Orientações para o Desafio

CHALLENGE GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA 

What is the aim of the AWS InCommunities Mexico Fund?

The aim of the AWS InCommunities Mexico Fund, sponsored by AWS, is to support nonprofit organizations based in Southern Mexico, to either start a new project from a selection of available projects or to expand an existing project, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life for communities. Applicants choose the project they want to start based on their community’s needs, from a portfolio of ideas on the ChangeX site, or alternatively submit an existing project, once it meets the criteria outlined in the following section. Once the applicant has demonstrated their commitment and ability to start or expand the chosen community project by successfully completing a 30 Day Challenge on the ChangeX website, ChangeX will provide funding, information guides and support to give the applicant the best chance of success. In addition, once the applicant has demonstrated the impact the new project is having in their community, they will receive a further installment of funding to support the maintenance of the project. All projects should be managed in an inclusive and welcoming manner.

Criteria 

The following criteria must be met by all applicants:

  • The project must address at least one of the following themes: Economic Development, Education & Access, or Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (NOTE: the portfolio ideas on the ChangeX site all address at least one of these themes) 

  • Projects must take place within the states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Oaxaca, Campeche, Yucatan, or Quintana Roo.

  • Projects must be able to be run in a safe manner in light of COVID-19 and resulting restrictions.

  • Applicants must be a registered charity and authorized donatory in Mexico (RFC number, Constancia de situación fiscal & Opinión de cumplimiento de obligaciones fiscales positiva will need to be provided).

Opening date

The challenge opens for applications on May 25th 2022. Registrations will close when the grant funds have been distributed to applicants who have successfully completed the 30 Day Challenge. Please visit our fund website (https://www.changex.org/ie/funds/fondo-awsincommunities-mexico) to confirm whether we are still accepting entries.

Registrations for existing projects will close on July 15th 2022. Applicants will be notified by August 15th 2022 as to whether they have been allocated funding and can progress with the 30 Day Challenge or whether they have been unsuccessful. 

What can the funding be used for?

The AWS InCommunities Mexico Fund can be used to cover direct costs relating to the set-up or maintenance of the new or existing project. For example, funds can be used for space rental, insurance fees, tools,materials, training fees; pretty much any materials you might need for a project that benefits your community. 

What can the funding not be used for? 

Funds may not be used to promote or engage in criminal acts of violence, terrorism, hate crimes, the destruction of any state, or discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, religion, military and veteran status, disability, sex, age, gender identity or sexual orientation, or support of any entity that engages in these activities. Funds may not be used to deliver money, gifts or any other things of value to government officials.

The fund cannot be used to cover costs of work that has already been carried out and can’t be used for anything that is not related to the set up and maintenance of the new or existing community project. It cannot be used to cover the promotion of political parties, religious causes, non-charitable activities, sponsorship or fundraising events. Funds cannot be used as payment to group members for their work on the project.

Reporting Requirements and Funding 

In return for any funding you may receive, you are required to share the outcomes of your new project with ChangeX and AWS.

The funding allocated to your new project is divided into two stages. The first payment (70% of total funding amount) can be accessed upon successful completion of a 30 Day Challenge on the ChangeX website. For organisations who choose to replicate one of the available projects on ChangeX, during the 30 Day Challenge, several steps that demonstrate the commitment and ability of you or your community group to start or expand the project are taken. These include scheduling a support call with a ChangeX team member; setting up a team meeting; sharing a photo of your team meeting and providing a narrative on what you will spend the funding on, your next steps as a group, and how you hope the project will ultimately benefit your community. For organisations who are selected to receive funding to expand an existing project, the 30 Day Challenge only requires that the organisation share a team photo and provide an update on their project after being notified of their successful grant application and before receiving the first payment. 

