We are excited to share that a new feature is now live in OneGMS: the Concept Note. This addition is designed to make the first step of project submissions lighter, faster, and more efficient for partners, while ensuring that Humanitarian Financing Units (HFUs) and reviewers have the information they need to move the process forward.

What is a Concept Note?

The Concept Note is a simplified version of a project proposal. It requires less information from partners compared to a full project proposal and serves as an initial screening tool. Once the Concept Note passes the necessary reviews, it transforms into a project proposal for further development.

When is a Concept Note Used?

At the allocation setup stage, HFUs decide whether projects should be created as Concept Notes or as full Project Proposals.  

Partners can immediately see what is required for each allocation, as every allocation is clearly tagged on their OneGMS homepage.

How is the Concept Note Different from a Proposal?

While the Concept Note mirrors the general tab structure of a project proposal, it has fewer requirements. Here are the main differences:

• Overview tab: Condensed and simplified.
• Log Frame tab: Only activities per sector are required, not a full Log Frame.
• People Targeted tab: Only total people targeted per category are needed, no sector breakdowns and no data on indirectly targeted people.
• Budget tab: Functions the same way but does not require partners to provide the percentage charged to CBPF per budget line.
• Cash tab: If Cash is a component of the project, no further details are required at this stage.
• Subgrants tab: Remains the same, except that activities linked to a subgrant are not tied to an output until the full Log Frame is completed at the project proposal stage. No BoQ is required at this stage.
• Locations tab: Requires only the total number of people targeted per location per sector, without gender and age breakdowns. The partner can also select locations at admin level 1 even if it is defined otherwise at the allocation level.
• Workplan and Programming tabs: Not included.
• Implementation tab: Not included by default, but may appear if HFU adds specific questions in the allocation questionnaire (refer to the below section on the questions repository for more information).

When Does the Concept Note Become a Full Proposal?

Once initial reviews are completed, the Concept Note automatically evolves into a project proposal, and the partner is required to complete the remaining information.

• Reserve allocations: After the Concept Note has passed the Strategic Review (SR), the HFU pushes the project to the partner for Technical Review (TR) Draft. At this point, the Concept Note becomes a project proposal, and the partner must provide all the remaining details.
• Standard allocations: Once the Concept Note is endorsed by the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC), the HFU can send the project to the partner for TR Draft. This transition converts the Concept Note into a project proposal for the partner to complete.

The Allocation Questionnaire

With this release, all allocations now include an allocation questionnaire at the setup stage. This questionnaire grants HFU the possibility to select from a set of global questions to be added to Concept Notes and/or Project Proposals of said allocation.