No budget template will be provided at this stage. Budget structure is up to the Applicant to decide (suggested main budget lines might be: operational costs, costs facilitating the technical realization of the project, overhead, etc.)
Unless otherwise agreed amongst the project partners, the preferred way of division of the 15% own resources is that each partner contributes proportionally according to their respective budget planned in the project. If the Applicant is already in touch with a potential financier/investor, it is to be indicated at the allocated budget of the given project part.
In-kind contributions are not taken into consideration when evaluating theproject concepts. The costs of all project items shall be calculated, and respective cost items should be solely and directly devoted to the project.
No preferences are defined. It is up to the Applicants to decide and to argue which structure and/or solution has higher added value and impact for the chosen problem given its context.
In case of a project partnership, a partnership lead is to be dedicated. It is expected that any financier will conclude the contract with the Lead Applicant or with the Consortium in one document. Project Concept Notes written in English will be accepted from legal entities of organizations domiciled in the Member States of the OTS and/or Hungary. Additional legal entities domiciled in the Member States of
the OTS and the European Union might join the Lead Applicant as partners. Proof of incorporation and financial statements for the previous fiscal year, as well as commitment letters to perform co-financing requirements, will be requested by DPI in case of a positive evaluation to conduct further due diligence.
15% own resources of the total project budget is required. Unless otherwise agreed amongst the project partners, the preferred way of division of the 15% own resources is that each partner contributes proportionally according to their respective budget planned in the project.
No budget template will be provided at this stage. Budget structure is up to the Applicant to decide (suggested main budget lines might be: operational costs, costs facilitating the technical realization of the project, overhead, etc.)
A transformational project is defined as one that creates significant, lasting change in preventing or mitigating drought impacts, ideally at the system or regional/national levels. This may include the adoption of innovative technologies, new methods for water management, major policy shifts supporting adaptation, or cross-sector multi-country collaborations, rather than small-scale, incremental improvements.
The feasibility study and project concept development may cover a broad range of topics, not only drought research but all interconnected issues of global climate change—for example, water resource management, land use planning, ecosystem restoration, adaptation strategies, and policy innovation directly or indirectly affecting drought risks.
A reliable financial model for project initiators should demonstrate:
– realistic cost estimates and transparent budget;
– identified funding sources (donors, stakeholders, public/private shares);
– a clear plan for long-term operational sustainability (revenues, cost-savings, scaling);
– risk assessment and mitigation for financial viability.
The letter of support from government authorities may be advisory (indicating policy alignment, endorsement, or strategic relevance) and/or financial (committing funds or resources)—but is most frequently advisory, confirming governmental interest or willingness to cooperate and support project implementation without explicit direct funding promises. However, if available, financial commitments or pledges significantly strengthen the application. Supporting elements of a Letter of Support are included in the Call under the Assessment
Criteria.
The applicant’s experience in the subject area of the project concept may be demonstrated through either commercial activities (practical, business-driven implementation or consultancy) or research activities (scientific studies, innovation, or academic work), and both types of background are considered acceptable and relevant for the DPI call.
There are no restrictions regarding the lengths of the period of the projects. The content and project deliverables can determine and justify any project length.
As long as the original project is consistent with the objectives and the strategy of DPI, the application under the DPI Call can be integrated and is more than welcome.
Legal entities of organizations domiciled in the Member States of the OTS and/or Hungary are eligible to submit project concept notes. Additional legal entities domiciled in the Member States of the OTS and the European Union might join the Lead Applicant as partners. In this context, an FAO office registered in one of the OTS member states or Hungary can submit project proposals as a lead partner;
alternatively, FAO can join another eligible entity as a partner.
The letter of support (or letters of support if applicable) in English shall be issued by the relevant public body or agency expressing support in principle for the project concept, outlining the relevance of the project in the context of the policies and strategies that are implemented or supported by the issuing organization. If the project concept note contains elements of different thematic areas, a letter of support from the relevant authority shall be submitted for each area. In case the participants of the consortium or partnership are registered in different OTS countries, and the project concept is a multi-country or cross-border one, the letters of support issued by each country shall be submitted. In the event of no letter of support can be secured by the time of the project submission, the applicant is required to indicate which public authority has already been addressed to issue such a letter.
It is only mandatory that the lead applicant shall be a legal entity of organizations domiciled in the Member States of the OTS and/or Hungary. In case of a project partnership, a partnership lead is to be dedicated. It is expected that any financier will conclude the contract with the Lead Applicant or with the Consortium in one document.
The inclusion of a Hungarian organization in the project is not one of the mandatory criteria.
There is no specific template required for letters of support. However, supporting elements of a Letter of Support are included in the Call under the Assessment Criteria. You are able to upload PDF or JPG files in the Application’s Zone. Please note that the size of the file(s) to be submitted shall not exceed 256 MB.
There are no minimum required documentation for the financial model submission as long as the financial model for project initiators demonstrates the following:
– realistic cost estimates and transparent budget;
– identified funding sources (donors, stakeholders, public/private shares);
– a clear plan for long-term operational sustainability (revenues, cost-savings, scaling);
– risk assessment and mitigation for financial viability.
