Sustainable Water Fund - FDW

Consult our advisors

Would you like to learn more about FDW or one of its projects? Although the facility is closed, we are happy to share relevant information and advice. Please email fdwcoms@rvo.nl, and one of our advisors will contact you.

FDW in practice

Let our water security and water safety projects in low and middle-income countries inspire you. Watch the following videos, or read user stories about our projects via

• our showcases and
• the Development Cooperation Projects database.

For inspiration, watch our videos on YouTube:

• A coastal protection project in Java, Indonesia;
• An integrated water resource management project in Ethiopia;
• A drinking water project in Mali;
• A sanitation project in Kenya;
• A water supply project in the Philippines.

Sustainable development

FDW contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation;
• SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth.

To achieve these goals, we need to cooperate. FDW works through public-private partnerships between governments, businesses, NGOs, and knowledge institutes. All partners contribute to inclusive, sustainable and scalable projects. Through PPPs, FDW projects contribute to sustainable economic growth, self-reliance and poverty reduction.

We call upon those working towards SDGs, especially governments, businesses and investors, NGOs, and knowledge institutes, to further explore joint public-private collaboration in the water domain.

Driving sustainable water management

Are you interested in finding out more about our results on water management? See our infographic Driving Sustainable Water Management below. Download the infographic for more information.

Responsible Business Conduct (RBC)

Your project must follow the international Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) guidelines. We take RBC into account when assessing your funding application. We ask you to:

• follow OECD guidelines;
• show how you conduct your operations following these OECD guidelines;
• carry out a proper risk analysis of social and environmental risks;
• state the measures to prevent and reduce these risks.

During the project, you must report on RBC risks and state the measures you are taking or plan to take to prevent and reduce these risks.

Dutch companies must complete an RBC self-assessment as part of the application process. The Dutch government uses this scan to check whether a company is aware of and follows the OECD guidelines. This assessment is a requirement for approval of your project.

On our website, you can read more about RBC and due diligence.

SEAH conditions

To be eligible for subsidies, SEAH conditions apply. RVO expects you to have your own integrity policy as well as procedures to implement this policy. In addition, you are required to report any incidents of (sexual) misconduct or abuse of power during RVO-funded projects. For further details, please visit Sexual misconduct and abuse of power | RVO.nl.

Project management

Every year, the organisation that leads the project has to report on the progress. We will reimburse the subsidy contribution in predetermined instalments. Initially, all payments are advance payments. Read more about reporting:

• Report on R1 - inception phase
• Annual progress report
• Request for a change
• Buying hardware
• Final report

Laws, regulations and publications

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency set up the FDW programme. Read about the FDW policy framework and Dutch policy rules in the publications below:

• Official notices;
• Publications.

FDW Administrative Rules

Official notices FDW

You can download the Official Notices of the FDW calls for 2021, 2017, 2016, 2014 and 2012 below.

2021

Official notice in the Government Gazette 'Staatscourant' (in Dutch).

2017

Official notice in the Government Gazette 'Staatscourant' (in Dutch).

2016

2014

2012

References

The policy frameworks and rules refer to various other documents. These references can be found under the following links:

• FMO exclusion list
• ILO convention
• Multi-annual Strategic Plans embassies (in Dutch)
• OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises 2011 (pdf)
• Small enterprise: an enterprise in the private sector as described in Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (OJ 2003 L 124/36)
• World Bank exclusion list

Communication and using logos

Cooperating partners that publish articles, videos, and projects can use the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' logo. Contact your programme advisor for more information.