In the design of projects (around the calls for proposals), is there some flexibility for the Fund Operator to encourage ‘out of the box’ thinking and new, creative approaches (as opposed to ‘business as usual’)?
The Fund Operator can indicate in a call for proposals that they encourage applicants to use new, creative approaches. This should then be reflected in the criteria for scoring proposals.
The Fund Operator is expected to support project applicants and project promoters as part of their capacity-building role. This can include steps to support civil society organisations in developing "out of the box" thinking ahead of the launch of calls for proposals, e.g. through workshops and toolkits. The Fund Operator can also assist project promoters in developing their projects further through workshops or individual mentoring. Project promoters should however not be obliged to use such assistance.