1.       We are an international non-governmental organisation registered and operating in Ethiopia. Is our organisation eligible to apply for CSIF?

Answer: CSIF is established specifically for Ethiopian civil society organisations (CSOs). Therefore, international non-governmental organisations are not eligible to apply for this call, even if they are registered and operating in Ethiopia.

2.       We were unable to access the official CSIF template (Annex A) to begin preparing the concept note. Could you please assist us?

Answer: Please access the application pack using the link below and try downloading it again.

https://www.csinnovationfund.org/s/Call-for-Proposals-2025-Application-Documents-pack.zip

3.       Do national projects mean working with agencies at the National level, rather than working in different regions?

Answer: National projects go beyond working with agencies at the national level alone. They address issues that require coordinated engagement from actors at both national and sub-national levels. This multi-level approach is essential to drive systemic change and achieve sustainable impact that cannot be realised through interventions confined to one or a few regions. Typically, such projects focus on issues of national significance, such as constitutional reform, national policy development, or system-wide governance challenges.

4.       How do you define new/emerging CSO?

Answer: A new or emerging CSO generally refers to organisations that are relatively young in the civil society space and still building their institutional capacity. In the CSIF context, this includes CSOs that have recently been established, many of them following the Civil Society Organisations Proclamation No. 1113/2019, and are beginning to engage in advocacy, service delivery, or governance work. These organisations often bring fresh perspectives and innovative approaches but may also face challenges such as limited funding, experience, and systems, which CSIF aims to help address.

5.       Is there a hierarchy between your thematic issues, in terms of amount of money allocated?

Answer: There is no hierarchy among the CSIF thematic priorities. All thematic areas are considered equally important, and funding allocations reflect this principle of equal prioritisation rather than favouring any one thematic issue over another.

6.       We are a national Organisation. Are we eligible to participate as a co-applicant or implementing partner in a consortium, or are implementation roles limited only to new and emerging CSOs?

Answer: A consortium is expected to include a mix of well-established as well as new and emerging CSOs. This does not exclude national CSOs. National organisations may participate as co-applicants or implementers within a consortium, provided the partnership demonstrates balanced participation and meaningful engagement, including support for the capacity strengthening of new and emerging CSOs.

7.       Can a single organisation within a consortium implement project activities in multiple geographic areas?

Answer: Yes. An organisation within a consortium may implement project activities in different geographic areas, provided it has an active operational presence in those areas and offers a clear justification. This should also ensure that the arrangement is based on programmatic need and effectiveness and not intended to result in an unfair allocation of funds within the consortium.

8.       Can support for establishing new CSOs in remote areas be included to contribute to civic space?

Answer: Yes. Support for establishing new CSOs in remote or underserved areas may be included, provided it contributes meaningfully to expanding civic space, strengthening local participation, and aligns with CSIF objectives. Such CSOs can be considered beneficiaries of the project rather than consortium partners. This support should be well justified and demonstrate how it will lead to sustainable and impactful civic engagement, including amplifying new and marginalised voices. It should also be noted that the establishment of new CSOs should be driven by genuine civic needs and initiatives of civic actors, rather than being motivated solely by funding opportunities.

9.       Do co-applicant expected to be registered?

Answer: Yes. Registration and having legal status is the minimum requirement for consortium members.

10.   Can we apply on the same thematic area but in different regions?

Answer: Yes. Applicants may propose projects under the same thematic area in different regions, provided that the interventions are context-specific, respond to regional needs and realities, and demonstrate clear justification for geographic coverage in line with CSIF objectives.

11.   How can we show that our Track records?

Answer: The concept note application template provides dedicated sections for applicants to present the track record of the consortium and its partner organisations. This can be demonstrated by outlining previous projects, key achievements, relevant experience, and evidence of impact in areas aligned with CSIF objectives. Applicants are encouraged to include specific examples, data, and references that illustrate their capacity to deliver results effectively.

12.   The call requires and encourages applicants to partner and collaborate with government agencies at different levels, community-based structures, and other stakeholders. Can these actors be included as consortium partners?

Answer: No. Government agencies, private sector service providers, INGOs, individuals, and community-based structures or informal groups that do not hold valid registration licenses from the Agency for Civil Society Organisations (ACSO) or relevant regional authorities are not eligible to be consortium members. However, they may be engaged as partners or stakeholders in implementation where appropriate.

13.   Do emerging CSO licensed recently are eligible to be a consortium member?

Answer: Yes. Recently established and registered emerging CSOs are eligible to be consortium members, provided they hold a valid registration license, approved bylaws or statute, and have clear financial management and governance systems in place. However, they are not eligible to serve as the lead applicant.

14.   Do all consortium members need to have an operational presence in all target regions?

Answer: No. Not all consortium members are required to have an operational presence in all target regions. However, at least one consortium partner must have an active operational presence in the proposed target regions or areas.

15.   The requirements appear to focus mainly on the lead Organisation. What are the minimum requirements for an Organisation to qualify as a consortium member?

Answer: The minimum requirements for a consortium member are to: (1) hold a valid legal registration and license; (2) have basic governance and management structures in place; and (3) maintain basic financial management and reporting systems.

16.   It is stated that CSOs that previously received CSIF funding are not eligible to apply. Given that there were two CSIF grant windows, does this restriction apply to grantees from both the first and second phases, or only to those that received funding under the most recent second window?

Answer:  The ineligibility applies to CSOs that received funding under the most recent CSIF grant window (second phase). CSOs that were supported under the first phase and did not receive funding in the second phase are eligible to apply, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements outlined in the call.

17.   What do you mean by a proven track record?

Answer: By a proven track record, we mean that consortium partners (including the lead agency) must meet and fully fulfil the required eligibility criteria. Partners who do not meet these requirements would not be considered as having a proven track record.

