CLOSED: Call for Proposals 2024/2025-Malaysia-UN SDG Trust Fund

Introduction to the Malaysia-UN SDG Trust Fund

The Malaysia-UN SDG Trust Fund (the Fund) is a partnership between the United Nations (UN) in Malaysia and Yayasan Matlamat Pembangunan Mampan Malaysia (Yayasan MySDG), supported by the Ministry of Finance. It funds projects that aim to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Malaysia.

The Fund prioritizes projects that target groups of people who are at risk of being left behind. It encourages partnerships and collaboration among stakeholders to ensure everyone benefits from sustainable development. By focusing on local efforts, the Fund aims to improve the lives of people in different areas and communities, contributing to the achievement of SDGs in Malaysia.

The Call for Proposals 2024/2025 (CFP-2024/25) is an invitation for innovative projects that prioritize people-centric outcomes across The Fund’s three pillars and twelve priority areas. The goal is to support multi-partner innovative solutions to help marginalized and disadvantaged groups overcome challenges and promote their inclusion and empowerment.

CFP-2024/25 IN BRIEF

THEMATIC PILLARS AND PRIORITY AREAS OF THE FUND

People and Prosperity

Priority Areas:

1.a. Addressing the poverty, nutritional and health challenges of marginal and excluded groups (e.g., informal sector workers, the poor and vulnerable in peripheral regions including indigenous peoples, women, youth, migrants and refugees, undocumented persons, and persons with disabilities).

1.b. Levelling up wider SDG performance in key human development domains across regions, focusing on communities in lagging peripheral areas.

1.c. Expanding resilience through greater social protection measures, focusing on excluded and under-served groups and those in informal work.

1.d. Addressing the specific human development needs of women at risk of being left behind. 

1.e. Promoting work opportunities for the poor and vulnerable, those in informal work, and those in remote locations, via access to skills training, financial services, commercial credit, and to decent jobs.

1.f. Addressing geographical and economic imbalances, especially those faced by communities living in remote locations, including by assisting them to unlock local comparative advantages (natural capital, sustainable exploitation of natural resources and products, enhanced tourism). 

Planet

Priority Areas:

2.a. Building the resilience of communities (groups and localities) at most risk to the impacts of climate change through active adaptation efforts.

2.b. Tackling biodiversity loss, particularly for marginal communities which rely on the natural capital for their livelihoods.

2.c. Assisting marginal communities to tackle land, sea and river pollution, which blights their living conditions. 

Peace and Partnership

Priority Areas:

3.a. Helping to build social and political cohesion among Malaysia's diverse communities.

3.b. Enabling the realization of key socioeconomic rights for marginal and excluded groups (e.g., the poor and vulnerable in peripheral regions including indigenous peoples, migrants and refugees, undocumented populations, and persons with disabilities).

3.c. Enabling, within the law, the recognition of undocumented people and their social inclusion.

CRITERIA FOR SUBMISSION

Eligibility criteria

In line with the Fund’s thematic pillars, the CFP-2024/25 will be open to proposals from:

i. Malaysia-based civil society organizations (CSOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other non-profit organizations such as academic institutions and think-tanks. Organizations registered as social enterprises will not be eligible to apply. Designated as Non-UN Organizations (NUNOs), these applicants must be registered in Malaysia and have a separate legal personality. Every NUNO and partner(s) will also be subject to due diligence assessments as required by UN rules and regulations, and must meet special requirements for NUNOs to have direct access to UN managed funds. NUNOs can also explore partnering with Participating UN Organizations (PUNOs) to leverage their expertise and resources, thereby enhancing the effectiveness and reach of their initiatives.

ii. UN agencies that are members of the Malaysia UN Country Team and have been recognized as PUNOs in the Fund by signing the Fund’s MOU. Proposals submitted by PUNOs must involve at least two UN organizations. In addition to submitting joint proposals, PUNOs are encouraged to partner with non-UN entities.

PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMISSION

Project proposals should be clear and well structured, using the Fund’s Project Proposal Template. A crucial part of the process is developing a Theory of Change for the project, which outlines how the project will address the identified challenges and bring practical solutions to achieve the expected results. The project proposal should be no longer than 10 pages, using a font size of 11.

To ensure that the project design is people-centric, both PUNOs and NUNOs should engage and consult with important stakeholders, particularly the intended project beneficiaries. 

Received proposals will be considered vetted and approved by the senior management of the submitting organizations. Each legal entity may submit a maximum of 3 proposals only.

Completed proposals, along with all necessary supporting documents, must be submitted electronically to the Fund Secretariat no later than 4 November 2024, 23:59 Malaysia Time (MYT), at my-un.sdgtrustfund@un.org.

NUNOs and PUNOs can download the Project Proposal Template HERE

NUNOs can download the additional Pre-Vetting Checklist Package HERE 

Incomplete submissions or those received after the deadline will not be considered. 

APPLICATION PROCESS

The project application process follows two stages, as detailed below:

The CFP-2024/25 involves a 2-step process:

1. Project Proposal

• PUNOs and NUNOs develop and submit project proposals using the template provided and supporting documents. 
• Proposals are assessed, scored, then submitted for review and approval by the Fund.

