Contents. LCCF Manual Phase II

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2 Contents I. SDC S vision on promoting culture... 2 II. Information on the Lao Culture Challenge Fund - LCCF What is the Lao Culture Challenge Fund?... 3 Financial grants... 3 Training and capacity building Why apply to the LCCF? Who can apply for the LCCF? How to boost your chances to get the fund? How to apply for the LCCF?... 5 a. Needed documents... 5 b. Application timeline and selection process Obligations for LCCF awardee organizations... 6 III. Sisanchai and the LCCF

3 I. SDC S vision on promoting culture The Government of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has a 1% for culture policy, meaning that 1% of the overall development program volume is to be spent on the promotion of cultural expressions of Laos, in Laos and for Laos. This means that SDC will support projects that promote Lao culture that takes place in Laos and targets a Lao audience. SDC is therefore looking for the following: Bottom up approach: SDC does not implement projects itself but supports civil society in doing so. Inclusiveness: o Strengthen local or national cultural identity. o Include women, youth, rural population and ethnic minority communities. Catalyst: o Support sustainable actions that impulse lasting changes and avoid generating financial dependency. o Build social cohesion and strengthen national identity. Platform: o Support initiatives involving several organizations. o Encourage large scale capacity building. o Project which develops knowledge and networks rather than building infrastructures. What is a platform? A platform possesses the following characteristics: STRUCTURE A platform can be more or less a formalized entity as long as it involves human resources, governance and financial structures and has a track record of past events. SUSTAINABILITY Platforms provide regular cultural events. A platform has and develops capacity regarding funding, event organization and management, provision of location and equipment, marketing and communication, etc. CROSS-SECTORAL REACH A platform aims at promoting various forms of cultural expressions and artists rather than a specific cultural sector or single artist or cultural group. EXAMPLES - Community centers - Cultural training centers - Cultural festivals (handicrafts, performing arts, film, food, dance etc.) - Access platforms (producers from Southern countries enables access to Western cultural markets) - Web-based or marketing-based platforms which provide outsourced services such as sponsoring, legal advice, rental, etc. 2

4 II. Information on the Lao Culture Challenge Fund - LCCF 1. What is the Lao Culture Challenge Fund? On October 16 th 2008, The Swiss Confederation ratified the UNESCO 2003 convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and the UNESCO 2005 convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions; The appraisal report, SDC Support to Cultural Initiatives in Lao PDR (February 2013), has identified many opportunities to support the cultural and creative industries in Lao PDR. In order to protect and promote cultural expressions in the country, the LCCF has been set up on January By supporting organizations promoting cultural activities, SDC enables them to increase their role in the Lao society as well as to encourage Lao cultural expressions, social cohesion and the development of civil society. SDC aims to support civil organizations promoting cultural activities through 2 main approaches: Financial grants Every new organization operating the project alone or in partnership with other new organizations can apply to receive a maximum grant amount of 15,000 USD per project. Previous LCCF awardee organizations submitting a project in collaboration with other organizations can apply to receive a maximum grant amount of 30,000 USD per project. Only one application per organization will be accepted. Organizations submitting projects in partnership with other organizations can submit more than one proposal with different partners. The amount shall not cover all the costs of the organization: a maximum of 30% of the structural costs shall be covered while activity costs shall amount to at least 70% of the project budget. (For more information about types of costs, see application form 1). Although no type of costs is excluded, SDC reserves the right to exclude some costs it does not see fit. Training and capacity building Follow-up meetings with the Sisanchai team on a quarterly basis for the retained organizations Training in management related skills (e.g. communication, accounting, management, IT, etc.) and capacity building will be provided to the retained organizations by a certified trainer. 3

5 2. Why apply to the LCCF? Your organization works in the cultural sector (please see annex Classification LCCF 2015 ) and you are looking for: getting support for your project, getting advice to develop a long-term strategy for your organization and/or project, Capacity building and training that would help you growing and developing in the a long term. 3. Who can apply for the LCCF? YOU CAN APPLY IF you are an organization: Based in Lao PDR and involved in the cultural and creative industry especially but not only: visual and performing arts, crafts, literature and press, audio-visual & interactive media, design & creative services, etc. (please see annex Classification LCCF 2015 ) With a legal status, relying on a team and entitled to sign contracts. With a track record of projects carried out successfully. With a proven capacity to access other sources of funding. Which focuses on outreach activities: although activities for conservation or production of cultural goods can be part of the proposal submitted to the fund, the proposal must focus on diffusion and outreach, i.e. how the cultural product (film, exhibition, play, etc.) will reach its audience. Mainly targets a Lao audience. 4. How to boost your chances to get the fund? SDC will give priority to projects which: Mainly focus on diffusion and outreach. Promote knowledge and aims at empowering people. Have experience with, or at least aims for, public private partnerships. Have experience in cooperating with state and civil society actors. Promote cultural diversity and / or gender equality. Target and involve Lao youth, women, rural communities and/or ethnic minorities in the implementation of their cultural activities. Outreach to communities living outside of main cities (Vientiane, Luang Prabang.). Involve collaboration with other organizations active in the field of culture or a related field, or that seek to strengthen networks throughout the country. 4

