Project Application form

General Instructions
ABILIS Foundation is a development fund that supports the activities of Persons with disabilities
in the Global South. The Foundation was established by Finnish Persons with Disabilities
(PWDs). The ABILIS Board is composed of PWDs who have wide experience and interest in
development cooperation. The major funder for ABILIS is the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of
Finland.
ABILIS gives grants to projects implemented by PWDs that contribute towards equal
opportunities for them in the society through human rights, advocacy, independent living, and
economic self-sufficiency. These are one time grants ranging from 500 to 10,000 and are paid
in three installments (50%, 40% & 10 %.) The first installment of 50% is paid after the board has
approved the project and the agreement has been signed between ABILIS and the implementing
organization. The 2nd installment of 40% is paid after the midterm report has been accepted by
the ABILIS project coordinator. The final 10% is paid only after the final report has been
approved by the ABILIS Board. An applicant who has been funded by ABILIS will only be
eligible to apply again for funding after one year has elapsed since the approval of the last final
report.
Applications are assessed based on the participation of PWDs in the planning, decision making,
commitment and management of the project. The applicant organization is required to contribute
at least 10% of the project budget, which can be in form of time, money or other resources.
Two reference persons with thorough knowledge of the applicant organisation, the project plan
and the general conditions existing in the project area are required to provide an independent
evaluation of the project's feasibility. These should not personally and directly benefit from the
project or be members/employees of the organisation.
Attached are the Abilis application form and a guideline for letters of recommendation. Read
through them carefully before filling in. If you need further information, please do get in touch
with ABILIS using the contact details below:
With best regards,
From the staff and Board of Abilis Foundation
You can return the form using e-mail, but please send us a paper copy with original signatures
and a stamp. Our address is:
ABILIS Foundation
Lintulahdenkatu 10
00500 Helsinki, FINLAND
Fax: 00 358 9 6124 0333
Tel. 00 358 9 6124 0300
You can get more information from:
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e-mail abilis@abilis.fi , www.abilis.fi

You need to provide your organisations financial report, balance sheet and/or the audit report (if
available) of your previous financial year. The application needs also to be supported by a
certificate of registration of the applicant organisation, or an explanation as to why one is not
available.
Before sending us your application documents, please make sure that you have correctly filled in
and attached all the following:
Quick Checklist
Application Form
Work Plan
Budget
2-3 pro-forma invoices (quotation for comparing prices) for
major appliances like computers, sewing machines or
hammer mills if applicable
2 recommendation letters
Copy of your certificate of registration (or an explanation
why one is not available)
Balance Sheet
Audit report of previous financial year (if any)
Please consult Abilis manuals on proposal writing (Manual 1) and project planning (Manual 2),
as they will guide you through the completion of this form. If you do not have them, please
contact us and we will be happy to send them.

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Application form
1.

Title of the project (Please write in block letters only)

2.

Short description of your organization/group (the applicant!)

2.1

Name of the Applicant Organisation/Group? (Please write in block letters only)

2.2

Type of the organisation

(Please tick the appropriate box)
a)

Disabled Peoples Organization (DPO)

b) Organisation working with persons with disabilities

c) Organisation working for persons with disabilities
d) Other_________________________________________________________
2.3

How did your group get started? Why and when?

2.4

What is the mission or purpose of your group?

2.5

What activities and services do you provide?

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3.

Contact person for this project

3.1
Full name:________________________________________________________ (Mr/Mrs/Ms)
3.2

Position within the

Organisation/Group:________________________________________________

3.3
Email: ___________________________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________________________________________

4.

Contact details of the Organisation/Group

4.1

Postal address:

4.2

Visiting (physical) address:

4.3
Email: ___________________________________________________________
Web-address: _____________________________________________________
4.4
Phone: __________________________________________________________
Fax: ____________________________________________________________

5.

Activities

5.1

Main activity to be carried out (Please tick one or more of the following)
Income generating activity

Project Application Form

Vocational training
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Micro loan

Animal husbandry or
farming
Advocacy/Lobbying

Awareness raising

Others (which)____________________________________________________

6.

Project information

6.1

Please provide a short description of your project plan

6.2
Duration of Project (months / years):___________________________________

7.

Budget required

7.1

Total amount of funds requested from ABILIS

In local currency: __________________ In Euro: _______________________

7.2
Place: _________________________

Date:__________________________

Stamp of Organization/group:
7.3

Signature of contact person: ____________________________

Full name of contact person: ____________________________ (Mr/Mrs/Ms)
Signature of chairperson: _______________________________
Full name of chairperson: ______________________________ (Mr/Mrs/Ms)

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8.

Board members details

8.1

Who are the board members? Please fill in the table below.
Full name

Sex

Disability
(if any)

Position in
the board

Profession
(if any)

Signature

Note: Please use a separate paper if this given table is too short.

9.

Project plan

9.1

How and who developed this project idea?

9.2

What is the background to this project?

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9.3.a)

What do you want to achieve in the short term?

9.3.b)

What do you want to achieve in the long term?

9.4

Project Activities

9.4.a)

What are the activities of the project?

9.4.b)

How are you going to carry out/implement the project activities?

9.4.c)

Where and when will the activities take place?

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10.

Involvement and Participation

10.1

Who are the main actors (stakeholders) of the group in planning, implementation and reporting of this
project? Please tick the correct box or boxes (if more than one is applicable).
PWDs generally

Disabled girls and/or women

Parents of disabled children

Disabled youths (14-20 years)

Others (who?) ____________________________________________________________

11.

