Call for Proposals: No One Left Behind: Strengthening Early Warnings for Women, Girls, and Persons with Disabilities in Communities in Southeast Asia

UNDRR is the United Nations’ focal point for the coordination of disaster risk reduction, working with countries and a broad range of partners and stakeholders to support the implementation, monitoring and review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 in coherence with the 2030 Agenda and other instruments, for the multihazard management of disaster risk in development and the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses. 

UNDRR issues grants, in line with UN Financial Regulations and Rules, to apolitical and not profit-making organisations to facilitate, implement, or carry out activities related to UNDRR’s and the partner’s mandates and work programmes. 

To this end, UNDRR invites non-profit-making organisations to submit grant proposals that focus on the project described below. 

No One Left Behind: Strengthening Early Warnings for Women, Girls, and Persons with Disabilities in Communities in Southeast Asia

Rationale 

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), with funding from the European Union through The Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, (DG ECHO), is implementing the regional project "No One Left Behind: Strengthening Early Warnings for Women, Girls, and Persons with Disabilities in Communities in Southeast Asia” The project addresses persistent "last-mile" challenges in ensuring that early warning information reaches, is understood by, and can be acted upon by everyone, particularly women, girls, persons with disabilities, and others facing intersecting vulnerabilities. 

The project is currently being implemented in selected communities in: 

• Thailand (Mueng Nan and Tha Wang Pha Municipalities in Nan Province and Warin Chamrap Municipality in Ubon Ratchathani Province) 
• Lao PDR (Khong District, Champasak Province) 
• Cambodia (Thala Barivat District, Stung Treng Province) 

The project is structured into four Result Areas: 

Result 1: Ensuring the voices of women, girls and persons with disabilities are heard to shape effective and inclusive early warning messages. 

Result 2: Strengthening connections and enhancing risk communication capacities to protect people through early warnings. 

Result 3: Strengthening regional and cross-regional knowledge exchange on disaster risk communication for the benefit of countries and institutions in Southeast Asia. 

Result 4: Enhance disaster risk knowledge, coordination and advocacy to strengthen inclusive early warning systems and their integration into regional disaster preparedness and response mechanisms in the ASEAN region. 

Building on evidence generated through qualitative research under Result 1 of the project, this Call for Proposals seeks to identify qualified civil society organizations (CSOs) to support implementation of Result 2, which will be focused on strengthening inclusive risk communication and early warning practices in selected communities in Thailand, Lao PDR, and Cambodia. Through participatory and locally led approaches, the selected partner(s) will work with governments, community stakeholders, organizations of persons with disabilities, women's organizations, and other local actors to strengthen existing disaster risk management and early warning systems.

Purpose 

The purpose of this Grant is to identify qualified CSOs/ Non-government Organizations (NGOs) to support the implementation of activities under No One Left Behind project’s Result 2, which is focused on strengthening community-level inclusive risk communication and early warning systems in selected communities in Thailand, Lao PDR, and Cambodia. The CfP aims to select up to three (3) implementing partners, one for each of the following implementation packages. However, applicants may submit proposals for one or more implementation packages. Applicants may also submit a combined proposal for all packages. UNDRR reserves the right to accept a proposal in whole or in part, and to discuss and clarify application packages. 

• Package 1: Thailand (3 municipalities) 
• Package 2: Lao PDR (1 district) 
• Package 3: Cambodia (1 district) 

The selected partner(s) will: 

• Facilitate and strengthen locally relevant risk communication mechanisms within existing disaster risk management and early warning systems; 
• Support participatory processes to identify and address barriers to accessible, trusted, and actionable early warning communication, particularly for women, girls, and persons with disabilities who face intersectional vulnerabilities; 
• Strengthen capacities of communities and local actors to effectively communicate and act on early warning information; and 
• Promote the integration and sustainability of inclusive risk communication practices within local systems. 

In addition to the above, this role will serve as a key bridge between Result 1 and Result 2 by ensuring that the voices and perspectives of women, girls, and persons with disabilities meaningfully inform the design and dissemination of inclusive early warning and risk communication messages. It will also contribute to Results 3 and 4 by documenting, synthesizing, and sharing experiences, lessons learned, and good practices from local implementation to support regional and cross‑regional knowledge exchange on disaster risk communication. 

Outcome 

The Grant seeks to contribute to ensuring that women, girls, persons with disabilities, and other at-risk groups in the target communities are better able to receive, understand, trust, and act upon early warning information through strengthened, inclusive community-level risk communication systems by strengthening connections and enhancing risk communication capacities to protect people through early warnings. 

Output 

The selected partner(s) will deliver: 

Established/strengthened local risk/crisis communication platforms or similar structures 

Establishment/strengthening of local risk/crisis communication platforms by supporting existing community-level DRR and early warning or similar structures to strengthen coordination among local authorities, communities, and representatives of at-risk populations and their organizations, including organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), women's organizations, organizations representing older persons, youth groups, community volunteers, local media, and other relevant stakeholders. The strengthened platforms should promote meaningful participation of these groups in risk communication planning, implementation, and decision-making. Activities should reinforce existing institutional arrangements wherever possible, rather than establish parallel coordination mechanisms.

