Call for Partnership with Save the Children International in Northwest Nigeria.

Background and context

Save the Children is the World’s leading independent organization for children, delivering programs in over 120 countries to ensure all children survive, learn and are protected. Partnership is at the Centre of Save the Children’s Theory of Change. We promote partnerships both as an approach to change and as a key ingredient in ensuring the success of other elements of our Theory of Change.

Save the Children International (SCI) has worked in Nigeria since 2001, and is a strong, recognised, and respected voice for children’s rights. Our programmes currently support health and nutrition, education, child protection, food security, livelihoods and social protection in both developmental and humanitarian contexts. SCI has 10 field offices with presence in an additional 2 states. In recent years, Save the Children in Nigeria has increased efforts at strengthening partnerships at community and national levels, striving towards more predictable forms of collaboration based on complementarity, to provide more effective, conceivable and consistent support to populations of concern, in particular children affected by conflicts and crisis.

Against this background, Save the Children’s Nigeria Country Program is calling for applications from other International Nongovernmental organizations (INGOs), National Nongovernmental organizations (NNGOs) and Community-based Organizations and (CBOs) with presence in Northwest states. Interested organizations must demonstrate commitment and capacity to work at different levels to scale up current and prospective programs, in support of any of our broad strategic objectives listed below:

1.       Children have uninterrupted access to gender sensitive, quality, inclusive, basic education in a safe environment.

2.       Children do not die from infectious diseases, and have equitable access to priority health and nutrition services.

3.       Children, including those on the move or impacted by conflict, are protected from violence and exploitation with conflict sensitive interventions.

4.       Improved long-term food security for vulnerable households

Eligibility and Selection Criteria:

Submissions in response to this call are in two categories, from CBOs and NNGOs/INGOs.

Category 1: Partnership with Community Based Organizations

Applications are expected from Community Development Associations, community Collations, Women Associations, and youth groups etc. To be eligible and consider for selection, CBOs applicants must meet the following criteria.

1. A.      Eligibility Criteria for Community Based Organizations

• Must be based in the community or local government of operation
• Members and leaders must be from the community or local government of operation
• Must be registered with local and state government before 2018. CAC registration is not compulsory, it is an added advantage
• Should have active bank account in the name of the organization

1. B.      Selection Criteria for Community Based Organizations.

• Must have evidence of a leadership structure
• Organization must be politically neutral
• Must have evidence of regular meetings of members and leaders for at least two years
• Must have basic financial records and books of account
• Evidence of an independent bank account with signatories
• Must demonstrate acceptance by community leaders and local Government
• Satisfactory reference checks and SCI vetting system
• Women lead group/association is an added advantage

Category 2: Partnership with well-established National and International Civil Society Organizations.

Well recognised CSOs with strong presence in any of the four states. To be eligible and consider for selection, CSOs applicants must meet the following criteria.

1. A.      Eligibility Criteria for National Civil Society Organizations.

• Should have functional office in the state(s) they plan to operate, as well as a wide national coverage and influence.
• Should have evidence of legal registration with CAC in Nigeria before 01 January 2016.
• Must have at least 3 most recent years audited financial statements ending 2019.

1. B.      Selection Criteria for National Civil Society Organizations.

• Must have well established governance structure.
• Must have well demonstrated and verifiable financial management system and reporting capacity.
• Must have proven record in community interventions, systems strengthening, policy influencing, advocacy, capacity building, networking and media engagement at states and national levels.
• Must have demonstrated ability to engage effectively on various social media and traditional media platforms
• Must have a proven track record in programming on areas related to SCI CSP objectives state above
• Have satisfactory past performance reference.
• Representative organisation of persons with disabilities is an added advantage.

Submission of Applications

Interested organizations should prepare their application in not more than 4 pages with the following details:

Ø  A brief Expression of Interest on letterhead of the organization;

Ø  Detailed description of the organization’s on-going or previous work in any of the 5 SCI CSP objective areas listed above, including details of project locations;

Ø  Description of current technical capacity and current organizational structure (organogram);

Ø  Names of key contact person(s), their position(s), and contact details;

Ø  A copy of National, State, or Local Government Registration certificate (as appropriate)

Completed applications should be addressed to the Director of Awards Management and be submitted by email to partnership.nigeriaco@savethechildren.org with a clear subject line on the email as following: (please indicate the objective number your proposal is responding to)

                     i.            Applications by CBOs should have subject line on the email as “Call for Partnership with CBOs on Obj…”.

             ii.        Application by National and International CSOs should have subject line on the email as “Call for partnership with NNGO or INGO on obj….”

Closing Date: All applications must be received by 5pm on Friday August 27, 2021. Review of applications will be on first come basis.

Selection Process:

Save the Children will review all valid submissions but will only contact organizations whose submissions meets the eligibility criteria, program focus, experience, and capacity expected in the above stated requirements.