STAR-Ghana Foundation recognises Ghana’s Parliament as a key strategic partner in national development. STAR-Ghana has effectively partnered Parliament since 2010 under both Phases of the programme. Engaging Parliament is informed by STAR-Ghana’s focus on working with key state institutions to increase responsiveness of the Executive to citizens’ voices and concerns. This is directly linked to STAR-Ghana’s Theory of Change (ToC) which is premised on the fact that, STAR-Ghana, by working with both supply (government) and demand side (citizens) in a 3C’s (Convener, Catalyst and Coordinator) approach, will lead to an active citizenry that influences and contributes to transformational change.
The first phase of the Programme covered support to the Leadership, ten (10) Oversight Committees and the Parliamentary Service. The second phase of the collaboration under the focal theme of gender equity and social inclusion, provides grants, technical and advisory support services to the Leadership of the House, four (4) Oversight Committees namely the Gender and Children, Education, Health and Local Government Committees and the Parliamentary Service. Workstream activities include a focus on national budgetary processes as it relates to the sector public institutions over which the selected Committees have responsibility as well as the oversight role of Parliament in general. This is aimed at enhancing accountability by the Executive to the citizens of Ghana through Parliament.
The collaboration additionally promote civil society and citizens’ engagements with Parliament aimed at empowering citizens to influence policy changes that help to address systemic challenges in national democratic governance.
Related projects
Local governance - local partnerships component
Request for full proposals
STAR-Ghana's local governance call aims to strengthen, scale up and consolidate the results of previous and on-going local governance focused initiatives particularly in the areas of inclusive voice, improved access and transparency in service delivery.
The call is open for applications until 2nd March 2018.
Open to:
Community-based organisations (CBOs), district-level civil society organisations, community-based radio stations and other citizen groups.
Expected outputs
- Spaces for collaboration between civil society (including private sector associations and media) and state actors on service delivery at local level strengthened.
- Horizontal and vertical linkages amongst CSOs to address systemic local governance, public participation and inclusion challenges strengthened.
- Inclusive voice and participation in local governance.
- Mechanisms for increased transparency and responsiveness in local governance enhanced.
- Issue-based and inclusive DA elections, including the election of women, PWDs and youth promoted.
- Citizen participation in the processes around the creation of new districts and regions, election of MMDCEs and creation of new districts enhanced.
Focus areas
The call will focus on unfinished business in local governance in the following areas:
- Promoting basic service delivery and development management at local level.
- Innovative technologies and media for promoting citizens participation, accountability and public access to information in local governance.
- Gender inclusion, disability and diversity in local governance.
- Poverty reduction, local economic development, resource mobilisation and budgetary utilisation at the local level.
- Implementing the new Act 936, party political elections of MMDCEs and voter education and sensitisation towards Referendum.
Call component and duration
The local partnership component will support local actions at the district and local levels, enabling citizens address locally salient service delivery issues. It will particularly focus on processes of social inclusion and vulnerable groups’ interaction with the local governance mechanism. Projects shall have a maximum duration of 12 months and grant fund support not exceeding GHC 250,000.
Eligibility criteria for the CSO or the Coalition/Network/Alliance
- CSO, Coalition, networks and platforms who have implemented project around local governance or decentralisation within the past year or two years and are considering further up scaling of the project.
- The Grants is not applicable to CSOs or Coalitions wishing to commence entirely new project.
- Should be able to state clearly the results and outcomes that will be achieved from the project.
- Must demonstrate a track record in working with and delivering results around governance focused initiatives.
- Should have linkages with other Civil Society Organisations at district and local levels to leverage additional capacities.
- Be known by community leaders in the communities where they seek to operate their project.
- Should be able to submit references from the District Assembly, Traditional Council or a funding organisation/agency.
- Should provide 2016 audited accounts – for organisations which have been in existence for 3 years and above; and the latest financial statement – for organisations which have been in existence for below 3 years.
Grant partners implementing STAR Ghana funded Project as lead organisations are not eligible to apply. GESI small partners are in principle not barred from applying for the grant. However, STAR-Ghana will not award a fresh grant to an organisation which is either holding a grant or whose project has ended but has not completed the project/grant closure activities and signed off by STAR-Ghana. So those who are not sure that they would have completed their project closure activities by May 2018 need not apply.
How to apply
Download an application pack (application form; risk management template; budget & project performance template) for the local governance – local partnerships component
The application pack (application form; risk management template; budget & project performance template) should be completed and submitted in by email to: locallocalgovernance@star-ghana.org.