The second payment (30% of total funding amount) will be issued to you after you have completed an impact survey demonstrating the outcomes of your project. The impact survey will be accessible to complete on your page on the ChangeX platform from three months after you applied to start the project. You will be sent email reminders about completing this survey and will have up to six months after you originally applied to complete it. You will be asked to answer questions such as the number of beneficiaries impacted by your project, as well as specific questions related to the idea you have started. At this stage, you will also be asked to share photos that show your project is up and running and having an impact. These photos should show your group in action and should ideally be taken at any significant events, for example: planting events, trainings, workshops or planning meetings and should include as many of your organizing group and beneficiaries as possible. 

It is very important that you keep all receipts (facturas) and records of how any funding you might receive is spent. ChangeX will require you to provide these receipts before issuing the second payment. If receipts cannot be shown, or the funds are found to have been spent on costs other than those relating to the set-up or maintenance of the new or existing community project, no further funds will be allocated to this project and ChangeX reserves the right to retrieve the funds that have already been distributed. The applicant will be indefinitely ineligible to apply for any subsequent grants through ChangeX.

Multiple applications

Existing community groups can apply for and receive funding to start up to three different portfolio ideas, once each application and the resulting project is submitted and led by a different member of the organisation's team. 

Family

Family and close contacts of ChangeX employees or of AWS are not eligible to apply for funding.

How to Apply

Once you have ensured that you meet all of the criteria above, you can go to https://www.changex.org/ie/funds/fondo-awsincommunities-mexico, and choose one of two routes; either select your preferred idea from the portfolio of proven ideas and register to start it; or alternatively, if you are already working on a project in your community that you want to expand, select the option to submit your own project. The amount of funding available for your project depends on which idea you chose to start. Funding amounts generally range from $10,000 to $100,000 Mexican Pesos for the proven portfolio ideas (the amount of funding available per idea can be found on the webpage of each idea; funding amounts align with the cost of starting each project). For your own, existing community project, there are three available price points, of $25,000, $75,000 and $150,000 Mexican Pesos, depending on need. Once you have completed the application form for either option you will be allocated funding and assigned your own page on the ChangeX platform, where you can complete a number of simple steps to access the allocated funding. You will be able to access the funding in 2 payments; the first payment (70% of your total funding) is unlocked upon completion of the 30 Day Challenge, and the second (30% of your total funding) once your project outcomes have been demonstrated. If you do not complete the 30 Day Challenge within the allocated time period (30 days from registration), your funding will be reallocated to another group and will not be accessible to you any longer. 

In order to receive the funding, you must have a bank account linked to your RFC. Once you’ve successfully unlocked your funding, you will be asked to enter your bank details on the ChangeX website to facilitate the bank transfer. In some cases, you will be asked to provide a scanned copy of your driver’s license or passport for additional verification purposes in addition to your bank details. ChangeX will not share or store any applicant banking or driver’s license/passport data; this process will all be managed by Stripe. Stripe’s privacy policy can be viewed here: https://stripe.com/privacy

Once you have completed your Challenge and entered your bank information ChangeX will review your application to make sure all elements of the Challenge have been completed successfully. Payment will then be made, and the transfer will take an average of 4 working days to reach the applicant’s bank account. 

When the final impact survey has been completed (between three and six months after the original application was made) it will also be reviewed, to ensure the project is active and the second installment of funding is necessary. Payment will then be made, and the transfer will take an average of 5 working days to reach the applicant’s bank account. 

Supports Available

In order to give you the best chance of success to get your new project active, ChangeX will provide you with a number of supports, resources and tools. These include a 5-Step Guide relating to the idea you are starting, a general guide to starting projects in your community, a call with a member of the ChangeX team (which is a mandatory step in completing the 30 Day Challenge), email support, a local webpage to manage your team and previous starter stories to provide information and inspiration.

Accessibility

If you require any additional support to complete the application process or access resources please contact [email protected] and we will do everything in our power to help.

Where is this funding coming from?

This fund is sponsored by AWS. ChangeX is solely responsible for the management of the fund, including the selection of applicants, starter support, fund distribution and impact tracking.

