QUESTIONS?

Contact us at impact@pmi.com or consult the PMI IMPACT Questions & Answers.

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We have done our best to provide ample information about PMI IMPACT on this website, including
in this Questions & Answers page. In case you have further questions or need more information, please contact us at impact@pmi.com.

Please note that we will only respond to enquiries regarding PMI IMPACT. General enquiries
concerning Philip Morris International should be directed here.

PMI IMPACT QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

 

Application

 

1.  In which countries can Applicants be based? Are there any geographic restrictions?

Applicants can be based anywhere in the world, however, all proposed projects should be in line with the theme and the topics of the current funding round.

 

2.  Can an organization submit a project proposal that will be implemented in several countries?

There are no restrictions on the number of countries covered in a project proposal. We encourage you to review carefully the theme and the topics of the current funding round, and the evaluation criteria as you design your project.

 

3.  Can multiple organizations submit a joint proposal?

No, PMI IMPACT will not consider joint project proposals by multiple organizations.

 

4.  Can an organization propose a project that will be implemented with the help of other organizations?

Yes, an organization can engage third parties, such as Project Partners or Project Routine Suppliers, to implement a portion of the activities under a project, as long as the following conditions are met: a) the organization is the sole Applicant; and b) any potential Project Partners are not Government Agencies, Public International Organizations, Government Officials or Government-controlled Organizations, with the exception of public academic institutions or their employees, as defined in the Application Terms and Funding Rules(pdf).

 

5.  Can an organization submit more than one project proposals?

An organization can submit only one project proposal for consideration in a funding round. If an organization submits several proposals, only the first one successfully submitted will be considered, and the others will be excluded from the selection process.

 

6.  Can an organization that has received funding from PMI in the past submit a project proposal under PMI IMPACT?

Organizations that have worked with or have received funding from PMI in the past can submit project proposals to PMI IMPACT. Please see our Who can apply section for more information.

 

7. Will organizations that had received funding from PMI IMPACT in the first or second funding rounds be able to submit project proposals in subsequent funding rounds?

Yes, organizations that have been awarded grants during the first or second PMI IMPACT funding rounds may apply in subsequent funding rounds.

 

8.  Can individuals apply for funding from PMI IMPACT?

No, applicants may not be individuals. Applications can be submitted by public, private, or non-profit organizations, including non-governmental organizations, international organizations, associations, academic institutions and companies. Please see our Who can apply section for more information.

 

9.  Can a tobacco company apply for funding by PMI IMPACT?

No, Applicants may not be tobacco manufacturing companies or controlled by or belong to the same group of companies as any tobacco and electronic cigarette manufacturing company, including affiliates of PMI. Please see our Who can apply  section for more information.

 

10.  My organization does not have specific experience in the field of anti-illicit trade, the fight against corruption or organized crime. Can we submit a project proposal?

Yes, but the Expert Council and PMI will consider this during its assessment. Project proposals are evaluated against the following evaluation criteria – potential for lasting impact, relevance and coherence, formulation and design, and feasibility . The Applicant’s capacity to manage and implement the project effectively, including its competencies and experience, is one of the many dimensions that will be assessed. In you are interested in applying for a Grant to PMI IMPACT, follow the exploratory stage and submit a concept of your proposed project. We also encourage you to review carefully the theme and the topics of the current funding round, the Applications Terms and Funding Rules and the Grant Award procedure.

 

11. Can a project proposal involve co-funding by other entities, funds, or organizations other than PMI?

PMI IMPACT will not consider project proposals that require co-funding, except if the proposed project is to be partially co-financed by the Applicant. Please see the Application Terms and Funding Rules(pdf) for more information.

 

12. What is the minimum and maximum amount of funds that an organization can request for a project?

In the current funding round of PMI IMPACT, the Grant requested for the proposed Project cannot be more than USD 750,000 nor less than USD 100,000. The thresholds are indicative and can be subject to change by PMI, considering Applications on a case-by-case basis.

 

13. Are there any restrictions in terms of the duration of the proposed projects?

The duration of the proposed projects may be up to two years. The maximum duration of a Project is indicative and may vary and be adapted on a case-by-case basis.

