Call for Proposals for the 2026 GIZ support on supporting the development of Communication Plan Africa, Strengthening National-Regional Linkages in SADC (SNRL) Programme
Call for Proposals: Support to SADC Member States for the Development of Communication Strategies and Success Stories
The Strengthening National-Regional Linkages in SADC (SNRL) Programme, co-funded by the German Government, the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), and the European Union (EU), supports the SADC Secretariat and SADC Member States in strengthening institutional frameworks and monitoring and evaluation systems for implementing the regional integration agenda.
The Programme also works to improve knowledge, communication and public awareness of SADC-related topics across the region.
Despite progress in regional integration, awareness among citizens and other stakeholders about the impact, benefits and opportunities created through SADC programmes remains limited in many Member States. There is therefore a growing need to strengthen communication and visibility at the national level, enabling citizens and stakeholders to better understand the importance and relevance of regional integration.
Focus Areas of the Call Call for Proposals for the 2026 GIZ support on supporting the development of Communication Plan Africa
Under this Call for Proposals, SADC Member States are invited to submit expressions of interest for technical support in two key areas:
- Development of National Gender-Sensitive Communication Strategies – supporting Member States in developing communication strategies that effectively raise awareness of SADC programmes while incorporating gender-sensitive approaches.
- Development and Documentation of SADC Success Stories – supporting the identification, development and documentation of successful SADC initiatives and their impact at the national level.
Type of Support Available Call for Proposals for the 2026 GIZ support on supporting the development of Communication Plan Africa
Support under this Call will be provided as direct technical assistance through the SNRL Programme.
No financial grants will be provided under this Call for Proposals.
The initiative is intended to help SADC Member States strengthen national-level communication, demonstrate the tangible benefits of regional integration, and improve public understanding and visibility of SADC programmes and achievements.
Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the full details and submit their applications before the specified deadline to seize this grant opportunity.
Last Date of Submission: 21st September 2026
Rationale for the Call for Proposals Call for Proposals for the 2026 GIZ support on supporting the development of Communication Plan Africa
The Call for Proposals (CfP) approach adopted by the SNRL Programme is based on two key considerations.
First, the Programme has limited resources available to support the activities planned under its current phase. As a result, the SNRL Programme will not be able to accommodate every request received from SADC Member States. A transparent and competitive selection process is therefore necessary to identify and prioritise applications that demonstrate the greatest need and potential impact.
Second, the CfP mechanism is designed to ensure that support remains demand-driven, transparent, fair and responsive to the varying capacities and needs of Member States. Across the SADC region, countries have different levels of institutional and technical capacity to communicate the benefits, opportunities and impact of regional integration initiatives.
The Call for Proposals provides an equitable platform for Member States to express their interest and clearly identify their specific communication and visibility needs. All proposed support should be aligned with the SADC Communication, Awareness and Visibility Strategy 2025–2030.
Target Group Call for Proposals for the 2026 GIZ support on supporting the development of Communication Plan Africa
The Call is open to state institutions within SADC Member States that are responsible for coordinating and implementing the regional integration agenda, as well as institutions mandated to coordinate media engagement at the national level.
Proposals should be prepared by relevant experts and managers within these institutions and submitted in the name of the respective institution.
The following entities are eligible to receive support:
- SADC Member States;
- National Contact Points (NCPs);
- Ministries of Information and Communication, including the offices of National SADC Media Coordinators (SNMCs); and
- Relevant government institutions responsible for coordinating SADC programmes at the national level.
Thematic Areas of Focus
The Call for Proposals focuses on two thematic areas that contribute directly to Output 3 of the SNRL Programme: strengthened awareness, visibility and public understanding of SADC regional integration and its benefits at Member State level.
Output 3 seeks to help Member States communicate SADC priorities, programmes, achievements and opportunities more effectively to citizens, stakeholders and the media.
Under this Call, technical support is available in the following two areas:
- Development of national gender-sensitive SADC communication strategies
- Development, documentation and dissemination of SADC success stories
Applications that fall outside these two thematic areas will not be considered.
SADC Regional Integration Communication Strategies
The Programme will support Member States in strengthening their strategic communication capacities so that they can effectively communicate SADC-related activities and the results achieved through regional integration initiatives.
Support will focus on the development of national gender-sensitive SADC communication strategies that complement the work of National SADC Coordinators in raising awareness of regional integration processes.
National SADC Media Coordinators are particularly targeted under this component in order to strengthen their role as champions of SADC communication and visibility at Member State level.
National communication strategies must be aligned with the SADC Communication, Awareness and Visibility Strategy 2025–2030. The Communications and Public Relations Unit (CPRU) of the SADC Secretariat will participate in the review and validation of these strategies.
