Women’s International Fund for Education offering Scholarships to Women (Global)

Deadline: 7-Apr-23

The Women’s International Fund for Education (WIFE) is offering Scholarships to support young women throughout the world in reaching their goals to become college/university graduates and leaders in their communities.

WIFE strives to make the world a better place by educating women showing leadership potential.

WIFE was formed in 2010 by a group of young women in California. The funds available for the scholarship were raised through the generous donations of community members and a few small businesses.

The Women’s International Fund for Education’s scholarship program is dedicated to serving young women who strive to become leaders within their community. The scholarship is designed to be the “seed” that allows each applicant to grow and develop innovative projects and careers. Scholarships will be awarded to women who demonstrate their desire to improve the quality of life in their communities as well as the state of the environment.

The Women’s International Fund for Education offers scholarships to women who show tremendous potential. The scholarship is offered for one academic year. Throughout the school year the applicant is required to update WIFE regularly, through e-mail or video chat correspondence. After the completion of the applicant’s first year, the applicant is required to fill out a survey to provide WIFE with information on their accomplishments. Applicants are encouraged to re-apply for the scholarship annually.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants must demonstrate financial need, academic ability, leadership skills, career goals and a desire to improve the welfare of their community and/or the health of the environment. To be eligible, you must:

• Be a woman at least of age to enter college/university.
• Demonstrate financial need.
• Demonstrate leadership skills in your community.
• Commit to WIFE’s binding contract and mentorship program.
• Demonstrate the desire to improve your community and the environment.

For more information, visit Women’s International Fund for Education.

Mama Cash Resilience Fund for Feminist and Women-led Organisations (Global)

Deadline: 15 March 2023

Mama Cash is now seeking applications for its Resilience Fund to support ambitious feminist and women’s, girl’s, and trans people’s and intersex people’s rights organisations and initiatives led by and for women, girls, and trans people and intersex people from anywhere in the world.

Priorities and Focus

• Mama Cash has the flexibility to fund anywhere in the world. Even though contexts are significantly different, Mama Cash founds that concerns of some specific groups of women, girls, trans people and intersex people tend to be under-addressed and/or contested in most societies (and social movements). So these groups are often found among its grantees.
• Mama Cash prioritises groups or initiatives that have an annual budget below 200.000 euros. Mama Cash does not prioritise providing financial support to larger groups. As a result, among its grantee-partners in the thematic portfolios you will find only very few groups that have annual budgets over 200.000 euros.

Funding Information

• Resilience Fund grants vary in size, but the range is typically between €5,000 to €50,000 per year, with an average grant size of about €35,000.

Mama Cash supports groups and initiatives that:

• Work from a feminist, women’s, girl’s, trans and/or intersex rights perspective;
• Are self-led by the women, girls, trans people and/or intersex people they serve;
• Have the promotion of women’s, girls’, trans people’s and/or intersex people’s human rights as their primary mission, and not just as the focus of part of their programmes;
• Push for structural and fundamental change;
• Focus on issues that are under-addressed and/or contested;

Eligibility Criteria

• Mama Cash will be open to all applications from self-led feminist organisations and initiatives – without thematic or geographic restrictions.

For more information, visit Mama Cash.

NOFO: DRL Climate Change and Atrocity Prevention (Global)

Deadline: 17-Apr-23

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for projects that support early action in response to atrocities, including crimes against humanity, genocide, and war crimes, as well as other large scale and deliberate attacks against civilians.

Within this policy objective, DRL seeks programs that measurably reduce climate-induced or climate-related atrocity risk and fragility in the selected countries.  Programs should effectively pilot an approach to atrocity prevention that integrates the increasing atrocity risk that climate change and environmental degradation poses and supports the formulation and implementation of atrocity prevention, response, and recovery measures that are responsive to that risk.

Programs should include the perspectives of women, girls, and vulnerable communities, noting that climate change heightens women and girls’ risk of encountering gender-based violence, as they are often the primary procurers or managers of these increasingly scarce natural resources.

Funding Information

• Total Funding Floor: $987,654
• Total Funding Ceiling: $987,654
• Period of Performance: 12-24 months.

Outcomes

• DRL seeks programs that contribute to the following outcomes:
  • CSOs and local actors have the skills, tools, and capacity to identify atrocities that are climate-related or otherwise impacted or driven by climate change and environmental degradation and safely advocate for local preventative measures based on relevant information.
  • CSOs and local actors develop and implement mechanisms to expose relevant stakeholders (including those responsible for response, enforcement, and/or accountability at different levels, targeted groups, and potential disablers) to knowledge about climate-related atrocity risks and engage them in using early warning information about relevant risks.
  • Related to the, CSOs formulate and advocate for actionable preventive or response measures to climate-related atrocity risks that integrate the voices of impacted communities and lay out pathways for relevant stakeholders to take action.

Eligibility Criteria

• Proposed projects may target up to 2 countries, with at least one country in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses.  DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.
• Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process.  Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards.  Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs.  The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

Exemptions

• An exemption from these requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis if:
  • An applicant’s identity must be protected due to potential endangerment of their mission, their organization’s status, their employees, or individuals being served by the applicant.
  • For an applicant, if the federal awarding agency makes a determination that there are exigent circumstances that prohibit the applicant from receiving a UEI and completing SAM.gov registration prior to receiving a federal award. In these instances, federal awarding agencies must require the recipient to obtain a UEI and complete SAM.gov registration within 30 days of the federal award date.

Ineligible

• Activities that are not typically allowed include, but are not limited to:
  • The provision of humanitarian assistance;
  • English language instruction;
  • Development of high-tech computer or communications software and/or hardware;
  • Purely academic exchanges or fellowships;
  • External exchanges or fellowships lasting longer than six months;
  • Off-shore activities that are not clearly linked to in-country initiatives and impact or are not necessary per security concerns;
  • Theoretical explorations of human rights or democracy issues, including projects aimed primarily at research and evaluation that do not incorporate training or capacity-building for local civil society;
  • Micro-loans or similar small business development initiatives;
  • Initiatives directed towards a diaspora community rather than current residents of targeted countries.

For more information, visit Climate Change and Atrocity Prevention.

VVEngage Fellowship to Advance Women’s Public Leadership and the SDGs (Global)

Deadline: 26-Mar-23

Are you a woman leader in politics, government, or policy advocacy? The Vital Voices is excited to announce the application for the 2023 cohort of the VVEngage Fellowship!

VVEngage is a Vital Voices signature fellowship supporting outstanding women political leaders making and influencing policy across the globe. Through this fully-funded fellowship, they aim to increase the capacity, decision-making power and effectiveness of women leaders in politics and government, shifting culture around women’s public leadership and moving towards equality in public representation globally. They also aim to work towards a more inclusive and equitable world by advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through policy.

Through this fellowship, Vital Voices advances women’s political leadership and the SDGs by conducting online and in-person* trainings with experts such as women leaders from the Vital Voices Global Network and professors from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. The fellowship also connects participants to a global network of peers and mentors, such as current and former female heads of state with the Council of Women World Leaders, with whom they can brainstorm and share challenges and best practices.

Building on 25 years of leadership development work conducted by Vital Voices, the customized fellowship curriculum includes inspiring and rigorous courses in topics such as Leadership, Strategic Communications, Political Strategy and Governance. Fellows will acquire specific skills to achieve their goals and advance the SDGs in their communities.

Categories

All applicants must fall into one of these categories:

• Appointed or elected government official at the local, state/regional, national, or international level
• Political party leader or functionary
• Leader of civil society organization whose primary function involves working directly with government or working to get more women in politics/public life
• Political Activist
• Politically-active community leader from marginalized and excluded community that remains on the periphery of political activity in her country
• Media professional

Criteria

The 2023 cohort of VVEngage will consist of women leaders from across the globe who will be selected based on the following criteria.

• all applicants must fit all of the following criteria:
• A minimum of three years in elected or appointed office, as the key decision-maker for a civil society organization, or in related political leadership work
• Proficient in English
• Demonstrate a commitment to the core principles of the “Vital Voices Leadership Model” – Innovative, collaborative, and driven by a clear sense of mission; engaged in her community; committed to working with different political ideologies; committed to advancing the status of women and girls; committed to transparency and good governance
• Demonstrated leadership ability, high potential for future leadership development
• Desire to engage with a global network of women in public life
• At minimum, a basic understanding of the policy-making process in your community

This fellowship occurs annually, with our 2023 programming running from April to December of this year. Selected fellows are expected to participate in the full length of the fellowship including virtual trainings and events throughout the year. If health and travel restrictions allow, they will hold one in-person convening. The time commitment is an estimated eight hours per month.

For more information, visit Vital Voices.

Miller Centre for Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program (Global)

Deadline: 31-Mar-23

If you lead a mission-driven social enterprise looking to scale a proven impact model, you’ve come to the right place! Miller Center’s Silicon Valley-based, globally recognized, investment readiness accelerator helps leaders develop pathways to scale and prepare for next-level investment.

The Foundation focuses on social enterprises working on women’s economic empowerment and/or climate resilience. With proven curricula and accompanied by their outstanding executive mentors and leadership coaches, together they’ll uncover and address gaps and opportunities in your business, and develop an action plan so you can achieve your vision for organizational growth.

Program Details

• Mentor Accompaniment
  • Work closely with two of their 300+ executive mentors, comprising diverse start-up founders, serial entrepreneurs, and senior executives who have honed their expertise in companies such as Apple, Google, Intel, Paypal, Cisco and others
  • Leverage dedicated mentoring: 180 hours of executive mentoring that is focused, immersive, and customized to your unique business needs
• Tailored Post-Accelerator Support
  • Access funding opportunities, investment facilitation, bespoke mentoring, leadership coaching, peer-to-peer leadership circles, dedicated support from undergraduate and graduate Santa Clara University students, and more
• Proven Approach
  • Apply their proven methodology that combines advanced curriculum with accompaniment by experienced mentors for 6-months of structured programming — like a “mini MBA” for social entrepreneurs
  • Take advantage of a free 3-year license for Sopact’s Impact Cloud, a leading impact platform for developing and tracking impact metrics
  • Deep dive into feedback sessions that fully prepare you to present your plans to investors
  • Prepare mock investment memos to provide investor perspectives and honest assessment of your investment readiness

Requirements

• Application
  • A senior leader (e.g., CEO, Executive Director, Managing Director)
  • Fluent in English
  • Has consistent and reliable access to internet connectivity
  • Has the availability to participate in the program’s 6-month duration, requiring an average of 4-6 hours/week
• Organizations
  • Committed to creating positive benefits for people living in poverty, addressing one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Is a social enterprise that is intentional about supporting women’s economic empowerment, climate resilience, or the intersection of both (see below for how Miller Center identifies women’s economic empowerment and climate resilience).
  • Committed to scaling its solution far beyond current operations
  • Has been operational for at least a year and is delivering products/services to customers
  • Has at least $20,000 USD (or local currency equivalent) in annual earned income and is not entirely dependent on contributions or grants
  • Has at least 3 paid, full-time employees (or equivalent)
  • Has at least 3-months of cash runway

For more information, visit Miller Centre for Social Entrepreneurship.

NOFO: DRL Democratizing Digital Transformation for Women in Business in Central and Eastern Europe

Deadline: 3-May-23

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that promote women’s entrepreneurship and financial and digital inclusion, including through trade and investment, in Central and Eastern Europe.

The project should also contribute to the dismantling of systemic gender barriers and promoting economic competitiveness through well-paying, quality jobs for women, in all their diversity, or other persons subject to gender-based discrimination in the economic sphere.  This project will support the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, the U.S. Strategy on Global Women’s Economic Security, the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund, and the Global Partnership for Action on Online Abuse and Harassment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an outsized and lingering impact on women and marginalized populations, including increasing rates of gender-based violence (GBV), while also having significant impacts on women-owned enterprises.  The pandemic has also accelerated digital transformation processes already underway for women in business.  While the increased access and use of technology has fostered women’s economic empowerment, it has also made women in business vulnerable to online and technology-facilitated GBV and sexual harassment or online abuse and harassment.

Technology-facilitated GBV manifests as stalking, bullying, sexual harassment, threats of sexual and physical abuse and violence, impersonation, hacking, image-based abuse, doxing, disinformation and defamation, hate speech, exploitation, and other forms.  It poses a grave threat to the freedom of expression and the well-being of women and girls around the world, as well as their participation in public life.  Rapid expansion and integration of technology can be exploited by anti-democratic forces and authoritarian influences to disempower key sectors of society, particularly women with intersectional identities in other marginalized communities.  Furthermore, technology-facilitated GBV may cross into the offline world as well, with survivors experiencing a combination of online and in-person physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.

Objectives

• In addition to the objectives, project activities should facilitate cross-country learning, resource sharing, and advocacy strategies for use across the region.  Illustrative activities may include, but are not limited to:
  • Promote women’s access to the digital economy and support digital inclusion of women in business, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs with attention to digital literacy, digital security, and a safer digital business environment;
  • Raise awareness of online and workplace GBV and sexual harassment, including for members of marginalized communities;
  • Research, document, and expose the particular risks faced by women in business online and highlight needs to combat online abuse and harassment;
  • Identify gaps in available tools and resources – to include methodologies and tools that serve particular industries – as well as other communities with intersectional or multiple-marginalized identities, such as LGBTQI+ persons; immigrants; persons with disabilities; and racial, ethnic, and religious minorities; among others – and provide recommendations for closing such gaps;
  • Promote private-sector protections and identify existing, or develop new, practical tools, trainings and accountability mechanisms that private-sector companies, chambers of commerce, and women’s business associations and networks can use to support women and members of marginalized communities countering technology-facilitated GBV;
  • Identify policy reform priorities to combat technology-facilitated GBV and harassment at the national and regional levels, including improved workplace and social protections for women in business to counter online abuse, and promote public-private dialogue, evidence-based advocacy campaigns, and outreach to raise awareness on the impact of and tools for addressing online abuse; and
  • Promote democratic digital governance, labor, and/or workplace reforms, company/national resources, and reporting procedures that offer better protections for women in business, especially when dealing with online abuse.

Funding Information

• Total Funding Floor: $1,975,308
• Total Funding Ceiling: $1,975,308
• Period of Performance: 36-48 months

Eligibility Criteria

• DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses. DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.
• Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

For more information, visit DRL.

Call for Consultants: Feminist Entities Mapping (Africa)

Deadline: 16-Mar-2023

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is looking for consultants to support the programmes teams in mapping and partnering different entities within the movement including: individuals; non-formal/emergent non-traditional actors & collectives; CBOs & NGOs; and national/regional partners & networks working at scale.
AWDF believes that for the African feminist movement to thrive and endure, and be impactful, different types of organising are key.  To help us to better serve these movements, they want to deepen their understanding of their key issues, trends, priorities and aspirations and how they can best be responsive to them.

If you are committed to feminist principles, have a good knowledge of the different entities in the African feminist movement and understand the ecosystem in which these entities work, they ’d love to hear from you.

AWDF believes that for the African feminist movement to thrive and endure, and be impactful, different types of organising are key. They recognise movements come in all shapes, sizes and colours and are not homogenous; and that entities have different roles in contributing to gender justice and social transformation. Their strategy aims to ensure they partner meaningfully with these diverse constituents. To help us to better serve these movements, they want to deepen their understanding of their key issues, trends, priorities and aspirations and how they can best be responsive to them.

• AWDF has a new strategic framework (2023-2033)
• At the centre of the new strategic framework is a commitment and desire to be more movement-centred
• To be able to do this, the team wants to deepen connection to and understanding of different entities (individual activists, non-traditional actors and collectives, CBOs and NGOs, and “at scale” NGOs)
• This assignment will build on and expand thinking the team has already done as part of a collaborative cross Programmes team initiative
• This work will feed particularly into the Resourcing and Agency and Resilience strategies, and also into the strategies for Solidarity and Care, Knowledge and Voice, and Impact and Learning

Aim of the Consultancy

• The aim of the consultancy is to help the resourcing team, the agency and resilience team, and other programmes teams understand and develop appropriate strategies for partnering and accompanying different entities within the movement including: individuals; non-formal/emergent non-traditional actors & collectives; CBOs & NGOs; and national/regional partners & networks working at scale. Note classification is fluid vs rigid and entities may move between these and learn from each other
• Over the next 10 years they want to be able to say AWDF’s support of these entities has resulted in changes that have enabled them and the movement as a whole to thrive and endure, and be impactful.
• They want to be open, curious, nuanced and flexible in both how they think and do.

Management of the Work – Timelines, Budget

• Cross Programmes working group
• Oversight & management
• Timeline – to start asap (March 2023) to May 2023
• Budget approx. US$20,000
• Expected number of days: 40 days in total (approximately 10 days per type of entity.

Approach

• The first three points are what you/the consultant are exploring and providing input and insight on based on your experience. Bullets 4-7 are the questions they would like explored with entities. They want an approach which gives a clear understanding of individual entities and what the sum of the parts looks like.
• The approach will be co-developed with the chosen consultants but is likely to include:
  • A framing conversation at the outset
  • Some desk-based research into how funds/others are approaching work with different entities
  • talking to selected “movement” actors/entities (mainly those not already connected to AWDF)
  • Participatory session(s) with entities with a cohort of different entities minus AWDF
  • Participatory session(s) with the programmes team to hear back what’s come from consultation & connecting the team to some entities for Q & A/conversation
  • Input of the consultant(s) into the Resourcing, and Agency and Resilience strategies to ensure they reflect what has come from the process and are fit for purpose

Key skills/Competencies

• AWDF is looking to understand the entities individually and collectively. They welcome applications for work on one, two, three or all four of the entity groups. Their ultimate decision will be based on what will best enhance their understanding of each entity group.
• As such, their ideal “consultant/s” are an individual or a team that:
  • Have a commitment to the AWDF’s values of feminist leadership, accountability, diversity, respect and solidarity.
  • Are embedded in and have a good knowledge of the different entities in the African feminist movement and understand the ecosystem these entities work in
  • Bring a participatory approach to working with the team
  • Have excellent interpersonal skills and a flexible approach
  • Can demonstrate skills in project management, execution and delivery
  • Have a proven ability to work under tight deadlines
  • Are fluent in French (desirable)
  • Have experience in strategy development (desirable).

For more information, visit Feminist Entities Mapping.

2023 Greentech Europe Accelerator Program (Europe)

Deadline Date: 20-Mar-2023

Village Capital is inviting applications for Greentech Europe Accelerator Program to support women-led greentech innovation in Europe.

Greentech Europe 2023 is an accelerator for women-led startups in Europe working on sustainability products. The program will provide the selected startups with timely training, expert advice, network support, and potential funding to allow them to thrive – and in turn help close the gender financing and resource gap in the region.

