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Step-by-step guide

What characterizes an ASF project? 

An ASF project must have a non-profit, idealistic goal and work for democratic social development, based on human equality and in line with human rights. It should prioritize and promote participatory processes, aim for sustainable change, and be rooted in the local community, with strong focus on project evaluation and sharing experiences between projects. 

ASF projects can be carried out internationally or locally in Sweden. Their purpose may vary, ranging from constructing buildings, supporting urban development processes, to spreading knowledge. Projects must follow ASF Sweden’s common platform, the Hasselt Charter.

ASF Sweden is one of 30+ national organizations under the ASF International umbrella. By starting a project within ASF, the group gains access to a large network of other members, support companies and advisors with specialized knowledge. 

The association can help with:

  • marketing of the project,
  • minor financial support for the project,
  • knowledge and expert assistance for the project,
  • advice and support for applying for external funds.

A project group within ASF must ensure that all work follows ASF’s core values and statutes. In Sweden, all participants must be members of the association, and the group represents ASF as a whole, with the responsibility to act accordingly.

The following instructions answer how to start, run and close an ASF project in line with ASF values and the Hasselt Charter.

 

Pre-study (feasibility)

In order to apply to begin an ASF project, you must first have carried out a pre-study. ASF has guidelines for how this pre-study should be carried out that you can find here. It is possible to apply for funding from ASF’s member fund.

The aim of this pre-study is to develop and consolidate project ideas. Each situation is different, and can entail different types of projects and activities in different development phases. Therefore it is important to take into account the specifics of the potential project and the different participants and target groups.

The application must contain information about the intended project. You can find the specific information on the pre-study here at “Application for Preliminary Studies ASF”.

So in short you need to:

Prepare project application

The project must follow ASF Sweden’s principles and goals (see Hassel’s Charter) and integrate the gender equality perspective, the environmental and climate perspective, as well as conflict sensitivity, peace and security in all project elements.

The project application contains three main elements: 

  • the results of the pre-study, 
  • the project plan and,  
  • draft cooperation agreement.

The project plan can be seen as an in-depth processing and analysis of the results of the pre-study. So much of the material in the pre-study can be directly or in processed form incorporated into the project plan. 

The ASF project committee is happy to help and answer questions about how a specific element should be carried out or presented. The project plan contains many elements, and it is the size and complexity of the project that determines how detailed the report of each element must be.

  1. The results of the pre-study are gathered according to the ASF checklist.
  2. The project plan should contain the following:
    • Project description
      The project description should provide a clear and unambiguous picture of what is to be carried out and how this is to be carried out.
    • In-depth stakeholder analysis
      The in-depth stakeholder analysis should include a mapping of external stakeholders (such as authorities, local population, local business) and internal stakeholders (those who participate in some way in the project). Based on the mapping, an analysis should be carried out of the influence/impact each stakeholder has on the project, as well as a plan for how each stakeholder should be treated through, for example, involvement in the project.
    • Risk analysis
      The risk analysis should include external risks (environmental risks) and internal risks (project risks), an assessment of the probability of each risk occurring, and a plan for handling situations that arise when risks occur.
    • Impact analysis
      The impact analysis should provide a picture of the consequences and changes the project will entail.
    • Organizational plan
      An organization plan should include all actors in the project, and describe the relationship between them.
    • Detailed timeline
      This detailed timeline should include all main elements from project start to project completion.
    • Detailed budget
      The detailed budget should include all main elements to be implemented. The budget should, as far as possible, include, for example, estimates of material costs, design costs, construction costs, etc.
    • Financing plan
      The financing plan should include a description of planned financing sources and a description of what is required to obtain funds from each financing source.
    • Communication plan
      The communication plan should describe how the project will communicate its work to the public and the ASF communications committee.
    • Evaluation plan
      The project plan must contain an evaluation element where clear measurable quality goals are described, which must be followed up and reported to ASF upon project completion.
  3. Draft cooperation agreement
    The draft cooperation agreement aims to ensure that all participating organizations have the same picture of who is participating in the project, which organization is responsible for which part, and clarify who has ownership of which part of the project.The participating organizations shall sign the cooperation agreement after the project has been approved by the ASF board. The agreement should cover:

    • Participating organizations
    • Distribution of responsibilities
    • Ownership of land if applicable
    • Ownership of the project result

 

Board review

  • Send the full application to ASF for board consideration.
  • The board assesses relevance, plan quality, financing, local partner presence and documented role distribution.
  • If approved, a board contact person is assigned and a follow-up meeting with the project group is arranged.

Sign cooperation agreement & project start

  • Finalize and sign the collaboration agreement between participating organizations.
  • Official projects start once agreements and any initial financing are in place.

Project management & reporting

  • Appoint a project representative to liaise with the ASF board contact.
  • Maintain regular reporting: project updates to the board, material for ASF website/newsletters, and an updated group contact list.
  • Keep the project page on ASF’s website updated and share lessons learned.

Communication & knowledge sharing

  • Use ASF communications channels and report to the communications committee.
  • Present project results at events, to supporters and at ASF meetings where relevant.

Financing

  • Secure external funding. ASF internal funds are limited and used mainly as complementary support (e.g., travel grants).
  • Follow ASF rules for applying for internal funds; submit expenses with receipts for reimbursement.
  • For larger grants, coordinate with ASF early (some funders require board signatures and special reporting).

Insurance & practicalities

  • Keep SOS details and insurance procedures accessible to the team.

Project closure, evaluation & handover

  • Plan for responsible phasing-out with local partners from the project start.
  • Produce a final report documenting results, lessons learned and a proposed evaluation.
  • Include the project text in ASF’s annual report.
  • Remaining funds held within ASF revert to ASF project funds unless a prior agreement with donors specifies otherwise (ASF will try to return large, donor-designated gifts).