting a request for assistance to the Fund. NGOs may wish to consult with the local office of UNDP about procedures for obtaining the endorsement /no objection of the concerned governmental authorities in the matter.

Requests for funding assistance should be concise, detailed and submitted in a project document format, as described in the following sections, to facilitate project appraisal and a prompt reply.

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What is a project?

The United Nations defines a project as (1) a set of activities which are organized in response to an identified need or issue, (2) carried out within a specific (a) period of time and  (b) budget and (3) achieve a set of stated objectives.

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How are projects appraised?

Project proposals are appraised with respect to:

1. The consistency of the request with the terms of reference of the Fund,

2. the relationship of the proposal to national development strategies, policies and programmes,

3. the logic of the project design, its organization, substantive content, work plan and budget

Since the resources of the Fund are designed to provide seed-money grants for catalytic and innovative action, grants generally co-finance rather than cover the entire cost of a proposal. Grants recently have ranged from US$5,000 to US$20,000 per proposal.

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How is a project proposal prepared?

Clear and concise formulation of (a) a project plan of operations and (b) budget, and the involvement of intended beneficiaries in project planning and implementation, are important factors in determining overall project success and represent important contributions to the project's sustained operations.

Project proposals which will involve complex, multi-year assistance should be submitted in the standard UNDP project document format rather than on the Trust Fund proforma so that all information required to appraise a request for assistance from the United Nations system will be available.

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What is a project document proforma?

The Trust Fund project document proforma is designed to provide the basic information required to appraise a proposal and to prepare a detailed plan of operations once funding is confirmed. The project document proforma must have:

(1) a cover page (see the format presented below), and

(2) the following five sections:

• Background and justification

• Objectives

• Project implementation and management

• Project monitoring and evaluation

• Budget

The Project Document must follow the format presented and include all the information requested (all highlighted information with italics or with "*" or "**" must be provided for the appraisal process to be initiated).

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Cover Page

PROJECT DOCUMENT

Fund: United Nations Trust Fund on Family Activities

Project Number: ______________________________

Project title: ______________________________

Implementing agency: ______________________________

Location of project operations: ______________________________

Cooperating agency(ies): ______________________________

Proposed starting date: Duration: ______________________________

Financial Information Cash (local currency and US$) In kind (local currency and US$)

Total Cost: ______________________________

Fund inputs: ______________________________

Third party cost-sharing: ______________________________

Government inputs: ______________________________

Other sources: ______________________________

Specify who and the contribution that will be made.

Signed: ______________________________

Name: ______________________________

Title: (On behalf of Government) ______________________________

Date: ______________________________

Name: ______________________________

Title: (On behalf of Implementing Agency) ______________________________

Date: ______________________________

Name: ______________________________

Title: (On behalf of United Nations) ______________________________

Date: ______________________________

Summary of the Proposal: ______________________________

Should you wish to proceed further, click here to print or save the Word format.

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Preparation of a Project Document

1. Brief summary of the existing situation concerning the family;
2. **Problem or critical issue which the proposed project will address;
3. *How the need for the project came to be determined;
4. *How the proposed project relates to national development policies, programmes and strategies;
5. Other ongoing programmes and activities which will complement the project=s operations;

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PART II. OBJECTIVES

A. Development objective

1. **Ways in which this project will result in improved well-being and livelihood of the family.
B. Immediate objectives and Expected project results
2. **Expected achievements in terms of effects among intended beneficiaries of the project on its successful completion
3. **In quantitative terms, to the extent possible, what the project will produce through its planned activities and budget.

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PART III. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN

A. Project activities and work plan

1. **Activities, planned timing and duration for each immediate (project) objective.
2. **Ways in which project operations will continue, or be expanded to other areas or sectors, once the current phase of assistance is completed.
3. **Ways in which project operations will be self-financing on completion.

B. Project Beneficiaries

4. **Number (how many) and description (who) of the people that will benefit -- directly and indirectly- from the project.

C. Institutional Setting for the Project

5. *Parties responsible for the planning and management of project operations.
6. **Capabilities and experience of the project implementing agency,
7. *Other bodies and organizations (concerned governmental authorities, the NGO community, the private sector, UN agencies, etc.) that will be involved in the project, either on a direct or indirect basis (specify their roles).
8. Ways in which intended beneficiaries have been involved in project design, planning, implementation and evaluation.
9. Envisaged arrangements to ensure coordination with other programmes and activities.
10. **If an NGO, letter of endorsement or non objection from the concerned governmental authorities at the national level or from a local office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

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PART IV. PROJECT MONITORING AND EVALUATION

1. **Project monitoring mechanisms/measures to ensure that project activities are occurring as planned, and remain directed towards stated objectives. Measures to take appropriate corrective actions, if required. Identify responsible parties (person/institution).
2. **Mechanisms of project evaluation upon its completion. Identify responsible parties (person/institution).

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PART V. BUDGET

1. **Total annual costs of the project and of all project components, including personnel estimated work months and their costs in US dollars.
2. **Components that will be financed by the project implementing agency and resources, cash and in kind, that it can provide.
3. **Components for which external assistance is sought -- from the United Nations Trust Fund on Family Activities and from third parties (concerned governmental authorities, the NGO community, the private sector, UN agencies, etc.). Cash and in kind contributions need to be identified.
4. **Banking instructions: (a) exact account number, (b) exact official name of the payee, (c) exact street address of the payee, (d) name of the bank, (e) street address of the bank. 

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