Summary

The Bilateral Fund is a grant facility provided by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and managed by the British High Commission, Lusaka, to provide strategic support to Zambia in priority areas and improve bilateral links between Zambia and the UK.

In the 2008/9 financial year, the Bilateral Fund focussed on projects aimed at promoting good governance and climate change. These projects included:

• 'Delays as Opportunities for Corruption':- this was a series of workshops designed to examine the delays which frustrate members of the public applying for services at government offices, with a view to removing or reducing them. The Zambia Institute of Public Policy Analysis (ZIPPA), in collaboration with Transparency International - Zambia (TIZ), conducted the workshops drawing participants from civil society organisations, senior government officers, and members of the business community.
• Training of Political Party Polling Agents:- to develop the capacities of political parties to understand their responsibilities and obligations in the electoral process with a view to raising the confidence of the public and political parties in the credibility of the electoral process. This involved updating the training manual to include the political party law and Code of Conduct, training workshops and constituting an interparty liaison observer team. This was done ahead of the 2008 Presidential election.
• Reporting on Environmental Issues Training for Journalists:- the project gave journalists skills in producing effective media products on the environment and climate change. The aim was that through these media products there would be increased public and political awareness and interest, leading to improved public debate and participation in environmental and climate change related policies and programme development. Journalists were drawn from across the country; both public and private, print and electronic media.
• Promoting 'Greening' behaviour among school children:- three schools from Lusaka have been supported in their activities to increase environmental awareness, through various activities such as waste management, creating artefacts from recycled paper and plastic and promoting organic gardening by using compost. These schools will widen their activities to the communities surrounding their schools. They will also champion the campaign of environmental and climate change issues to other schools.

The priority areas for 2009/10 will continue to be good governance and climate change.

Bilateral Fund Guidelines

What projects can be funded?

The Bilateral Fund, which is highly competitive, will only consider project proposals that clearly show developmental benefit and are within the British High Commission's priority areas for the financial year. Ideally, the project should be completed within 9 months from the receipt of funds. Suppliers, and not the organisation itself, will be paid directly for goods and services.
The fund cannot support projects/items such as;

• private businesses or individuals 
• recurrent costs (salaries, rent, utility bills or consumables) 
• donations/loans 
• projects that are purely of a political, military or religious nature.

The Bilateral Fund does not have computers, sports equipment, or textbooks for distribution, nor does it fund scholarships/sponsorships. The British Government and Foreign and Commonwealth Office funds scholarships through its Chevening Scholarship Scheme.

Application Procedure

• Detailed guidelines and an application form are attached. You can return your completed application form by email, post or hand to the British High Commission. 
• You will be notified if your project is eligible for funding. Please allow 4-6 weeks from the date of receipt by our office.
• An assessment or appraisal visit to suitable projects will be conducted before a decision is made. Please ensure that you have indicated clearly your contact information. 
• Be further advised that completing any of the above stages does not guarantee funding.

Please ensure that you do not sent us original copies of documents, such as, certificates of registration, permits as we are unable to return any documents that are sent with your application.

Reporting and monitoring

Successful applicants will be required to submit reports every 3 months and physical checks will also be made to all on-going projects. A final report giving details of all financial expenditure is expected on completion.

The Bilateral Fund has benefited many organisations, institutions and communities over the years. However, we are unable to assist all eligible projects as the number of applications received far outweighs the funding we have available. Applications are welcomed from established CSOs, and NGOs. This scheme is not the only source of assistance given by the British government. Further information regarding our bilateral aid programme can be obtained from the Department for International Development (DFID).