Program Structure

• 2 cohorts of 15 startups selected to receive in-depth support via Village Capital’s award-winning training curriculum, including the opportunity to get grant funding through peer-selection – a unique process that has been proven to result in investment decisions that lead to a more diverse portfolio (as highlighted in their report, Flipping the Power Dynamics)
• 2 further cohorts of 15 startups selected to participate in light-touch investment-readiness training through their online, self-paced business development curriculum.

Benefits

• Training: Their curriculum is tailored to help your company identify early milestones and prepare for your next round of capital
• Mentorship: Build 1:1 connections with investors, strategic partners and potential customers
• Financial Analysis: Work with an investment analyst who will coach you 1:1 on building a financial model, identifying unit economics, and using financial metrics
• Media Exposure: Get featured on Village Capital’s program website and other collateral
• Access to Abaca: Scale your business faster by identifying the right capital for you and planning your next milestones for growth
• Discounts: Program participants will be offered in-kind support from their benefits partners, including web hosting credits, pro-bono legal support, and more.

Eligibility Criteria

• They’re looking for (for-profit) startups that are building market-based solutions that tackle a sustainability challenge in Europe. Eligibility requirements include:
  • Location: Must have operations in (or the ability to expand business to) the European market
  • Stage: Must have a minimum viable product and meaningful customer validation, and less than $3M in equity raised
  • Team: Must have at least one full-time founder based in Europe, and co-founders to have 50%+ women representation or more than 25% of senior leadership team to be women
  • Impact: Must be developing a product which contributes towards 1 or more of the UN’s 17 SDGs

For more information, visit Greentech Europe.

11th South Asia Economic Policy Network Conference on Social Progress

Deadline: 15-Mar-2023

The Office of the Chief Economist for the South Asia Region of the World Bank, in collaboration with BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) is pleased to announce the 11th South Asia Economic Policy Network conference on Social Progress in South Asia.

While inequality in outcomes (consumption or income) in South Asia is moderate (with Gini coefficients ranging between 0.3 and 0.4), South Asia ranks among the least intergenerationally mobile regions in the world. For example, in South Asia, educational achievement is heavily dependent on the education of one’s parents: less than 9 percent of individuals whose parents’ education level was in the bottom half of the population reach levels of education of the highest educated 25 percent. These ‘sticky’ disparities in education translate into disparities in incomes and are extremely difficult to reduce.

In addition to objective inequality, perceptions or subjective measures of inequality are also important because of their implications for redistributive policies (Bénabou & Tirole, 2006, Gimpelson and Treisman, 2018). As in other parts of the world, perceptions of worsening inequality have been on the rise, even in cases where objective inequality has been stable or decreasing and, correspondingly, demands for corrective action have been increasing. For example, between 2006 and 2012 in India the share of people reporting that incomes should be more equally distributed increased from 33 to 48 percent, according to the World Value Survey data. Rather than misperceiving inequality, subjective views are likely encompassing a broader definition of inequality that correlates not only with objective inequality, but also with poverty and insecurity, as well as with fairness and social mobility, own individual or household situation, and ideology.

Against this backdrop, the World Bank, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) and the South Asia Economic Policy Network invite papers addressing one of the following (or related) questions:

• What factors drive intergenerational mobility and equality of opportunity in the South Asia region?
• What is the role of social structures such as caste systems, ethnicity, gender, and religious divisions in overall inequality in South Asia?
• What type of public policies and interventions can remove obstacles to intergenerational mobility and thereby promote equality of opportunity across individuals?
• What is the role of social movements/democratic civil society in generating evidence and raising voices?

Eligibility Criteria

• They strongly encourage the submission of internationally publishable academic papers, especially from female researchers from South Asia. The conference on May 9-10 will be in-person and hosted by BIGD (the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with the possibility of connecting online for non-speakers. The sessions will feature paper presentations, a keynote lecture, and a high-level policy panel.

For more information, visit World Bank.

Apply for Nordic Gender Equality Fund

Deadline: 3-Apr-23

The Nordic Council of Ministers issues an annual call for funding applications for projects involving at least three organisations from at least three Nordic countries.

NIKK administers the Fund on behalf of the Nordic Council of Ministers, including calls for proposals, assessment of proposals, and monitoring of results.

The Nordic Gender Equality Fund finances collaborations that promote gender equality.

Funding Information

• The amount applied for should be between DKK 50,000 and DKK 500,000.
• Organisations applying for grants need to be able to contribute at least 20 per cent themselves and/or have other sources of finance.

What can you apply for funding for?

• The following types of activities may be funded:
  • Staging of Nordic gatherings/meetings
  • Investigations/inquiries
  • Network-building
  • Activity projects
  • The participation of volunteer organisations in Nordic or international conferences/courses/meetings/gatherings
• Funding will not be granted for:
  • Activities already financed wholly or in part by Nordic Council of Ministers for Gender Equality (MR-JÄM), or the Nordic Council of Ministers.
  • Activities that submit a budget in a currency other than DKK.
  • Applications submitted after the deadline.
  • Activities that submit an incomplete application (all mandatory fields not filled in or applications without the requisite attached documentation).
  • Political party organisations.
  • Private individuals.
  • Activities whose purpose is to generate a profit or equivalent for the funding beneficiary.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Nordic Gender Equality Fund addresses a broad target group and calls for proposals are open to a variety of activities and organisations including:
  • Volunteer organisations (citizen organisations/not-for-profit organisations)
  • Networks
  • Government agencies and other public sector activities (such as municipalities, university departments, divisions, etc.)
  • Other non-commercial actors
  • Business enterprises (SMEs)
• Each project must involve at least the three Nordic countries, where the Faroe Islands, Greenland and the Aaland Islands may constitute one of these only. In addition, grants can be awarded to activities that include cooperation in neighbouring areas, i.e. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Nortwest Russia*, that also include at least two Nordic countries. The principal applicant should come from a Nordic country or the Faroe Islands, Greenland or the Aaland Islands.
• Note: Cooperation with independent organisations in Russia are now made possible, given that the activities are located outside of Russia and the independence of the organisation is confirmed in a specific vetting procedure defined by the Nordic Council of Ministers.
• The Nordic Gender Equality Fund finances activities initiated in the same year as the funding is granted and which are completed within two years from the commencement date. Activities commenced before the application deadline are not eligible for funding.

Assessment Criteria

Funding applications are to indicate how well the project meets the following criteria:

• Nordic benefit
  • This means the extent to which the project:
    • Generates significant positive effects through Nordic cooperation, compared to the project having been implemented at the national level
    • Manifests and develops Nordic cohesion, both within and outside the region
    • Contributes new infrastructure that strengthens Nordic cooperation on gender equality
    • Responds in a constructive way to the challenges of Nordic cooperation such as national barriers and differences
• Added value for gender policy
  • This refers to the extent to which the project:
    • Aims to respond to the problems of gender inequality concerning the rights, conditions, and opportunities of women and men and girls and boys, as well as the power to shape their lives and contribute to the development of society.
    • Contributes new/updated knowledge about methods and models of gender inequality/equality and/or exchanges of experience concerning knowledge about methods and models of gender inequality/equality
    • Helps to respond to the challenges identified in the Nordic cooperation programme on gender equality
    • Sustainability
    • Sustainability means here the extent to which:
    • The project design provides scope for others to draw conclusions and learn from the project’s successes and setbacks
    • The project results and efforts are expected to have lasting effects through infrastructure and products which persist after the end of the project such as networks, websites, reports, etc., and how these are designed to reach relevant target groups
• Implementation
  • Implementation here means:
    • How likely it is, in light of the applicant’s skills and experience, that the project will be implemented in the manner described by the applicants
    • What bases do the applicants have for working together, for example that they contribute different skills, perspectives and experience which means that they can complement each other

For more information, visit NIKK .

Laerdal Foundation: Saving Lives at Birth in Low-Resource Settings Program

Deadline Date: 01-Apr-2023

The Laerdal Foundation is inviting applications for the Saving Lives at Birth in Low-Resource Settings Program.

50 % of the annual appropriations have been earmarked for practically oriented projects that may help achieve the UN Sustainability Goal no 3, aiming at reducing both maternal and newborn mortality by 2/3 from 2010 to 2030.

The Board will be prioritizing projects relating to interventions on day of birth – including prevention of stillborn deaths.  Applications that go beyond a local impact and have the potential to document long term practical value and stimulate developments also in other regions/countries will be prioritized.

Funding Information

• The Board expects to fund up to 20 projects per year in this category, with a maximum amount of USD 50,000, with the average grant being around USD 30,000. The Board will carefully consider the realism of the presented budget, and whether this contains items that the Foundation according to this information is not funding.
• If the total expenses for the project should exceed the grant, the Board will consider the likelihood that the project can be carried out with required additional funding from other sources. Institutional overhead cost related to the project may be covered up to 10%.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications are particularly welcome relating to:
  • Innovative approaches to more efficient education and implementation
  • Collaborative initiatives relating to scale-up of proven concepts
  • Projects taking place in the Foundation’s focus countries: Tanzania, Ethiopia, Malawi, Bangladesh, India and Nepal.

For more information, visit Saving Lives at Birth in Low-Resource Settings.

Orange Knowledge Programme Tailor-Made Training Plus (Selected Countries)

Deadline: 14-Apr-23

Nuffic has launched a call for applications for the Orange Knowledge Programme Tailor-Made Training Plus to improve the overall functioning of an organisation sustainably by training a selected group of staff.

Tailor-Made Training Plus contributes to knowledge and skills development of staff, by specifically targeting their capacity needs. Tailor-Made Training Plus can also be set up to train professionals who have a common training need, but who are not staff members of the same organisation. Tailor-Made Training Plus must be conducted by a Dutch training provider.

Opportunities for funding group training between knowledge institutes of the Netherlands and organisations in OKP countries.

Aims

The aim of the programme is based on the Netherlands’ development cooperation policy. The programme:

• strengthens knowledge and skills of professionals active in the priority fields through scholarships and training;
• builds the capacity of organisations in higher education and TVET (Technical Vocational Education & Training), in collaboration with Dutch knowledge institutions.

Themes

• The programme offers opportunities in fields related to the priority themes of the Dutch government:
  • Food and nutrition security
  • Water, energy and climate
  • Sexual and reproductive health and rights
  • Security and the rule of law
• In addition, the following cross-cutting themes are important in all participating countries:
  • Private sector development
  • Inclusivity of women and marginalised groups
  • Environment

Funding Information

• The available funding for this deadline is € 6 million. The maximum subsidy is € 200,000 per Tailor-Made Training plus.
• For this round, the aim is to grant at least one TMT plus for each participating partner country.
• A Tailor-Made Training plus in this call has a maximum duration of 14 months. For this call all projects will start in June 2023 and must end before or on August 31 2024. Budget-neutral extensions are not possible.

Eligible Countries

• Category A: Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam
• Category B: Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Lebanon, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen

Who can submit a proposal?

Dutch institutions for secondary or higher vocational or academic education or other types of organisations that provide training courses, together with (a) requesting organization(s) from an OKP partner country, such as education and training institutions, Government Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s).

For more information, visit Nuffic.

Seed Grant for New African Principal Investigators (SG-NAPI) (Country Specific)

Deadline: 20-Apr-23

With the support of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), UNESCO- The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) launched a new programme to strengthen the capacity of African countries lagging in science and technology.

The programme is aimed at young scientists who are getting established in their country or are about to return home to an academic position. Grants are awarded to promising high-level research projects in Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Earth sciences, Engineering, Information Computer Technology, Mathematics, Medical Sciences and Physics carried out in African countries lagging in science and technology identified by TWAS.

Areas

Scientists working in the following research areas can apply for an SG-NAPI award:

• Agriculture
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Earth Sciences
• Engineering
• Information Computer Technology
• Mathematics
• Medical Sciences
• Physics

Components of the Programme

• Scientists can apply for several or all of the following components of the programme:
  • Equipment start-up grant: up to USD 20,000; allowing scientists to equip their laboratories. Purchase of fuel, fees for experts or consultants, laptops, tablets, drones and laboratory animals is not accepted and not covered.
  • Consumables grant: up to USD 15,000; allowing scientists to acquire consumables for specific research projects. Purchase of fuel, fees for experts or consultants, laptops, tablets, drones and laboratory animals is not accepted and not covered.
  • MSc. training grant: up to USD 10,000; allowing scientists to train and teach M.Sc. students within their research group. For this component, the M.Sc. form must be filled and uploaded on the application portal.
  • International conference grant: successful candidates will be provided with up to USD 3,000; for participation in an international conference.
  • Industrial link grant: up to USD 4,000; to cover travel and incidental expenses as well as laboratory bench costs of scientists who cooperate with industrial partners. The industrial partner must be either in Africa or Germany. An acceptance letter from the industrial partner must be uploaded on the application portal. Should you not have an identified a partner at the time of application, you may do so by submitting a request and justification to TWAS after receiving the award, if your application is successful.
  • South-South and South-North collaborative mobility grant: worth up to USD 10,000; to cover travel to the collaborative laboratory, accommodation during the visit and laboratory bench costs.
  • Open access international publication grant: each successful candidate will be provided up to USD 2,000 to cover fees for publication in reputable open access journals.
  • Skills-building workshop grant: each successful candidate will be provided with an opportunity to participate in a workshop which provides advice and guidance on a range of soft skills, such as: writing research proposals, presentation and communication, sustainable development, plagiarism, etc.
• The programme has an additional component which seeks to enhance the productivity of female scientists returning to academia after a maternity leave:
  • Female “scientist-after-child” grant: support for a research assistant (up to 12 months) may be offered to women scientists in the following cases: a) Scientist with a child up to 12 months of age; b) Scientist going through a pregnancy at the time of the application.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to apply in year 2023, candidates must fulfill the following criteria:

• Be 40 years or below;
• Obtained their Ph.D. within the last 5 years;
• Returned to their home country within the last 36 months;
• Hold, be offered or be in the process of accepting a position at an academic and/or research institution (including international research centers) in their home country;
• Applications from women scientists are especially encouraged.
• Be nationals of an eligible African country that is lagging in science and technology, as follows:
  • Western Africa
    • Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo.
  • Eastern Africa
    • Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Reunion, Rwanda, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda.
  • Central Africa
    • Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, São Tomé, Principe.
  • Southern Africa
    • Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

For more information, visit TWAS.

2023 Gender Equity and Advancement Accelerator Program – Apply Now! (Selected Countries)

Deadline: 4-Apr-23

Apply for the Acumen Academy’s Gender Equity and Advancement Accelerator Program to refine and develop a profitable and scalable business model that advances gender equity.

Acumen’s vision is of a world based on dignity, where every human being has an opportunity to thrive. They are seeking a cohort of entrepreneurs who, like us, believe that integrating gender equity across strategies, processes, and day-to-day work improves how they address the problems of poverty.

To support social entrepreneurs committed to leading the change in gender inclusion, the accelerator will equip leaders with the moral leadership lessons, business skills, and learnings from the successful portfolio companies to continue scaling their enterprises in a gender inclusive way.

Learn How To

• Develop hard-edged leadership skills necessary for building an inclusive and sustainable business solution. These include (but are not limited to): practicing courage, deep listening, polarity management, and stepping outside the status quo
• Refine and develop a profitable and scalable business model tackling poverty at its core
• Embed and expand gender inclusion into your business through market, workforce, and value-chain entry points
• Sharpen your presentation skills and practice pitching to an audience
• Join a lifelong global community of social entrepreneurs who are committed to tackling injustice and accompanying each other through their leadership and entrepreneurial journeys

How it Works

• During this 12-week program, you will learn the essentials for building a scalable business model that achieves both profitability and impact. Working alongside your close-knit cohort of entrepreneurial peers and Acumen experts, you’ll develop your leadership and business skills as you design your plan to embed gender equity as you scale.
• As a participant, you’ll gain access to industry-specific case studies, video tutorials and practical readings, and receive invaluable one-on-one support and guidance from the team. Each week, you’ll complete assignments designed to help you think critically about your business model and introduce you to gender-inclusive best practices. During the leadership sessions, you’ll be challenged to redefine success and develop the moral imagination to create a society centered on dignity — then employ your new leadership and business skills to make it a reality.
• You’ll also gain access to tools and teachings from Value for Women, including a training on the entry points, policies, and practices that will help you work towards becoming a gender equitable business.
• The program will culminate with a closing gathering, including pitch practice and a celebration for all the hard work, lessons learned, and new relationships you’ll take with you as you scale your business in a gender-inclusive way.

Time Commitment and Course Access

• You should expect to spend at least 5 hours per week on the readings and assignments. Most of this work can be done on your own schedule.
• One participant from the leadership team of your enterprise (‘Lead Participants’) will be required to take part in the Learning Labs every week. Up to 10 people from your enterprise may receive access to the online curriculum materials (readings, case studies, videos etc.).

Benefits

• What’s Included?
  • Facilitated virtual Learning Labs for peer learning and discussion
  • Leadership lessons such as Listening to Voices Unheard and Partnering with Humility and Audacity
  • One-on-one consultation calls with Acumen’s team
  • Video tutorials on customer discovery, sales and marketing, financial modeling, pitching, and more
  • Unconscious bias training, workshops, and self-assessment strategies for embedding gender inclusivity into your scaling plan
  • Case studies from social enterprises that have successfully scaled and contributed to gender equity and advancement
• Graduate into the Acumen Foundry
  • Upon completing the 12-week program, participants are admitted to The Foundry, an invite-only community designed to accompany entrepreneurs and leaders from around the world by connecting them with the social capital (resources and relationships) to amplify their work in building a just, inclusive, and sustainable world.
  • Foundry members have exclusive access to:
    • Events to learn and connect with fellow foundry members
    • Professional development opportunities that may include pro-bono consulting services and professional leadership coaching
    • Experts within the Acumen Ecosystem for mentorship or advisory sessions
    • Referrals to affiliated leadership programs and platforms
    • Access to funding, grants offered ad hoc by other organizations, or referrals within the Acumen network

Eligibility Criteria

• Whilst the program is sector-agnostic, Acumen’s primary sectors of interest in East and West Africa are as follows: Agriculture, Energy, Healthcare, Education, and Recycling. They particularly encourage people working in these sectors to apply.
• This accelerator is open to social entrepreneurs who:
  • Run a social enterprise (nonprofit or for-profit) based in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia) or West Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Gambia) who are working to solve problems of poverty and dignity
  • Are dedicated to investing in their personal and business growth
  • Are deeply committed to the work of tackling poverty and injustice and are interested in being part of a global community bound by values
  • Have an enterprise that has been operational for 18 months or more (please note: if this is your second or third venture, this requirement is flexible. Be sure to include this in your application.)
  • Have a team of three or more full-time staff
  • Have a commitment to serving women across three entry points, and evidence of action in at least one:
    • Market (products and services)
    • Internal organization (workforce and policies)
    • Value chain (supply and distribution)

Schedule

• Module 1 – Visions of Scale for Social Enterprise Business Models
• Module 2 – Customer Insights
• Module 3 – Aligning a Pricing, Sales and Marketing Strategy to Your Value Proposition
• Module 4 – Operational Model: Team and Partnerships
• Module 5 – Gender Equity and Advancement as You Scale
• Module 6 – Building Your Financial Story and Model
• Module 7 – Pitching the Strategic Story of Your Business
• Module 8 – Moral Leadership: Exploring Your Values and Identity

For more information, visit Acumen Academy.

