Call for France-Lebanon Projects

Themes

• Local economic development, particularly agriculture;
• Social cohesion, including solidarity, youth, and vocational training;
• Heritage and culture;
• Sustainable development, including water issues, renewable energy, biodiversity, climate change adaptation, and urban management.
• Major risk management and prevention.

Duration

• The project duration must be between 12 and 36 months maximum, from the date of acceptance by the selection committee.

Ineligible Activities

• Projects presented as a list of unrelated activities are not eligible for DCTCIV co-financing.
• Activities/operations aimed at:
  • The day-to-day operations of French or Lebanese local authorities and their services (e.g., the salaries or wages of municipal employees, energy bills, etc.);
  • The delivery of materials (medicines, books, etc.) or private collections are also not eligible for co-financing.
  • Please note: Generally speaking, the Delegation for Local Authorities and Civil Society does not finance real estate infrastructure or equipment. However, it may consider covering part of the small equipment required to launch the project, if this allows for the implementation of a structuring project, within the limits of the DCTCIV’s general funding criteria. If your project falls into this category, please contact the DCTCIV before submitting your application.
  • When presenting the budget, human resources (HR) expenses for project monitoring and coordination must be distinguished from expenses related to project activities. HR monitoring/coordination expenses cannot, in principle, exceed 15% of the total project budget. If applicable, they must be presented monthly (and not per person per day).
  • Please note: Project monitoring meetings (e.g., organizing a steering committee) are essential. However, they cannot be considered project activities per se, nor can they be billed in any way.

Eligibility Criteria

• This call for projects is open to French local and regional authorities (CTF) and their groups wishing to carry out projects within the framework of decentralized cooperation partnerships with Lebanese municipalities or federations of municipalities.
• Please note: In all cases, project management must be provided by one or more French local and regional authorities or groups of local and regional authorities. Project management may be delegated, for example, to an association/NGO or a company. However, the project must directly involve local and regional authorities in their skills or their ability to mobilize stakeholders in their territories in partnership with another local authority. A project cannot be selected if the French local and regional authority submitting it only acts as a donor.

Selection Criteria

• Implementation of the project in Lebanon
  • Projects will be considered if:
    • Aim to meet the essential needs of the population and contribute to local economic development;
    • Build synergies with other projects supported by France in Lebanon (particularly with the French Institute in Lebanon and its branches), or other international donors;
    • Are led by several Lebanese municipalities/federations of municipalities, aiming to pool their resources and increase the scope and effectiveness of their actions.
• Integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  • Programs integrating multiple SDGs in a spirit of cross-cutting approaches and multiplying the project’s positive impacts will be favored.
• Reciprocity between territories
  • Eligible projects must provide guarantees of a balanced partnership and good reciprocity for the benefit of the populations of French and Lebanese local authorities.
• Gender Equality and Youth
  • The trajectory set by the Development Law of August 4, 2021, stipulates that by 2025, 75% of French official development assistance must promote gender equality.
• Participation of Local Businesses
  • On the Lebanese side, priority will be given to projects in which Lebanese municipalities/federations of municipalities plan to integrate one or more businesses from their territories into their activities (co-financing, provision of expertise, etc.).
• Coordination with existing projects
  • New projects by French local authorities proposed within the territory of a Lebanese municipality that already has a partnership with one or more other French local authorities will only be eligible if the various stakeholders explicitly articulate the new project’s proper coordination with the existing project(s) (e.g., through a joint letter).

Application Requirements

• The application form must be completed with the following documents:
  • Letters of intent signed by the executives of the French and foreign partner local authorities, indicating their financial commitment;
  • A calendar/timeline of activities (an example is available on the MEAE website).
  • Any other additional document that helps better understand the project or its partners is also welcome but optional.

For more information, visit France Diplomatie.