Call for Concept Notes to Support Civic Engagement Around Community Cohesion, Inclusive Development, and Responsive Local Governance in Burao District
About CEF
The Civic Engagement Facility (CEF), supported by Denmark, aims to expand civic space and strengthen collaboration between government, civil society, and the private sector around Somali people's priority issues. It provides catalytic funding to strengthen civil society networks, support innovative channels for civic engagement , and foster more inclusive citizen-government dialogue to drive collective action towards a people-centered governance agenda.
What We Want to Support
Innovative, context-driven ideas that:
Strengthen Burao’s civic ecosystem by empowering CBOs, CSOs, and informal local networks to lead locally driven governance and development initiatives.
Build on Burao’s strong traditions of collective action, including youth volunteerism, women-led cooperatives, and community solidarity systems to mobilize resources, respond to crises, and sustain civic engagement.
Reinforce and adapt local cooperation practices to address current challenges such as droughts, displacement, urbanization, and socioeconomic change.
Create inclusive platforms for collaboration, where civic actors, customary institutions, private sector stakeholders, and local authorities work together through participatory dialogue, joint planning, and coordinated service delivery.
Advance community cohesion, social inclusion, and resilience by supporting Burao’s civic actors to lead context-appropriate, locally defined initiatives.
Promote adaptive and locally grounded development models that reflect Burao’s evolving realities and build on strengths in grassroots leadership, social trust, and civic innovation.
Applicants Are Encouraged To:
Identify locally relevant priorities and propose practical, community-centred initiatives that respond to Burao’s context and strengthen collaboration between communities, civic actors, local authorities, customary institutions, and the private sector.
The overall objectives of work under this opportunity are to:
Facilitate inclusive dialogue among civic groups, elders, women, youth, customary institutions, private sector actors, informal networks, and local authorities to build trust, coordination, and collective action around shared priorities.
Strengthen community participation in local governance and development by involving communities in identifying priorities, planning activities, and contributing to implementation (in-kind or cash).
Improve coordination, transparency, and responsiveness between local authorities, civic actors, private sector partners, and communities in service delivery and development planning.
Advance inclusion of women, youth, and marginalized groups in decision-making and local development so diverse voices shape outcomes.
Support joint, context-aware actions to address shared challenges such as conflict prevention, natural resource management, or service gaps.
Promote shared learning and practical knowledge exchange to boost collective problem-solving, adaptive governance, and resilience across Burao and surrounding areas.
The Process
The selected applicant or consortium will be invited to develop their full proposals followed by a co-design process. During this phase, they will work closely with the CEF team to refine and align their proposal. The co-design process will help finalize methodologies, timelines, budgets, deliverables, and performance indicators, ensuring that interventions are locally grounded, inclusive, and results-oriented, with communities actively contributing through in-kind and financial support.
Who Can Apply
Open to registered Somali Civil Society Organizations operating in Burao District (Togdheer Region).
Applicants must show proven experience in community dialogue, inclusive participation, or supporting local governance and development in Burao.
Organizations should be able to work collaboratively with civic actors, private sector representatives, customary institutions, and local authorities to advance shared community and district priorities.
Partnerships between multiple organizations or networks are encouraged where they strengthen coordination, inclusion, and collective action.
Informal civic networks and community groups are welcome to participate through partnerships with eligible, registered organizations (as only registered entities can receive direct funding).
CEF welcomes proposals that build on and renew Burao’s strong culture of civic action, using inclusive, locally rooted, and context-driven approaches that support dialogue, cooperation, and responsive local development.
While CEF encourages broad participation, this call is limited to Burao District (Togdheer Region). Proposals focusing on other districts or regions will not be considered.
Minimum Requirements
Register as a legal entity.
Authorized to operate in Burao District (Togdheer Region).
Tax compliant.
Applicant and partners not listed on UN/EU sanctions lists.
How to Apply
Submit a Concept Note (max 8 PowerPoint slides -see template below)
Key Dates
Virtual pre-bid session: 8 December, 2025 at 10:00 EAT
Join the call now
Submit clarification questions by: 10 December, 2025
Clarification questions should be submitted only through the form on the CEF Website. No phone or in-person inquiries will be accepted. Responses to clarification questions will be posted here on 11th December, 2025.
Concept Note submission deadline: 22 December, 2025 at 14:00 EAT
Once you click the below link to submit register to our grants application systems, please look for Call for Concept Notes to Support Civic Engagement Around Community Cohesion, Inclusive Development, and Responsive Local Governance in Burao District