Sharing your project with media or on social 

We encourage you to share news about your community project through your local media or on social media in order to find people to join and support your project, or just to share some positive news with your wider community. When talking to media, we kindly ask you to mention the source of the funding for your project. For example, you can say: “The project received funding through the Fondo AWS InCommunities en México, run by ChangeX.” OR “The project has been made possible thanks to funding from AWS and support from ChangeX.” On social media, please use the following hashtags when announcing your project: [#AWSInCommunities ]

COVID-19

We hope your new community project will help your community to stay active, sustainable and connected as we adapt to new ways of living during the COVID-19 pandemic. However it should be noted that there is a need for your team to exercise personal responsibility and good judgment in their activities, and to stay up-to-date and adhere to any state, county or local safety laws, rules and regulations relating to COVID-19. National COVID-19 guidelines must always be followed. The 30 Day Challenge can be completed with no physical contact between team members. If adherence to COVID-19 guidelines result in unavoidable delays to the set-up of your project, an extension will be given to the impact survey deadline.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What types of organizations are eligible to apply?

Applicants must be a registered charity and authorized donatory in Mexico (RFC number, Constancia de situación fiscal, & Opinión de cumplimiento de obligaciones fiscales positiva will need to be provided).

Could a grant be used for a set of ongoing events/projects? 

Yes, a series of events or multiple projects can be submitted under the same open grant application. However, the open grants are a one time funding opportunity therefore all costs for ongoing events or projects should be considered in the funding amount applied for.

Can a minor apply for a grant? 

Applicants should be at least 18 years old to apply but teams can include minors to carry out the project.

Can funds be used for capital projects like building improvements? 

Yes, as long as they fit under one of the eligible themes.

Who will be reviewing applications and allocating funding? 

ChangeX is solely responsible for the management of the fund, including the selection of applicants, starter support, fund distribution and impact tracking.

What criteria will be used to evaluate applications? 

ChangeX uses three main criteria in an equally weighted scoring system to evaluate all applications - 1) Overall strength of application, 2) How well it speaks to one or more of the themes & 3) The potential social and/or environmental impact of the project.

How long will it take for project applications to be approved? 

Applications are due on July 15, 2022 and decisions will be sent out by August 15, 2022. Extensions to the deadline may be given at the discretion of ChangeX, which might in turn affect the decision date. Any changes will be communicated with applicants.

Can I turn in my draft for ChangeX to review? 

We want to ensure that the application process is fair and therefore can’t offer to review your draft application prior to the application deadline. We would encourage you to seek out mentors or organizations in the community who would be able to help review and provide feedback on your application prior to July 15th.

Termos e Condições do Fundo

Terms and Conditions

  1. By subjecting yourself to these terms and conditions you declare that you have performed all corporate acts, obtained all necessary corporate and any other applicable authorizations, and complied with all applicable legal requirements necessary to subject yourself to these terms and conditions. You further represent that: (i) there is no legal or any other impediment to participate in the process for the raising of funds by ChangeX, as well as to obtain and apply the same; and (ii) your compliance with these terms and conditions, as well as the execution and fulfillment of all and any acts deriving from them does not violate your bylaws -if applicable-, law, decree, regulation, circular, award, order, any judgment applicable to you or any provision of any act, contract, agreement or any other contractual provision to which you are a party or which is applicable to you.

  2. By submitting an application, you are deemed to have read and accepted the fund guidelines and these terms and conditions. ChangeX.org reserves the right to disqualify any entries which do not comply with the Fund Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.

  3. In the event that circumstances beyond the reasonable control of ChangeX affect, or could affect, the proper operation of this fund, ChangeX reserves the right to cancel or amend the fund or these terms and conditions at any time but will make every effort to avoid causing undue disappointment to applicants where such action is deemed necessary.

