PROLEAD follows a rigorous multi-step process to select the projects it funds. From disseminating requests for proposals, evaluating submitted proposals, to selecting grant recipients -- principles of transparency, non-partisanship, flexibility, objectivity, diversity and timeliness guide the entire process. Following is a brief description of each step in the funding process:
Dissemination process
The first step of a funding cycle -- the dissemination process, or request for proposals --begins when hundreds of announcements are disseminated to civil society organizations in the region, through mail, fax, email, electronic newsletters and networks, notices published in the media and announcements made at meetings and other events.IDB Country Offices and PROLEAD's collaborating agencies (UNIFEM, OAS/CIM,UNICEF and UNDP) also disseminate proposal requests through their field offices. This step typically lasts two or three months, and usually ends with PROLEAD receiving several hundred proposals from more than two dozen Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Evaluation process
The evaluation process begins with PROLEAD staff reviewing all proposals to ensure that the organizations meet the eligibility requirements stated in the request for proposals. The completed proposals are then distributed to a panel of Technical Reviewers who are external to the IDB and who have expertise in project development and gender issues. The proposals are also submitted to a panel of IDB reviewers for evaluation. Both internal and external reviewers then meet to review the evaluations and identify trends in the region. Proposals that have been rated highly are submitted to PROLEAD's Council for further consideration.
Selection process
PROLEAD's Council selects the winning proposals. Council members are accomplished women in the fields of business, politics, and international development. The members meet as a whole, and also in small working groups, to debate the attributes of each proposal under consideration. Reviewers evaluate each proposal's fit with PROLEAD's objectives, the clarity of the need/problem statement, the appropriateness and feasibility of proposed activities, the potential to replicate and/or expand impact, qualifications of project staff, and how innovative the proposed project is before making final selection. From this process, proposals are selected for funding. The Council then makes recommendations to be incorporated into the funded projects. PROLEAD and its partner organizations make efforts to search for additional resources to fund the highly ranked projects that were unable to be selected due to limited funds.
In making the final selection, the following factors are also taken into consideration:
- Geographic representation
- Diverse target population
- Balance between countries, ensuring that less-developed countries receive funding.
PROLEAD follows a rigorous multi-step process to select the projects it funds. From disseminating requests for proposals, evaluating submitted proposals, to selecting grant recipients -- principles of transparency, non-partisanship, flexibility, objectivity, diversity and timeliness guide the entire process. Following is a brief description of each step in the funding process:
