New Guidance on DG ECHO Programmatic Partnership

Programmatic Partnerships are one way piloted by DG ECHO to provide quality funding.

More strategic in nature than short-term projects, they can respond for instance to protracted crises with a longer-term outcome focus, promote and scale up innovative policy approaches with different geographic scope, encourage enhanced exchanges between DG ECHO and the partners and seek to support the further development/promotion of strategic orientations of mutual interest.

In 2020, following a call for proposals reserved to international NGOs, the Commission launched four pilot Programmatic Partnerships  (with ACTED, Concern, IRC and STC-DK), offering a multi-year, multi-country perspective based on a longer-term logic of intervention.

In exchange, the Commission expected the Programmatic Partnerships to promote certain aspects of the Grand Bargain, such as localisation, increased efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of the assistance (including, for instance, joined-up approach with development actors), the use of cash, enhanced emergency response capacity, and innovative approaches to address humanitarian needs. Enhanced dialogue and transparency, in the field and at headquarters, as well as higher visibility for the EU were also expected. 

In 2021, a competitive process reserved to UN agencies, ICRC and IFRC, led to the signature of three additional pilot Programmatic Partnerships with UNICEF, FAO and IFRC. Finally, in 2022, DG ECHO entered in a discussion with two additional partners based on their respective mandates. This was the third and last phase of the pilot exercise.

The Guidance (you can downolad from here) includes information on the following topics:

• Eligible partners for programmatic partnership
• Where to find oppportunity for programmatic partnership in the HIPs
• How to design and submit Programmatic Partnership proposal
• Proposal selection criteria
• Reporting requirements