Diaspora Project Support
(DiPS)
DiPS - Diaspora Project Support
DiPS fund
Update on the next DiPS application call - U.S. "stop work" order
The DiPS Grant
The DiPS fund grants approximately 1,700,000 DKK per year to Danish-based Somali and Afghan diaspora organizations for development and rehabilitation projects in their countries of origin. Applicants can apply for funding under TRACK 1 (up to 150.000 DKK) or TRACK 2 (150.000- 300.000 DKK) for projects lasting up to 12 months. Applications are assessed and selected according to two main criteria; (i) diaspora engagement and diaspora contribution; (ii) project impact.
Applicants for TRACK 1 funding do not need to have previous experience implementing projects. To be eligible for TRACK 2 applicants must show documentation of previous experience managing grants. For TRACK 2 the applicant must also provide 5% own contribution of the total project expenditure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Projects activities that contribute to rehabilitation and/or development for people affected by conflict and displacement in Afghanistan and Somalia or neighboring countries hosting significant Afghan or Somali communities may be supported by DiPS. The project can last up to 12 months.
Projects will be assessed and selected to continue to the develop phase based on scores in three categories;
- Constructive diaspora engagement and diaspora contribution
- High project impact
- Diaspora applicant motivation and capacity development potential
Read more about the assessment criteria and what can/cannot be funded in the Application Guidelines (see 'Application Package' above)
Only Somali and Afghan diaspora organizations in Denmark are eligible to apply for funding through the DiPS fund.
The requirements that you must meet are:
For TRACK 1 and 2:
- Applicants must be an established non-profit Somali or Afghan diaspora organization in Denmark;
- The diaspora applicant may not be involved in an ongoing project funded by DiPS at the time of application;
- At least two contact persons must be members of Afghan or Somali diaspora;
- It is mandatory to have two diaspora representatives actively involved in developing the project;
- It is allowed to submit applications as collaborations between two or more diaspora organizations.
For TRACK 1: Organizations from the Afghan or Somalia diaspora can apply for funding. It is not a requirement to have any previous experience with implementing projects.
For TRACK 2:
Your diaspora organization must have previous experience implementing projects and managing grants of 100,000 DKK or more. Proof of previous experience must be submitted together with the application. Please not that only a limited number of projects will be approved for Track 2, resulting Track 2 to be more competitive.
It is not mandatory to have a local partner to apply for or implement a DiPS-funded project. However, in most cases it is expected that a local partner will be necessary to ensure that the project can be effectively implemented with strong participation from the local community.
Examples of a local partner could include local entities such as a non-governmental organization (NGO), formal representative body of the beneficiary community (e.g. a Community Development Council), a local branch of the diaspora organization, or a local volunteer network.
Read more about the requirement of participation from the local community in the Application Guidelines.
The Diaspora Project Support fund is a competitive fund. DiPS receives more applications for funding than there are resources available. DiPS allows resubmissions of applications.
If you are resubmitting your application, your advantage is that you have already received feedback on how you can get a higher score. We highly recommend that you review the feedback and improve your application before resubmitting it. Please note that you are however not guaranteed the same score, or a better one.
Please be aware that there might be updates of the templates, requirements or assessment criteria between deadlines. See what has been updated in the final page of the Application Guidelines (find them in the ‘Application Package’ above)
If you have questions about applying for the DiPS fund the Application Guidelines (see Application Package) is very helpful. DiPS also provides help through workshops and trainings before the application deadline. You can also book a meeting with DiPS consultant Dharbaxo to discuss your idea. Read more in our capacity development page.
The DiPS fund is a competitive fund. DiPS receives more applications for funding than there are resources available which means that funding is allocated by assessing, scoring, and selecting the highest-scoring applications to continue to the develop phase. You will usually receive an answer about if your application has been selected for funding 6-8 weeks after the deadline. In the Application Guidelines you can find an overview of the steps for assessing and selecting your application.
Question and Answer with the Advisory Board
As part of the assessment process for project applications submitted to DiPS, applicants will be invited to attend a short question and answer session with the DiPS Advisory Board, CISU, and DiPS. This is an opportunity for you to meet with them during the assessment process and answer any potential questions they may have about your application.
If your application to DiPS is successful, you project idea gets selected for the DiPS project development phase. This means that the idea in your concept note received a high score from the DiPS assessors. While you have a great idea for a project, there are still many steps left before the project idea from the concept note can be successfully implemented.
If your project gets selected for the development phase
Having your application selected for the development phase does not mean that you are guaranteed to receive funding from DiPS to implement your project. It means that funding will be reserved for your project until the end of the development phase. It also means that you and your project team will work together and with DiPS to see if you can develop your idea into a full project plan that is ready to be implemented and eligible to receive funding from DiPS. This is what the development phase is all about. The development phase is expected to last up to 4 months and will include one-on-one meetings and collaborations with DiPS to develop your project, attending workshops and trainings with other diaspora organizations, and working extensively on your project with your project team. You can read more about the project development phase in the Development Guidelines.
Contact
Do you have any questions about how to apply for the DiPS fund, please do not hesitate to reach out to the DiPS team at [email protected].