Call for Applications: Climate Justice Feminist Participatory Action Research on False Solutions

Deadline: 25-Mar-23

The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) invites feminists and women’s rights organisations across Asia and the Pacific region to apply for the Climate Justice Feminist Participatory Action Research (CJ FPAR) on False Solutions, 2023-2024.

The aim of this FPAR is to increase the capacity of feminists and grassroots women in Asia and the Pacific to document their lived realities and expose the impacts of false solutions on women’s human rights to further influence climate policies and discussions from local to global level.

This FPAR will support six to eight national and/or grassroots organisations led by women across Asia and the Pacific region with experience in working in challenging false solutions. The small sub-grant should cover salary costs of a dedicated young woman researcher and activities to strengthen the capacity of women and their communities involved in the FPAR. Another flow of sub-grant, following the completion of the FPAR, will be provided to the partner organisations to conduct advocacy activities at local and national levels to support their FPAR journey.

Throughout this FPAR, the assigned mentors and young women researchers will be provided with opportunities to access high level capacity building programmes, climate related advocacy spaces particularly at regional and global levels, and networking with wider movements working on climate crises. FPAR modules will also be provided to the mentors and young women researchers to learn research skills including data gathering that are participatory with feminist lens of analysis.

Objectives

• Overall Objective
  • To increase the capacity of feminists and grassroots women’s organisations and movements in Asia and the Pacific to document their lived realities and expose the impacts of false solutions on women’s human rights to further influence climate policies and discussions from local to global level.
• Specific Objectives
  • Develop the capacity of feminists and grassroots women to document, investigate, and analyse false solutions, their manifestations and impacts on women’s human rights in Asia and the Pacific.
  • Foster knowledge and resources on the impacts of climate injustices and false climate solutions rooted in globalisation, fundamentalisms, militarism and patriarchy on feminists and grassroots women in Asia and the Pacific.
  • Establish and strengthen strategic advocacy plans and opportunities to amplify women’s voices and solutions as a counter narrative to the false climate solutions, influencing policies at all levels that uphold women’s human rights and bring about systemic change.
  • Strengthen solidarity and institutional development of FPAR partners through leadership development for movement building.

 Funding Information

• APWLD will provide each of the FPAR partners with a small sub-grant to employ a young woman researcher to carry out the research, which includes a monthly salary during this FPAR journey.
• Overall budget proposed by a partner must not exceed USD 14,000.
• This sub-grant supports advocacy, capacity building and research of the selected partners, however, does not include any other costs related to institutional sustainability or maintenance.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be non-governmental, non-profit, feminists and women’s human rights and/or women-led organisations in Asia and the Pacific that demonstrate the following:
  • Experience in working with grassroots women and their communities;
  • Familiarity with the context and reality of climate crises including the impact of false solutions facing women at local and national levels;
  • Provide a dedicated mentor and young woman researcher throughout the entire FPAR period;
  • Capacity to conduct participatory research methodologies that contribute to strengthen democratic leadership of feminists and grassroots women in Asia and the Pacific;
  • Able to communicate in English or to provide a dedicated translator/interpreter to support the research team throughout the FPAR journey;
• Highly desirable partner organisations:
  • Organisations from Central Asia, East Asia and the Pacific sub-regions;
  • Recommended through a letter of endorsement from APWLD members;
  • Direct experience in conducting participatory research methods;
  • Direct experience in advocacy and campaign work related to climate crisis and women’s human rights, particularly in challenging false solutions;
  • Ability to produce and submit reports and various FPAR related documents in English;

For more information, visit APWLD.

Call for Application: L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Regional Program (Selected Countries)

Deadline Date: 24-Mar-2023

The Foundation L’Oréal and UNESCO have launched Women in Science sub-Saharan Africa regional program to promote and encourage the participation of young African women in science.

This program identifies and rewards young talented researchers in the formal sciences, life and environmental sciences, material sciences, engineering sciences and technological sciences.

Since the inception of the sub-Saharan Africa regional program, the majority of applications received have been from South Africa. Given the importance of the challenges of African scientific research and the commitment to encourage more women scientists across sub-Saharan Africa, they decided to split the initial regional program into two separate programs:

A national program dedicated to South Africa.

The regional program for sub-Saharan Africa, dedicated to the 48 other countries of the region.

Funding Information

For this 14th edition, 20 endowments will be given to encourage young researchers currently in doctoral or post-doctoral studies to pursue a brilliant scientific career.

• 15 endowments of 10,000 € each, will be allocated to 15 doctoral students enrolled in a doctoral school and in a research laboratory in sub-Saharan Africa.
• 5 endowments of € 15,000 each, will be allocated to 5 post-docs working in a laboratory or research institute in sub-Saharan Africa.

Eligibility Criteria

• For doctoral students
  • Having the nationality of one of the 48 countries in the sub-Saharan African region.
  • And being enrolled in a doctoral school and carry out their doctorate in a research laboratory in one of the 49 countries in the region (including South Africa) OR
  • Having the nationality of one of the 49 countries in the sub-Saharan African region (including South Africa).
  • And being enrolled in a doctoral school and carry out their doctorate in a research laboratory in one of the 48 countries of sub-Saharan Africa Therefore, applicants originally from South Africa doing their research in South Africa are not eligible for this program.
  • Conducting research in one of the scientific fields listed.
  • Students in their first year PhD are not eligible.
• For post-doctorates
  • Having the nationality of one of the 48 countries in the sub-Saharan African region.
  • And being enrolled in post-doctorate in a research laboratory or an institution in one of the 49 countries in the region (including South Africa) OR
  • Having the nationality of one of the 49 countries in the sub-Saharan African region (including South Africa).
  • And being enrolled in a post-doctorate in a research laboratory or an institution in one of the 48 countries of sub-Saharan Africa Therefore, applicants originally from South Africa doing their research in South Africa are not eligible for this programme.
  • Having obtained a doctorate in one of the scientific fields listed.
  • Have defended their thesis after February 2018. If the postdoctoral applicant has one or more children, this deadline is brought forward by one year per child.
  • Conducting research in one of the scientific fields listed, having started the post-doctorate before 01/02/2023, opening date of the call for application.
  • Note: Candidates who have already been supported by one of the national or regional L’OréalUNESCO For Women in Science program are not eligible.

For more information, visit L’Oréal-UNESCO.

UNDP-4YFN Women Innovators Programme in the Arab States (Selected Countries)

Deadline Date: 19-Mar-2023

Applicants are invited to submit applications for the Women Innovators Programme, a mentorship programme for women-led, digital, social impact-oriented start-ups in the Arab States.

The Women Innovators Programme (WIP) is a partnership between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Arab States and Four Years From Now (4YFN), the start-up platform of the global mobile operators’ association, GSMA.

Since 2021, WIP has provided 500+ hours of mentorship to 50 start-ups from 16 countries across the Arab States. In addition, participants have had the opportunity to pitch to international investors at an annual Demo Day event, participate in GSMA’s Mobile World Congress, and join peer-to-peer and group learning sessions on topics of interest.

Benefits

• Mentorship will take place entirely virtually over a period of approximately 3 months, with at least 10 hours of mentorship during that period in addition to approximately 2 hours of peer-to-peer and group learning sessions per month. The programme will begin in May, with a high-level launch event and introductions between participants and mentors. A virtual demo day will be held at the end of the mentorship period, with presentations to international investors. The demo day is organised with the purpose of providing exposure to the start-ups, without any guarantee of funding.
• Mentorship support will be available in the following areas, depending on the start-ups’ needs:
  • Business planning and strategy
  • Pricing and commercial strategy
  • Talent and recruitment
  • Management and organizational culture
  • International expansion
  • Product management
  • Marketing, storytelling and public relations
  • Fundraising and pitch-perfect
  • Financial management
  • Technology and engineering
  • Innovation management, intellectual property protection

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should fulfill the below criteria:

• Women from the Arab States who are Founders, Co-Founders or on the Executive Board of the Start-up.
• Startups that provide digital-based solutions including but not limited to: Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics, Augmented & Virtual Reality, 3D & 4D Printing, Cloud Computing, Big Data, Blockchain, Drone Technology and Biometrics, E-Commerce.
• Start-ups should be at least Early Stage (i.e. beyond ideation) and already in the market (providing a product or service to their target market).
• Start-up solutions contribute to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Start-ups should be based in one of the following Arab States: Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, State of Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, & Yemen.
• Participants commit to actively participating in the full mentorship programme.
• Participants are able to communicate effectively in English (given the international nature of the mentors).

For more information, visit United Nations Development Programme.

Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy Fellowship (Selected Countries)

Deadline: 12-Apr-23

The African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) is currently accepting applications for its Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellowship, a career development program that targets mid-career African women in the policy field to catalyze the design and implementation of gender-responsive agricultural policies across Africa.

The Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellowship is a career development program that targets mid-career African women in the policy field to catalyze the design and implementation of gender-responsive agricultural policies across Africa.

An initiative of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the GRASP Fellowship is fostering policy change across institutions and national governance systems for women’s empowerment. Through the GRASP Fellowship, AWARD seeks to grow a pool of confident and capable African women to lead policy changes to improve African smallholders’ livelihoods.

The GRASP Fellowship will offer targeted leadership and mentoring training, catalytic funding, and access to networks to enable beneficiaries to lead policy-making processes for agricultural transformation in Africa. The non-residential Fellowship includes virtual and in-person activities spread over two years for each cohort.

Fellowship Priorities

• Catalyzing gender-responsive policies
• Fostering mentoring partnerships
• Building networks and communities of practice
• Incentivizing collaboration toward evidence-based policies
• Enhancing technical capabilities.

Fellowship Structure

• Immersive Training Courses
• Three-tier mentoring program
• Policy Innovation Projects.

Eligibility Criteria

• African women policy practitioners who are citizens of Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Senegal
• Applicants must have at least a master’s degree and 10 years of experience in gender, agriculture, and food systems, working on policy issues at national, regional, or continental levels
• Applicants must be affiliated with either government organizations, non-government, private sector, development, civil society, regional and sub-regional communities, or academia

Ideal AWARD Policy Fellows

• The Fellowship targets women policy practitioners who can meet a range of criteria. The ideal AWARD Policy Fellows will:
  • Explain the top policy challenges or questions they are working on
  • Show how they have played a leadership role in policy development and implementation, particularly in projects at the nexus of agricultural development, food systems, and gender equality
  • Clearly articulate what policy idea they will work on under the policy innovation projects.

Selection Process

• The AWARD Policy Fellows will be competitively identified through a rigorous selection process that will include assessing their experience and leadership potential in gender, agriculture, and food systems policy development.
• Potential AWARD Policy Fellows will respond to an open call for application that will require them to demonstrate their suitability for the Fellowship.
• A selection panel of global experts in the policy field,  food systems, and related fields will review the applications and select the successful applicants.

For more information, visit Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy.

Fourth Call for Propsals: RERIPA Project

Deadline: 17-Mar-23

The RERIPA Project is launching its fourth Call for proposals dedicated to contributing to Pacific education/knowledge on Research and Innovation processes and tools, with a reference to Living Labs outputs against CCI.

Objectives 

Strengthen a Pacific-based framework for education / knowledge on R&I ( with a focus on CCI and its mitigation) with:

• SO1: increase innovation capacities of stakeholders through adoption/diffusion of solutions resulting from Living Labs
• SO2: contribute to higher education and vocational training regarding R&I knowledge and tools in a Pacific Islands context (CCI).
• SO3: promote programs which emphasize how adaptation or mitigation solutions can guide R&I efforts.
• SO4: contribute to intra-Pacific exchanges of data,knowledge, and experience concerning Innovation related to CCI
• SO5: use digital technology to disseminate research and innovation results in the large Pacific region

Main Features

• Design and implement:
  • teaching and learning workshops and material for NGOs, citizens, Politics, associations, companies;
  • teaching /learning workshops and material for teachers of university & higher school;
  • teaching educational content materials in different languages for different audiences (NGOs,citizens, politics) from living labs activities and integrate into existing training programs;
  • programs of learning by doing activities, field work, etc. with the Living Labs consortia of public-privatestakeholders
  • a high-level, multi-national, training framework for young scientists;
  • an institutional framework that fosters public / private partnerships in the R&I chain;
  • NB: Optimize / make the best use of digital technology for innovative learning approaches
• Products/results:
  • training users/beneficiaries on innovation (cf. call 2 outputs // project engineering, open innovation, impact pathway, intellectual property, innovation brokering…);
  • educational and workshop content/programs on innovation with a focus on to CCI;
  • inventory, improvement and promotion of digital technology for innovative learning approaches (improve knowledge accessibility for “all publics”);
  • contributing to the design of an institutional framework to reinforce R&I partnerships
  • contribute to Pacific Islands – based Climate & Environmental Science curriculum.

Funding Information

• The Lead Applicant should submit a proposal not exceeding 300,000 Euros.
• A successful Applicant (as Lead Applicant or Co-applicant) will not receive over 400,000 Euros as a cumulative amount of the different grants obtained from the 4 RERIPA calls.

Eligible Countries

Applicants (legal entities) from the following ACP Countries are eligible to apply as Lead Applicant or Partners: Cook Islands, East Timor, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Eligibility Criteria

• Category 1: Academic and research institutions /organizations.
• Category 2: Innovation support organizations (i.e., tech hubs, innovation labs and technology transfer offices); incubators and start-ups; university spin-offs; Vocational and Education Training providers; national science, technology, and innovation agencies.
• Category 3: Organizations representing indigenous and local communities; agencies and associations working for gender equality in research and innovation; nongovernmental organizations.
• Category 4: Other similar organizations with specific experience in the priority fields of this call.
• Consortium comprising at least 3 Applicants (including the Lead Applicant) established in the eligible countries listed above and from at least 2 eligible countries, with at least 1 Academic & research institution/organisation (Category 1), one from Category 2 and one from Category 3, from the list of eligible applicants above.

For more information, visit RERIPA.

Pacific American Fund: Call for Concept Notes

Deadline: 31-Mar-23

The Pacific American Fund Year 3 Grants Cycle is now seeking concept papers from Pacific Islands-based organizations addressing: climate change adaptation; environment, biodiversity conservation, and natural resource governance; disaster risk reduction, and disaster resilience building; access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. All grants are required to address gender equality, women’s empowerment, gender-based violence, and social inclusion.

The Pacific American Fund will determine the most appropriate types of grants agreement prior to award, as applicable. The four types of possible grants that may be awarded by the Pacific American Fund include:

• Standard Grants, cost-reimbursable grants that allow for procurement of equipment, international travel, and other relatively complex costs, generally managed only by wellestablished grantees with strong USAID past experience;
• Simplified Grants, cost-reimbursable grant mechanisms but do not involve any complex or administratively challenging costs (may not exceed $250,000);
• Fixed Amount Awards, whereby payment to the grantee is based on achieving predefined milestones, and supporting activities when the program scope is specific and adequate cost, historical, or pricing data is used to establish a fixed amount award (may not exceed $250,000); and
• In-kind Grants are mechanisms whereby the Pacific American Fund assumes responsibility for all procurements and other financial responsibilities and, as a result, no money is transferred to the grantee.

Sectoral Priorities

• Note that all Concept Notes must address at least one or more of the following sectors:
  • Climate Change Adaptation: Activities in this priority sector work to enhance resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change of people, places, and livelihoods.
  • Environment, Biodiversity Conservation, and Natural Resource Governance: The aim of activities in this sector is to ensure that the environment and the natural resources upon which human lives and livelihoods depend are managed in ways that sustain productivity growth, a healthy population, as well as the intrinsic spiritual and cultural value of the environment.
  • Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Resilience: This sectoral priority encompasses disaster risk reduction, disaster readiness, and related capacity building, preparedness, and planning. It aims to reduce vulnerabilities to disasters and respond better to humanitarian emergencies.
  • Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH): Activities in this sectoral priority must work towards ensuring broadly accessible, reliable and economically sustainable water and sanitation services for health, security, and prosperity.

Funding Information

• Subject to availability of funds, solicitations will be open to fund grants in one of two Grant Ranges: (1) up to USD150,000; (2) USD150,001 to USD 1,000,000.
• Duration: The period of performance for each grant may vary but must fall between a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 20 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must have established financial management, internal control systems, and policies and procedures that comply with established U.S. Government rules and regulations and cost principles and the Mandatory Standard Provisions for non-U.S. nongovernmental organizations. All potential awardees will be subject to a financial responsibility determination made by the Pacific American Fund that may include a pre-award survey and/or an audit.
• Local and regional entities are eligible to submit Concept Notes as part of the Pacific American Fund grant application process. Local entities are defined as an individual, a corporation, a nonprofit organization, or another body of persons that: a. is legally organized under the laws of; b. has as its principal place of business or operations in; c. is majority owned by individuals who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of; and managed by a governing body the majority of who are citizens or lawful permanent residents of a country receiving assistance from funds appropriated under title III of the Consolidated Appropriations Act
• Regional entities are defined as an organization that meets the criteria of a local entity and operates in any of the countries covered by a program funding area and benefits from the particular program.
• New local and regional entities are encouraged to apply.
• Local and regional Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) eligible to receive a Pacific American Fund grant award include:
  • Local, national, or regional NGOs;
  • Universities, academic institutions, advocacy groups, and umbrella organizations that represent multiple NGO members;
  • Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) operating nationally, regionally, or internationally that qualify for funding under Executive Order 13279; and
  • Private sector entities such as companies, chambers of commerce, and associations.

For more information, visit Pacific American Fund.

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives to Support Small Scale Projects

Deadline: 20-Mar-23

The High Commission of Canada in Australia is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners.

Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassy or high commission. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

Thematic Priorities

• All projects must align with at least one of the following CFLI thematic priorities:
  • Human dignity, covering health, education and nutrition.
  • Environment and climate action focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as on water management.
  • Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
  • Growth that works for everyone, including women’s economic rights, decent jobs and entrepreneurship, investing in the poorest and most vulnerable, and safeguarding economic gains.
  • Inclusive governance, including diversity, democracy, human rights, LGBTQ2+rights and the rule of law.
  • Peace and security, with a focus on conflict prevention and building peace.

Funding Information

• New partners can apply for up to $50,000 Canadian Dollars (CAD). Applicants who have previously receivedCFLI funding can apply for up to $100,000 CAD. However, there must be a clear distinction between the activities and beneficiaries of your previous project and the new proposal.