Target risk/crisis communication platforms established/strengthened are: 

• Thailand- at least 3 platforms 
• Lao PDR- at least 1 platform 
• Cambodia- at least 1 platform 

Enhanced capacities of local governments, communities, local CSOs, volunteers, and media to deliver accessible and inclusive early warning information

Strengthen the knowledge and practical capacities of local governments, community volunteers, civil society organizations, media representatives and other local stakeholders to deliver accessible, people-centered and inclusive early warning information through training, awareness raising, coaching, practical exercises/simulation and other capacity development activities.

Enhanced local early warning system protocols, integrating risk-informed and inclusive risk communication approaches

Enhance local early warning system protocols by integrating risk-informed and inclusive risk communication approaches into community risk assessment, preparedness, and hazard-specific early warning protocols. Through participatory processes and capacity strengthening, local authorities, communities, community-based organizations, volunteers, and the media will strengthen existing systems to ensure they are accessible, actionable, and responsive to the needs of women, girls, persons with disabilities, and other at-risk groups. 

Target inclusive early warning protocol and risk communication strategies developed/enhanced are: 

• Thailand- at least 3 early warning protocols 
• Lao PDR- at least 1 early warning protocol 
• Cambodia- at least early warning protocol 

Strengthened integration of inclusive risk communication into local disaster risk management 

Promote or advocate for the institutionalization and long-term sustainability of inclusive risk communication and early warning practices by supporting local governments and communities to identify, prioritize, and integrate actions into broader disaster risk management planning, implementation and SOPs. This will strengthen ownership and ensure the continued enhancement, dissemination, resourcing, and application of inclusive early warning systems beyond the project period. 

Suggested activities 

The selected partner(s) will implement activities under Result 2 in close coordination with UNDRR, government and local stakeholders. The activities outlined below represent the minimum expected scope of work. Applicants are encouraged to propose the most appropriate methodology and sequencing to achieve the expected outputs. 

Activities may include, but are not limited to: 

For budgeting purposes, proposals should include the costs of implementing the following activities: 

• A three-day local Training of Trainers (ToT) in each target country (or implementation area, where appropriate); 
• Community-level orientation and capacity-building sessions; 
• Participatory Community Risk Assessment (CRA) and Early Warning System (EWS) enhancement workshops; Simulation exercises; 
• Lessons learned and sustainability planning workshops in each target community; and 
• Activities to establish or strengthen local risk and crisis communication platforms. 

Resources 

• Early Warnings for All – Executive Action Plan 2023–2027 

https://www.preventionweb.net/publication/early-warnings-all-executive-action-plan-2023-2027 Inclusive Early Warning 

• Early Action: Checklist and Implementation Guide (2023) 

https://www.undrr.org/publication/documents-and-publications/inclusive-early-warning-early-action-c… 

• UNDRR Risk Communication 

https://www.undrr.org/risk-communication 

• Global Status Report on EWS (2024) 

https://www.undrr.org/reports/global-status-MHEWS-2024 

• UNDRR Global Survey on Disability and Disasters (2023) 

https://www.undrr.org/report/2023-gobal-survey-report-on-persons-with-disabilities-and-disasters 

• Gender Action Plan for Sendai Framework (2023) 

https://www.preventionweb.net/sendai-framework/sendai-framework-for-disaster-risk-reduction/SendaiG… 

• ASEAN Disaster Risk Communication Framework 

https://asean.org/book/asean-disaster-risk-communication-framework/ 

Elements specific to the project that the grantee should know 

Applications from consortia will be considered only in limited circumstances. Where an application is submitted on behalf of a consortium, the consortium members must appoint and formally designate a lead entity. UNDRR will engage exclusively with the lead entity, which shall bear full responsibility and accountability for programme implementation, financial management, compliance, monitoring, and the performance of all consortium members. For budget submission purposes, the consortium lead entity shall submit a single consolidated budget on behalf of the consortium. The budgets of all consortium members must be reflected within the consolidated budget and included under the budget line "Grants to Counterparts." The consortium lead entity remains fully responsible for the accuracy of the consolidated budget and for the management, oversight, and reporting of funds allocated to consortium members. 

All consortium members must possess adequate legal and financial capacity and meet the eligibility requirements set out in this Call for Proposals. The application must clearly define the roles, responsibilities, and governance arrangements of all participating entities. 

All International and national non-governmental organizations that wish to be considered for partnership opportunities with UNDRR will need to register and create a profile on the United Nations Partner Portal (UNPP). Following verification of the profile information, partners will be eligible to apply to partnership opportunities with UNDRR as well as the UN Secretariat and all other participating UN Organizations. 