  4. If you are a successful fund awardee, you agree that ChangeX and AWS may use your name, image and location for any reasonable and related promotional purposes. You further agree to participate in any reasonable publicity required by ChangeX or AWS. If your application is approved, the requesting organization may be required to sign Amazon's Marketing Authorization Form and publicly disclose references to your work through newspapers, events, or other public relations activities. Requirements are based on regional restrictions.

  5. Your fund application and any accompanying material submitted to ChangeX (such as group photos) will become the property of ChangeX on receipt. You must ensure all adults that apperar in any image have signed the Appearance Release form found here.

  6. Parental/guardian consent must be secured before any images of children can be uploaded to ChangeX, and any images uploaded to ChangeX will be presumed by ChangeX to have parental/guardian consent. Individual children should not be identified by name on the ChangeX site. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the consent of the minors or incapacitated persons parent or guardian must be obtained through a privacy notice and authorization agreement form. You must ensure all parent or guardian signed the Appearance Release form for minors found here

  7. By applying to this fund, you:

    1. Agree that any personal information provided by you with the fund application may be held and used only by ChangeX, AWS, and any social innovator/non-profit behind the idea you have applied to start  to administer the fund and for any other purposes to which you have expressly consented; 

    2. Understand that you may withdraw such consent at any time by contacting ChangeX at [email protected]

    3. Are deemed to have read, understood and accepted the ChangeX privacy policy, a copy of which can be found at https://www.changex.org/ie/sites/privacy.

    4. Agree to comply at all times and at your own expense with the applicable regulations on the protection of personal data held by individuals. In the event that you collect personal data from any natural person who is involved in the development of the project (including, without limitation, any employee or agent of the Applicant or any third party natural person) and/or who is the beneficiary of the same, you must obtain the consent of such persons and inform them of the corresponding privacy notice. For such purposes, you must use the privacy notice and authorization agreement form found here. In case you already have a privacy notice that is applicable to the purposes related to the project, you agree to verify that at all times such notice has all the elements described in the linked privacy notice format and in the authorization agreement; in particular, it must contemplate the transfer of personal data, including the consent of the owner for such transfer. In any case, you are obliged to communicate to ChangeX the privacy notice and the purposes to which the owner of the personal data has subjected them.

    5. Acknowledge and agree that ChangeX International is and shall be the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title and interest in and to: (i) the development, implementation, participation and application of resources and support for the realization of the projects that ChangeX undertakes; (ii) the filming, recording and photographs made and obtained (by me or any other third party) in relation with, and in connection with, ChangeX’s projects that ChangeX carries out (including all films, photographs and other recordings, including discarded footage and behind-the-scenes material); and (iii) all information - including information that identifies an individual, such as name, image, appearance, voice, biographical, professional and personal information, signature, other personal characteristics, private information- and/or all materials obtained and/or created by me and/or by third parties in connection with the projects that ChangeX carries out, including all copyrights and other intellectual property rights therein, for the longest period permitted by law and throughout the world. I hereby undertake to take all such acts and actions as may from time to time be necessary to protect, respect, safeguard and enforce the right that I recognize that ChangeX has; including, but not limited to, the assignment, transfer, waiver and/or revocation of any title or rights from time to time to which I may be entitled and which may be necessary for such purposes and the confirmation that no additional consideration is owed to me in connection with such actions or under any other capacity. Likewise, I commit myself to carry out the actions that are necessary and that correspond to me to cause that the persons involved in the realization of the projects to recognize the right that Change X has.

  8. No Employment Relationship/Non-Association. The Applicant and ChangeX/AWS hereby agree and recognize that there does not exist and will not exist any labor relationship between them, between the workers of ChangeX/AWS and the Applicant, nor between the workers of the Applicant and ChangeX/AWS. The Applicant and ChangeX/AWS declare to be totally independent, reason for which there does not exist any nexus or labor-employer relationship between them, nor any form of society, association, joint venture, mandate, representation, agency, consortium, joint liability, labor relationship or any other similar relationship, nor between any of them and any suppliers and/or subcontractors of the other. In such virtue, it is understood that ChangeX/AWS and the Applicant will be independently responsible parties for the payment of salaries, legal benefits, contributions, taxes, rights and any type of obligation stipulated by law, with respect to their corresponding workers.

