CALL FOR PROPOSALS:

PLAC LEGISLATIVE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME ALUMNI SUPPORT INITIATIVE

Second Edition

Issued: Wednesday, 26 August 2026

Deadline for Submission: Friday, 11 September 2026 [11:59pm, West African Time]

1. Introduction

Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), with support from the European Union (EU), invites proposals for the second edition of the Legislative Internship Programme Alumni Support Initiative (ASI). The initiative supports alumni of PLAC’s Legislative Internship Programme to design and implement practical projects that advance civic education, democratic participation, policy advocacy and legislative engagement. The overall objective of the support is tostrengthen the impact of the internship programme by supporting alumni through targeted initiatives that build capacity and promote continued participation in Nigeria’s democratic and legislative processes.

2. Expected Outcomes

a. Increased alumni engagement in legislative and governance processes.

b. Creation of a vibrant and sustainable alumni community.

c. Foundation laid for future scale-up or thematic partnerships.Enhanced visibility on impact of the

d. internship programme.

Strengthened knowledge and participation of Nigerian citizens in governance.

3. Scope of Support

PLAC will provide funding support (administered by PLAC) to alumni projects/initiatives. Proposals should address one or more of the following areas:

a. Civic education and public awareness;

b. Electoral reform, voter education and democratic participation;

c. Community-based legislative monitoring and engagement;

d. Policy research and advocacy;

e. Youth, women and Persons with Disabilities participation in governance;

f. Constitutional literacy and reform;Human rights and accountability; and

g. Citizen engagement with democratic and legislative institutions.

Election-focused initiatives may include non-partisan activities aimed at improving public understanding of electoral laws and processes, informed participation, inclusion, accountability, peaceful elections and citizen engagement ahead of the 2027 elections. Proposals that support, endorse or oppose any political party, candidate or partisan political activity will not be considered.

Each selected proposal will receive financial support valued at between N500,000 and N5,000,000 covering eligible costs such as research, workshops (venue hire, refreshments, transportation, and accommodation where necessary), production of campaign or awareness materials, digital tools, and honoraria for facilitation services.

4. Eligibility and Selection Criteria

• Applicants must be verified alumni of PLAC’s Legislative Internship Programme and must demonstrate a continued interest in civic, legislative or democratic engagement.

• Proposals should present a clear problem, realistic objectives, defined activities, expected outcomes, implementation timeline and budget. Joint proposals should also clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of participating alumni.
• For the 2026 cycle, PLAC particularly encourages joint proposals involving two or more LIP alumni. Alumni may collaborate within and across cohorts, professions and geographic locations, pooling their knowledge, networks and experience to develop initiatives with wider reach and stronger potential for impact. 
• Each proposal should identify a Lead Applicant/Project Coordinator who will serve as the principal contact with PLAC. Given the proximity of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, proposals with a strong non-partisan electoral or pre-election focus are encouraged.
• Joint applications involving non-alumni will not be considered. Similarly, initiatives already receiving funding support from another donor are not eligible.

Selection will consider:

• Relevance and feasibility of the proposed initiative;
• Strength and quality of alumni collaboration;
• Potential reach and impact;
• Innovation and value for money;
• Engagement of communities, young people or under-represented groups; and

• Ability to complete the project and produce measurable results within the implementation period.

5. The Concept Note

Applicants should submit a concept note via Google Form containing: Project title and summary; Background and Problem Statement; Objectives and Expected Outcomes; Proposed Activities and Implementation Plan; Target Audience and Geographic Coverage; Monitoring and Evaluation Approach; Project team and roles; Sustainability or follow-up plan; and Detailed Budget.

6. Funding Information

a. PLAC aims to support about six initiatives or proposals. The standard maximum amount of support per proposal is N5,000,000.00 (five million naira).

b. PLAC encourages strong, collaborative initiatives and therefore welcomes appropriately scaled joint proposals. In this case, funding requests may exceed ₦5,000,000 where justified by the scope, reach and anticipated results of the proposed initiative.

c. A detailed project budget must be provided as part of the concept note for approval by PLAC using the template provided.

d. Budgets must be realistic, cost-effective and proportionate to the proposed activities and expected results. PLAC may review or adjust proposed budgets and activities before final approval.

e. Selected applicants will not receive direct cash transfers. PLAC will retain fiduciary responsibility for approved payments and disbursements in line with applicable programme and EU requirements.

7. Implementation timeline

All approved election-related initiatives must be implemented and concluded between October and December 2026, while other initiatives must be completed by February 2027. All required activity and financial documentation for both categories must be completed no later than February 2027. One-off interventions are eligible where their relevance and potential impact are clearly demonstrated.

8. Submission Guidelines

• Proposals should be submitted on Google Form via this link: https://forms.gle/Ktbcz1HUXmFbBwRy9

• The Budget, Implementation/Work Plan and M&E Plan should be completed using the templates provided on the PLAC website and saved using the project title.

• The deadline for submission is Friday, 11^th September 2026 [11:59pm, West African Time]

9. Contact

For enquiries, please send an email to: info@placng.org