Beneficiaries details

11.1

Who are the main (direct) beneficiaries in this project? Explain their involvement and tasks in this
project.

11.2

Who are the indirect beneficiaries in this project? Explain their involvement and tasks in this project

12.

Project team details

12.1

Please describe the project team (those persons who will coordinate the projects activities and have the
overall responsibility of the project).
Full name
Sex Disability
Responsibility in the
Signature
project

12.2

Note: Please use a separate paper if this given table is too short
Do you have an office?
Is it accessible?
What kind of equipment/assets does your group have?

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Equipment/Asset

Quantity/number

Note: Please use a separate paper if this given table is too short

13.

Budget details

13.1

Please fill in the two budget tables for your project. (Please use your local currency only!)
a) Budget to Abilis
Item/Activity

Unit cost

Budget/Value of item or
activity (in local currency)

Note 1: Please use a separate paper if this given table is too short.
Note 2: Provide 2-3 pro-forma invoices for major appliances like computers, printers, sewing machines
or hammer mills. (Please consult the Abilis facilitators or Abilis directly for any further explanations.)

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13.2

Budget about your own contribution (can be in kind such as time, labour, working hours or can be in
cash) Please note that your own contribution must be at least 10% of the total budget!
Item/Activity

Unit cost

Budget/Value of item or
activity (in local currency)

Note: Please use a separate paper if this given table is too short

14.

Financial Management

14.1

Who is responsible for the groups money and Abilis fund?

Full name

14.2

Signature

Who is responsible for the book keeping and financial reporting?

Full name

14.3

Sex Disability

Sex Disability

Signature

Does your group have an own bank account / a bank account under your own groups name? Please
provide full banking details.
Name of bank account
Number of bank account
Name of bank
Address of bank

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14.4

Who are the signatories to the groups bank account?

Full name

14.5

Sex Disability

Position

Signature

Does your national law require an official license to receive foreign money?
YES

NO

Do you have such a licence?

YES

NO

15.

Supporters/helpers/well-wishers/advisors details

15.1

Who has supported your group earlier? Has your organisation received funding from foreign countries or
local sources before?
Full name of
individual or
organization

Project Application Form

Year, amount and/or

kind of support

Purpose of
support

Full contact details

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15.2

Who will support/help/advise your group during this project?

Full name of
individual or
organization

15.3

Amount or kind of
support

Purpose of support Full contact details

Have you applied for fund(s) to this project from another source(s) other than Abilis?
Full name of
individual or
organization

Amount or kind of
support

Purpose of support Full contact details

16.

Sustainability

16.1

How will the project activities continue after the support has ended? What are your future activities and
plans? How will you ensure that the normal organizations work and new achievements will continue?

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Project Application Form

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Guidelines for Letters of Recommendation

Each application must be supported by two (2) letters of recommendation written by
knowledgeable persons who can offer an independent evaluation of the project's feasibility.
Abilis calls these individuals "reference persons."
Whom to ask
The reference persons who recommend a project to Abilis should have knowledge
Of the applicant organisation
Of the project plan and
Of the general conditions existing in the project area.
The persons should be available at the end of the project to assess the results of the project when
it is completed. Preferably, the persons should have access to e-mail or be otherwise easy to
contact for Abilis.
Whom not to ask
The reference persons should not be in a position to benefit from the project directly. In other
words, they should not be members of the group or the Board, nor should they be employees of
the applicant organisation.
Tasks
The reference persons have two tasks:
1. They are requested to assess the initial project plan by answering the questions
found below.
2. If funding is granted, the reference persons will be contacted by mail or email
again at the end of the project to assess the results of the project.
Sending the letters to Abilis
The letters of recommendation should be sent to Abilis by fax or air mail. E-mail alone is not
sufficient because Abilis requires the original signatures of the reference persons. The letters can
be sent to us together with the application form or they can be sent later. The processing of
applications starts only after we have received a complete application with all required
supporting documents.
Please ask your reference persons to include in their letter of recommendation responses to
the following facts and questions:
1. Title of the project and name of the applicant organisation
2. Contact information: reference persons name, sex, organisation and position.
Complete address, phone, fax, e-mail, country.
3. Please describe how you have come to know the applicant organisation or group.
4. How do you feel the project would contribute to the lives of persons with
disabilities in the targeted area?
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5. How were persons with disabilities involved in the planning of this project?
6. How do you see the role of persons with disabilities in the implementation of this
project?
7. Is the project plan realistic in its scope and expected results? Is the budget realistic
and based on local costs?
8. Abilis requires that the applicant organisation provides a contribution towards the
project that is equal to at least 10 % of the funds being requested. The
contribution can be made in money or in the value of work or goods. What is the
contribution of the applicant organisation to this project?
9. The recommendation letter should also provide information about the following
issues: a) What are the strengths and weaknesses of the project? b) How could the
project be made stronger? c) How can the foreseeable risks be avoided or
managed?
Please end your recommendation letter with the following statement:
"I guarantee that I have familiarised myself with the project plan and the situation of the
applicant organisation. I guarantee that I have completed this form personally. I also guarantee
that I have neither been offered nor have I asked any payment or value in kind for being
available as reference person to this group.
It is my belief that the planned budget is balanced and realistic. I recommend that this project
should be funded by Abilis. "
Date and Place. Signature. Name in block letters.

___________________________________________________________________________

Send your application to

Abilis Foundation
Lintulahdenkatu 10
00500 Helsinki
Finland
fax 00 358 9 6124 0333
You can get more information from e-mail: abilis@abilis.fi and our webpage: www.abilis.fi
Project Application Form

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Project Application Form

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