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Read moreCECOE Sub-Grant Fund
Sub-Granting Resource Center
Everything a CECOE member organization needs to apply for, implement and report on a sub-grant. Download the official templates to prepare your documents. Organizations with a sub-grant report online through the link CECOE sends them by e-mail.
At a glance
175+member organizations
12official templates
4stages of the sub-grant cycle
466downloads to date
How it works
The sub-grant cycle
From an open call to the final report, every step follows the CECOE Sub-Grant Manual.
- Call for proposalsCECOE announces the call; applicants get 4–5 weeks to apply.
- ApplySubmit the application form, activity plan, budget and logframe.
- Evaluation & awardAdministrative check, scored evaluation, and signature of the agreement.
- ImplementDisbursement requests against your approved budget and financial plan.
- Report & close outFinancial, narrative and M&E reports each period, and a final report.
Stage 1
Applying for a Sub-Grant
Everything a member CSO needs to prepare a response to a CECOE call for proposals. The online application in the portal asks for the same information — please read the instructions inside each template.
Applications are accepted only in response to an open call for proposals and are submitted online in the Sub-Grantee Portal, which follows these formats exactly as required by the CECOE Sub-Grant Manual. Use the templates to prepare offline. Incomplete applications cannot be submitted.
DOCX
CECOE Sub-Grant Application Form
The mandatory proposal format (Annex II of the Sub-Grant Manual): general information, project narrative, activity plan, simplified logical framework and checklist of attachments. Fill in using Times New Roman, size 12.
Updated July 2026 57 downloads
XLSX
Activity Plan (Excel)
Twelve-month implementation plan by objective and activity. Mark implementation months with an X and track status as implementation progresses.
Updated July 2026 47 downloads
XLSX
Budget, Budget Notes & Cash Forecast (Excel)
Three linked templates with automatic totals: detailed budget by objective and activity, budget notes justifying every line, and a cash forecast over the grant period.
Updated July 2026 37 downloads
DOCX
Logical Framework Template
Full logframe matrix (overall objective, specific objectives, results, activities) with objectively verifiable indicators, means of verification and assumptions, including completion guidance.
Updated July 2026 40 downloads
Stage 2
Contracting
What successful applicants sign. Review these documents before accepting an award — they define the rules that apply for the whole life of the sub-grant.
DOCX
Sample Sub-Grant Agreement
Model agreement between CECOE and a sub-grantee: programme description, sub-grant period, amount and disbursement schedule, reporting obligations, undertakings, modifications and termination.
Updated July 2026 31 downloads
DOCX
Financial Guidelines for Grant Agreements
The financial rulebook for sub-grantees: eligible and ineligible costs, accounting and banking requirements, budget transfers, procurement standards, supporting documents, audit, and return of unspent funds.
Updated July 2026 27 downloads
Stage 3
Implementation & Disbursement
Plan your cash needs and request funds quarter by quarter. From the second request onwards, the disbursement form automatically deducts any unspent balance from the previous disbursement.
DOCX
Confirmation of Bank Details
Official confirmation of the sub-grantee's bank account: bank name and branch, account name and number, and authorized signatories. Submit before the first disbursement — funds are transferred only to the account confirmed here.
Updated July 2026 25 downloads
XLSX
Financial Requirements Plan (Excel)
Spread your approved budget across quarters per budget category. Totals, variances and the resulting disbursement schedule calculate automatically and feed your quarterly requests.
Updated July 2026 45 downloads
XLSX
Request for Disbursement (Excel)
Smart quarterly request workbook: Request 1 equals your first three-month forecast; every later request reports expenditure to date and automatically subtracts the unspent balance in hand. Includes a summary tracker.
Updated July 2026 42 downloads
Stage 4
Reporting
Submit the financial, narrative and M&E reports together for every reporting period in your agreement — at least two weeks before CECOE's own deadline to the donor.
XLSX
Financial Report (Excel)
Covering note, voucher-by-voucher breakdown of actual costs with exchange-rate conversion, and automatic totals per budget category compared to budget.