In line with SADC and SNRL commitments to gender mainstreaming, communication strategies must ensure meaningful inclusion of women and young people in their implementation.
Development of SADC Success Stories
This area of support is intended to help Member States identify, develop and disseminate compelling success stories that demonstrate the contribution of SADC initiatives to socio-economic development.
The objective is to increase the visibility of SADC achievements and demonstrate their relevance to citizens, stakeholders and policymakers.
Support may include the preparation of:
- Written success stories
- Photographic stories
- Multimedia success stories
- Audience-specific communication and visibility products
These stories should be presented in engaging, accessible and appropriate formats and disseminated through relevant national and regional communication platforms.
Success stories should focus on tangible outcomes, achievements and benefits resulting from SADC interventions within the respective Member State.
Types of Activities Supported
Activities that may be supported under this Call for Proposals include:
- Story development and consultations;
- Packaging and dissemination of communication products; and
- Capacity development at individual, organisational and systemic levels.
Expected Impact
Support to Member States is expected to strengthen awareness, visibility and public understanding of SADC regional integration initiatives and their benefits.
Through stronger national communication strategies, Member States will be better positioned to communicate SADC priorities, programmes, achievements and opportunities to citizens, stakeholders and media organisations in a more coordinated and impactful manner.
The documentation and dissemination of success stories will further help demonstrate the practical value of regional cooperation and its contribution to areas such as livelihoods, economic opportunities, trade, infrastructure, peace and security, as well as other regional priority areas.
Eligibility
The Call for Proposals is open to state actors from all sixteen SADC Member States that have responsibilities related to the coordination of regional integration activities, particularly in the areas of communication, awareness and visibility.
Line ministries within Member States may also involve Non-State Actors in the implementation of a proposal where their participation is considered appropriate.
Selection Criteria
One of the principal selection criteria will be the demonstrated need for technical assistance, assessed against the existing institutional and technical capacity of the applicant Member State.
Priority will be given to Member States with relatively weak or limited capacity to communicate and showcase the benefits of SADC regional integration initiatives.
This may include situations where a Member State has:
- No dedicated national SADC communication strategy;
- Limited awareness and visibility initiatives;
- Inadequate systems for documenting and sharing success stories;
- Weak engagement with media and stakeholders; or
- Limited experience in developing communication products that demonstrate the national impact of SADC programmes.
In keeping with the Programme’s commitment to equitable access to support across the SADC region, the assessment will give particular consideration to Member States with comparatively limited institutional and technical capacity in the relevant thematic area.
The Selection Committee may consider factors such as the existence and implementation status of national SADC communication strategies, available communication and visibility systems, previous access to comparable SNRL support and the institution’s readiness to implement the proposed intervention.
Where proposals are otherwise comparable, preference may be given to Member States that have not previously benefited from similar SNRL Call for Proposals support or that demonstrate a more significant institutional capacity gap.
This approach maintains open eligibility while allowing the Selection Committee to prioritise support towards Member States that demonstrate greater need.
Application Assessment Criteria
Applications will be assessed using a structured scoring matrix. Eligibility will first be determined on a pass/fail basis against the requirements outlined in Section A.7 and the requirement that the proposed intervention constitutes technical assistance within one or both of the approved thematic areas.
Proposals requesting financial grants or proposing activities outside the two thematic areas will not be supported and will not proceed to the scoring stage.
Applications should demonstrate the following:
- The proposal must be realistic, coherent and aligned with the Member State implementation plan of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP). It must contribute to the targeted outcomes of the RISDP, the SADC Communication, Awareness and Visibility Strategy 2025–2030 and the SNRL Programme.
- The proposal must demonstrate clear potential to improve awareness raising within the country and, where relevant, across the region.
- The proposal must demonstrate the integration of gender considerations into the design and implementation of the proposed activities.
- The proposal must demonstrate meaningful elements of inclusiveness in implementation.
- The proposal must demonstrate how the results and benefits will be sustained within the Member State beyond the period of SNRL support.
- The applicant must demonstrate its commitment to designate a focal team responsible for leading implementation of the project.
- The applicant must demonstrate a clear need for support, institutional commitment and ownership of the proposed intervention.
- Applicants seeking support under thematic area A.4.1 must indicate whether a national SADC communication strategy exists and, where applicable, the extent to which it is aligned with the SADC Communication, Awareness and Visibility Strategy 2025–2030.
- Applicants applying under thematic area A.4.2 must indicate the extent to which they have previously documented and published SADC success stories.