  9. The applicant and ChangeX will each assume, at their own expense, the civil, fiscal, administrative, regulatory and any other obligations and responsibilities that each one may have, derived from the present terms and conditions, from the participation of the funds and/or the implementation and execution of the projects. In this regard, the applicant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless ChangeX, its subsidiaries and/or affiliates as well as its respective officers, directors and employees, from any claim by third parties and/or a governmental authority resulting or related to any actions or omissions of the Applicant and/or its respective officers, directors and employees and indemnify and hold harmless ChangeX, its subsidiaries and/or affiliates as well as its respective officers, directors and employees from any from any damages, claims, demands, complaints, fines, sanctions or claims that derive from or are a consequence of: (i) the failure of the applicant to comply with any of the obligations arising from these terms and conditions; (ii) the falsity or inaccuracy of any of the statements made by the applicant; and (iii) any claims of any nature including but not limited to civil, administrative, regulatory, tax, labor and/or any other nature; it being understood, however, that the applicant shall not be obligated to indemnify ChangeX for any damages, claims, demands, complaints, fines, penalties or claims arising out of or resulting from ChangeX’s willful misconduct or gross negligence. 

  10. The applicant undertakes to obtain, process, renew, request and have at all times any license, permit, authorization and/or concession before any competent governmental authority that may be necessary to use and apply the funds and implement and execute the project to be developed. Likewise, it is obligated to submit any notices, applications and/or notifications that may be necessary for the same purposes, before any governmental authorities. In general, the applicant agrees to comply with the applicable legal framework; recognizing in this act that ChangeX only provides resources for the implementation of the projects, without acquiring or undertaking any type of responsibility for the development and execution of the same which shall be the sole and exclusive responsibility of the applicant.

  11. Insofar as is permitted by law, ChangeX will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate applicants or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking part in the fund except where it is caused by the negligence of ChangeX or its employees.

  12. Nothing in these terms and conditions shall operate to limit or exclude its liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence or for fraud (including, but not limited to, fraudulent misrepresentation) or for that which cannot lawfully be excluded.

  13. Nothing in these terms and conditions shall impact the awardee’s statutory rights.

  14. If any provision of these terms and conditions is held by a competent authority to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions of these terms and conditions will not be affected and will remain valid.

  15. Where applicable, nothing in these terms and conditions shall confer any rights on any third person owing to the rule of privity of contract.

  16. By entering into and performing these terms and conditions, you confirm entry into and performance of these terms and conditions: (1) is neither prohibited nor inconsistent with any applicable laws, regulations, or binding orders, including applicable ethics or procurement rules or policies, and (2) will not create a conflict of interest for ChangeX, AWS or their respective affiliates, and there are no on-going competitive procurements for which your entry into and performance of these terms and conditions could conflict ChangeX, AWS or their respective affiliates from participating in such a competition. By entering into and performing these terms and conditions, neither ChangeX, AWS nor their respective affiliates have any expectation of favorable or otherwise beneficial treatment, and these terms and conditions are not intended to reward or influence any business activity or competitive bid and are offered independently of any past, current or prospective commercial transaction.

  17. You will not violate or knowingly permit anyone to violate any applicable anti-corruption laws in performing under this terms and conditions. ChangeX may immediately terminate or suspend performance under these terms and conditions if you breach these terms and conditions. You will maintain true, accurate and complete books and records concerning any payments made to another party by you under these terms and conditions, including on behalf of ChangeX. ChangeX and its designated representative may inspect your's books and records to verify such payments and for compliance with these terms and conditions.

  18. These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Ireland. Any dispute arising under these terms and conditions (whether such disputes or issues are contractual or non-contractual in nature, such as claims in tort, for breach of statute or regulation or otherwise) shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Republic of Ireland.

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