Updated July 2026 49 downloads
DOCX
Narrative (Progress) Report Template
Quarterly progress report format: project details, executive summary, achievements by activity, finance narrative, results-framework progress, value for money, safeguarding, plus six-monthly and annual sections.
Updated July 2026 31 downloads
XLSX
Monitoring & Evaluation Reporting (Excel)
Five linked sheets: indicator tracking against the logframe, activity monitoring with automatic participant totals, beneficiaries by region disaggregated by sex, a risk and issues log, and lessons learned.
Updated July 2026 35 downloads
Stay informed
Never miss a call for proposals
Calls are open for four to five weeks only. Subscribe and CECOE will e-mail you the moment a call opens, a template changes, or the grant portfolio is updated — no other mail, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
- Open calls announced the day they are published
- Alerts when an application or reporting template is replaced
- Portfolio and upcoming-grant news, including new donor programmes
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for a CECOE sub-grant?
CECOE member organizations in good standing that are legally registered CSOs with a renewed licence, aligned with the thematic focus of the call, with demonstrated technical capacity and sound financial management systems. Applications are accepted only in response to an open call for proposals.
How are calls for proposals announced?
Calls are published on this website, sent to everyone on the resource centre mailing list, posted on CECOE social media (@cecoeeth), and advertised in local or national newspapers. Applicants are normally given 4–5 weeks to submit both technical and financial applications, and an information session is held at least 21 days before the deadline.
How are applications evaluated?
After an administrative and eligibility check, the Sub-Grant Committee scores proposals against published criteria: financial and operational capacity (20), relevance to the call (25), effectiveness and feasibility (30), and sustainability (15). The Executive Director makes the final award decision on the Committee's recommendation.
Can I complain if my application is rejected?
Yes. Request clarification or lodge a complaint in writing within 3 working days of notification, using the e-mail address given in the Applicants' Guidelines. The Complaints Committee replies within 5 working days and can re-admit an applicant when a complaint is justified.
How are funds disbursed?
Against your approved budget and financial plan. You fill in a Request for Disbursement in the portal; it produces the Excel request, the bank confirmation letter and the invoice for signature. After a period ends you report your spending as vouchers, with narrative and M&E reports, and the next request opens once CECOE accepts them.
Can I move money between budget lines?
Not without prior written authorization from CECOE. The total sub-grant amount can never be exceeded, and unspent funds are returned to CECOE at the end of the project.
How long must I keep financial records?
At least five years after the delivery of the project's last financial report. CECOE, the donor and their auditors may inspect books and records, including through on-site visits.
What does subscribing to the mailing list involve?
You choose which updates you want — calls for proposals, template changes, or grant updates. CECOE sends a confirmation e-mail first, so nothing reaches you until you click the link in it. Every message carries an unsubscribe link, and you can ask for your details to be deleted at any time at info@cecoe.org.
Latest news
News & announcements
Latest updates from the CECOE sub-granting programme.
About
The CECOE Sub-Grant Fund
The CECOE Sub-Grant Fund enables eligible member civil society organizations to access funds that strengthen their capacity to function effectively and enhance the quality, availability and coverage of the services they provide. Sub-grants are awarded through open calls for proposals under the principles of programming, transparency, equal treatment, non-cumulation and non-retroactivity.
The fund is governed by the CECOE Sub-Grant Manual, prepared in line with the Organizations of Civil Societies Proclamation No. 1113/2019 and ACSO directives, including Directive No. 847/2021 on administrative expenses and Directive No. 939/2022 on avoiding conflicts of interest.
CECOE was founded in 2019 and was the first civil society organization invited by the National Election Board of Ethiopia to observe the Sidama referendum (November 2019, deploying 147 short-term observers). It established a national election data center for the June 2021 general elections and works with partners including GIZ, NDI, USAID, Irish Aid, Denmark, France, IRI, ECES, the European Union and NIMD.
Questions about a call, clarifications or complaints follow the procedure in the Applicants’ Guidelines of each call: clarification requests within 3 working days of notification, answered by the Complaints Committee within 5 working days.