Eligible Costs

• The following project costs are eligible for CFLI funding:
  • accounting costs
  • administrative and overhead costs related to the project (overhead should not exceed 15% of total CFLI contribution)
  • advocacy and lobbying related costs
  • capital and/or operating expenditures related to the lease and/or purchase and/or building of infrastructure
  • civic education costs
  • conference and event expenditures
  • costs of services received by recipients
  • domestic travel expenses, using lowest fares possible but not exceeding full fare economy class
  • environmental assessment costs
  • facilities charges,
  • equipment rental, and/or purchase (only when the purchase is required to meet project objectives, reflects good value for money, and the recipient has a strong care-and-maintenance plan in place for equipment sustainability),
  • hospitality costs, excluding alcoholic beverages
  • installation, maintenance, shipping and/or transportation costs, including fuel,
  • computers and communication devices
  • lease or rental of vehicles
  • legal costs
  • medical costs
  • miscellaneous expenses integral to the project
  • outreach, communication and information dissemination costs
  • publishing costs
  • radio and television broadcast fees
  • research-related costs
  • salary costs, including stipends, relating to the project,
  • security costs
  • training and capacity building expenditures
  • translation and interpretation fees
  • vehicle and equipment operation, installation and/or maintenance
  • website development and related costs.

Focus Countries: Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible recipients include:
  • Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,
  • Local academic institutions working on local projects,
  • International non-governmental organizations working on local development activities,
  • Intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities,
  • Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects, and
  • Canadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities.
  • The majority of CFLI funding is to be directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as international, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional organizations may be eligible for funding, provided they are working with local partners and on local projects that are consistent with the objectives of the CFLI. Similarly, municipal, regional and national government institutions may receive funding, provided that their projects are essentially local in nature. The CFLI is always looking to fund innovative projects that deliver measurable results.

For more information, visit Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.

Open Competition to Promote Bilateral Relationships Between the U.S. and Mauritius and Seychelles

Deadline Date: 01-Jul-2023

The U.S. Embassy Port Louis Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations or individuals to submit a Statement of Interest (SOI) to carry out a program (or programs) to promote bilateral relationships between the U.S. and Mauritius and Seychelles.

Program Objectives

All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.

Examples of potential small grants programs include, but are not limited to:

• Academic and professional lectures, seminars, workshops, and speaker programs;
• Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions;
• Activities that encourage women’s empowerment and gender equality, respect for underserved and underrepresented individuals, empower marginalized and disadvantaged communities, and encourage social inclusion, access to resources, and fundamental human rights for all.
• Programs developed by an alumnus/a of a U.S.-government sponsored educational youth entrepreneurship, empowerment, and/or leadership programs;
• Programs that support media and freedom of expression.

Priority Program Areas

• A free and open Indo-Pacific, encourage good governance and transparency, strengthen civil society or democratic institutions.
• Youth and women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, and STEM programs.
• Sustained economic growth, trade, and investment (this may include programs on entrepreneurship, capacity-building, business incubators, and opportunities to convene investors with businesses.)
• Promoting civic education and youth participation in civics, democratic processes, volunteerism, and community service.
• Build media capacity and counter disinformation.
• Respect for underserved and underrepresented individuals, empower marginalized and disadvantaged communities, encourage social inclusion, access to resources, and fundamental human rights for all.
• Joint academic research in partnership with U.S. universities or organizations to accelerate responses and adaptation to climate change.
• English language promotion that uses innovative techniques, tools, and U.S. materials for classroom teaching and learning.
• Promoting the themes above through sports or arts.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: up to 18 months.
• Number of awards anticipated: approximately 4 awards, dependent on availability of funding and amounts requested.
• Award amounts: Minimum of $3,000 and maximum of $25,000.

Participants and Audiences

Proposals must identify a clearly defined target audience that the project seeks to influence or impact. Well-defined audiences are countable and accessible through the project’s activities. Proposals should specify the changes in knowledge, understanding, attitudes, or behavior change in attitudes or behavior action that they seek with the project—and how they plan to measure these outcomes.

Eligibility Criteria

The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from U.S., Mauritian, and Seychellois:

• Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience;
• Individuals;
• Non-profit or governmental educational institutions;
• Governmental institutions.

Applicants should be able to document their experience implementing similar projects.  For-profit businesses or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Mauritius & Seychelles.

2023 EU Award for Roma integration in the Western Balkans and Türkiye

Deadline: 15-Mar-23

The call for applications for the fifth EU Award for Roma integration in the Western Balkans and Türkiye is now open.

This year’s edition of the award is dedicated to the Roma inclusion dimension in the digital agenda and the green economy, which represent new opportunities for improving the position of vulnerable Roma women and men in the region in the future.

The 2023 EU Roma Integration Award will promote private or public initiatives by various relevant Roma and non-Roma players – public institutions, private companies and businesses, employers, teachers and civil society organisations – to enhance the role of Roma in both implementing and benefitting from the green economy and digital agenda.

Aim

• The award will help draw attention to concrete efforts by various relevant Roma and non-Roma players – public institutions, private companies and businesses, employers, teachers, civil society organizations – to enhance the role of Roma in both implementing and benefitting from the green economy and digital agenda, in the fields of, but not limited to, housing, employment, innovation etc., and digital policy priorities. Gender equality and the empowerment of Roma women will be an important dimension. The award will additionally help to recognise approaches and initiatives that have helped and scored significant progress and changes in the lives of Roma people, through the implementation of green economy and digital smart solutions, and that could be replicated in other context and places. Specifically, the award is intended:
  • To further draw attention to the role and contribution of green economy and digitalisation for improving the position of vulnerable Roma women and men in the region.
  • To promote successful models of green economy and digital solutions that have brought positive changes to the Roma communities.
  • To make visible the support and work of the European Union for the Roma inclusion in the enlargement countries.
  • To foster cooperation among the actors involved in the process of Roma inclusion.
  • To ensure recognition and sustainability of identified actions implemented at grassroots level.
  • To identify and share positive examples of work of individuals, public institution, private companies, business and CSOs and at local level in the field of Roma inclusion in relation to the green economic development and digital agenda.
• An independent evaluation panel will review the applications and select the winners of the award.
• Non for profit Civil Society and individual awardees, may furthermore receive a financial support to continue their initiatives in the field of green economy and digitalisation for Roma inclusion. These award winners eligible for financial support will receive a monetary award.

The criteria for selecting these entities and giving the financial support

The main selection criteria but not limited to, are: Please adapt to this year theme

• Extent of impact of initiative on quantity and quality of Roma integration, green future and/or digital agenda.
• Extent of addressing of gender dimension in integration of Roma.
• Extent of impact of initiative in Roma communities and lives.
• Extent of initiative’s promotion of equal treatment for Roma.
• Extent of sustainability.
• Success in applying a gender equality approach.

Funding Information

The award winners eligible for financial support will receive a monetary award of 7500 Euro the first prize and 4500 the second prize. All awardees will win a study visit in Brussels, Belgium. Each winner will receive a statue as a symbol of the recognition given by the EC DG NEAR and the event itself.

Activities

The different types of activities eligible for financial support, on the basis of a fixed list The activities to be awarded (whether through a monetary and non-monetary award) should have resulted in, or have good potential to contribute to, inclusion and support measures, through green economy and/or digital solutions, and may include Beyond the below comments please align with my track changes to the application.

• Advocacy and lobbying resulting on adoption and implementation of legal frameworks, strategies and action plans contributing to building and/or increasing to digital literacy, fighting online hate speech against Roma, access to digital education, employment, and services and empowerment through digital solutions for Roma.
• Efforts delivering concrete and sustainable results to assist Roma digitalisation of their companies, Initiatives improving the access of Roma to distant education.
• Education, training, mentoring resulting in increasing use of digital skills and increased presence of Roma youth in the green economy and digital employment.
• Digital literacy of Roma and building green economy sustainable future for all.
• Support resulting in improved transfer of technologies, know-how and competencies.
• Combating antigypsyism in the new challenging digital era and,
• Specific actions favouring Roma women empowerment.
• Roma Entrepreneurship resulting in increased opportunities for Roma in the field of green economy and digital agenda.
• Social – green economy entrepreneurship resulting in Roma empowerment.

Eligibility Criteria

The award welcomes applications and nominations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, The Republic of North Macedonia, and Türkiye.

The award of the winners falls under PRAG rules, 6.9.2. Financial support to third parties; to support their work in general. The eligible competitors should:

• Be Roma and non-Roma individuals or entities from public institutions; private sector and Civil Society Organisation (including teachers and healthcare actors, small businesses and social enterprises); and
• Be registered in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, The Republic of North Macedonia, Kosovo and Türkiye; and
• Having through their work made a significant contribution to capitalising on green and digital developments for the purpose of enhanced social inclusion of Roma in the Western Balkans and Türkiye; and
• The individual and entity has been implementing initiatives related to Roma employment/entrepreneurship of Roma men and women, in the context of green and digital agendas for a minimum of 1 year that for their approach or result constitute an important contribution to Roma access to development of the digital agenda and could be reproduced as model in other areas of the enlargement region.
• The entity must prove that the initiative for which the application is made has been carried out for a minimum of 6 months prior to applying for the award, and has already given results.

For more information, visit EU.

USAID MEPPA People-to-People Partnership for Peace Fund Grants Activity

Deadline: 27-Apr-23

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) intends to issue an APS to implement the USAID/West Bank and Gaza People-to-People Partnership for Peace Fund Activity.

Under the auspices of MEPPA, USAID’s People-to-People Partnership for Peace Fund supports Israeli-Palestinian partnerships with funding through two initiatives:

• the People-to-People Partnership for Peace Fund Grants Activity and
• the Building Regional Economic Bridges (BREB) activity. BREB promotes partnerships and linkages between regional businesses, civil society, and academia; fosters new markets; provides direct assistance to companies to expand trade; and enhances investment in the local economy.

APS seeks to engage people directly affected by the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially women and youth. Activities will encourage Israeli-Palestinian partnerships, including civil society initiatives and consortia, that address shared development challenges. Activities will encourage grassroots efforts that can build popular support for negotiations between the representatives of the parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with an eye toward advancing a sustainable agreement for lasting peace.

Goal

The overall goal of MEPPA is to build the foundation for peaceful co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians and enable a sustainable two-state solution. Working toward that vision, this funding opportunity seeks to strengthen people-to-people grassroots linkages to address common challenges and enhance peacebuilding momentum to affect institutional and policy change.

Objectives

This funding opportunity for the MEPPA People-to-People Partnership for Peace Fund Grants Activity aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Increase partnership between Palestinians and Israelis, and Arab and Jewish Israelis, to address issues of common interest or concern.
• Bolster efforts by Palestinians and Israelis to address internal divisions that must be overcome to foster peaceful coexistence.
• Improve partnerships between Palestinian and Israeli key actors to address issues of common concern.
• Improve the enabling environment for cross-border partnership, particularly in development sectors, such that policies, procedures, and structures allow Palestinians and Israelis to engage in meaningful interactions across sectors without any barriers and fear of intimidation.
• Strengthen the resilience of peacebuilding constituencies and institutions.

Focus Areas

Competitive applications will integrate a people-to-people approach through joint activities that advance MEPPA objectives, regardless of the sector. The list below provides illustrative examples of potential areas for cooperation, but many more types of interventions could be considered under this APS.

• Empowering women and youth to take part in peacebuilding efforts.
• Engaging community leaders and encouraging joint advocacy efforts.
• Engaging faith leaders to build trust and deepen cooperation across religious communities.
• Supporting youth innovation or entrepreneurship, especially in disadvantaged communities.
• Building the capacity of mental health service providers to expand access to psychosocial support.
• Enhancing economic opportunities for marginalized groups.
• Addressing shared environmental concerns and promoting sustainable solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Funding Information

• Award Ceiling: $5,000,000
• Award Floor: $100,000

Eligibility Criteria

• Qualified U.S. or non-U.S. organizations, non-profit, or for-profit entities may apply for funding under this APS.
• USAID encourages applications from new partners.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Canada Fund for Local Initiatives in Sudan and Eritrea

Deadline: 16-Mar-23

The Embassy of Canada to Sudan and Eritrea is pleased to launch the annual “Call for Proposals” under the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) for projects to be carried out in Sudan and Eritrea during the 2023-2024 funding cycle.

The CFLI is designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program seeks projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the Embassy of Canada. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and Sudan and its civil society by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

Thematic Priority Areas

• Inclusive Governance, Democracy and Human Rights
• Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls
• Peace and Security

Funding Information

• The average CFLI contribution is $15,000 to $40,000 Canadian Dollars, with a maximum contribution of $50,000. All contributions are made in Canadian dollars and converted to local currency (Sudanese Pounds or US Dollars).

Eligibility Criteria

• Organizations are encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible for early review and consideration. Applications submitted after this deadline may not be considered.
• Only those proposals using the designated application form and the required budget document will be considered.
• Proposals must be completed in English or French.
• Applications will be assessed for approval on their merits by a selection committee.
• Due to the large number of applicants, only the successful candidates will be contacted.
• Project applications are kept on file at missions in accordance with Global Affairs Canada’s information management policies.

For more information, visit Embassy of Canada in Sudan and Eritrea.

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives in Panama

Deadline Date: 26-Mar-2023

The Embassy of Canada in Panama is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassy or high commission. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

Thematic Priorities

CFLI will specifically focus on Gender Equality, LGBTI Rights and Human Rights.

All projects must align with at least one of the following CFLI thematic priorities:

• Inclusive governance, including diversity, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
• Peace and security, with a focus on conflict prevention and building peace.
• Growth that works for everyone, including women’s economic rights, decent jobs and entrepreneurship, investing in the poorest and most vulnerable, and safeguarding economic gains.
• Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
• Human dignity, covering health, education and nutrition.
• Environment and climate action focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as on water management.

Funding Information

The average CFLI contribution is $10,000 to $25,000 Canadian Dollars (CAD$100,000 is the maximum allocation amount for a project eligible under CFLI).

Eligible Costs

The following project costs are eligible for CFLI funding:

• Accounting costs.
• ADMINISTRATIVE and overhead costs related to the project (overhead should not exceed 15% of total CFLI contribution).
• Advocacy and lobbying related costs.
• Capital and/or operating expenditures related to the lease and/or purchase and/or building of infrastructure.
• Civic education costs.
• Conference and event expenditures.
• Costs of services received by recipients.
• Domestic travel expenses, using lowest fares possible but not exceeding full fare economy class
• Environmental assessment costs.
• Facilities charges,
• Equipment rental, and/or purchase (only when the purchase is required to meet project objectives, reflects good value for money, and the recipient has a strong care-and-maintenance plan in place for equipment sustainability),
• Hospitality costs, excluding alcoholic beverages.
• Installation, maintenance, shipping and/or transportation costs, including fuel, computers and communication devices.
• Lease or rental of vehicles.
• Legal costs.
• Medical costs.
• Miscellaneous expenses integral to the project.
• Outreach, communication and information dissemination costs.
• Publishing costs.
• Radio and television broadcast fees.
• Research-related costs.
• Salary costs, including stipends, relating to the project,
• Security costs.
• Training and capacity building expenditures.
• Translation and interpretation fees.
• Vehicle and equipment operation, installation and/or maintenance.
• Website development and related costs.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible recipients include:
  • Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,
  • Local academic institutions working on local projects,
  • International non-governmental organizations working on local development activities,
  • Intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities, and
  • Canadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities.
• The majority of CFLI funding is to be directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as international, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional organizations may be eligible for funding, provided they are working with local partners and on local projects that are consistent with the objectives of the CFLI. Similarly, municipal, regional and national government institutions may receive funding, provided that their projects are essentially local in nature. The CFLI is always looking to fund innovative projects that deliver measurable results.
• The CFLI project application process now requires a gender-based analysis (GBA) to enhance the gender equality outcomes of the CFLI program. A GBA will require applicants to:
  • Consider how women, girls, men, and boys are affected differently by the problem their project is aiming to address, ensuring, at the same time, that the project does not cause harm.
  • Consult women and/or girls in the development of their project proposal.
  • Ensure that the views of those women and/or girls inform the project’s design.

For more information, visit CFLI.

Cambodia – The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives

Deadline Date: 31-Mar-2023

The Office of the Embassy of Canada to Cambodia, in Phnom Penh is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassy or high commission. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

Thematic Priorities

All projects must align with at least one of the following CFLI thematic priorities:

• Inclusive governance, including diversity and 2SLGBTQI+, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
• Peace and security, with a focus on conflict prevention and building peace.
• Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
• Environment and climate action focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as on water management.

Funding Information

• The average CFLI contribution is $15,000 to $30,000 Canadian Dollars (CAD$100,000 is the maximum allocation amount for a project eligible under CFLI).

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible recipients include:
  • Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,
  • Local academic institutions working on local projects,
  • International non-governmental organizations working on local development activities,
  • Intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities,
  • Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects, and
  • Canadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities.
  • The majority of CFLI funding is to be directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as international, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional organizations may be eligible for funding, provided they are working with local partners and on local projects that are consistent with the objectives of the CFLI. Similarly, municipal, regional and national government institutions may receive funding, provided that their projects are essentially local in nature. The CFLI is always looking to fund innovative projects that deliver measurable results.

Criteria

• Proposals must be completed in English or French.
• Only those proposals using the designated application form and including the required budget document will be considered.
• Successful applicants will normally have 6-8 months to implement the chosen project depending on when the Contribution Agreements are finalised. Projects spanning 2 fiscal years (April 2023 to March 2025) may be permitted depending on the project objectives and the complexity of activities.
• Applications will be assessed for approval on their merits by a selection committee.
• Due to the large number of proposals, only the successful candidates will be contacted via email.
• In alignment with this policy, the CFLI project application process now requires a gender-based analysis (GBA). The purpose of this change is to enhance the gender equality outcomes of the CFLI program.
• A GBA will require applicants to:
  • consider how women, girls, men, and boys are affected differently by the problem their project is aiming to address, ensuring, at the same time, that the project does not cause harm
  • consult women and/or girls in the development of their project proposal
  • ensure that the views of those women and/or girls inform the project’s design

For more information, visit Office of the Embassy of Canada to Cambodia.

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives in Algeria

Deadline Date: 15-Apr-2023

The Embassy of Canada in Algeria is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassy or high commission. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

Thematic Priorities

All projects must align with at least one of the CFLI thematic priorities. The following themes are priorities for the 2023-2024 programming:

• Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls;
• Inclusive governance, including diversity, democracy, human rights and the rule of law;
• Growth that works for everyone, including women’s economic rights, decent jobs and entrepreneurship, investing in the poorest and most vulnerable, and safeguarding economic gains.
• Projects on the following themes could also be accepted;
  • Peace and security, with a focus on conflict prevention and building peace;
  • Human dignity, covering health, education and nutrition;
  • Environment and climate action, focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as on water management.

