Annual Grant Cycle

Applying for a grant

1 January – 1 March (call for applications)
A call for applications is issued every year. The Application Form, Budget Form and Banking Information Form must be submitted to opcatfund@ohchr.org. in English, French or Spanish.

March – April (screening for admissibility)
Upon receipt of project applications, the Secretariat of the Fund screens all applications for admissibility. Basic eligibility requirements are verified and, if required, clarifications or supporting documents sought from the applicant.

May – June (evaluation)
The Secretariat of the Fund conducts a thorough evaluation of all admissible grant applications. This includes analysis of the submitted application in consultation with OHCHR field colleagues and Country Rapporteurs of the Sub-Committee on Prevention of Torture.

June – (Working Group of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and grant recommendations)
The Secretariat submits all grant evaluations to the Working Group of the Sub-Committee on Prevention of Torture during the session in June. The Working Group members consider applications through a review process and, in light of available resources, determine which grant applications to recommend for funding.

October (OHCHR Grants Committee and grant approvals)
The Secretariat submits all grant recommended to the OHCHR Grants Committee to review the legal and financial aspects of the grants being proposed, as well as their coherence with Approved Work Plans and existing practices and policies. The Grants Committee approves the grant on behalf of the Secretary-General.

December (notification)
All applicants are informed of the outcome of their grant application through a Letter of Notification.

Implementing and reporting on a grant

Awarded grants have an implementation period of one calendar year (1 January – 31 December).

January - March (disbursement)
As a rule, awarded grants are disbursed during the first trimester of project implementation.

1 March of the following year (final financial and narrative report)
All grantees must submit the final financial and narrative report by 1 March of the year following grant implementation.

1 June of the following year (audit report – new grantees)
New grantees have to submit their audit report by 1 June of the year following grant implementation.