Deadline for submission of competed application pack is 2nd March 2018.
Shortlisted applications will be notified within two weeks after close of application.
For enquiries, please email us at the following address: info@star-ghana.org or call (0302) 774488/7012404 between 9am and 5pm on week days.
Find out more
Full call advert featuring background information
Frank Kwaku Amoateng
Frank leads on the development and implementation of the Foundation’s Results and Learning strategies including systems for monitoring, evaluation and reporting, and the aggregation and dissemination of results. Frank brings to the role 14 years of managing M&E systems of several donor organisations including Global Fund, IPPF, DFID, JICA, JOICFP and DFATD. He has strong expertise in Project Planning and Management, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, and Results Logic Analysis.
Prior to joining STAR-Ghana Foundation, Frank worked as the Senior M&E Manager of the STAR-Ghana Programme (Christian Aid), M&E lead at Right To Play (RTP-Ghana) and M&E Coordinator at Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG). Frank has a post-graduate diploma in Leadership Development from the Management Sciences for Health Incorporated (United States) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Studies from the University of Cape Coast (Ghana).
In addition, he has professional certificates in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) from the University of Ghana School of Public Health, Project and Financial Management from Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI), and Project Management Professional from Step Up Business School. He is a member of the Institute of Directors, Ghana (IoD) and the Ghana Monitoring and Evaluation Forum (GMEF).
Local governance - strategic partnerships component
Request for concept notes
STAR-Ghana's local governance call aims to strengthen, scale up and consolidate the results of previous and on-going local governance focused initiatives particularly in the areas of inclusive voice, improved access and transparency in service delivery.
The call is open for applications until 2nd March 2018.
Open to:
Registered Ghanaian Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) operating at regional or national levels; academic and research institutions; professional associations; advocacy NGOs; private sector associations; civil society networks / coalitions, media organisations.
Expected outputs
- Spaces for collaboration between civil society (including private sector associations and media) and state actors on service delivery at local level strengthened.
- Horizontal and vertical linkages amongst CSOs to address systemic local governance, public participation and inclusion challenges strengthened.
- Inclusive voice and participation in local governance.
- Mechanisms for increased transparency and responsiveness in local governance enhanced.
- Issue-based and inclusive DA elections, including the election of women, PWDs and youth promoted.
- Citizen participation in the processes around the creation of new districts and regions, election of MMDCEs and creation of new districts enhanced.
Focus areas
The call will focus on unfinished business in local governance in the following areas:
- Promoting basic service delivery and development management at local level.
- Innovative technologies and media for promoting citizens participation, accountability and public access to information in local governance.
- Gender inclusion, disability and diversity in local governance.
- Poverty reduction, local economic development, resource mobilisation and budgetary utilisation at the local level.
- Implementing the new Act 936, party political elections of MMDCEs and voter education and sensitisation towards Referendum.
Call component and duration
The Strategic Policy Grants Component will support national level CSOs with capacity to do strategic level policy influencing to implement projects aimed at addressing systemic constraints around local governance and decentralisation issues at the policy levels. Projects shall have a maximum duration of 24 months and grant fund support not exceeding GHC 600,000.
Eligibility criteria for the CSO or the Coalition/Network/Alliance
- CSO, Coalition, networks and platforms who have implemented project around local governance or decentralisation within the past three years and are considering further up scaling of the project.
- The Grants is not applicable to CSOs or Coalitions wishing to commence entirely new project
- Should be able to state clearly the results and outcomes that will be achieved from the project;
- Must demonstrate a track record in working with and delivering results around governance focused initiatives;
- Ability to co-develop and implement local governance and decentralisation initiatives that can lead to strategic and national level policy change or action.
Grant Partners implementing STAR-Ghana funded projects as lead organisations are not eligible to apply. GESI small partners are in principle not barred from applying for the grant. However, STAR-Ghana will not award a fresh grant to an organisation which is either holding a grant or whose project has ended but has not completed the project/grant closure activities and signed off by STAR-Ghana. So those who are not sure that they would have completed their project closure activities by May 2018 need not apply.
How to apply
Download a concept note form for the local governance – strategic partnerships component
This form should be completed and submitted by email to: strategiclocalgovernance@star-ghana.org.
Deadline for submission of competed application forms is 2nd March 2018.
Shortlisted applications will be notified within two weeks after close of application and will be work with the Programme Management Team to co-develop full proposals for consideration by the Steering Committee..
For enquiries, please email us at the following address: info@star-ghana.org or call (0302) 774488/7012404 between 9am and 5pm on week days.