Funding Information

• The average CFLI contribution is $31000 Canadian Dollars (in exceptional cases, CAD$100 000 is the maximum allocation amount for a project eligible under CFLI).

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible recipients include:
  • Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,
  • Local academic institutions working on local projects,
  • International non-governmental organizations working on local development activities,
  • Intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities,
  • Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects, and
  • Canadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities.
• The majority of CFLI funding is to be directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as international, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional organizations may be eligible for funding, provided they are working with local partners and on local projects that are consistent with the objectives of the CFLI. Similarly, municipal, regional and national government institutions may receive funding, provided that their projects are essentially local in nature. The CFLI is always looking to fund innovative projects that deliver measurable results.
• The CFLI project application process now requires a gender-based analysis (GBA) to enhance the gender equality outcomes of the CFLI program. A GBA will require applicants to:
  • Consider how women, girls, men, and boys are affected differently by the problem their project is aiming to address, ensuring, at the same time, that the project does not cause harm.
  • Consult women and/or girls in the development of their project proposal.
  • Ensure that the views of those women and/or girls inform the project’s design.

For more information, visit CFLI.

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives – Thailand (2023)

Deadline Date: 31-Mar-2023

Embassy of Canada to Thailand, in Bangkok has launched its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassy or high commission. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

Funding Information

• The average CFLI contribution is $15,000 to $30,000 Canadian Dollars (CAD$100,000 is the maximum allocation amount for a project eligible under CFLI).

Thematic Priorities

• All projects must align with at least one of the following CFLI thematic priorities:
  • Inclusive governance, including diversity and 2SLGBTQI+, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
  • Growth that works for everyone, including women’s economic rights, decent jobs and entrepreneurship, investing in the poorest and most vulnerable, and safeguarding economic gains.
  • Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
  • Environment and climate action focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as on water management.

Eligible Costs

• The following project costs are eligible for CFLI funding:
  • Accounting costs.
  • Administrative and overhead costs related to the project (overhead should not exceed 15% of total CFLI contribution).
  • Advocacy and lobbying related costs.
  • Capital and/or operating expenditures related to the lease and/or purchase and/or building of infrastructure.
  • Civic education costs.
  • Conference and event expenditures.
  • Costs of services received by recipients.
  • Domestic travel expenses, using lowest fares possible but not exceeding full fare economy class
  • Environmental assessment costs.
  • Facilities charges,
  • Equipment rental, and/or purchase (only when the purchase is required to meet project objectives, reflects good value for money, and the recipient has a strong care-and-maintenance plan in place for equipment sustainability),
  • Hospitality costs, excluding alcoholic beverages.
  • Installation, maintenance, shipping and/or transportation costs, including fuel,
  • Computers and communication devices.
  • Lease or rental of vehicles.
  • Legal costs.
  • Medical costs.
  • Miscellaneous expenses integral to the project.
  • Outreach, communication and information dissemination costs.
  • Publishing costs.
  • Radio and television broadcast fees.
  • Research-related costs.
  • Salary costs, including stipends, relating to the project,
  • Security costs.
  • Training and capacity building expenditures.
  • Translation and interpretation fees.
  • Vehicle and equipment operation, installation and/or maintenance.
  • Website development and related costs.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible recipients include:
  • Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,
  • Local academic institutions working on local projects,
  • International non-governmental organizations working on local development activities,
  • Intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities,
  • Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects, and
  • Canadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities.
  • The majority of CFLI funding is to be directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as international, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional organizations may be eligible for funding, provided they are working with local partners and on local projects that are consistent with the objectives of the CFLI. Similarly, municipal, regional and national government institutions may receive funding, provided that their projects are essentially local in nature. The CFLI is always looking to fund innovative projects that deliver measurable results.
• The CFLI project application process now requires a gender-based analysis (GBA) to enhance the gender equality outcomes of the CFLI program. A GBA will require applicants to:
  • Consider how women, girls, men, and boys are affected differently by the problem their project is aiming to address, ensuring, at the same time, that the project does not cause harm.
  • Consult women and/or girls in the development of their project proposal.
  • Ensure that the views of those women and/or girls inform the project’s design.

For more information, visit CFLI.

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives – El Salvador (2023)

Deadline Date: 15-Mar-2023

The Embassy of Canada to El Salvador is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) 2023-24.

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassy or high commission. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

Thematic Priorities

• All projects must align with at least one of the following CFLI thematic priorities globally:
  • Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls;
  • Environment & climate action, focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as on water management.
  • Peace and security, with a focus on conflict prevention and peace building.

Funding Information

• The average CFLI contribution is $30,000 to $40,000 Canadian Dollars (CAD$100,000 is the maximum allocation amount for a project eligible under CFLI).

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible recipients include:
  • Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,
  • Local academic institutions working on local projects,
  • International non-governmental organizations working on local development activities,
  • Intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities,
  • Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects, and
  • Canadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities.
• The majority of CFLI funding is to be directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as international, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional organizations may be eligible for funding, provided they are working with local partners and on local projects that are consistent with the objectives of the CFLI. Similarly, municipal, regional and national government institutions may receive funding, provided that their projects are essentially local in nature. The CFLI is always looking to fund innovative projects that deliver measurable results.
• In alignment with this policy, the CFLI project application process now requires a gender-based analysis (GBA). The purpose of this change is to enhance the gender equality outcomes of the CFLI program.

Evaluation Criteria

• A GBA will require applicants to:
  • consider how women, girls, men, and boys are affected differently by the problem their project is aiming to address, ensuring, at the same time, that the project does not cause harm
  • consult women and/or girls in the development of their project proposal
  • ensure that the views of those women and/or girls inform the project’s design

For more information, visit Embassy of Canada to El Salvador.

Entrepreneurship, Environmental and Educational Programming in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan)

Deadline Date: 28-Apr-2023

The U.S. Consulate General Peshawar is pleased to announce an open competition for proposals to:

• raise awareness and inspire action to protect the environment,
• foster entrepreneurship opportunities for women, youth, and civil society actors,
• Promote education in the United States for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa students from urban and rural areas.

Project Goals

These projects will advance several Mission goals:

• Pakistan implements its commitments to reduce emissions, advances sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, and supports an equitable, clean, and resilient energy future.
• Pakistan accelerates inclusive, private sector-led economic growth and imports more U.S. goods and services.
• Pakistani society is better educated, more skilled, more inclusive, and healthier.

Project Objectives

The specific objectives will depend on the nature of the proposals received from the grantees. Organizations may submit one or more proposals under this funding opportunity, but each proposal must address at least one of the three priority areas. Objectives can include:

• Empowering civil society to increase rule of law and transparency, advocacy for underserved and at-risk populations, and tolerance for ethnic and religious diversity.
• Increasing awareness and incentivizing students to apply for study abroad for better educated youth.
• Providing solutions to entrepreneurs for overcoming barriers to starting and succeeding in business.
• Increasing awareness and action to promote clean energy, and to protect the environment and natural resources.

Priority Areas

• Raise Awareness and Inspire Action on Environmental Protection: This grant will increase appreciation and awareness of the importance of environmental protection and climate change mitigation to long-term economic development in environmentally sensitive areas. The project would encourage citizen activism and strategies for partnering with local organizations and governmental bodies in order to protect the environment and promote sustainable development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• Foster Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Opportunities: This project would promote microenterprises, the growing tech sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and/or women’s, youth, and minorities’ entrepreneurship, economic empowerment, and/or access to finance. Particular emphasis should be placed on strengthening networks of entrepreneurs as well as connecting them with incubators and subjectmatter experts at higher education institutions and other centers of excellence. Other types of projects aimed at achieving the goal of fostering economic empowerment and entrepreneurship would also be considered.
• Promote Education in the United States: Through this project, the grantee will disseminate information about educational opportunities in the United States to promote the wide range of U.S. educational institutions and the benefits of studying in the U.S., as well as disseminate information about the variety of exchange programs offered by the U.S. Department of State in Pakistan. The United States Education Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP)’s Educational Advisors should be engaged throughout the period of performance. The grantee would be expected to disseminate and market information and to create long-term partnerships between USEFP and partner organizations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: Up to twelve (12) months
• Number of awards anticipated: 5 awards
• Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of $250,000
• Total available funding: $250,000
• Anticipated program start date: September 30, 2023

Project Audience(s)

• The project audiences will largely depend on the grantee’s proposal. In general, the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar encourages inclusive audiences and prioritizes women, youth, and minority community audiences in rural areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the Newly Merged Districts.

Eligibility Criteria

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• Not-for-profit organizations
• Civil society/non-governmental organizations
• Think tanks
• Public and private educational institutions (Not-for-profit departments)

Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one, non-profit, nongovernmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Open Call for Enhancing CSOs’ Contribution to Governance and Development Processes (Thailand)

Deadline Date: 10-Apr-2023

The European Commission (EC) is accepting proposals to strengthen civil society organisations (CSOs) as independent development actors to contribute to governance and development process in Thailand, with a view to contribute to the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The specific objective of this call for proposals is to promote an enabling environment for civil society organisations and enhance their capacity to better address issues of poverty and inequality and contribute to domestic policies process of Thailand, associated to the key dimensions of sustainable development – social, environmental and economic.

Priorities

The priorities of this call for proposals are:

• Enhancing CSOs’ participation in tackling climate change, fighting against climate change scepticism and raising awareness of the impacts of climate change and global warming for the environment and people’s lives.
• Enhancing the voice of women and girls and/or youth to better engage in social, economic and environmental policy making and implementation.
• Improving access to quality and affordable State services (e.g. health, education, social welfare, social protection) for marginalised populations.

Elements

• The following actions will be considered as containing specific added – value elements:
  • Include crucial cross-cutting issues such as gender, governance, rule of law, human rights, environment and climate change.
  • Contain elements of capacity building and collaboration and engagement with LAs, as LAs are key stakeholders holding accountable for providing quality services to the communities.
  • Propose innovative approach to capacity building activities for CSOs, LAs and ALAs.
  • Establish and strengthen sustainable partnerships primarily among CSOs and State Actors at all levels, and other key stakeholders.
  • Deepen multi-stakeholder partnerships of “non-usual” stakeholders (who have been less involved until now) in processes particularly media, youth, if not yet already include as target groups in the proposed action.

Funding Information

• LOT 1: Actions implemented in the whole of Thailand – EUR 3 000 000
• LOT 2: Actions implemented mainly/specifically in the three Southern Border Provinces of Thailand – EUR 1 700 000.
• LOT 1: Actions implemented in the whole of Thailand
  • Minimum amount: EUR 750 000
  • Maximum amount: EUR 1 000 000
• LOT 2: Actions implemented mainly/specifically in three Southern Border Province of Thailand
  • Minimum amount: EUR 750 000
  • Maximum amount: EUR 900 000

Location

• Actions must take place in Thailand.
  • LOT 1: Actions implemented in the whole of Thailand
    • Action proposed under lot 1 can take place in any regions of Thailand. Inclusion of activities in the three Southern Border Provinces can be envisaged but cannot be the main purpose of the Action.
  • LOT 2: Actions implemented mainly/specifically in the three Southern Border Provinces of Thailand
    • Action proposed under lot 2 must take place mainly in any of the three southern border provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat and the four districts of Songkla province: Chana, Thepa, Nathawee, and Saba-yoi. Inclusion of activities taking place elsewhere in Thailand can be envisaged but cannot be the main purpose of the Action.
  • For both lots, in exceptional cases, a few activities if duly justified may take place in other countries when they are directly related to situations arising in Thailand and only represent a marginal part of the action. These activities must explicitly benefit Thailand and the target groups and relevant actors targeted by the action. Additionally, these activities should also aim at building capacity of Thai CSOs as well as LAs and ALAs for more effective engagement in the region. The justifications will be examined during the evaluation process.

Eligibility Criteria

• In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
  • be a legal person and
  • be non-profit-making and
  • be a Civil Society Organisation and
  • be established in Thailand or a Member State of the European Union and
  • be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary.
• Co-applicant(s)
  • Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
  • Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant itself.
  • In addition to the categories referred, the following are however also eligible as co-applicants:
    • Local Authorities (LAs) or Association of Local Authorities (ALAs):
    • legally established in Thailand or a Member State of the European Union
    • Constituted in accordance with the legislation in force in the country concerned.

For more information, visit European Commission.

Call for Proposals: Support to implement the Project Gender Based Violence Prevention and Response in Tajikistan

Deadline Date: 26-Mar-2023

UN Women Programme Office in Tajikistan is issuing a Call for Proposals and inviting CSOs/NGOs to submit a Proposal for implementing the Project Gender Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Response in Tajikistan.

The project “Gender Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Response in Tajikistan” has been initiated by UN Women with the funding support of Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) US Department of State.

Objectives

• The project activities rely on two-way approach that includes justice, human safety, health and women’s rights protection and capacity strengthening of related services and CSOs to the client-centered standards.
• This works at the individual, family, community, local and national levels, and awareness raising of the population for understanding ‘the violence problem’ and spreading the message on ‘zero victims’ blaming.
• It will build the capacities of the existing CSOs and state structures, ensuring they function and apply the obtained knowledge in everyday practice in order to change stereotypical thinking of the population for service-seeking behaviour, and to develop protective services and mechanisms, so that the demand in support, increased among the population, would be better balanced by supply of standard quality services and protection.

Scope of Work

• Under direct supervision of UN Women National Portfolio Coordinator, the selected Responsible Party is expected to fulfill the assignment with the view of promoting favorable social norms, attitudes and behaviors at community and individual level to prevent VAWG and harmful practices; strengthening capacity of the relevant government authorities and CSOs at national and district level to render services based on the victim-centered approach on response to domestic/ GBV reference mechanism.
• The responsible party will undertake the following activities:
  • Outcome 1: Country legislation on EVAW backed up by Government and CSO resources and capacities in order for it to translate into practice.
    • Activity 1: Strengthening and facilitation of work of District Task Forces (DTFs) on EVAW (including data collection) in three districts of Varzob, Istaravshan, Shahrituz and Dushanbe to work with population and manage VAWG cases. Part of Activity 1.1.5 and 1.2.1. (Suggested budget up to 82,500 TJS).
    • Activity 2: Support of CSOs in inculcation of international standards to local case management legal practice. Part of Activity 1.2.2. (Suggested budget up to 67,300 TJS).
    • Activity 3: Exchange visits of DTFs on EVAW to advanced regions. Part of Activity 1.2.6 (Suggested budget up to 33,800 TJS).
  • Outcome 2: Favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviours are promoted at community and individual level that prevent VAW
    • Activity 4: At least 10,000 of the target population is covered by the awareness raising campaign on EVAW. Part of Activity 2.1.1 (Suggested budget up to 698,200 TJS).
    • Activity 5: The Hackathon for IT and EVAW specialists resulted in participatory development of the mobile application – Game for youth on zero tolerance to VAW, awareness of the related law and the empathy to the women and girls for “Zero Victim Blaming”. Part of Activity 2.1.2 and 2.1.3. (Suggested budget up to 221,600 TJS).
    • Activity 6: Building leadership skills of women and facilitate peer-networking and support – a virtual women’s support group is established and consulted on a regular basis via messenger (s). Part of Activity 2.2.1 (Suggested budget up to 121,100 TJS).
  • Outcome 3: Relevant government authorities and CSOs at national and district level establish strong networks to deliver quality and coordinated client-centered essential EVAW services, in line with global standards and guidelines
    • Activity 7: Two Open Day events for 12 CSOs to visit development partners, embassies, CSOs working on EVAW. Part of Activity 3.1.1 (Suggested budget up to 42,400 TJS)
    • Activity 8: Retreats for engaged CSOs: Logistical support for two retreats of specialists of 12 CSOs (total 40 participants). Part of Activity 3.1.2 (Suggested budget up to 94,000 TJS)
    • Activity 9: Facilitate knowledge-exchange and capacity building of at least 40high-level stakeholders and partners that work in the area of protection of women’s rights, providing learning and sharing opportunities. Activity 3.2.2 (Suggested budget up to 61,600 TJS).

Funding Information

• The budget range for this proposal should be 1,400,000.00 TJS – 1,420,000.00 TJS.
• Expected duration: 14 months (20 April 2023 – 30 June 2024).

Competencies/Qualifications

• Company/organization
• Organization/ Public Association registered in Tajikistan.
• Minimum 3 years of country-based professional experience.
• Expert knowledge the field of addressing VAWG/VAWG, in various aspects of advocacy work, communications as well as social mobilization of the population towards ending VAWG, providing social inclusiveness.
• Experience in building capacity of Communities, CSOs, organizations with a reference to at least 2 relevant implemented projects.
• Experience in implementation of community-based activities, awareness raising campaign and logistics support.
• Experience to apply innovation tools, including mobile applications is an asset.
• Availability of skilled human capacities to implement the assignment.
• Well-established client relations with the national partners, CSOs, government structures/institutions and local authorities.
• Financial System and Accountancy, Logistics and Procurement Policies in place
• Proven quality control system (M&E).

For more information, visit UN Women.

 Open Call: Contribute to the Construction of a More Resilient, Inclusive and Democratic Bolivian Society

Deadline Date: 17-Apr-2023

The European Commission (EC) is seeking a call for proposals to Consolidate and promote the effectiveness of participatory and representative decision-making processes of civil society in all its pro-democratic scope.

Within the framework of the second priority of the Multiannual Action Plan (MAAP) 2022-2024 of the EU, as well as of the multiannual programming 2021-2027 of the Delegation of Bolivia, of the Joint European Strategy 2022-2025, of the Roadmap engagement with civil society 2019-2024, from the Country Implementation (CLIP) 2021-2024; of the Democracy and Human Rights Action Plan 2020-2024 and the Thematic Program on Human Rights and Democracy Global Europe 2022-2024, the overall objective of this call for proposals is: “Contribute to the construction of a more resilient, inclusive and democratic Bolivian society”.

Priorities

The priorities of this call for proposals are:

• Support civil society organizations (OSCs) and emerging civil society organizations-OSCEs – (particularly those made up of young people and women in all their diversities and indigenous peoples) for their participation in the debate and construction of a ‘country vision’ (on a social, ecological, economic and democratic level) within the framework of an inclusive, democratic and cohesive society.
• Strengthen the capacities of the OSCEs so that they can participate in the public debate on the future development of Bolivia in social, ecological, economic and democratic issues with a focus on human rights and favor their sustainability (organizational and/or institutional) in time. Proposals must propose a “learning by action” type of work methodology with OSCEs and other relevant processes.
• Promote articulation between the OSCEs and the already consolidated existing networks to encourage their participation in public debate processes, promoting the construction of a more cohesive social fabric.
• Promote the meeting and dialogue between the authorities (sub-national and national level) and civil society at its different levels (consolidated and emerging organizations) to reinforce a constructive dialogue, accountability and the development of a society inclusive, sustainable and democratic Bolivian.
• Facilitate the development of innovative alliances between CSO networks (including established and emerging ones), State oversight bodies, and the media.
• Proposals must cover the 5 priorities and also:
  • Provide financial support to third parties (OSCEs, with the aim of forming initiative laboratories (proposals implemented by the OSCEs in the field) and serve as a basis for the work methodology of the “learning by action” type to reinforce them organizationally and, if they consider it pertinent, institutionally. They must budget a minimum of 30% and not exceed 40% of the total cost of the Action.
  • The project will have to be developed in at least 3 lowland departments and 3 highland departments with actions at the national level. Proposals that include more than 6 departments will be positively valued.
  • The proposal will have to include cities or secondary areas outside the main axis “La Paz Cochabamba-Santa Cruz” (at least 2 in the highlands and 2 in the lowlands).

