DRAFT Communication for Additional Cartfund Applications

Call for Additional CARTFund Applications

CARTFund: Caribbean Aid for Trade and

Regional Integration Trust Fund

The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK), through the Department for International Development (DFID), has a Regional Development Strategy for the Caribbean designed to help theRegion reduce poverty through economic growth and increased resilience to risks that impact on growth.

One way the UK Government is operationalising its regional strategy is throughthe establishment ofa Caribbean Aid for Trade and Regional Integration Trust Fund (CARTFund)which was established in March 2009 with a UK£ 5 million grant. The Trust Fund is administered by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and is managed by a Steering Committee comprising representatives of DFID, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and CARIFORUM.Previous invitationsto CARICOM/CARIFORUM Member States to utilise the CARTFund generated great interest and resulted in the value of applications exceeding the original UK£ 5 million grant. Based on demand, the Fund has now been increased to £10m. The deadline for submitting additional applications has been extended to September 15, 2010.

Currently, approximately USD6,500,000 million is available for new projects. An amount of USD 7,690,526 has been approved to date on fourteen (14) projects. Information on these projects and the individual cost is provided below.

The overall aim of the CARTFund is to generate momentum on the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed between CARIFORUM and the European Union, and of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). The Fund’s resources can be used for the following activities:

(a)supporting EPA implementation;

(b)deepening CARICOM economic integration and OECS sub-regional integration;

(c)assisting potential beneficiaries of the Fund with project preparation in the areas

described in (a) and (b) above; and

(d)sharing lessons from projects and activities identified in paragraphs (a) to (b)

above.

Prospective recipients of the Trust Fund’s Resources must submit an application to the CDB on the attached “Proposal Submission Form”. In completing the Form, please consult the Project Proposal Guide/Checklist.

Eligible applicantsmust be a CARICOM/CARIFORUM entity such as a Government, a legitimate,registered private company, a private sector representative organisation or non-governmental organisation. The proposalmust be relevant to trade and/or regional integration and the project budgetshould not be less than US$100,000. The period of implementation should notexceedDecember 31, 2012.

All applicants to the Fund, including the private sector, must submit requests that represent priority needs at the sector, national, sub-regional or regional level. Applications to address firm level needs are not eligible for consideration.

Eligible entities can also apply to the Fund for assistancein preparing projectproposals for consideration by the Fund's Steering Committee.

Applications should be submitted in hard copy or by email to :

Valarie Pilgrim ()

Operations Officer (Technical Assistance)

Caribbean Development Bank

P.O. Box 408

Wildey, St. Michael

Barbados, W. I.

BB11000