 

14.  What is the duration of a funding round?

The duration of each funding round can vary depending on the duration of the grant award procedure, signature of grant agreements and duration of funded projects. Thus, a funding round can take approximately 3 years. PMI need not wait for the end of a funding round to start a new one. Please see the Grant Award Guidelines (pdf) for more information on the grant award procedure in the third funding round of PMI IMPACT

For PMI IMPACT's third funding round, Applicants can apply before one of the three deadlines for submission of Applications. The call for Applications remains open until the third submission deadline.

First submission deadline: Sep 15, 2021, 23h59 CET.

Second submission deadline: Apr 15, 2022, 23h59 CET.

Third submission deadline: Aug 15, 2022, 23h59 CET.

The deadlines for submissions of Applications are indicative and might be subject to change by PMI. Please visit www.pmi-impact.com for updates

 

15.  In which currency will the grants be paid? Which currency should I indicate in my project proposal?

All costs must be indicated in USD, and grants will normally be paid in USD to the Applicant's separate project account. However, if due to applicable restrictions, an Applicant cannot open and maintain a separate bank account for its project, it should contact the project office of PMI IMPACT at impact@pmi.com.

Please see the Application Terms and Funding Rules(pdf) for more information.

 

16.  Will the costs incurred by the Applicants to prepare and submit their project proposals be refunded by PMI IMPACT?

No. Applicants bear all costs associated with preparing and submitting their project proposals. Please see the Application Terms and Funding Rules(pdf) for more information.

 

Selection

 

17.  How will I know if my application has been successful?

PMI IMPACT will inform Applicants upon completion of the grant award procedure. Please see the Selection page of this website for more information, as well as the Grant Award Guidelines(pdf) for a detailed overview of the grant award procedure.

 

18.  What is the role of the Expert Council?

The Expert Council of independent experts evaluates Applications and selects projects for the award of grants by PMI. The Grant Award Guidelines(pdf) describe the role of the Expert Council.

 

19.  What are the evaluation criteria?

The proposals are evaluated in terms of their potential for lasting impact, relevance and coherence, formulation and design, and feasibility. Please review the Selection and Evaluation & scoring criteria pages of this website, as well as the Grant Award Guidelines(pdf).

 

20.  Can Applicants contact the members of the Expert Council to discuss or seek advice regarding their Applications?

No, Applicants must not contact the members of the Expert Council on matters relating to their Applications. As outlined in the Application Terms and Funding Rules (pdf), this may lead to the rejection of their Application or the termination of the grant agreement.

 

21.  How will you ensure that there is no conflict of interest between a member of the Expert Council and an Applicant?

The members of the Expert Council are required to check if they have an actual, potential or apparent conflict of interest with respect to any Applications, and if they do, they must declare it and withdraw from reviewing the respective proposal. You may see the Grant Award Guidelines (pdf) and the Conflict of Interest Principles (pdf) for more details.

 

22.  What do PMI's due diligence checks on Applications and Applicants include?

The due diligence requirements are described in the Application Terms and Funding Rules (pdf).

 

General

 

23.  Why has PMI launched this initiative?

Fighting illegal trade is a top priority for PMI, and we continue to invest significant resources to ensure strong controls in our supply chain, tackle counterfeit of products and raise awareness of issues like illicit whites. We are doing our best, but we know this is a fight that cannot be won alone.

Illicit trade is complex, affects many sectors, and does not respect borders. Transnational organized crime is a significant and growing threat to national and international security. It has dire implications for public safety, democratic institutions, and economic stability across the globe.

If we want to find sustainable solutions to this problem - we need broad collaboration and more coordinated efforts, tackling the issue across all illegally traded commodities, and by confronting related crimes, such as money laundering and organized crime.

And this why we launched PMI IMPACT: to help foster an inclusive approach for public and private sectors and civil society to build innovative programs against illegal trade.

 

24.  Is PMI IMPACT a substitute for other anti-illicit trade initiatives currently implemented or funded by PMI?

No. PMI IMPACT supplements our many, ongoing anti-illicit trade efforts, which include investing significant resources to ensure strong controls in our supply chain and raising awareness of the complex and persistent problem of illegal tobacco networks.

You can find out more information about PMI’s commitment to fight illegal trade on pmi.com and www.stopillegal.com