Funding Information

• The total indicative amount allocated to this call for proposals amounts to 1.3 MEURO.
• The subsidies requested within this call for proposals will be between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
  • minimum amount: 1,100,000 EUR
  • maximum amount: 1,300,000 EUR

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead Applicant(s)
  • To be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
    • be a legal person and be a civil society organization or a thematic network of CSOs working on the issue to which the proposal is being submitted
      • In the case of existing networks but lacking legal status, the proposal must be submitted by one of the members of the network, who must necessarily have legal status and legal representation to act on behalf of the other members. In addition, the proposal must include the list of members of the network.
      • In the case of networks in the process of creation, the proposal may be submitted by one of the members of the network, who must necessarily have legal status and the capacity to represent future members of the network.
    • non-profit;
    • be established in Bolivia;
    • be directly responsible, with their co-applicants and affiliated entities, for the preparation and management of the action and not merely act as intermediaries.
  • Co Applicants
    • The action must have at least one co-applicant.
    • Co-applicants will be involved in the design and implementation of the action, and the costs they incur will be eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
    • Co-applicants must meet the eligibility criteria applicable to the main applicant himself, with the exception of the criterion of being established in Bolivia, which is extended to the following eligible countries:
      • Member States, beneficiaries listed in the relevant annex to the IPA III Regulation and contracting parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area; The main applicant and its co-applicants may act with affiliated entities. The lead applicant shall declare that it, co-applicants and affiliated entities are not located in any of such situations. name and surname of the persons with power of representation, decision-making or control, if it is a legal entity) may be registered in the early detection and exclusion system, and may be communicated to the corresponding persons and entities in relation with the award or performance of a grant contract. In this regard, provisionally selected lead applicants, co-applicants and affiliated entities are required to declare that they are not in any of the exclusion situations by means of a signed affidavit. For grants of EUR 15,000 or less, no affidavit is required.
      • Developing countries and territories, included in the list of ODA recipients published by the OECD Development Assistance Committee, that are not members of the G-20 group, and overseas countries and territories;
      • Developing countries, included in the list of recipients of ODA, that are members of the G-20 group, and other countries and territories, when the relevant procedure takes place in the framework of an action financed by the Union under the Instrument in which to participate;
      • Countries for which the Commission establishes reciprocal access to external financing; that access may be granted, for a limited period of at least one year, provided that a country grants eligibility on equal terms to entities from the Union and from countries eligible under the Instrument; the Commission will decide on reciprocal access and its duration after consulting the recipient country or countries concerned.
      • OECD member countries, in the case of contracts implemented in a LDC or a highly indebted poor country, as included in the list of ODA recipients.
      • Co-applicants must sign the mandate.
      • If the grant contract is awarded, the co-applicant(s) (if any) will become beneficiary(ies) of the action (together with the coordinator).
    • Affiliated Entities
      • The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies).
      • Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant and/or to co-applicant(s):
        • Only entities having a structural link with the applicants (i.e. the lead applicant or a co-applicant), in particular a legal or capital link.
      • This structural link encompasses mainly two notions:
        • Control, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
          • Entities affiliated to an applicant may hence be:
            • Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the applicant (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
            • Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant;
            • Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies).
          • Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the applicant participates in the same entity (e.g. network, federation, association,…) as the proposed affiliated entities.

For more information, visit European Commission.

U.S. Embassy Gaborone Public Diplomacy Annual Program Statement (Botswana)

Deadline: 28-Aug-23

The U.S. Embassy in Botswana’s Public Diplomacy (PD) Section is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program.

Purpose of Small Grants

• PD Gaborone invites proposals for programs that strengthen the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Botswana, build up Botswana’s knowledge-based economy, promote renewable energy, promote climate change adaptation and mitigation, empower women in public leadership, enhance security, reinforce conservation roles, motivate the development of civil society, encourage diversity and inclusion of minority groups, and facilitate cultural and exchange programming  that promotes shared values and bilateral cooperation.
• All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.
• Examples of PD Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to:
  • Academic and professional lectures, seminars, exchanges, and speaker programs.
  • Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions.
  • Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs.
  • Natural resource management workshops for local community-based organizations.
  • Anti-pollution and waste management awareness workshops for communities and cities management officials

Purpose of University Partnership Grants

• PD Gaborone invites proposals to strengthen existing ties and foster new collaboration between U.S. and Batswana universities. Focus areas include promoting faculty and student exchanges, facilitating joint research, building administrative capacity, and creating public-private partnerships. Program proposals should address how relationships between institutions will be sustained after U.S. government funded efforts are concluded.
• Specific Program Objectives: Promote U.S.- Botswana faculty and student exchanges, particularly the development of degree programs that promote the development of Botswana’s knowledge-based economy. Facilitate joint research, especially in agriculture, food security, and STEM. Provide training and transfer skills in all aspects of university administration through subject-matter exchange programs. – Explore public-private partnerships, with an emphasis on commercialization, technology transfer, and job creation.
• Examples of University Partnership programs include, but are not limited to:
  • Curriculum development and teacher training.
  • Faculty and student exchanges
  • Joint research projects and professional exchanges.
  • Inclusive education best practices and implementation.

Priority Program Areas

All submitted proposals must address at least one of the five U.S. Foreign policy objectives below:

• Promote democratic principles including freedom of speech, particularly if they share best practices for citizen advocacy or explore the challenges modern media houses face in a digital economy and the ethical standards needed to gain public confidence. Projects:
  • improve capacity and skills of journalists to effectively report news;
  • educate the Batswana public about the role of press in democratic societies;
  • encourage independent press and reporting.
• Foster social inclusion of underserved communities, such as (but not limited to) disabled persons, LGBTQI, minority ethnic groups, and those in remote areas. Projects:
  • encourage community mobilization;
  • public education, cultural sensitization, and exchanges;
  • encourage inclusive education practices and policies.
• Promoting the use of sustainable clean energy resources in order to diversify the economy, develop the region at the local level, and call for greater climate change action. Projects:
  • support educational institutions in developing curriculum or training Batswana students in climate change adaptation and mitigation skillsets – including renewable energy skills to meet the renewable energy policy goals of the Government of Botswana;
  • educate the Batswana public on the impact of climate change and the economic opportunities for Botswana through clean energy;
  • improve local communities through clean energy and climate friendly development.
• Advancing innovative and sustainable actions supporting climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, sustainable natural resource and biodiversity management, and conservation efforts through equitable, inclusive, and responsible practices. Projects:
  • increase public awareness about the impact of climate change and the link to key issues including food security, drought, economic growth, and biodiversity;
  • increase capacity of local NGOs and community based organizations to effectively advocate for increased local community input in environment, natural resource management, and conservation policy and practice;
  • encourage human-wildlife coexistence to curb human-wildlife conflict and facilitate natural resource management, climate change adaptation, and contain wildlife crime.
• Empowering Women and Girls to Lead. Projects:
  • enhance or support empowerment of women and girls through public service, and political and leadership roles leading up to the Botswana 2024 elections;
  • prepare/train women for non-traditional careers in science, environmental conservation, natural resource management, and technology that support Botswana’s economic, conservation, climate change and energy policy goals and are in support of transitioning to a knowledge-based economy

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: 6 to 24 months
• Number of awards anticipated: 4 to 6 awards for small grants and 1-2 awards for University Partnerships (dependent funding availability)
• Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $10,000.00 to a maximum of $50,000.00 for small grants, and a minimum of $150,000.00 to $250,000.00 for university partnership initiatives.
• Total available funding: $150,000.00 (small grants) and $250,000.00 (university partnerships)
• Anticipated programs start date: within three months of funding approval.

Ineligible Activities

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

• Programs relating to partisan political activity.
• Charitable or development activities.
• Programs that support specific religious activities.
• Fund-raising campaigns.
• Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
• Scientific research.
• Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; or
• Programs that duplicate existing programs.

Participants and Audiences

• Small Grants
  • The award is open only to registered not-for-profit groups, associations, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, and individuals. The groups must be well established, operating for at least one year, and have a history of accomplishments.
  • They are unable to fund or sponsor government schools, prizes for school competitions, private or for-profit businesses, company start-up costs, direct employee compensation or one-time events.
  • Recipients can demonstrate their commitment by either contributing to the project financially or providing labor or supplies to carry out the project. Cost-sharing is not required but highly encouraged.
• University Partnership Grants
  • The intended audience are brigades (trade schools), community colleges, and university students, university administrators, corporations, the NGO sector, and USG alumni.
  • Proposals that address linkages between renewable energy, agriculture and food security, and other forms of economic diversification are encouraged. Programs that create or grow linkages between academia and the development of the press corps or civil society are also encouraged.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from the following:
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience
  • Individuals
  • Non-profit or governmental educational institutions
  • Governmental institutions
• For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Botswana.

Applications Open for Australia Awards Scholarships – Vanuatu

Deadline: 31-Mar-23

Do you want to be a leader in your field and join an inspiring network of changemakers? The Australia Awards are committed to inclusion and diversity. Applications from women and from people with disabilities and other marginalized groups are encouraged.

Australia Awards Scholarships are prestigious international awards offered by the Australian Government to the next generation of global leaders for development. Through study and research, recipients develop the skills and knowledge to drive change and help build enduring people-to-people links with Australia and the Pacific region.

Aims

• Australia Awards aim to:
  • develop capacity and leadership skills so that individuals can contribute to development in their home country; and
  • build people-to-people links at the individual, institutional and country level.

Benefits

• Australia Awards scholarships are offered for the minimum period necessary for the individual to complete the academic program specified by the Australian education institution, including any preparatory training.
• Scholarship recipients will receive the following:
  • return air travel
  • a one-off establishment allowance on arrival
  • full tuition fees
  • contribution to living expenses
  • introductory academic program
  • overseas student health cover for the duration of the scholarship
  • supplementary academic support
  • fieldwork allowance for research students and masters by coursework which has a compulsory fieldwork component.
• In addition, some awardees may be entitled to the following benefits, depending on their courses of study and other circumstances:
  • supplementary academic support to assist with academic success or enhance the academic experience
  • reunion airfare
  • disability support
  • one return economy class airfare to Vanuatu or within Australia to undertake fieldwork for eligible research.

What Can You Study?

• Australia Awards Scholarships provide citizens of Vanuatu with opportunities to obtain a tertiary qualification in Australia at a tertiary institution, or in Fiji, at the University of the South Pacific or Fiji National University. Australia Awards Scholarships are offered at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Applications are invited in areas of study that align with the Vanuatu National Sustainable Development Plans and the skills gaps identified in Vanuatu’s National Human Resource Development Plan (NHRDP).
• The Governments of Vanuatu and Australia have agreed on the following priority fields of study and areas of specialisation:
  • For Bachelor and Postgraduate study levels:
    • health
    • climate change
    • education including the teaching of STEM – Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
    • veterinary and animal sciences
  • For Technical and Vocational Education (Diploma or Certificate IV) study levels:
    • training and assessment
    • construction
    • health
    • mechanics
    • information technology
    • hospitality management
• Applicants must research Australian universities and regional institutions to find courses that best fit their academic background, career and leadership ambitions, which will enable them to contribute meaningfully to Vanuatu’s development.
• They recommend you consider the university location as well. Different cities have varying transport systems, climate, cost of living and availability of accommodation.

Eligibility Criteria

• All Applicants should be prepared to undertake study in English, live in Australia or Fiji (with a culture which may be very different to the Awardees expectations) and under stringent academic conditions.
• Before considering applying for a scholarship, please check that you meet all the eligibility requirements listed:
  • be a minimum of 18 years of age on 1 February of the year of commencing the scholarship;
  • be a citizen of a participating country and be residing in and applying for the scholarship from their country of citizenship;
  • not be a citizen of Australia, hold permanent residency in Australia or be applying for a visa to live in Australia permanently;
  • not be married to, engaged to, or a de facto of a person who holds, or is eligible to hold, Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency, at any time during the application, selection and mobilisation phases (note: residents of Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau with New Zealand citizenship are eligible but must apply for a Student visa)
  • ot have previously received a long-term Australia Award unless they have resided outside of Australia for twice the length of the total time that they were in Australia (for example, a previous awardee who has been on an Australia Awards Scholarship in Australia for four years will not be eligible to apply for another Australia Awards Scholarship until they have resided outside Australia for eight years);
  • not hold convictions of criminal activities (including in their home country) including those relating to Child Protection and PSEAH;
  • have satisfied any specific criteria established by the Program Area or the government of the applicant’s country of citizenship (e.g. having worked a certain number of years in an appropriate sector);
  • be able to satisfy the admission requirements of the institution at which the award is to be undertaken (this may mean that Program Areas will need to withdraw an award offer if the recipient cannot satisfy the institution’s admission requirements. This may not be known until Program Areas request a placement at selected institutions);
• Vanuatu Country specific academic conditions:
  • In addition to the eligibility requirements, candidates from Vanuatu must also meet the following conditions:
    • Bachelor level
      • Senior Secondary (Anglophone): Form 7 grades of A+, A or B for the top four subjects, including English, or (if still to complete Form 7) Form 6 grades of 1 or 2 for the top four subjects, including English.
      • Senior secondary (Francophone): Grades of 12+ (out of 20) for all subjects in most recent year of study.
    • Masters level
      • Minimum GPA of 3.0 across university transcript or equivalent (e.g.12 out of 20, Francophone). A lower GPA may be considered in exceptional circumstances.
    • Certificate VI and above at TVET level
      • All institution course pre-requisites including strong English language skills

Assessment Criteria

Once they have confirmed your eligibility, a shortlist of candidates will be interviewed. All applicants are assessed against the following criteria:

• academic performance
• potential contribution to development in Vanuatu
• professional and personal leadership qualities

For more information, visit Australian Government.

Call for Applications: 2023 Human Rights Fund in Romania

Deadline: 31-Mar-23

The Embassy of the Netherlands in Bucharest is launching the third edition of the open call for project applications within its delegated Human Rights Fund.

The Human Rights Fund is a tool of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. Its purpose is to support activities by civil society organisations around the world, to encourage them to actively engage in the promotion and defence of human rights.

They invite the Romanian civil society organisations to submit project proposals which can strengthen the promotion of human rights in Romania as well as enhance their capacity to work with the Romanian local and/or central government towards the implementation of public policies related to human rights, as both Romania and the Netherlands are committed parties to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Focus Areas

• The project applications must be in line with at least one of the Dutch government’s human rights policy priorities. For this year’s call they invite civil society organizations to focus on:
  • equal rights for women and girls – activities focusing on the promotion of women’s political participation at national and local levels; promotion of gender equality in decision-making; promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights; fostering an environment where boys and men respect and promote gender equality; fight against domestic violence, sexism and/or harassment;
  • equal rights for LGBTIQ+ persons – activities focusing on awareness raising on equal rights for LGBTIQ+ persons as human rights; strengthening the capacity of local organisations promoting equal rights for LGBTIQ+ persons;
  • freedom of expression and internet freedom – activities focusing on promoting critical thinking among youth; fight against fake news and disinformation; investigative journalism; freedom of the press; access to data and information.

Funding Information

• Grants requested from the Human Rights Fund should fall within the range €10,000 to €20,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• Project proposals need to meet the following criteria in order to be considered eligible for funding:
  • Applications must be presented in the requested format;
  • Applications must focus on (one of) the priority areas mentioned and directed at activities in Romania;
  • Applicant organisations should be registered in Romania and should have a solid track record of activities in and commitment to the policy area and the communities targeted by the project;
  • Projects must start in 2023 and finish no later than 2025;
• Priority for financing will be awarded to:
  • Applications which set clear and feasible goals to deliver sustainable results, including cooperation with relevant governmental stakeholders where appropriate;
  • Applications aiming to actively involve youth and innovative approaches towards attaining the proposed objectives;
  • Applications aiming at implementing activities outside Bucharest.

Ineligible

• The following activities are not eligible under the HRF: humanitarian aid; projects that largely or exclusively involve the delivery of goods or materials; commercial activities; ongoing projects; projects with a predominantly academic focus, i.e. research; infrastructural or construction projects; bursaries or education programmes; feasibility studies; and, vehicles, household appliances, hardware, etc.
• The Human Rights Fund cannot be used to pay regular salaries, cover office related costs or buy equipment.

For more information, visit Human Rights Fund.

NOFO: DRL Improving Workers Rights, Strengthening Media, and Expanding Civic Participation (Pakistan)

Deadline: 24-Apr-23

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for Improving Workers Rights, Strengthening Independent Media, and Expanding Civic Participation.

Objectives

U.S. human rights and democracy assistance will contribute to a stable Pakistan by promoting governance based on democratic principles and respect for human rights.  It will also provide for the protection of, and advocacy for, the rights of the most vulnerable, including youth, women, and religious and ethnic minorities, as well as mitigate the impact of conflict on Pakistani communities.

Additionally, proposals must state the applicant’s current NGO registration and operating status in Pakistan to be considered.

Focus Areas

DRL invites organizations to submit proposals for programs in the following areas:

• Improved Workers’ Rights ($1,250,000-1,500,000 for 2 years)
  • DRL’s goal is to reduce the practice of bonded labor in Pakistan, particularly at the provincial where national law enforcement remains weak.  Successful proposals will go beyond describing an approach that promotes eradicating the practice of bonded labor and will detail how the applicant will address workers’ grievances, rights, remediation and achieve justice.
  • Program outcomes should include:
    • Advocacy, media outreach, or awareness raising on a particular issue of concern.
    • Strengthened ability of legal actors to litigate workers’ rights cases.
    • Participatory development of networks of human rights defenders.
    • Campaigns to highlight widespread violations of workers’ human rights (security, personhood).
• Strengthened Free and Independent Media ($1,250,000-$1,500,000 for 2 years)
  • DRL’s goal is an informed citizenry in Pakistan, that enjoys freedom of the press and the safety of journalists. Programs should seek to achieve the objective that independent media entities operate effectively and professionally to inform citizens. In doing so, programs should seek to achieve the following outcomes: independent media entities report with transparency and objectivity; counter disinformation; maintain independence; build sustainability; and reduce self-censorship, particularly on sensitive topics such as religious tolerance, gender, conflict, and governance.
• Expanded Civic Participation ($1,250,000-1,500,000 for 2 years)
  • DRL’s goal is to expand civic participation by improving the ability of Pakistan’s citizens to be a party to the democratic process, before, during and after elections in a free, fair, and transparent way. Successful proposals will promote respect for freedom of expression and association, restore space for independent civil society to operate safely and openly, and to address challenges and opportunities arising from elections.
  • Program objectives include: Citizens and civil society expand their participation in government and political reforms, including direct engagement in legislative reforms that affect fundamental freedoms and human rights; community leaders adequately, inclusively, and effectively  represent their communities/constituents in governance mechanisms, particularly those that address security and flood recovery efforts relevant to local populations; Pakistani citizens engage their representatives at the local, provincial and national levels on social, political, and economic issues, with a particular focus on increasing civil society engagement with the Pakistani government; full and equitable representation and participation in Pakistan’s civic processes is promoted, particularly by addressing barriers to access resulting from vulnerabilities (i.e., women, internally displaced persons, those lacking civil documentation, members of religious and ethnic minority groups, those with low literacy, persons with disabilities or mobility issues, etc.)

