Tilitonse, a grant-making facility for Malawian-based CSOs jointly funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), Royal Norwegian Embassy and Irish Aid, has launched a Thematic Call for Project Proposals: Local Governance, Mining, and Access to Information.

Under the thematic area of mining, the call for proposal reads:

The ultimate goal of projects under this thematic area is to build the capacity of relevant communities to understand mining issues and to build an effective and functional CSO Natural Resources Network, with a single, multi-dimensional, and credible body that can add value to policy processes and analysis and provide mining related responses in a strategic manner. The proposals should demonstrate that they are  drawing insights from other successful community engagement/negotiation experiences with mining companies.
Under this thematic area, proposals are invited for innovative projects that will achieve the following two key results:

a. Capacity Development of CSOs in order to achieve the following key results.

I. A national coalition of CSOs with clear vision and purpose for the mining sector
II. A national strategy of engagement with mining investors

b. Capacity Development of Communities in order to improve community understanding of and participation in issues related to mining ventures that affect their livelihoods and impact on their communities. The projects should deliver at least the following key results:

I. A framework of engagement at community level through which mining investors, community representatives and CSO/CBOs come together to deal with all issues that require collective action , transparency and accountability
II. Knowledge and understanding of the community about mining agreements between investors (in their areas) and government and the community stakes in them including the question of user and ownership rights of the land on which mines are established
III. Knowledge and community participation in monitoring the undertakings of the mining companies in terms of environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility for the benefit of the host communities.

Eligible organisations
Registered civil society organisations (CSOs), including non-state actors, research and policy advocacy organisations, faith-based organizations, the media, the academia, trade unions and professional bodies, registered coalitions/networks/platforms that have been active in the mining and extractive industries in Malawi and have got a track record that can easily be determined and proven.

Tilitonse will hold information sessions to provide further information to prospective applicants in all the three regions of Malawi. A maximum of two representatives from each organization will be accepted. The sessions are scheduled as follows:
Southern Region: 6th May, 2013
Central Region: 8th May 2013
Northern Region: 10th May 2014
All prospective applicants must attend the guidance sessions. Project proposals from organizations that will not participate in the guidance sessions will not be considered.

To register for participation, please email [email protected] or call 01770898 and indicate which session your organization would like to attend.

The deadline for submission of project proposals is 6th June 2013 by 12 noon.

Read the Guidelines and evaluation criteria.

Download the application documents here.

Tilitonse is positioned to be inline with the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy II and is working with other key partners in the Government’s Democratic Governance Sector Working Group.