6 5. How to apply for the LCCF? Interested applicants must contact Sisanchai team for an initial introduction. Contact must be made for an appointment, by or phone (contact details at the end of this manual). The Sisanchai team is at your disposal to answer questions and guidance through the application process and project implementation. a. Needed documents Every organization must fill in the LCCF application form and submit it to the Sisanchai team for review before Sunday, 15 th February. The LCCF application form is composed of 4 documents: - LCCF questionnaire: basic information about the organization and applicant - LCCF application form: a summary of your organization s background and project - LCCF budget template: a detailed budget of your project - Registration papers (company or association licence, official authorization to conduct activities etc.) b. Application timeline and selection process STEP 1 DECEMBER 19 LCCF call launch STEP 2 DEC 19 - FEB 15 Writing workshops and develop final detailed proposals STEP 3 FEBRUARY 15 LCCF call closed STEP 4 JULY 2015 LCCF awardees officially announced In January 2015, a workshop will be held in Vientiane to introduce the LCCF and SDC s vision as well as exchange information and develop potential partnerships among cultural organizations. Two writing workshops will be organized in Luang Prabang and Pakse to introduce the LCCF and support potential applicants based in the provinces to complete their application. Organizations interested in attending the workshops must register with the Sisanchai team. Applications submitted after February 15 th 2015 will not be accepted. A selection committee composed of representatives from SDC, the public and private sectors will shortlist successful applicants. Sisanchai will not take part in the selection process. 5

7 The shortlisted applicants shall then work on and submit a final full-fledged proposal with Sisanchai s assistance. LCCF awardees, through Sisanchai, will coordinate with SDC regarding contracting and financial processing. 6. Obligations for LCCF awardee organizations The awardee organizations will have to abide by the following obligations for the entire duration of their contract with SDC as follows: CONTRACT: upon signing its contract, the awardee organization will set a timeline for payments and reporting based on their project timeline and with SDC s approval. Contracts shall be signed in July 2015 at the latest. INSTALMENTS: the LCCF grant will be disbursed as follows: 1 ST INSTALMENT will be received by the awardee organization 2 to 3 weeks after the contract is signed (50% of the grant s total amount) 2 ND INSTALMENT will be received after the awardee organization submits its mid-term report (20% of the grant s total amount) FINAL INSTALMENT will be received after the awardee organization completes its activities and submits its final report. FOLLOW UP AND REPORTING Awardee organizations will be required to meet with Sisanchai on a quarterly basis to brief on their activities and provide a detailed schedule of their activities. In addition, all awardee organizations must provide: 1 MID TERM REPORT including both an activity and a financial report according to the template provided by SDC. The activity report can be submitted in English or Lao. The financial report must be submitted in English. The report shall be submitted to Sisanchai with all original receipts. The second grant instalment shall only be released after the report has been reviewed and approved by SDC. 6

8 1 END OF PROJECT REPORT including both an activity and financial report according to the template provided by SDC. The activity report can be submitted in English or Lao. The financial report must be submitted in English. The report must be submitted within 3 months following the end of your project along with all original receipts. The final grant instalment shall only be released after the report has been reviewed and approved by SDC. The organizations will also provide SDC with photos and video materials of their activities following their project for communication purposes. In addition to reporting, awardee organizations will accommodate monitoring visits by SDC. LCCF TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING All awardee organizations must attend training as part of the LCCF. Based on the LCCF questionnaire and needs identified by the awardees, a call will be launched for training providers. SDC will select the successful training providers based on their training proposals. At least one member of the awardee organizations must attend the full training. Should the awardee organization fail to attend and complete the training, it shall not receive the LCCF grant. The awardee organizations will sign contracts and make payment directly to the retained training provider(s). If the training is held in in a different town from the organizations residence, the LCCF will cover transportation and accommodation expenses for the training attendees. III. Sisanchai and the LCCF The Government of Switzerland (SDC) has appointed Sisanchai company as manager of the LCCF. Sisanchai operates as: ADVISOR Guides you through the LCCF criteria and application process Reviews your application before submission 7

9 LIAISON Establishes a work plan with the awardee organization in order to follow up on the management of the grant and the project's implementation Operates as an interface for communication between SDC and the awardee organizations: liaises with SDC, reports on your needs and proposes training and capacity building activities Liaises between the awardee and the training providers Reviews your mid-term and final reports INFORMATION HUB Provides information about the LCCF Provides all required application documents Meetings by appointment only Contact: Tel: lccf.laos@gmail.com 8