- The applicant must describe existing communication arrangements, key communication challenges and the intended target audiences.
- The applicant must identify existing SADC initiatives within the country, potential success stories and the availability of beneficiaries who can contribute to story development.
- The proposal must provide sufficient detail on activities, timelines, responsible personnel and budget to allow implementation to begin directly upon selection, without requiring a further round of project development.
Why This Opportunity Is Important
The SNRL Programme Call for Proposals is an important opportunity for SADC Member States because it provides direct technical assistance to strengthen communication, public awareness and visibility around regional integration initiatives.
Unlike a conventional grant programme, this Call does not provide financial grants. Instead, selected applicants can receive technical support to develop stronger national communication strategies and create compelling success stories that demonstrate the real-world impact of SADC programmes.
The opportunity is particularly valuable for Member States with limited communication capacity, as the selection process gives consideration to demonstrated institutional and technical needs. Support can help governments communicate SADC priorities more effectively, engage citizens and stakeholders, strengthen media outreach, and showcase tangible results from regional cooperation.
It also provides an opportunity to improve gender-sensitive and inclusive communication, strengthen institutional capacity, and develop communication systems and products that can continue to be used beyond the period of SNRL support.
Tips for Developing a Strong Proposal
1. Clearly demonstrate the need
Explain the current communication or visibility gap in your country. Highlight specific challenges such as the absence of a national SADC communication strategy, limited public awareness, weak media engagement or insufficient documentation of success stories.
2. Align the proposal with SADC priorities
Show a clear connection between your proposed activities, the SADC Communication, Awareness and Visibility Strategy 2025–2030, the RISDP implementation priorities and the objectives of the SNRL Programme.
3. Focus on measurable results
Avoid broad statements. Clearly explain what the technical assistance will produce—for example, a national communication strategy, communication products, documented success stories, capacity-building activities or improved systems for dissemination.
4. Address gender and inclusion
Gender considerations are an explicit assessment criterion. Explain how women, young people and other relevant groups will be included in the design, implementation and communication activities.
5. Demonstrate sustainability
Explain how the institution will continue using the strategy, communication tools, success-story database, skills and systems after SNRL support ends. A proposal showing long-term institutional ownership is likely to be stronger.
6. Show institutional commitment
Identify the focal team that will lead implementation and clearly assign responsibilities. Demonstrate that the applicant institution is ready to work with the SNRL Programme and relevant SADC Secretariat units.
7. Make the proposal implementation-ready
The proposal should contain sufficient detail on activities, timelines, responsible personnel and budget so that implementation can begin directly after selection. Avoid leaving major elements for later development.
8. Highlight existing SADC achievements
For applications focused on success stories, identify concrete SADC initiatives already operating in the country and explain their tangible impact on people, communities, businesses or institutions. Strong human-interest stories can make the proposed intervention more compelling.
How to apply?
Applicants must complete Part B of this document. Completed applications are submitted through the National Contact Point to snrl@giz.de. Templates may be obtained from the SADC Secretariat website or from the National Contact Point. The deadline for submissions is 21 September 2026 at 17:00 hours CAT. Applications may be submitted in English, French or Portuguese.
Note: For more comprehensive details click the link below
Get full access to the grant information, visit the Official Website Link
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can apply for the SNRL Programme Call for Proposals?
The Call is open to state actors from all 16 SADC Member States, particularly institutions responsible for regional integration coordination, communication, awareness raising and media engagement. Eligible entities include SADC Member States, National Contact Points, Ministries of Information and Communication, National SADC Media Coordinators and relevant government institutions.
2. Does this Call for Proposals provide a financial grant?
No. The SNRL Programme does not provide financial grants under this Call. Selected applicants receive direct technical assistance to support activities falling within the approved thematic areas.
3. What activities can receive support?
Support is available for two main areas: development of national gender-sensitive SADC communication strategies and development, documentation and dissemination of SADC success stories. Activities may include story development and consultations, communication-product packaging and dissemination, and capacity development.
4. How will proposals be selected?
Applications will first be assessed for eligibility and then evaluated using a structured scoring matrix. Factors include demonstrated need for technical assistance, alignment with SADC priorities, potential impact on awareness, gender integration, inclusiveness, sustainability, institutional ownership and the applicant’s existing communication capacity.
5. What makes an SNRL proposal competitive?
A strong proposal should clearly demonstrate a genuine communication or visibility need, show how the proposed support will create measurable impact, align with the SADC Communication, Awareness and Visibility Strategy 2025–2030, integrate gender and inclusion, identify a committed focal team, and provide a practical implementation plan with clear activities, timelines and responsibilities.
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