Funding Information

• Total Funding Floor: $1,250,000
• Total Funding Ceiling: $1,500,000
• Anticipated Number of Awards:  3
• Period of Performance: 24 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses.  DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.
• Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process.  Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards.  Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

For more information, visit DRL.

Call for Applications: Reducing Risk for Girls in the Juvenile Justice System in the US

Deadline: 10-Apr-23

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) seeks applications for funding to develop, enhance, or expand programs for girls in the juvenile justice system and girls at risk of becoming involved in the juvenile justice system.

This program furthers DOJ’s mission to reduce recidivism and improve public safety by helping jurisdictions more effectively reinvest resources that empower girls in the juvenile justice system and at-risk girls with the skills needed to lower engagement in risky behaviors, further their own personal development, and/or facilitate successful reintegration of girls involved in the juvenile justice system.

Goals

The goal of this program is to reduce risk factors and promote protective factors for girls who come in contact with the juvenile justice system, and place them on a path toward success, stability, and long-term contribution to society.

For the purposes of this solicitation, “at-risk girls” and “girls involved in the juvenile justice system” refer to girls age 17 and younger who are in need of guidance, treatment, or rehabilitation due to unhealthy behaviors (i.e., substance use, sexual exploitation, gang involvement, truancy, running away, delinquency) or have been arrested or referred for intake to a public agency (state, Tribal, city, or county) legally responsible for handling criminal offenses.

Objectives

An applicant should address all the objectives that are relevant to their proposed program/ project in the Goals, Objectives, Deliverables and Timeline web-based form. Funded sites under this initiative will work to accomplish the following objectives:

• Increase protective factors to prevent further delinquent behavior by girls involved in proposed programs funded under this solicitation.
• Improve juvenile justice system responses for girls in contact with the juvenile justice system.

Funding Information

• Anticipated Number of Awards: 8
• Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards: $525,000.00
• Period of Performance Duration (Months): 36
• Anticipated Total Amount to be Awarded Under Solicitation: $4,060,229.00

Deliverables

An applicant should address all the deliverables in the program/project in the Goals, Objectives, Deliverables and Timeline web-based form. Applicants should discuss how they will implement the following deliverables in their application that will be delivered as a result of this program:

• Develop and implement direct service programs for girls involved in the juvenile justice system to reduce reoffending OR enhance or expand existing early intervention programs to meet the specific needs of girls at risk or involved in the juvenile justice system.
• Work collaboratively with the OJJDP training and technical assistance provider to implement a planning process, as needed, and identify and implement evidenceinformed practices to reduce risk factors and promote protective factors for girls who come in contact with the juvenile justice system.
• Participate in an annual grantee meeting hosted by the OJJDP training and technical assistance provider.

Eligibility Criteria

• City or township governments,
• County governments,
• For profit organizations other than small businesses,
• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized),
• Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments),
• Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS,
• Other than institutions of higher education,
• Private institutions of higher education,
• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education,
• State governments, Other.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

UK: Thomas Wall Trust Grants Program

Deadline: 15-May-23

The Thomas Wall Trust is welcoming proposals for its Grant Program which targets people experiencing multiple deprivation or other groups demonstrably facing major hurdles to employment, especially; women, people with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, refugees and asylum seekers.

The Thomas Wall Trust believes that communication skills are critical capabilities for people who want to improve their employment prospects, self-confidence, resilience, and life chances.

The Trust recognises that communication is underpinned by a set of key features and skills such as empathy, listening, emotional intelligence, confidence, and clarity, amongst others.

Priorities

• Match funded projects
• Charities that can provide compelling evidence of impact
• Charities working with collaborative networks
• Self-sustainable projects, with a view to becoming less reliant on grants in the future.

Funding Information

• The Trust offer grants up to £5,000 to specific projects or core activities that develop these critical life skills for people from disadvantaged groups.

Eligibility Criteria

• A UK charity that has been registered with the Charity Commission for at least 3 years
• A project or running costs for a charity that equips disadvantaged people (aged 18 and over) with the necessary communication skills ready for employment
• Annual repeat funding for up to 3 years – subject to satisfactory annual reviews of progress and impact
• The charity’s annual turnover is between £10,000 and £500,000.

Ineligible

• They do not fund:
  • Organisations with political, lobbying or proselytizing objectives
  • Capital costs (the purchase of land, buildings, construction)
  • Charities that operate outside of the UK
  • Subsidiaries, ‘off shoots’ or franchises of larger charities
  • Hospitals.

For more information, visit Thomas Wall Trust.

U.S. Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo: Public Diplomacy Annual Program Statement

Deadline: 1-May-23

The U.S. Embassy Kinshasa Public Diplomacy Section (PD Kinshasa) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program.

Purpose

• PD Kinshasa invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the U.S. and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Programs should create opportunities for bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest and highlight shared values. All programs must include a U.S. element, such as an expert, organization, cultural element, or institution, that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.

Priority Program Areas

• PD seeks to engage the public, decisionmakers, civil society leaders, and opinion-shapers at all levels of Congolese society with the goal of broadening understanding of U.S. policies, culture, history, society, and values. U.S. Mission in Kinshasa priorities include:
  • Promote stability and durable peace, particularly in eastern DRC: Activities that promote conflict resolution and peaceful coexistence among Congolese communities, both of which are vital to democratic progress and economic prosperity.
  • Preserve the Congo Basin Rainforest, including through environmentally sound and sustainable economic growth: Activities that support the people of the Congo Basin, balancing economic opportunities for local communities with environmental concerns.
  • Strengthen democracy and good governance: Non-partisan activities that promote an understanding of U.S. democracy and how the United States and the DRC share democratic values.
  • Encourage prosperity, trade, and investment: Activities that support the expansion of U.S. exports and investments, improve the connections between U.S. and Congolese businesses, and/or expand economic opportunities, entrepreneurship, and financial independence among women, youth, and underserved populations. Activities that raise awareness of corruption and how to combat it.
  • Support media freedom/countering disinformation: Activities that support promotion of media freedom, media training, and countering misinformation/disinformation.
  • Share values and interests: Activities that promote the U.S.- DRC relationship and build people-to-people ties, including but not limited to commemorations of key historic events and commemorative programs, or shared appreciation for cultural excellence.
• Examples of PD Small Grants:
  • Academic and professional lectures, seminars, or speaker programs;
  • Workshops to counter violent extremism and disinformation;
  • Interactive programs that stimulate economic growth, promote entrepreneurship, and provide economic opportunities;
  • Professional and academic exchanges, cultural and English language programs.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: One to 12 months
• Number of awards anticipated: Two to 10 awards
• Award amounts: Minimum of $2,000 to a maximum of $25,000
• Total funding available: $50,000
• Anticipated program start date: FY2023 (October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023)

Participants and Audiences

• All applicants for awards must stipulate who their target audience is (age/gender/geographic breakdown) and estimate the expected audience reach through direct contact and, if possible, indirect contact (via social media or traditional media).

Eligibility Criteria

• The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from the U.S. and the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations with programming experience
  • Individuals
  • Non-profit educational institutions
  • Governmental institutions
  • For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

Ineligible

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

• Programs relating to partisan political activity;
• Charitable or development activities;
• Construction programs;
• Programs that support specific religious activities;
• Fund-raising campaigns;
• Lobbying for specific legislation or programs;
• Scientific research;
• Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization;
• Programs that duplicate existing initiatives.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Notice of Funding Opportunity: U.S. Speakers Program (Kosovo)

Deadline: 31-Mar-23

The U.S. Embassy in Pristina, Kosovo announces an open competition for Kosovo-based organizations and institutions to submit applications to carry out program(s) that expands the exchange of ideas and information between the United States and Kosovo by bringing U.S. experts to Kosovo.

Program Goal and Objectives

• The overarching goal of the U.S. Speaker Program is to lay the foundation for long-term, mutually beneficial networking and relationship-building opportunities between U.S. experts, organizations, and audiences in Kosovo through non-formal educational and cultural activities. The program provides a platform for exchanging ideas, information, and best practices through virtual and in-person interactions. This will enhance mutual understanding and support meaningful partnerships and collaborations between the United States and Kosovo.
• The primary objective of this program is to empower Kosovans by strengthening their awareness and skills on a range of social and economic issues through cultural and educational engagement. The program seeks to bring U.S. speakers and experts to Kosovo to share American practices and perspectives on these topics, thereby providing youth, emerging leaders, and established opinion makers with new and valuable insights they can apply to their lives and communities.
• The program seeks to cultivate a new generation of leaders and thinkers equipped to drive positive change in their communities and beyond by connecting Kosovans with American experts and providing opportunities for meaningful exchange and engagement.

Themes

Potential applicants are encouraged to focus their non-formal educational and cultural activities on the following themes:

• Advocating for energy security and environmental sustainability
• Countering malign influences and disinformation (such as media literacy programs)
• Introducing American-based technologies and digital economy
• Facilitating educational and cultural activities, including music
• Enhancing skills among youth and women from underserved communities
• Empowering women in peace and security
• Countering gender-based violence

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: 6 to 12 months
• Number of awards anticipated: up to 4 awards (dependent on amounts)
• Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $30,000
• Total available funding: $80,000

Participants and Audiences

Applicants must provide at least one primary program demographic from the following:

• Youth in Transition: This audience includes youth, ages 14 – 18, high school students and students transitioning into higher/technical education; and 18 – 23, graduate students and youth transitioning into the job market.
• Emerging Decision Makers: This audience includes people ages 24 – 35, who are future leaders in business, technology, education, government, and public administration. They include entrepreneurs, social activists, and civil servants with three to five years of work experience and have been identified as “rising stars.”
• Established Influencers: This audience includes people ages 35+, including but not limited to alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs and public figures at the top of their industry (e.g., innovators, technology leaders, business owners, academics, civil society leaders, and politicians), who can exert a positive influence on society.

Eligibility Criteria

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations;
• Public and private educational institutions, registered in Kosovo.
• Proposals with no U.S. speaker engaged in the implementation of proposed project activities shall be considered ineligible under this NOFO.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Pristina.

Call for Nominations: Singapore 100 Women in Tech

Deadline: 15-Apr-23

The Singapore Computer Society is seeking nominations for its Singapore 100 Women in Tech (SG100WIT) list that recognises and celebrates 100 inspiring, influential and impactful women and girls in the Singapore tech industry.

Categories

• Full-time students; they must not hold full-time job. Must be 13 years old as at 1 February 2023.
• Women in tech professionals who had made a difference in the Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics fields, industry and business sectors.

Qualities

• Full-time student: she would be a rising star who has inspired her classmates, school or institution because she uses technology to improve communities, is inventing or has invented new technologies and/or applications. She must also have an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Professional: She must be a pathfinder, using her expertise and capabilities to create new businesses or harness technology to benefit organisations, communities and society. She must be a trailblazer, leading teams and organisations to new achievements in advocating for gender diversity.

Eligibility Criteria

• Women working in the technology field in any industry and who are female based in Singapore qualify, irrespective of nationality.
• Their contributions must have benefited Singapore entity in the past 12 to 18 months.
• They could also be Singaporeans who have made an impact overseas in the past 12 to 18 months.

For more information, visit Singapore Computer Society.

NOFO: Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program (India)

Deadline: 22-Apr-23

The U.S. Consulate General Chennai’s Public Diplomacy section (PD Chennai) is pleased to announce a funding opportunity through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program.

Examples of PD Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to:

• Academic and professional lectures, seminars, workshops, conferences, and performances.
• U.S. experts participating in speaking tours, roundtables, and panel discussions.
• Projects showcasing U.S. models or curricula.
• Initiatives aimed at engaging with alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs.
• Creative projects, including artistic and cultural workshops, performances, and exhibitions that advance one or more of the priority areas of PD Chennai listed below.

Goal

PD Chennai is pleased to announce an open competition for non-profit organizations to submit applications to implement programs that foster stronger bilateral and regional ties through diverse public diplomacy programs on topics related to global threats, economic prosperity, regional security in the Indo-Pacific, and shared democratic values.  Applications should include and promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives in the project proposals.

Program Priority Areas

Applications should focus primarily on any one or more of the themes:

• Theme One: Global Threats
  • Trafficking in Persons (TIP): Programs which raise awareness among vulnerable populations as well as key stakeholders on TIP and share best practices to combat human trafficking.
  • Climate Change: Foster dialogue among key stakeholders, including civil society, about preparedness for climate change-related challenges.
• Theme Two: Economic Prosperity
  • Entrepreneurship:
    • Promote and support start-up hubs, incubators, business associations and other initiatives which lead to innovation, business, science, and technology cooperation to increase economic opportunities especially for emerging business leaders.
    • Promote projects that enhance women’s participation, promotion, and longevity in the labor force and ability to assume leadership positions.
  • Education:
    • Projects that increase access to education and economic opportunity to underserved communities.
    • Projects that promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematic (STEM) education, including institutional partnerships with a particular focus on women and girls and underserved communities.
• Theme Three: Regional Security
  • Programs to promote the U.S.-India partnership and shared goals for the development of the Indo-Pacific region.
  • Programs that address issues of regional security, including cybersecurity, critical and engineering technologies, and countering violent extremism, as well as exchanges that promote multilateral cooperation and enhance stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • Programs to develop social and intellectual connections, creating bridges of understanding and connection among Indo-Pacific countries by providing opportunities for participants to identify and appreciate common values.
• Theme Four: Shared Democratic Values
  • Programs which increase the effectiveness of individuals, organizations, and coalitions working to advance and/or advocate for respect and promotion of human rights.
  • Programs which promote sensitization on Gender Based Violence (GBV) issues.
  • Programs which strengthen and build capacity of local organizations who work on social and economic inclusion of marginalized communities (including the LGBTQ+), to build long-term, self-sustaining relationships within communities and organizations.
  • Programs related to freedom of the press that improve quality of investigative journalism, transparency, and reinforce journalistic standards to counter disinformation.
  • Programs that promote pluralism, religious freedom, and social inclusion.

Objectives

These should be outlined in the specific proposal submitted by the applicant.  A helpful approach is using the SMART evaluation system:  Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.

• Project deliverables for each phase of the project should be defined in the proposal.
• Strong proposals include quantifiable deliverables, including the tools used for measurement and evaluation.

Funding Information

• Funding Mechanism Type: Grant.
• Maximum (“Ceiling”) Award Amount: USD 25,000.
• Minimum Award Amount: USD 5,000.
• Total Amount Available: USD 50,000.
• Number of Awards Available: 2-10, depending on funding availability.
• Length of Project Period: Not to exceed 12 months.

Project Audience(s):

Targeted audiences will vary based on the nature and design of the project proposed.  Potential audience segments include:

• Youth and university students;
• Civil society/human rights/gender rights leaders, journalists, artists, politicians, judicial, government officials, policy makers, climate change and environmental activists, etc.;
• National and regional media outlets, digital and social media influencers;
• Business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors;
• Academic institutions, cultural organizations, think tanks, and non-profits.
• Strong proposals will clearly segment and define the project’s target audience and provide rationale for prioritizing a group or groups.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are eligible to apply:
  • Not-for-profit organizations.
  • Civil society/non-governmental organizations.
  • Think tanks.
  • Public and private educational institutions.
  • Individuals.
  • Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions.
• Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one, non-profit, non-governmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal.

Ineligible

This award does not allow:

• Projects relating to partisan political activity;
• Charitable or development activities;
• Construction projects;
• Projects that support specific religious activities;
• Fund-raising campaigns;
• Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
• Scientific research or surveys;
• Commercial projects;
• Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization;
• Projects that duplicate existing projects; or
• Illegal activities.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

NYFA’s Anonymous Was A Woman Environmental Art Grants (US)

Deadline: 18-Apr-23

The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is delighted to launch the Anonymous Was A Woman Environmental Art Grants (AWAW EAG) to support environmental art projects led by women-identifying artists in the United States and U.S. Territories.

The AWAW EAG is funded by Anonymous Was A Woman. The AWAW EAG will support environmental art projects that inspire thought, action, and ethical engagement. Projects should not only point at problems, but aim to engage an environmental issue at some scale. Proposals should illustrate thorough consideration of a project’s ecological and social ethics. Projects that explore interdependence, relationships, and systems through Indigenous and ancestral practices are encouraged to apply.

Funding Information

• AWAW EAG will distribute a total of $300,000 in funding—up to $20,000 per project.

What Types of Projects are Eligible?

• Projects must be led by a woman-identifying artist
• Projects must have a focus on environmental issues. Environmental art projects that qualify for this program may focus on the following themes, but are not limited to:
  • Regeneration
  • Eco-social engagement
  • Decarbonization as decolonization
  • Ecofeminism
  • Climate change / climate collapse
  • Systems-restoration
  • Interspecies relationships
  • Natural or built systems
  • Recycling and repurposing
  • Clean energy production
  • Bioplastics
• The funded project or phase of the project must be completed by June 2024
• Projects must have a public engagement component that is free to attend and takes place within the grant term (August 2023 to June 2024).
• Funds may be reallocated as necessary to complete the project.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be women-identifying artists
• Applicants must be 18 years or older on or before February 21, 2023
• Applicants must be the project lead, but collaborative projects are eligible and encouraged to apply
• Applicants must have residence in one of the 50 states, a Tribal Nation, a U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia on the grant deadline
• Applicants must be a US citizen, permanent legal resident, or O-1 visa holder
• Applicants cannot be enrolled in a degree-seeking program of any kind
• Applicants can be past recipients of any of NYFA’s and AWAW’s grant programs
• Recipients of the grant are open to accept additional funds from other donors
• NYFA and AWAW employees, members of the NYFA Board of Trustees or Artists’ Advisory Committee, and/or an immediate family member of any of the above cannot apply

Evaluation Criteria

Eligible applications are reviewed and scored by a panel based on the following evaluation criteria:

• Project Clarity and Feasibility
• Environmental Impact and Community Engagement
• Creativity and Artistic Merit

For more information, visit New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA).