We encourage you to start the registration as soon as possible to avoid delays. Only registered organizations whose profile has been successfully verified will be considered eligible partners to apply for grant opportunities with UNDRR. For more details on registration procedures please visit the UN Section of UNPP (https://www.unpartnerportal.org/registration) 

Furthermore, the United Nations system requires all partners to be assessed regarding their capacity to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse.  UNDRR encourages implementing partners to use the Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) module in the UNPP. PSEA Module User Guide CSO Partner Members 

Partner Selection Criteria 

Criteria 1: Technical Expertise and Relevant Experience 

The partner should demonstrate: 

• Demonstrated expertise in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM), and/or Early Warning Systems (EWS). 
• Experience in risk communication, community engagement, or behaviour-centred communication. 
• Demonstrated application of gender-responsive and disability-inclusive approaches in programme implementation. 
• Experience facilitating community-based participatory processes (e.g. CBDRM, community risk assessments, participatory planning, or similar approaches). 
• Demonstrated experience in capacity building, facilitation, and multi-stakeholder coordination involving government and community stakeholders. 
• Minimum of 3–5 years of relevant organizational experience. 

Suggested documentation 

• Description of at least two (2) relevant projects implemented within the last five (5) years, including scope, geographic coverage, and key results. 
• CVs of key expert staff proposed to be part of the assignment 

Criteria 2: Organizational and operational capacity 

The partner should demonstrate: 

• Legal registration and authorization to operate in the proposed country/implementation area. 
• Strong operational presence and ability to mobilize personnel in the target area(s). 
• Established partnerships or experience working with government institutions, local communities, and civil society organizations. 
• Organizational policies and systems that promote gender equality, disability inclusion, safeguarding, and ethical conduct. 

Suggested documentation 

• Proof of legal 
• Description of in-country presence (office, staffing, field reach). Gender Equality Policy (or equivalent). 
• Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Policy (or equivalent). 
• Code of Conduct 

Criteria 3: Financial and Administrative Capacity 

The partner should demonstrate adequate financial and administrative systems to effectively manage UNDRR funds and comply with reporting requirements.

Suggested documentation: 

• Finance manual and financial management policies 
• Most recent audited financial statements 
• Procurement policies and procedures 
• Human resources manual 
• Anti-fraud and anti-corruption policy 

General Implementation Requirements 

The selected partner(s) will implement the activities under Result 2 in accordance with the following general requirements: 

• Activities shall be implemented in close coordination with UNDRR, national and local government counterparts, and other relevant project partners. 
• Activities shall build on existing disaster risk management and early warning systems, strengthen existing institutional and coordination mechanisms, and promote sustainable local ownership. 
• Applicants are encouraged to propose context-appropriate and participatory implementation methodologies that achieve the expected outputs while allowing flexibility to adapt activities to local contexts. 

Budget and administrative - related aspects 

The duration of the proposed project is from October 2026 to April 2027. The maximum amount requested from UNDRR for the implementation of this project cannot exceed USD 105,000 (please see below table for indicative breakdown for budget across countries). The project proposal must not exceed 10 pages (attachments such as scanned copies of entity’s registration, CVs of staff etc. do not count). 

For this purpose, please fill in duly all the sections of the application form, include the required documents (scanned copy of NGO/IGO’s registration certificate, CVs of staff etc.) and budget excel sheets, and send the complete application package (application form, budget excel sheets, entity registration certificate, CVs of staff, etc.) to the following email address: [email protected] cc: [email protected] & [email protected]  

Reference: 2026/004 - Call for Proposals –"No One Left Behind: Strengthening Early Warnings for Women, Girls, and Persons with Disabilities in Communities in Southeast Asia” 

Deadline for applications: 01 October 2026, midnight New York, USA EST (Eastern Standard Time). Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered. 

Projects’ activities can include, amongst others, the following:  

• seminars, workshops, trainings; 
• capacity building activities; 
• institutional strengthening activities and 
• advocacy 

The following types of activity will not be covered: 

• capital expenditure, e.g. land, buildings, equipment and vehicles;
• individual scholarships for studies or training courses; 
• supporting political parties; and 
• sub-contracting 

Due to the number of applications, only short-listed applicants will be notified. 

Please note that the grant payment schedule will be determined with the selected grantee when finalizing the agreement. UNDRR standard practice is: not to exceed 40% of the requested amount upon signature of the grant agreement; remaining payments made based on a schedule of payments linked to production of project milestones and the final payment, 20%, will be paid after the end of the project, once final documents have been received, verified and approved by UNDRR. 

Refund of grants: UNDRR may request organizations to refund, either in part or in whole any amounts paid in respect of a grant when: 

• the project was not implemented in full or in part; 
• the grant was spent for ineligible expenditures other than those mentioned in the budget proposal submitted to, and approved by UNDRR; 
• no narrative, financial or audit report was submitted within the deadline established by the grant agreement; 
• a narrative report and/or a financial report submitted was determined to be unsatisfactory; a negative evaluation of the project by UNDRR; 
• any other valid reason provided by the UNDRR.