18.   Does each consortium member sign a contract with the lead applicant, or does every member receive the budget directly and sign an agreement with the donor?

Answer: Under CSIF’s tiered sub-granting mechanism, the lead applicant signs the main agreement with the donor (or with the fund manager in the case of CSIF). The lead applicant then enters into sub-grant agreements with each consortium member. Consortium members do not sign agreements directly with the donor and do not receive funds directly from the donor; all funds are managed and disbursed by the lead applicant in accordance with the sub-grant agreements and CSIF’s compliance requirements.

19.   Can we access the format to facilitate the memorandum of understanding among consortium members?

Answer: Yes. A sample consortium agreement or memorandum of understanding is included in the application pack (Annex 6).

20.   Do all consortium members prepare the concept note, or is it prepared only by the lead applicant?

Answer: One concept note must be prepared jointly with all consortium partners and submitted by the lead applicant through GRANTELOPE.

21.   Does the consortium need to be legally registered, or is an informal (not legally registered) consortium eligible to apply?

Answer: A consortium applying for a CSIF grant may be either an already established and legally registered consortium, or a newly formed consortium created specifically for this call. CSOs are free to form a consortium for this purpose, provided they sign a memorandum of understanding among the consortium members.

22.   Is due diligence required for all consortium members or only for the lead applicant at the concept note stage?

Answer: While it is not a requirement under CSIF II, the lead consortium member is strongly encouraged to conduct due diligence on proposed partners to ensure alignment with project objectives and compliance standards. The concept note template includes eligibility questions designed to confirm that all partners meet the minimum criteria.

A formal due diligence assessment will be conducted only for shortlisted applicants invited to the co-creation phase after submitting their full proposals. At that stage, the fund manager will conduct due diligence on the lead applicant, and the lead applicant will then cascade the due diligence process to its consortium members.

23.   Is the 10% administrative cost applicable only to the lead CSO, or can all consortium members use 10% of the total budget?

Answer: The total administrative cost for the project must not exceed 10% of the overall project cost. This 10% administrative cost should be shared fairly among all consortium members, rather than being allocated solely to the lead CSO.

24.   What amount of funding is allocated to supporting new and emerging CSOs outside the consortium?

Answer: A minimum of 5% of the total project cost can be allocated to supporting new and emerging CSOs outside the consortium. This support should be provided primarily in the form of in-kind and technical assistance, and it may also include direct financing of the activities of these CSOs rather than transferring funds to them.

25.   Regarding experience in implementing projects of the same size or a larger amount, is this assessed based on the combined experience of all consortium members or only that of the lead applicant?

Answer: The eligibility criteria outlined in the call for proposals do not specify a requirement for prior experience in implementing projects of the same size or a larger amount. Instead, applicants are expected to demonstrate a track record or strong potential in implementing projects aligned with at least one of CSIF’s thematic priority areas. Additionally, the lead organisation should have a minimum of three years of operational experience, supported by robust governance, management, and financial systems, including the capacity to lead and coordinate a consortium and manage donor funds in compliance with standard accountability requirements.

For full details, kindly refer to the eligibility criteria provided in the call for proposals.

26.   What is your view on the eligibility of local development associations licensed as CSOs to participate as consortium members?

Answer: Local development associations licensed as CSOs by the relevant government authority are eligible to participate either as consortium leads or as consortium members, provided they meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the call for proposals.

27.   What costs are expected under each category?

 Answer: The expected costs under each budget category are as follows:

i.       Administrative Costs (maximum 10% of the total budget): This category includes support staff salaries and benefits, head office rent, utilities, shared institutional audit costs, and other shared Organisational overheads.

ii.     Operational Costs (maximum 30% of the total budget): This includes programme staff salaries, project-area office rent (if applicable), direct costs for supplies, project audit costs, project bank charges, and furniture and equipment directly used for the project. Consultancy costs related to programme activities should be included under the Consortium Activities category.

iii.    Consortium Activities: This category constitutes the largest share of the budget and covers most programmatic activity costs, except those specifically allocated to new and emerging CSOs.

iv.    Targeting and support to New and Emerging CSOs (minimum 5% of the total budget): At least 5% of the total budget must be allocated to supporting new and emerging CSOs. Although this is part of the consortium activities, the budget allocated to this support must be clearly identified and presented separately.

v.     Contingency (maximum 5% of the total budget):This category is not encouraged but may be included to address unforeseen circumstances. If included, it should not exceed 5% of the total budget.

28.   When I log in, I don’t have access to Available Grants. What do I do?

Answer: Once you have set up an account, you will need to complete your registration details. This is available under ‘Tasks’ on the left-hand menu. Once you have submitted this information, you will be able to click on ‘Available Grants’ in the left-hand menu (if this doesn’t appear immediately, please refresh your browser page). You will then be able to begin your application process.

Please refer to the application guidance document for more information.

29.   Do all consortium members need to register on Grantelope?

Answer: Only the lead applicant needs to register and apply for funding through Grantelope. They will be asked to provide any details for other consortium members.

30.   I have not received my verification code for my account. What do I do?

Answer: Please ensure you check your junk/spam folders, as sometimes verification codes can end up in those folders. If not, you should go to the login page, enter your email and password and attempt to log in. Once you have done this, you will be asked for the code, and there is a link on this page to request a new code.

31.   I was having an issue when trying to upload files against my registration details. What do I do?

Answer: This has now been resolved – applicants do not need to upload files against their registration details form.

32.   I am having other issues accessing the portal. What do I do?

Answer: Please email grantelope@manniondaniels.com with a description of the issues, with screenshots where possible, and we will assist.