2. Project Document

• Selected proposals must be further developed into project documents, using the Project Document Template (to be provided in due course).
• Prior to Project Document submission, PUNOs and NUNOs must meet all other relevant requirements. This includes adjustments to the project, administrative steps, and additional documents, as required.

DOCUMENT SUBMISSIONS

Applying Organization	Required Documents
Non-UN Organization (NUNOs) Malaysia-based civil society organizations (CSOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs),  and other non-profit organizations such as academic institutions and think-tanks	A) Project Proposal Template B) Pre-Vetting Checklist Package
Participating UN Organizations (PUNOs) United Nations Entities that have signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)	A) Project Proposal Template

EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

Proposals will be evaluated according to a set of substantive and delivery criteria:

Substantive criteria make up 70% of the score and include:

i. Level of alignment with the Fund’s thematic priorities listed under the three pillars above, with weight given to the scope and depth of the targeted SDG impacts.

ii. Level of focus on communities and groups at risk of being left behind. This can apply to specific population groups and/or localities. 

iii. Value for money and wider catalytic impact (spillovers, scalability potential, demonstration effects, number of beneficiaries etc.), linking also to the promotion of a whole-of-society approach towards SDG achievement. 

iv. Alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for Malaysia, and/or with Malaysia’s national development priorities.

Delivery criteria make up 30% of the score and include:

i. Clarity of project timeframe, milestones, and resource requirements.

• Timeframe: 6 (minimum) – 18 months (maximum)​
• Resource Requirements:​

a) NUNOs: A minimum of USD100,000 per proposal (a minimum of USD100,000 per participating NUNO, if more than one) and a maximum of USD500,000​ per proposal.

b) PUNOs: A minimum of USD200,000 per proposal (a minimum of USD100,00 per PUNO) and a maximum of USD500,000​ per proposal.

ii. Level of stakeholder engagement, particularly of targeted at-risk groups. The application of people-centric design methods will be viewed favourably.

iii. Quality of planning and management arrangements, including risk assessment and response. 

iv. Quality of monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and follow-up, and reporting arrangements (internal and external), with appropriate levels of oversight.

v. Level of jointness in delivery, noting that PUNO proposals require a minimum of two UN partners, and that multi-partner delivery is highly encouraged. 

APPLICATION FLOW

Stage 1: Project Proposal Submission and Selection

Development and submission of Project Proposals by applicants

• Completion of Project Proposals and other required documents using the templates provided. Each organization can submit up to three proposals. 
• NUNOs: Completion of Pre-Vetting Checklist (both lead and partner(s)) including the UN’s Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) Readiness self- assessments. 
• Submission of all required documents no later than 4 November 2024.

Confirmation of Receipt and Selection of Proposals

• Confirmation of receipt of Project Proposals and other required documents.
• Screening, assessment and selection of Project Proposals.
• Notification on next steps, and approved value, and other special conditions for approval.

Stage 2: Project Document Submission and Approval

• Development and submission of Project Documents by selected applicants.
• NUNOs: Comprehensive vetting process of NUNOs, including a financial management audit (including HACT assessment by an independent firm) and a PSEA evaluation.
• Confirmation of receipt and review of Project Documents.
• Revision of Project Documents (if any) within set deadlines.
• Notification to successful applicants on project approval.

Stage 3: Disbursement of Funds and Project Commencement

• NUNOs: Signing of standard NUNO Framework Agreement and NUNO Financing Agreement.
• Disbursement of funds (via direct bank transfer in US Dollars.*)
• Project Implementations.

Stage 4: Monitoring and Reporting

• Periodic project monitoring and evaluation.
• Submission of Narrative Report and Financial Report(s) at set intervals.
• Submission of Final Narrative Report and Final Financial Report upon project completion.

*subject to receipt by the Fund of donor(s) contribution.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-UN ORGANIZATIONS (NUNOs)

Based on the information provided above, NUNOs will undergo a vetting process consisting of the following steps:

1.Completion of a pre-vetting checklist and submission of required documents along with the Project Proposal. Pre-vetting checklist package can be downloaded HERE.

a. Lead and partner NUNOs will need to adhere to the same criteria and submit their individual pre-vetting and self-evaluation. They will undergo the same process before they can receive direct funding from the Fund.

2. An adsorptive capacity analysis will be performed. Funds sought by each NUNO (lead and partner(s)) should not exceed 50% of each organization's average annual turnover over the last two years (income/expenses, whichever is higher).

3. Only selected applicants will be invited to proceed to the next stage and submit Project Documents. During this stage, all NUNOs will undergo the UN's Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) assessment process. Eligibility requires a "low risk" rating and implementation of adequate financial control measures identified during the HACT assessment, as well as meeting all standards set in the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse assessment. Please refer to the HACT guidelines HERE.

4. Once approved, NUNOs will be required to sign the prescribed NUNO Framework Agreement, available HERE, and the NUNO Financing Agreement, available HERE. Please read all agreements before submitting your proposal(s).

Click here to download all the documents

MALAYSIA-UN SDG TRUST FUND SECRETARIAT

For further clarification, you may contact the Malaysia-UN SDG Trust Fund Secretariat at my-un.sdgtrustfund@un.org

CFP-2024/25 ORIENTATION SESSIONS

Two orientation sessions will be held for interested NUNOs: The first session will be held on 27 September 2024. Register HERE or via the QR code below to be informed of these sessions and receive further updates from the Fund.