ABOUT THE NEW ECONOMY CAMPAIGNS HUB
Incubated in the African Climate Foundation, the New Economy Campaigns Hub is a new initiative that partners with organisations campaigning to decarbonise South Africa, and building an inclusive low-carbon economy that delivers social security, and economic justice. We, therefore, strive to offer flexible and movement-generous support to initiatives that are building movement power and advancing concrete development pathways for a clean and equitable energy future that underpins a new economy and just society in South Africa.
Our vision for South Africa is of a society in which justice, fairness and equality are inherently apparent in social and economic relations and structures. It presupposes a decarbonised economy that delivers decent jobs, improved livelihoods and mitigates social and environmental harm. It is a society in which the generation of energy from renewables and their associated industries deliver direct social and economic benefits to society, and enhance the state’s capability to mitigate inequality, poverty, and unemployment through the comprehensive and equitable delivery of public goods and services.
To make this new economy possible, we need new and ambitious ideas to build the social participation infrastructure that South Africa needs to put people at the centre of the decisions and action taken to implement the energy transition we deserve. The New Economy Campaigns Hub has allocated resources for grant-funding and technical assistance to support initiatives that will contribute to making this vision a reality.
We are inviting proposals from eligible organisations for awards of between ZAR 250,000.00 and ZAR 750,000.00 for an implementation period not exceeding 12-months.
OBJECTIVES
This call has three interrelated objectives which are to:
BUILD the knowledge of transition-affected communities and stakeholders about South Africa’s energy transition, and how to use it to catalyse a New Economy in South Africa; This may include initiatives, tools, expertise, and supports that:
build popular knowledge and leverage local knowledge, languages, and skills to equip transition-affected communities and stakeholders to be conversant in energy transition topics, and influence energy transition debates and planning, and decision-making processes;
build evidence which demonstrates the positive linkages between the decarbonisation of the economy and tangible social and economic development benefits for transition-affected communities and stakeholders;
build robust public information ecosystems that support evidence-based debate and dialogue about the tools, resources, and institutional arrangements required to advance a just energy transition and build a new economy.
bring technical capacity to transition-affected communities and stakeholders to advance their and priorities, and/or equip them to directly shape the outcomes of energy transition planning and decision-making processes.
GROW movement power among these communities and stakeholders, and coordinate action to shape the outcomes of transition debates as well as planning and decision-making processes that can catalyse a new, decarbonised economy; This may include initiatives, tools, expertise, and supports that go towards:
strengthening organising capacity, consolidating movement power, and coordinating action to shape the outcomes of energy transition debates and planning and decision-making processes;
making direct connections between climate justice and socio-economic justice, and building propositional campaign platforms that demonstrate how each provides the solution to the other.
AMPLIFY the voices, perspectives, and priorities of these communities and stakeholders through direct participation in energy transition planning and decision-making processes, campaigns, and direct action. This may include initiatives, tools, expertise and supports that:
mobilise advocates and campaigners for climate action to coordinate and participate in direct action;
enhance the ability of advocates and campaigners for climate action to launch and land persuasive narratives and campaigns for climate action that advances their rights and priorities.
Our approach is to build a community of campaigners and collaborators who share our values to build strong capability to realise each of these distinct but naturally interconnected objectives. Accordingly, awards will be made in line with the clarity with which proposals communicate under which one of these objectives their initiative is best suited to making an impact.
THEMATIC FOCUS
Although we are not prescriptive about the initiatives applicants should propose or the themes they should respond to, they must be rooted in advancing practical, positive, and ambitious climate action for people and planet on fair terms. They should lead us to solving the challenges impeding South Africa’s energy transition from being a just and equitable one, and propose tangible and actionable pathways for leveraging it to build a new economy that puts people at its centre.
We are especially excited about receiving proposals to support initiatives engaged with the following themes:
Enhanced Climate Finance – this could include initiatives that:
build local demand for improved climate financing on more favourable terms without adversely impacting social protections provided by the state;
refocus local and international climate investment in South Africa from only focusing on mitigation to include adaptation and resilience;
enhance social participation in the allocation and management of investments by local and international development finance institutions.
strengthen connections and coordination with international campaigns and platforms for action to reconstruct the architecture of the global financial system itself.
Green Decent Jobs – this could include initiatives that:
strengthen local demand for trade and industrial policy action that delivers decent and stable work in socially and environmentally sustainable industries;
mobilise and amplify local demand for enhanced investment in skilling, reskilling, and upskilling programs for workers in the coal value-chain, women, and young people;
ground the tangible vision of green economic growth opportunities and development beyond the formal economy.
Ending Energy Poverty – this could include initiatives that:
mobilise and amplify local demand for the mainstreaming of clean, affordable, and reliable energy for low-income households and communities;
develop an actionable moral and economic case for investment in decentralised and socially owned renewable energy production models;
strengthen municipal capability to deliver access to clean, affordable, 1and reliable energy.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Any organisation/project selected for funding must meet the following criteria and be able to furnish supporting records:
be a non-partisan non-governmental organization;
have been operational for a minimum of three years;
demonstrate past success working to advance human and environmental rights, media freedom, social and economic development;
be a registered South African or African non-governmental organisation working in South Africa, and legally competent;
have a functional board of directors or similar governance structure;
be able to demonstrate an ability to account for and provide independent audits for use of funds;
be able to demonstrate an ability to clearly and reliably monitor, evaluate, and report on the implementation of the project and learnings.
Where an applicant is unable to meet any of the criteria listed from iv – vii, they are still welcome to apply on the condition that they are able to nominate a fiscal host that does, and which undertakes to take responsibility for and has the demonstrable capacity to ensure the successful implementation of the project, including accounting for the use of funds.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested and eligible organisations are invited to submit a proposal through our online application form at the following link: https://bit.ly/NECHproposals2023
We will accept proposals on a rolling basis until the fund is depleted.
Any technical inquiries can be raised through this e-mail address [email protected]. We will NOT accept proposals submitted through this or any channel other than the online application form.
Skip to content
Subscribe to our newsletters for our latest updates.
