Funding Criteria
PROPOSALS AND CONCEPTS
Proposals are an outcome of discussions with global partners and donors, as well as of internal exchanges with World Bank central and regional technical staff who liaise closely with counterparts in World Bank client countries and with local and regional stakeholder groups and organizations. PROFOR's Advisory Board, the World Bank's External Advisory Group, and technical staff in the World Bank, in close consultation and in cooperation with the PROFOR Secretariat, help to identify priority topics for which there is a demand for PROFOR support, and proposals for PROFOR support may be generated by any of these groups or may come directly from a government.
The prospects that a proposal will be funded depends on its consistency with PROFOR's strategic framework and the likelihood that an activity will support innovation and knowledge dissemination. PROFOR's Advisory Board provides guidance about the overall direction of the program, and in some cases is consulted about the viability of specific proposals and initiatives. Proposals are finalized in the form of an Activity Concept Note, which provides the overall framework for implementation of individual activities.
Outside of the stakeholder groups identified above, unsolicited proposals from project proponents are not currently being accepted. However, the Secretariat actively welcomes and solicits feedback and suggestions for possible PROFOR activities, in line with its wider dialogue with governments, and local and regional stakeholder groups and organizations. With respect to the provision of services in conjunction with a PROFOR activity, Bank policy requires that consultants provide professional, objective, and impartial advice without any consideration for future work, and that in providing this advice they avoid conflicts with other assignments and their own corporate interests. Because of this, project proponents are not eligible to tender for contracts related to projects they themselves may be managing or supporting, as this could constitute a conflict of interest. The World Bank's Procurement Guidelines provide further information about its conflict of interest provisions.
PROFOR-financed activities are managed either directly by the PROFOR Secretariat, or by central or regional technical staff working for the World Bank Group.
Once a Project Concept Note is finalized, typically, a Request for Expressions of Interest will be issued which outlines services to be provided to complete the tasks outlined in the Project Concept Note. Requests for Expressions of Interest are made more widely known through the on-line publications UN Development Business and WBG e-consult through which Expressions of Interest can be submitted. In addition, for activities which are managed directly by the PROFOR Secretariat, announcements about various services which are required will be posted at the Opportunities page of the PROFOR website. The procurement of services is carried out following World Bank Procurement Guidelines.
THEMES
PROFOR funds activities that are relevant to its four thematic areas – livelihoods, finance, governance and cross-sectoral cooperation – and which have good potential for significant gains in generating new knowledge with high applicability to a wide range of situations. PROFOR finances work on specific topics that are aligned with PROFOR donors' priorities. When there are specific opportunities for which skilled services are being sought, these will be posted at the Opportunities page of the PROFOR website.
FUNDING CRITERIA
Project Concept Notes are finalized by PROFOR Secretariat staff or by other World Bank Group staff. For each proposed activity, PROFOR considers likely overall forest conservation and development outcomes, the sustainability of the work, the likelihood the activity will contribute to improved knowledge which can contribute to policy change, and the possibility of leveraging additional funding. The potential for working closely with locally based academic, policy research and academic institutions is also a factor. Services which are expected to be procured to carry out the activities described in the Project Concept Note will be procured using standard World Bank procurement practices, and may be announced on the Opportunities page of the PROFOR website, or through UN Development Business and WBG e-consult.
PROJECT CYCLE
PROFOR typically finances activities that can be completed in under two years. For approved activities, a contractual agreement is established between the World Bank as PROFOR’s host institution and the implementing entity. Recipients of PROFOR funds are required to submit periodic reports on the status of implementation of activities.
OUTPUTS
In addition to regular reporting against milestones, project proponents are also responsible for submission of annual progress reports and activity completion reports to the PROFOR Secretariat, including detailed financial statements. All final documents/reports are expected to meet PROFOR/World Bank standards for publications. The final published version of the paper, brief or reports will carry the PROFOR logo and acknowledge PROFOR’s contribution; the electronic versions that are posted on websites will acknowledge PROFOR’s contribution and have a link to the PROFOR website.
