***CLOSED*** Call for Expression of Interest for Consultancy to produce a Grant Award Mechanism for the Belize Social Investment Fund

INTRODUCTION

Belize, like many other Small Island Developing States (SIDS), is particularly vulnerable to climate change with limited access to national financial, technological, and technical resources to build the country’s resilience. Ranking 9th on the Climate Change Vulnerability Index for the Latin American and Caribbean Region, Belize recognizes the need to take proactive actions towards a climate resilient development pathway. However, addressing the growing impacts of climate change poses a major challenge to national organizations, given their limited financial resources. It is vital that Belize tackles climate resiliency by strengthening the capacity of national agencies across sectors to access, manage and monitor climate financed projects/programs, which can only be achieved through support from key Funding Agencies, such as the GCF. 

In its quest to support the building of Belize’s Resiliency, the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment, Belize’s National Designated Authority (NDA), has internally considered its institutional gaps that prevent the entity from effectively operating in their capacity as the NDA. Internal gaps identified under Readiness One and Two extend to the Ministry’s operational capacity and human capacity constraints. The NDA endeavors to attain GCF Accreditation to bridge the gap in services provided by national accredited entities. Under this Readiness Grant an Accreditation Gap Assessment will be conducted to strengthen MFEDI’s current structure including its fiduciary standards such as administration, financial, procurement, integrity, and transparency. To bridge the human resource constraints a communications strategy and editable communications materials will be developed as well as training provided through the services of a communications consultant.  The NDA has identified key agencies to assist the country to channel climate finance. The identification process was transparent and entailed extensive engagement with national stakeholders to identify organizations, with robust organizational structures to function as Direct Access Entities. These organizations had experience in applying for and implementing projects from international donors. One such entity, the Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF) was established in 1996 and based on its governing act is mandated by the Government of Belize to provide financial and technical assistance to local government entities and community groups through development cooperation funds earmarked for poverty reduction interventions. Work under a previous readiness grant (BLZ-RS-002) identified gap(s) including the following in BSIF’s operation in line with the fiduciary criteria of the GCF: (i) the lack of a Strategic Plan to guide its long-term vision and work of the organization, (ii) The lack of a formal financial management system/framework (iii)  the need for a grants award mechanism and (iv) the lack of Environmental, Social and Gender Management Frameworks for the operation of the organization and any projects under implementation. Building on the support provided under a previous Readiness, this Readiness Grant seeks to strengthen internal capacities and function of the BSIF to attain GCF Accreditation by addressing the above gaps. In so doing, Belize will be able to access international climate finance via an entity engaged in the provision of basic climate resilient social infrastructure and related human development interventions across the Health, Education, Water and Sanitation sectors particularly in rural communities throughout the country. The BSIF serves a unique role in addressing the human developmental needs of men, women, and children in communities across the country, inclusive of climate adaptation needs, and the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

It is against this background the Government of Belize via the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) has secured funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness and Preparatory Programme to develop a Grant Award Program for BSIF. As such, this consultancy is intended to deliver (1) Grants Program Policy, Operations Manual and associated forms, and electronic management tool (2) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for grants program inclusive of policy and electronic user-friendly tools (compatible with BSIFs webpage), (3) Report with gender-disaggregated information on workshop for staff and post training evaluation on participants and (4) Operational Guidelines for the establishment for a revolving fund. 

OBJECTIVE

•  (1) Grants Program Policy, Operations Manual, associated forms, and electronic management tool
• (2) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for grants program inclusive of policy and electronic user-friendly tools (compatible with BSIFs webpage), (3) Operational Guidelines for the establishment for a revolving fund and (4) Two (2) 3-day training and capacity building sessions. The project output should consider BSIF’s current operational procedures and policies as well as the requirements for accreditation to the GCF.