Cooking up idea for innovations? Read the Guideline for 2018 Working Group Allowance here! – TUEWAS (Transport, Environment, Energy and Water in Asia)

To encourage the development of innovations, TUEWAS Steering Group considers the WG Allowance an effective mode to provide financial support and a stimulus for innovative activities. Therefore, an amount of 40,000 € is made available at the disposal of the WGs and Task Force (TF). To apply for the Allowance, please follow the guideline below, which are effective for the year 2018. #FundingInnovations #GivingIdeasWings
♦What can be paid for?

The WG Allowance’s objective is to support the development, realisation or production of innovative ideas with the aim to enhance distribution and exchange of knowledge, practices and experiences. Thus, the innovation can range from publications, reports, products, trainings, to exchanging dialogues – given the following criteria:

The innovation has to benefit at least THREE projects in the WG, preferably beyond.
The cost should be payable, according to GIZ and SN rules and regulations.

It is important to note that the following items CANNOT be paid from SN PN: ZAS, intern allowance, travel costs for GIZ colleagues (tickets, accommodation, and inland transport), or food and beverages unrelated to activities.

The use of budget must be within 16^th February – 1^st December 2018.
Co-financing with project funds or other means of finance is highly encouraged.
WG Allowance may not be used to reimburse costs for activities that are already financed by other means.
Approval must be received from the Secretariat regarding financial feasibility and/or from all STGR members via e-mail. (In the case that approval from the STGR members are needed, the proposal will be circulated to them. If no objection arises within 7 days, the application is considered approved.)

Examples of payable costs:

Consultant/ external fee for composing a report or knowledge product
Translation/ reproduction/ design cost of a product
External speaker/ trainer cost (travel, accommodation, and honorarium) to organise a virtual, or a face-to-face event at WG meeting or at a conference (highly encouraged)

Note: Unless the contract is with a German individual or company and needs to be processed by the Head Office, the GIZ Office in respective country shall proceed with the payment using TUEWAS PN. In such case, GIZ rules and regulations and practices of the local office, where the cost is processed, will apply.

How does application and approval process work?
Part I: Pitching for the allocated 3,000 € WG Allowance – 16^th February – 15^th April 2018

Each WG is allocated with the quota of 3,000 € WG Allowance (1,500 for Joint WG and TF), which they have to express the intention to use within 15^thApril 2018 via the submission of an application form.

WG speaker submits WG Allowance Form via E-mail to the Secretariat
Secretariat checks the application against the aforementioned criteria and other related financial regulations.
An e-mail will be sent by the Secretariat to the WG, notifying the need for revision or the approval with the PN, to which the cost could be charged to.

Note: The actual use of the WG Allowance can be expedited later in the year; however, the application has to be submitted before the deadline.

After 15^th April 2018, the unused WG Allowance will flow into the WG Allowance Pool, which can be applied for. The maximum amount is 15,000 €. For WGs that would like to ask for more than 3,000 € in their first proposal, the process of part II will be applied to the extra amount.

Part II: Pitching for Resource in Innovation Pool | 16^th April onward

An Innovation Pool of 16,000 € is established and can be made use by all WGs through similar application process. The only difference is that an approval from the STGR must be obtained before the liquidation of the amount. For Joint WG/TFs, they are only eligible to apply to either TUEWAS or SNRD Asia Pool. In case there remains unused WG Allowance from Part I, it will automatically go into this Innovation Pool. Note that the maximum amount to bid for must not exceed 15,000 €.

1. WG/TF Speaker submits WG Allowance form to the Secretariat indicating the intention to use the allocated 3,000 € (for the application before 15^th April 2018).
2. The Secretariat notifies all STGR Members that the application has been received and inquires whether any WG/TFs would also like to make use of the pool. The deadline of 7 days is given for others to send in their applications.
3. Secretariat checks the application against the aforementioned criteria and other related financial regulations.
4. Upon the approval of the Secretariat, the application is circulated to all STGR Members via e-mail.
5. If no objection is received within 7 days by the STGR Members, the application is considered approved.
6. An e-mail will be sent by the Secretariat to notify the WG/TF of the approval, along with the PN to which the cost must be booked on.

***In case more than one WG/TF applies for the amount in the Allowance Pool and the remaining resource is not sufficient, the remaining resource will be divided in consultation with the WGs.

***The WG has to make sure that the applied cost is booked on the PN in the budget year of 2018, ideally before 1^st December 2018, and that the final product or result have to be submitted to the Secretariat upon completion for record-keeping.

Read in PDF here.