Local Care Systems

To confirm eligibility for the International Fund for Metropolises: Local Care Systems and better understand requirements for proposals, cities should first read the Application Guidelines document available on the Metropolis Care website.

To apply, cities should submit their completed online Application Form by 5:00PM CET on Friday, November 29, 2024, along with all supporting attachments:

• Letter of support from the mayor or equivalent local government executive (required). We recommend including the endorsement of leadership of key city departments or partner organizations involved in this initiative.

• Evidence of grants your city or organization has received from international organizations or government agencies, such as a grant award letter (if applicable).

Early submissions are welcome. We encourage city applicants to indicate their interest in applying over email as soon as possible, by contacting care@metropolis.org using the subject line “International Fund for Metropolises - Application process”.

We do not anticipate making extensions. However, city applicants can reach out to care@metropolis.org to share any issues leading to unexpected delays with due cause.

Yes, cities can also access the application guidelines, F.A.Q. document and Application form in French. All documentation is available in English and French on the Metropolis Care website. If you need any assistance accessing the documents, please contact care@metropolis.org.

Applications may be submitted in French for translation into English by Metropolis. All application materials will be reviewed by the Evaluation Committee in English and, for selected grantees, all contracting will occur in English. Should additional translation support be required, please inquire with Metropolis at care@metropolis.org.

We would be delighted to schedule a phone conversation with a representative of your city or answer any questions over email to provide clarification about the opportunity. Please reach out to care@metropolis.org for scheduling or other inquiries.

Please note that we encourage city applicants to submit any inquiries as soon as possible, and always before November 15th. Metropolis will respond to all inquiries over email or phone conversations, based on availability.

Each city that applies can submit a proposal for a grant of up to €100,000 EUR.

No, for this first edition of the International Fund for Metropolises: Local Care Systems, joint applications are not accepted.

With applications due November 29th 2024, city-level grantees will be selected in late-February 2025, with a public announcement in April 2025, with the day to be determined.

The grant term will be 12 months, with anticipated grant dates from May 2nd, 2025 – April 30th, 2026.

Grant recipients will be expected to engage in:

Progress and Financial Reporting

• Submit a project plan one month into the grant to reflect any changes to timelines, milestones, metrics, partners, or other major activities mentioned in the application submission.

● Share a midterm report by November 28th, 2025, that outlines progress to date, including progress on identified metrics and any other impact updates, as well as a financial report.

• Share a final report by May 29th, 2026, one month after the end of the grant term that provides a detailed description of activities and impact highlights, including progress on identified metrics, testimonials from beneficiaries, and a financial report.

• Allow visit(s) from Metropolis and the International Fund for Metropolises: Local Care Systems’ partners to monitor progress, as feasible.

• Maintain detailed records of financial expenses in the event of a project audit, and submit everything to Metropolis along with the midterm and final reports.

Communications

• Secure city leadership engagement in public awareness and communications activities for the public announcement of the grant in April 2025.

• Acknowledge support from Metropolis and the donors in all public materials related to the initiative.

• Ensure participation on communication campaigns (namely videos and social media posts) in collaboration with Metropolis during the implementation of projects and at the end of the grant term.

• Mobilize city leadership in multilateral international forums related to the thematic of the selected project, as feasible.

Knowledge sharing

• Join regular (quarterly) peer learning calls in 2025 and 2026 with other selected cities to share lessons and progress.

• Participate in global advocacy and communications events highlighting the International Fund for Metropolises: Local Care Systems and its grantees.

We are interested in understanding the unique circumstances in your city and the needs of women caregivers, particularly those from migrant, refugee, and internally displaced communities. Therefore, we appreciate any available demographic information. However, we recognize that not all cities have this information readily accessible. Please provide only what is easily available or indicate “unavailable.” Your application will not be negatively impacted by missing information.

The suggested word counts are guidelines to help cities avoid overly lengthy responses. There is no penalty for using fewer or more words for any given response.

The optional questions are intended to assess if you meet the “additional criteria” outlined in the Application Overview. They offer a chance to emphasize aspects of your proposed project that could enhance and strengthen your application. However, if you choose to skip any questions or the entire section, your application will still be fully considered.

Meeting some or all of the “additional criteria” addressed by the optional questions, while not required, is one way to strengthen your application. We also encourage applicants to use the CARE marker to explain how their projects seek to improve gender equality: https://www.care.org/our-work/gender-equality/gender-expertise/gender-marker/

Yes. Metropolis focuses on metropolitan governance, which transcends geographic boundaries. As long as the project meets the criteria outlined in the application and benefits women caregivers, especially those from migrant, refugee, and internally displaced communities within the city, we encourage collaborative and expansive projects that address the realities of people moving beyond municipal borders.

