Source: http://www.citiesalliance.org/ca/node/2556
Cities Alliance issued inaugural call for proposals for the Catalytic Fund in January 2011. Now the group has given approval to the first batch of Concept Notes for the funding.
The Catalytic Fund serves as the Cities Alliance funding instrument providing grant support for projects that focus on strengthening the role of cities in poverty reduction and in sustainable urban development.
Precisely 74 Concept Notes were received by Cities Alliance Secretariat covering a wide array of projects. Generally these projects were related to slum upgradation and development of cities across the world, specifically in the regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and Central Asia. Seven Concept Notes were selected which will get a funding of over US $1.6 million.
The response Cities Alliance received for the initial Call for Proposals clearly suggests that there is a good demand for a targeted funding instrument such as the Catalytic Fund.
Seven projects that were approved for the funding are:
– Tenure Security Facility Southern Africa: This project aims to make available technical assistance and advisory services to slum upgrading initiatives in the Southern Africa region. It is sponsored by Shack/Slum Dwellers International and the South Africa Department of Human Settlements. It will be implemented by Urban Landmark.
– Promoting Climate Resilient City Development and Settlements Upgrading Strategies for Sri Lankan Cities. This activity aims to mainstream climate adaptive and mitigation responses into national urban planning methods, policies and frameworks. Sponsored by UN-HABITAT and the World Bank, it will be implemented by the Management Resources for Good Governance organisation.
– Housing Sector Development in Ethiopia: Making Shelter Assets Work. This program focuses on the post-construction management of neighbourhoods built under the Ethiopian Government’s Integrated Housing Development Programme (IHDP). The IHDP seeks to provide housing for poor and middle-income households and reduce the number of slums. It is sponsored by GIZ and will be implemented by the Housing Development and Government Buildings Construction Bureau of the Ministry of Urban Development and Construction.
– Promoting Affordable and Sustainable Sanitation Services in Freetown, Sierra Leone. This program aims to strengthen the Freetown City Council’s institutional capacity to support improved sanitation in the city. It is sponsored by UN-HABITAT and will be implemented by the Freetown City Council.
– Strategic Plan for the Southern Association of Municipalities of Santiago, Chile. This program elaborates a strategic development plan with a participatory focus for seven municipalities situated in the southern region of metropolitan Santiago. It is sponsored by the Chilean Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and UCLG, and will be implemented by the Southern Association of Municipalities of Santiago.
– Urban Development Strategy for Metropolitan Yaoundé, Cameroon. This program involves the formulation and implementation of a sustainable urban development strategy in Yaoundé, with an emphasis on improving infrastructure and basic urban services in poor neighbourhoods. It is sponsored by the World Bank and will be implemented by the Yaoundé Urban Council.
– Historic Cities Sustainable Development Strategy for Bukhara and Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This program supports the historic cities of Bukhara and Samarkand to identify and prioritise key areas for urban integrated development that will promote and attract local economic development opportunities. It is sponsored and implemented by the World Bank.
