Expression of Interest for Partnership on Emergency Preparedness, Humanitarian Assistance, and Development Programming in Uganda’s Refugee Response – Uganda 6 views

Background

Founded in 1956, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading international NGO and one of the few with a specific expertise in forced displacement. Active in nearly 30 countries with a dedicated team of around 6,000 employees and thousands of volunteers, DRC protects, advocates, and builds sustainable futures for refugees and other displacement affected people and communities. DRC works during displacement at all stages: In the acute crisis, in displacement, when settling and integrating in a new place, or upon return. DRC provides protection and life-saving humanitarian assistance; supports displaced persons in becoming self-reliant and included into hosting societies; and works with civil society and responsible authorities to promote protection of rights and peaceful coexistence.

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is registered with the Uganda National Bureau of Non-Governmental Organisations and has active Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of the Prime Minister and District Local Governments. DRC has been present and operational in Uganda since 1997, addressing humanitarian and development needs across the country. DRC’s current focus is on the refugee and host community situation in West Nile and Southwest regions and North-Eastern Uganda in the Karamoja region, and has expertise in protection, emergency response, rural infrastructure, and self-reliance and resilience-building interventions.

Context

DRC has been present and operational in Uganda since 1997, addressing humanitarian and development needs across the country. DRC’s current focus is on the refugee and host community situation in West Nile and Southwest regions and North-Eastern Uganda in the Karamoja region, and has expertise in protection, emergency response, rural infrastructure, self-reliance and resilience-building interventions.

In the West Nile Region, DRC responds to emergency needs, and supports solutions to displacement. As of January 2025, DRC begun the expansion of humanitarian service provision to the Karamoja sub region, responding to serious humanitarian needs identified there. DRC initially seeks to deliver humanitarian and development support to highly vulnerable people (including refugees and host community) in West Nile, Southwest and Karamoja to save lives and alleviate immediate suffering. Through integrated programming, DRC will seek in the future to support displacement-affected communities to rebuild resilience, and to reduce the drivers of conflict and displacement in the Uganda’s Refugee hosting districts, transit centers, border points, urban and the Karamoja sub region.

Scope

In line with DRC’s global Civil Society Engagement strategy, DRC Uganda seeks to identify local civil society organisations with an interest in future partnerships with DRC in Uganda.

DRC Uganda is seeking legally registered humanitarian NGOs, present in Uganda’s Refugee hosting districts, Kampala and Karamoja sub region, operating, in the sectors of Protection, Reception Center Management, Education, Food Security, Livelihood, Financial Inclusion and Market System Development, Shelter and Non-Food Items, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding/Social Cohesion / Community Engagement.

Validity of the Partner Pool

Selected organizations will be included in DRC’s partner pool for a period of 3 years, during which they may be considered for partnership opportunities subject to funding availability. Inclusion in the partner pool does not guarantee funding or partnership but enables engagement in future co-design, proposal development and implementation opportunities.

Requirements

DRC requires partners which have the following:

• Legal registration and permission to work in the districts / settlements where they operate.
• Experience of operating and implementing programming for at least 2 years
• Presence in at least 1 of the following districts:
  • Adjumani District
  • Amudat District
  • Amuru District
  • Buliisa District
  • Bundibugyo District including collection points and transit centers
  • Isingiro District (Nakivale and Oruchinga Refugee settlements)
  • Kaabong District
  • Kanungu District including collection points and transit centers
  • Kampala District
  • Kasese District
  • Kamwenge District (Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement)
  • Kikuube District (Kyangwali Refugee Settlement) including collection points and transit centers
  • Kiryandongo District (Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement)
  • Kisoro District including collection points and transit centers
  • Kitgum District
  • Kyegegwa District (Kyaka II Refugee Settlement)
  • Koboko District (Lobule Refugee Settlement) including collection points and transit centers
  • Lamwo District (Palabek Refugee Settlement) including collection points and transit centers
  • Madi-Okollo District (Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement)
  • Moroto District
  • Moyo District
  • Napak District
  • Nebi District
  • Ntoroko District
  • Obongi District (Palorinya Refugee Settlement)
  • Pakwach District
  • Terego District (Imvepi Refugee Settlement)
  • Yumbe District (Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement) including collection points and transit centers
  • Zombo District
• Expertise in at least one of the following sectors:
  • Protection
  • Reception Center Management
  • Livelihoods, Food Security, Financial inclusion and Market System Development
  • Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
  • Humanitarian Peacebuilding/ Social Cohesion / Community Engagement
  • Education
  • Disaster Risk Reduction

Analysis

DRC Uganda will review Partner Overviews received via email and via the online platform on a rolling basis. Partners with appropriate legal registration and who are aligned with DRC’s geographic and sector requirements will be contacted by DRC to undertake a Partner Vetting and Due Diligence process.

Vetting, Due Diligence and Partnership

When channeling donor funds to our partners, DRC is obliged to perform screening against sanctions lists issued by the USA, UK, EU and UN. DRC must ensure that donor funds are not in any way used to support terrorism, money laundering or any other unethical activity that violates human rights. To complete the vetting process, DRC will contact the Local NGO to request legal documentation from the organization to support this process.

Due Diligence is then undertaken to understand the organisation’s structures, internal rules, staff knowledge, practice, and attitudes. This will include a review of documents such as statutes, constitution, organogram, annual report and annual audited accounts (if applicable), policies (if available): Code of Conduct, Safeguarding/PSEAH, Anti-corruption, Finance, Procurement and Safety, and relevant evaluations and reviews, and via interviews and workshops with senior staff. Organizations who do not have these documents, or who do not have these structures in place, may still be selected to enter into a partnership with DRC with a Response and a Capacity Development Plan in place to support the organization.

Following the completion of successful vetting and the finalization of the Due Diligence process, DRC will seek to work, with the organisation, to raise funds to implement joint activities. Where funds are available, enter into Sub-Grant Agreements (SGAs) with selected local organizations, whereby donor funding provided to DRC will be sub-granted to the partner, to undertake specific activities. Note that signing of SGAs is subject to availability of funds and cannot be guaranteed, even when vetting and due diligence have been successfully completed. Organizations are not invited to submit proposals or funding requests at this point.