The maximum grant award per city is €100,000 EUR. However, we may consider multiple projects within a single application, provided the total combined budget remains within this limit. The projects should complement each other, and the city must demonstrate its ability and commitment to effectively implement them. Apart from the above, only one application per city will be considered.

The letter of support can be brief but must reflect the city administration's personal commitment to the project’s goals and endorse the proposed approach. Although the letter should be signed primarily by the mayor or equivalent local government executive, we recommend also including the names and/or signatures of leaders from city departments or partner organizations involved in the project.

While the signature of the mayor or equivalent local government executive is preferred, a representative may sign on their behalf, provided the letter indicates that the signatory has the legal authority to do so and that the commitment is endorsed by the mayor or equivalent.

Cities are required to provide an estimated cost breakdown for the grant using the sample budget table included in the application form. Please note that this budget overview may be subject to revision, as successful grantees will need to submit a more detailed budget before the grant agreement is finalized.

Yes, the organization responsible for receiving and administering the funds may differ from the city government or agency managing the project and implementing the grant. If local regulations prevent the city government from receiving funds directly, the grant may be administered by a city-affiliated nonprofit or a community-based organization (CSO). The fiscal agent must show prior experience in managing funds on behalf of the city (examples should be specific, verifiable, and brief).

If a city government cannot or prefers not to receive funds directly, we recommend selecting a local nonprofit organization, community service organization (CSO), university, or foundation as the fiscal agent, as these entities help build local capacity. If no suitable local options are available, partnering with an international organization as the fiscal agent is permissible. However, since the goal of the International Fund for Metropolises: Local Care Systems is to support local initiatives, international organizations should limit their overhead for financial or administrative costs to a maximum of 7%.

The overhead for financial and administrative costs for a city government or agency should not exceed 15% of the total grant. For local nonprofits or community service organizations (CSOs), these costs should be limited to 10% of the total grant. However, staff costs or direct implementation expenses are not subject to this 10% limit. Metropolis anticipates that international organizations' overhead will not exceed 7%, excluding staff or direct costs, as long as the organization demonstrates that these funds will enhance local capacity.

Fiscal entity and permissible overhead for financial or administrative costs

• City government or agency: Not greater than 15 (staff costs or other direct costs related to implementation do not count towards this limit)

• City-affiliated not-for-profit or local CSO: Not greater than 10% (staff costs or other direct costs to implementation do not count toward this limit)

• International organization: Not greater than 7% (staff costs or other direct costs related to implementation do not count toward this limit)

We strongly encourage you to contact us through email (care@metropolis.org) with any questions about the acceptability of a specific fiscal agent or to clarify which overhead costs are permitted.

The fiscal agent is not required to play a technical role in the project. While the city agency should oversee implementation and drive the effort, personnel from the fiscal sponsor can assist with execution if their programmatic skills are relevant and if the city faces capacity constraints.

No, there are no restrictions on cash support as long as the total project budget does not exceed the €100,000 EUR limit and aligns with the project’s overall objectives. 

Proposals will be evaluated based on the criteria provided on the Application Guidelines. These include a set of “essential criteria” required for consideration, and a few “additional criteria” which are not a requirement but will help improve the competitiveness of a proposal but are not a requirement for consideration.

After applications are submitted, they will undergo an initial review by Metropolis staff to ensure alignment with the objectives and requirements of the International Fund for Metropolises: Local Care Systems. Valid proposals will then be forwarded to an Evaluation Committee of subject matter experts from the Metropolis membership. This committee will review the submissions and select applications based on the fund's criteria. Finalists will be notified in late January 2025 and will be asked to provide additional information and participate in a video interview in February 2025. It is strongly encouraged that the city project lead, along with the mayor or another senior city official, join the interview. Cities selected by the Evaluation Committee for grants will be notified in March 2025, with a public announcement to follow in April 2025.

You are welcome to bring an interpreter to the interview if needed. However, please note that ongoing communication in English will be required throughout the grant period. If you anticipate any challenges with this, please contact the Metropolis team for guidance if you are selected for the opportunity.

In addition to the city project lead, it is strongly encouraged, though not mandatory, for your city’s mayor or equivalent local government executive to participate in the interview. If scheduling requires, another senior city official may attend in their place.

No, Metropolis membership is not required to submit a proposal, but applying cities will be required to become a member in the event that their application is successful. Membership and payment of fees are not conditions for applying and can be completed after notification of a successful application. However, if a project is selected, it is mandatory for the beneficiary to become a member and beneficiaries must have paid the membership fees for the year in which funding begins in order to receive the grant from the International Fund for Metropolises: Local Care Systems. The award will be withheld until the membership requirements are met.