RDPP III: Call for concept notes for new partnerships (2024/02)

I. Introduction:

With a humanitarian-development nexus approach to programming, the European Regional Development and Protection Program (RDPP)  aims at supporting civil society, host governments, donors and other stakeholders in understanding and mitigating the impact of protracted forced displacement from Syria and the compounded crises in Jordan and Lebanon. Through partnerships with national and international actors, the RDPP seeks to enhance protection and support socio-economic development for refugees and local communities with a view to support opportunities for increased self-reliance and resilience of various groups of populations and a specific emphasis on women and youth. The RDPP phase III program strategy is set out in the program document available here[1]. The overall objective of RDPP is vulnerable refugees and local communities in Lebanon and Jordan access rights, and enjoy increased safety and enhanced self-reliance towards durable and sustainable solutions, which it aims to achieve through partnerships working in four specific objectives, further described in the program document:

1. Livelihoods Support

2. Gender Equality and Prevention of Child Labour

3. Advocacy and Policy Dialogue

4. Localisation

II. Call for concept notes:

In January 2023, RDPP III launched its first call for concept notes based on which 15 partnerships have been selected in Jordan, Lebanon or regionally contributing to one or more of the four programmatic objectives. Within this call, RDPP is inviting interested parties to submit concept notes under the following objectives:

1. Livelihoods Support with a specific focus on localised responses and integrated market systems development programming for Jordan only

2. Gender Equality with a specific focus on supporting national capacities in Jordan only

3. Prevention of Child Labour – concept notes will be accepted for Lebanon only

As per RDPP’s commitment to localisation expressed through the crosscutting objective 4, preference will be given to applications with a clear and strong involvement from national and sub-national actors.

Further details regarding the RDPP objectives, theory of change and results framework can be found in the RDPP III Program Document (see especially pages 20-25 and 31-38 and Annex 3 Results Framework). Successful concept notes will outline how the project will address relevant needs and contribute to the pathways to change, rather than focus on outputs.

Specifically for Livelihoods Support, selected partnership(s) will have demonstrated thorough understanding of the small business and employability realities in Jordan in particular where markets fail to provide adequate opportunities for marginalised and chronically poor population groups. Quality concept notes will be rooted in sound analysis and diagnostics as well as recognition of markets as complex, integrated and interdependent supply-demand systems prone to internal and external influences, and comprised of formal and informal rules, relationships and constraints. The understanding of the root causes of the dysfunctionalities and distortions of the market systems will transform in inclusive market level approaches (integrated market system development, making markets work for the poor etc.) with specific focus on refugee and women economic participation. It is expected that all RDPP partnerships have also pronounced advocacy and policy dialogue ambition and applicants are encouraged to demonstrate how their proposed solutions build on, develop and/or innovate existing approaches and how they contribute to lasting systemic change. Projects that include environmental sustainability elements will be prioritised.

Number of expected partnership contracts for this component: 1, maximum 2

Available budget for the component: Euro 1.3-1.7 millions