West Balkan Competition for Funding Innovative Ideas Leading to Job Creation in the Formal Sector

Introduction

The World Bank invites all interested organizations, associations and institutions to submit innovative ideas for job creation in the formal sector. The best proposals from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro will receive some USD 35,000 per project, through the 2006 West Balkan Development Marketplace (DM) program.

The Development Marketplace started in 1998 as an internal Bank competition to fund innovative ideas that were not picked up through the usual funding system. It has evolved into global, regional and local events that have awarded nearly USD 34 million for more than 800 projects over the last six years. The West Balkan Development Marketplace reflects the World Bank’s determination to support employment as one of the biggest challenges faced by all countries in the region.

The West Balkan Development Marketplace 2006 is open to a wide range of people – civil society groups, social entrepreneurs, private foundations, government agencies, academia and private sector. In each of the participating countries, assessment teams comprised of prominent individuals will select finalists. Finalists will then participate in a Marketplace Competition & Knowledge Forum, which will take place on May 17-18, 2006, in Belgrade.

Special consideration will be awarded to projects which demonstrate the ability to foster employment of youth and regional and/or cross-border cooperation.

Proposals should be submitted by e-mail, regular post or delivered in person by 5:00 PM on January 30, 2006.

Theme

The Western Balkan DM focuses on job creation because unemployment is one of the major constraints to economic development in the participating countries.

Labor Market Survey shows that in 2003 Kosovo’s unemployment rate stood at over 47 percent. Although Albania’s unemployment rate in 2004 was 14.4 percent, some parts of the country experience as much as 25 percent unemployment. During the same period Macedonia recorded an extremely high unemployment rate of 37.4 percent. In 2004, official unemployment rate in Bosnia and Hercegovina was 40 percent, while Serbia and Montenegro struggle with an unemployed workforce of 18.5 percent. Behind these percentages are millions of individuals looking for jobs which would help them build a better and more secure life for themselves and their families.

It is particularly worrisome that in all of these countries, youth makes up most of the ranks of the unemployed and those active in the gray economy. Young people without stable jobs have little to look forward to. Lack of work opportunities exposes them to the risk of poverty. Many young people leave their respective countries while looking for a better future in the West, which contributes to brain-drain.

For over a decade the Balkans were torn by armed conflict, war and civil unrest. Political stability in the region remains sensitive and fragile. This situation hinders development and is often an impediment to quicker and more sustainable economic growth.

Given these issues, the World Bank 2006 West Balkan Development Marketplace will favor projects enhancing youth employment and regional cooperation.

The 2006 West Balkan Development Marketplace aims to support innovative and sustainable projects. It will give people the seed funding necessary to turn their job creation ideas into feasible reality. In doing so, the World Bank and other donors will gain valuable insights into providing effective and efficient employment opportunities. Participating countries will also benefit from the new ideas, by replicating successful solutions and learning from neighbors' positive examples.

Eligibility Criteria

The West Balkan Development Marketplace is open to a wide variety of organizations, including:

• Non – Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs),
• private companies,
• universities and schools,
• individuals in partnership with a legally registered organization,
• international NGOs and CSOs in partnership with legal registered local organizations in the participating countries, and
• local, municipal or central governments in partnership with other eligible legal entities from the participating countries.

Eligibility criteria will be the same in all of the participating countries.

Proposals will be screened to ensure that they conform to the following criteria:

• Proposals must be submitted by an organization which is legally registered or in partnership with the organization which is legally registered.
• Proposals from local, municipal or central government institution must be submitted in partnership with a non-government/private sector organization otherwise they will not be eligible.
• Proposals from international organizations must be submitted in partnership with a local organization that is legally registered in the country of implementation otherwise they will not be eligible.
• Proposals from an individual or a family must be submitted in partnership with other legally registered organization (NGO, CSO, private enterprise) otherwise they will not be eligible.
• Project must be implemented in one or more countries participating in 2006 Balkan Development Marketplace (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro).
• The maximum award size will be roughly USD 35,700.
• Projects should be implemented within a timeframe of 12 months.
• Proposals must be submitted in English or any of the local official languages in the participating countries.
• Proposals must not exceed four pages. Projects that exceed four pages will not qualify for the competition.
• Proposals must be submitted by 5:00 PM on January 30, 2006

Assessment Criteria

All eligible projects’ proposals will be assessed according to the following criteria:

1. Innovation – The project must demonstrate an idea which is a new approach to addressing employment creation in formal sector and should benefit unemployed people
2. Results – The project ought to be able to demonstrate very clearly how it helps new job creation
3. Sustainability – The project must demonstrate that it will go towards self sustainability beyond the implementation period
4. Replicability – The project must demonstrate that it can be successfully implemented (replicated) elsewhere

Special consideration will be given to projects which demonstrate the ability to foster employment of youth and regional cooperation.

Each of the participating countries will have its own assessment teams, comprised of experts in the fields of development and employment, along with other prominent individuals. These teams will assess all eligible proposals and select ten finalists from each country. The World Bank Management Team will then select five additional finalists that show unique development potential, regardless of the country of origin.

How to Apply

1. Applicants must use the West Balkan Development Marketplace Proposal Form for their proposals. The forms (available in different languages) are available here .

2. Proposals must conform to the page limits/word limits set in the proposal form, otherwise they will not be eligible.

3. Proposals can be sent by e-mail, by regular post or delivered in person.

4. Contact information about the World Bank Country Office in each of the participating countries is provided in the table below.

5. Proposals must be sent to the World Bank Country Office that corresponds to the country where the project will be implemented. Proposals that are regional or will be implemented in more than one country should be sent to the country where the implementing agency is located.