UN Women invites Proposals from Civil Society Organizations in Moldova

Deadline: 17-Mar-23

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) Moldova Office plans to contract an organization (Civil Society Organizations, registered in Moldova) or a Consortium of organizations to assure that refugee women and girls at risk benefit from timely, accessible, quality GBV prevention and response services and gender-responsive humanitarian action.

Over the next period UN Women will continue contributing to increasing resilience and agency of women and girls in all their diversity, both refugee and local, especially the most vulnerable and affected by the crisis, through access to gender-responsive humanitarian assistance and tailored livelihood programs and benefiting from integrated gender responsive, localized and women-cantered protection and development opportunities.

With the respect to leaving no one behind approach, the Responsible Party, will contribute to direct services provision to women and girls, GBV survivors and those fleeing from the war in Ukraine, to assure that they benefit from timely, accessible, quality GBV prevention and response services and gender-responsive humanitarian action. All activities will be coordinated with other responsible partners to be selected under the project mentioned above in order to ensure synergetic approach towards the overall intervention.

Interventions will be carried out in five locations around Moldova, in areas with limited coverage of such services and will target women refugees and local women and girls from underrepresented groups including but not limited to minority women, female single-headed households, women with disability, women leaving with HIV, GBV survivors, LGBTQUIA+, expectant and nursing mothers, elderly women.

Funding Information

• The total budget available for this call for proposal is of up to USD 100,000.
• Timeframe:
  • The proposals are expected to start from April 2023 and be implemented within a period of maximum 9 months and to be completed no later than end of December 2023.

Expected Results

• Project Outcome: Women and girls in all their diversity, both refugee and local, especially the most vulnerable and affected by the crisis, have increased resilience and agency due to access to gender-responsive humanitarian assistance and tailored livelihood programs and benefit from integrated gender-responsive, localized and women-centred protection and development opportunities.
• Project Output (3): Refugee women and girls at risk benefit from timely, accessible, quality GBV prevention and response services and gender-responsive humanitarian action.
• Through this Call for Proposal, UN Women Moldova is seeking to contract an organization (Civil Society Organizations, registered in Moldova) or a Consortium of organizations to fulfil the following suggested activities, but not limiting to:
  • Strengthen the case management by applying intersectoral Protocols and referral pathways based on national legal framework for refugees and host communities through mentorship, peer support among NGOs and service providers, including final beneficiaries
  • Provide structured group and individual psychosocial and legal assistance, to GBV survivors in all their diversity, especially the most vulnerable and affected by the crisis
  • Provide gender-responsive humanitarian assistance to women and girls in the 5 districts, based on vulnerability and needs assessment conducted in project inception phase
  • Provide institutional support to local women-led and women rights organizations to support their capacity building and strengthen organizational development, enabling them to provide timely and quality services to women and girls in all their diversity, especially the most vulnerable and affected by the crisis
  • Carry out awareness raising activities targeting frontline workers on referral pathways and existentlivelihoods opportunities in the selected communities

Competencies

• Proponents must meet all mandatory requirements/pre-qualification criteria.
• Proponents will receive a pass/fail rating on this section. UN WOMEN reserves the right to verify any information contained in proponent’s response or to request additional information after the proposal is received. Incomplete or inadequate responses, lack of response or misrepresentation in responding to any questions will result in disqualification.
• Technical/functional competencies required:
  • Knowledge and experience of for at least 3 years in implementing activities on the direct support to survivors of gender-based violence in Moldova. Experience in managing and implementing direct support/humanitarian area projects will be considered an advantage;
  • Team of experts (team leader, direct support specialists, trainers, consultants, coachers, and/or other relevant staff) with at least two years of experience in the areas of expertise for which they were contracted;
  • Proven in-house experience in rehabilitation/(re)integration of survivors of violence/abuse and women/girls empowerment programmes;
  • Experience of supporting refugees, migrants, vulnerable and/or underrepresented groups will be considered an advantage;
  • Presence in the region and/or experience of working at local and community level, in partnership with community-based organisations from different regions of the country;
• Other competencies, which while not required, can be an asset for the performance of services:
  • Previous experience managing grants/partner agreements from UN agencies, INGOs or international organizations.

For more information, visit UN Women.

Open Call: Providing Increased Access to Business Support Opportunities in Moldova

Deadline: 17-Mar-23

UN Women is accepting Proposals for Responsible Parties to Provide Increased Access to Business Skills Development and Business Support Opportunities in Moldova for Ukrainian refugees.

UN Women Moldova plans to contract a responsible party to provide increased access to business skills development and business support opportunities for at least 100 women and girls, both Moldovan citizens and Ukrainian refugees, in five locations around Moldova.

Project Outcome: Women and girls in all their diversity, both refugee and local, especially the most vulnerable and affected by the crisis, have increased resilience and agency due to access to gender-responsive humanitarian assistance and tailored livelihood programs and benefit from integrated gender-responsive, localized and women-centred protection and development opportunities.

Project Output: Women and girls, both refugee and local, have increased access to business skills development and business support opportunities.

• Through this Call for Proposal, UN Women Moldova is seeking to contract an organization (Civil Society Organization, registered in Moldova) or a Consortium of organizations to fulfil the following suggested activities, but not limited to:
  • Conduct beneficiary mapping and a rapid needs assessment to select the beneficiaries of the business support in up to 5 districts in Moldova with the focus on women refugees and local from underrepresented groups.
  • Develop and implement business support programs (including voucher support component) based on co-creation with involvement of right holders and duty bearers, to directly support skills and business development.
  • Carry out awareness raising activities targeting women and girls in all their diversity, especially the most vulnerable, on available business support opportunities in the selected communities.

Funding Information

• The total budget available for this call for proposal is of up to USD 95,000.00.
• The proposals are expected to start from April 2023 and be implemented within a period of 9 months and to be completed no later than end of December 2023.

Competencies

• Proponents will receive a pass/fail rating on this section. UN WOMEN reserves the right to verify any information contained in proponent’s response or to request additional information after the proposal is received. Incomplete or inadequate responses, lack of response or misrepresentation in responding to any questions will result in disqualification.
• Technical/functional competencies required:
  • Knowledge and experience of for at least 3 years in implementing business development support activities. Experience in managing and implementing business financing instruments (vouchers, grants, seed capital, etc.), will be considered an advantage;
  • Team of experts (team leader, business development specialists, trainers, consultants, coachers, and/or other relevant staff) with at least two years of experience in the areas of expertise for which they were contracted;
  • Proven in-house experience in inclusion and economic empowerment Programmes of women/girls in all their diversity.
  • Experience of supporting refugees, migrants, vulnerable and/or underrepresented groups will be considered an advantage;
  • Presence in the region and/or experience of working at local and community level, in partnership with community-based organisations from different regions of the country;
• Other competencies, which while not required, can be an asset for the performance of services:
  • Previous experience managing grants/partner agreements from UN agencies, INGOs or international organizations.

Specific requirements to the proposal

• The proponent as a Responsible Party is expected to make substantial contribution to achievement of but not limited to the activities for which it is putting an offer;
• Proponents are highly encouraged to propose interventions that explore innovative ideas, including use of digital tools and existing digital platforms;
• The cooperation with Japanese experts, companies, NGOs will be considered an advantage at the evaluation stage.
• The proposed intervention size and budget request is for up to equivalent in MDL of USD 95,000.00. The proposal amounts shall be quoted in Moldovan Lei. All currency exchanges will be calculated using the UN Operational Exchange Rate as per the date of submission of proposal;
• UN Women will sign a contract with applicant organisations and disburse funds to the applicant organizations only. Results based budget should be prepared using zero VAT rate;
• Partners and sub-contractors will benefit from respective fiscal arrangements upon signature of Partnership Agreement with UN Women Moldova. The proponent shall follow the UN Women Branding Guidelines and Identity Standards throughout the implementation process;
• The budget of the proposal shall include communication and visibility actions. Examples of communication and visibility actions may be but not limited to: success stories, video spots, informative sessions, online campaigns, awareness campaigns etc.

For more information, visit UN Women.

Call for Proposals for Regional Spotlight Initiative to End Violence

Deadline: 15-Mar-23

UN Women Multi-Country Office (MCO) – Caribbean, seeks to partner with Responsible Parties (Non-Governmental Organizations) [NGOs] who will contribute to the scale-up or creation of new and innovate interventions for the marginalized populations with which they work, as well as strengthen their capacities to design, implement and monitor their own programmes on ending violence against women and girls (VAWG), including family violence.

The Grants are intended to support NGOs working in family violence, especially those responding to the needs of women and girl survivors and those who face discrimination or marginalization (e.g., rural women and girls, young people, women, and girls with disabilities, queer, transgender, marginalized and gender non-conforming communities etc.).

Key Pillars

Complementing the Spotlight country programmes in six Caribbean countries, the Caribbean Spotlight Programme focuses on 4 of 6 pillars of programming, i.e.

• Working to ensure institutions are gender-responsive;
• Establishing comprehensive and evidence based prevention programmes aimed at changing social norms and gender stereotypes;
• Promoting the collection and use of quality, comparable data to inform public policy, advocacy, policy making, and delivery of complimentary services to improve prevention; and
• Supporting autonomous women’s movements to influence, and monitor policy and to ensure accountability.

Given the crucial role that CSO´s and feminist movements play in creating the conditions for change, in getting issues of gender-based violence, women´s equality and empowerment including advancement of sexual and reproductive health and rights on the agenda, there is an urgent need to support a regional women’s movement to coordinate and work to end violence against women and girls.

Areas

Grants can be used for a diversity of activities. These can include areas such as:

• Addressing a need or gap in civil society which is not met by other funding sources,
• Leveraging support for coalition-building among the women’s movement and civil society; building internal/institutional capacities of smaller grassroot CSOs to increase learning.
• Support technology solutions, innovation and improving coordination and integration efforts among organizations to address VAWG and GEWE.
• Improving service delivery for victims/survivors,
• Advancing intersectional analyses or research on VAWG etc.

Funding Information

• Resources are being made available within the Caribbean Spotlight Programme to provide two (2) categories of grants to NGOs/CSOs.
  • Ceiling of USD $20,000 – $25,000 per organization and
  • A ceiling of USD 35,000 – S50,000 per organisation.
• The expected duration of this partnership is six (6) months, commencing 1st April 2023 and concluding 30th September 2023. Extensions will not be permitted as programme closure will begin from October 2023, and to allow sufficient time for project and programme reporting.

Eligibility Criteria

• Responsible Party must be a Registered Non-Governmental Organization/Civil Society Organisation under the relevant country laws for a period no less than five (5) years before the date of the application.
• At least 3-5 years’ experience implementing initiatives on gender equality and women’s empowerment, human rights, family violence and gender-based violence including violence against women and girls.
• At least 3-5 years’ experience working with vulnerable and marginalized individuals/groups/communities including rural women and girls, women and girls with disabilities, queer, transgender, and other gender non-confirming groups.
• At least 5 years’ experience working in the CARICOM region. Joint applications between NGOS in the target countries with proven experience working in both countries may also be accepted.
• Countries to be covered:
  • Antigua and Barbuda.
  • Barbados.
  • Belize.
  • Dominica.
  • St. Kitts and Nevis.
  • Saint Lucia.
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
  • Suriname.

For more information, visit UN Women.

Survivor Voices Against Rape (SUVAR) Conference 2023 in Cameroon

Deadline: 15-Mar-23

If you are a rape survivor or a mother/sister/friend/aunt/cousin etc. to a rape survivor, or an active changemaker, this Survivor Voices Against Rape (SUVAR) Conference 2023 is for you. If you are a representative voice, please, be sure to obtain permission from the survivor whose story you will be sharing.

Rescue Women Cameroon (REWOCAM) will be organizing the 3rd edition of SUVAR, a three-day conference on the title “Survivor Voices Against Rape (SUVAR): The Power of Our Voices!” This conference will bring together 30 women who are determined to break barriers, stand tall and use their voices to fight against rape in their community. The Conference will take place in a homely and safe space in Buea or Limbe.

The following participants are encouraged to apply:

• Survivors of rape (A rape survivor is anyone who has been raped before in their lifetime)
• Representative voices (A representative voice is anyone who is ready to come and tell the story of a loved one who has been raped and is ready to engage in the fight against rape)
• Changemakers who are ready to lead advocacy missions against rape.

Eligible Expenses

This is a fully funded opportunity as the following costs will be covered:

• Lodging.
• Food (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner).
• Transport reimbursement to and from your place of residence (Please note that there are certain distant locations in Cameroon whose transportation costs they cannot cover, completely).
• Conference materials.
• Opportunity to win seed funding/grant of $1000 (500,000frs CFA) to implement outstanding project to fight against rape (this will be highly competitive and in groups).

Eligibility Criteria

• You must be a woman between the ages of 18 – 60 (However, applicants with unique and life changing stories who fall out of this age bracket will be given special consideration).
• You must be a female rape survivor or a female representative voice representing a rape survivor. This means, you can apply to be a voice to a closed relation who was raped but cannot speak for themselves at this time.
• You must be resident in Cameroon. If you are resident out of Cameroon and you want to be a part of this program, please do understand that you will cover all your travel fees.
• You must be ready and courageous enough to share the/your story during the conference and do note that the event will be aired on different media platforms. Also note that they are ready to grant anonymity to whoever wants to remain anonymous during the sharing of the event in the media.
• You must be English speaking. All the conference content will be in English!
• If you are a changemaker who heads an Organization, you must encourage at least 5 survivors to apply under your Organization to increase your chances of winning the $1000 as an Organization.

For more information, visit Rescue Women Cameroon .

Small Grants to Strengthen ties between the U.S. and South Sudan

Deadline: 14-Apr-23

The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in Juba, South Sudan is pleased to announce that limited funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program, provided through the U.S. Department of State.

Purpose of Small Grants:

PDS Juba invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the U.S. and South Sudan through programming that advances core U.S. foreign policy goals, in particular those outlined in the BidenHarris Administration’s fact sheet and U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa. Project proposals should advance shared priorities and values and promote bilateral cooperation.

Examples of PDS Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to:

• Training and workshops that advance and promote peacebuilding, democracy, transparency; strengthen a national identity, transcending historical divisions; support and develop the media community; address trauma, healing, and reconciliation; and support economic empowerment;
• Academic and professional lectures, seminars, and speaker programs;
• Artistic and cultural workshops, performances, and exhibitions;

Priority Program Areas:

• Foster Openness and Open Societies
• Examples:
  • Promoting government transparency, accountability, and tolerance of marginalized communities, and citizens’ rights and responsibilities in a democratic society.
  • Increasing the focus on rule of law, justice, and dignity.
  • Assisting South Sudan to more transparently leverage its natural resources for sustainable development.
• Deliver Democratic and Security Dividends
• Examples:
  • Supporting civil society, empowering marginalized groups, centering the voices of women and youth, and defending free and fair elections.
  • Advancing regional stability and security.
• Advance Pandemic Recovery and Economic Opportunity
• Examples:
  • Prioritizing policies and programs to spur economic recovery and build capacities to increase preparedness for the next health threat.
  • Partnering to rebuild human capital and food systems that were further weakened by the pandemic and Russia’s war against Ukraine.
• Support Conservation, Climate Adaptation, and a Just Energy Transition
• Examples:
  • Partnering to conserve, manage, and restore the continent’s rich natural ecosystems.
  • Supporting efforts to minimize and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate, including enhancing community, economic, and supply chain resilience.
  • Working to accelerate just transitions to a clean energy future, energy access, and energy security.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: up to 12 months.
• Number of awards anticipated: at least one.
• Award Floor: $1,000
• Total available funding: Up to $100,000. Awards may be for a maximum of $50,000 but past award amounts for any individual project have not exceeded $25,000.

Participants and Audiences:

Programs should focus on a specific audience segment in South Sudan, e.g., youth between the ages of 14 to 35, women, civil society organizations, etc.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Applicants PDS encourages applications from:

• Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience and that are actively involved with projects in South Sudan.

• All programs must include an American cultural element, and/or connection with an American expert(s), organization(s), or institution(s) in a specific field that will promote an increased understanding of and appreciation for U.S. policy and perspectives. South Sudanese organizations based outside of Juba are especially encouraged to apply.
• For-profit, governmental, or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa PDS Request for Statement of Interest (Ethiopia)

Deadline: 18-Mar-23

The U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State invites proposals for programs that strengthen cultural ties between the U.S. and Ethiopia through cultural, media and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation.

Purpose of Small Grants:

All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policies, values, and perspectives. Examples of PDS small grants programs include, but are not limited to:

• Academic and professional lectures, seminars and speaker programs;
• Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions;
• Programs developed by an alumnus/a of a U.S. sponsored or supported educational or professional exchange program.
• Programs that strengthen U.S. college and university relationships with local higher education institutions, businesses, and/or regional organizations.
• Media trainings.

Themes

The APS is intended to inform individuals, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and academic institutions about opportunities from the Public Diplomacy Section to support projects in at least one of the following thematic areas:

• Efforts to support Ethiopia’s economic and political reforms, including support for civil society, democracy, and governance, and/or entrepreneurship.
• Strengthening independent and state media through media literacy with a focus on workshops for general audiences, like high school classes or clubs, university groups, etc., to learn about how to discern reliable sources of information, how to identify mis- and disinformation, etc.
• Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).
• Engaging emerging and under-represented populations, including youth, women, and persons with disabilities through education, art, sports, culture and other programs.
• Promoting tolerance and peace through dialogue.
• Promoting economic growth, especially via entrepreneurship.
• Promoting sustainable policies to protect the environment.

Priority Program Areas:

Proposals must identify how the proposal would fulfil a general U.S. Embassy priority:

• Spur Broad-based Economic Growth and Promote Development: strengthen role of women and youth in economic activity; improve trade and investment climate; and increase opportunities for employment transition.
• Promote resilient peace, security, and democratic institutions in Ethiopia: Strengthen transparent, democratic institutions that promote good governance, rule of law, peace building, and human rights principles at all levels of government and society; support pluralistic, inclusive dialogue processes.
• Promote sustainable development and mutual prosperity through expanded and deepened partnerships and mutual understanding: Support shared global interests in sustainable economic and human development for vulnerable citizens and communities; strengthen the U.S.-Ethiopian economic and commercial relationship by promoting market-oriented reforms and expanding two-way trade and investment; rebuild and expand people-to-people connections between Ethiopians and Americans.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: 6 to 12 months.
• Number of awards anticipated: Approximately five awards.
• Estimated Total Program Funding: $200,000
• Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $100,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from U.S. and Ethiopian:
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations with programming experience.
  • Non-profit or governmental educational institutions.
• Individuals will be considered, but priority is given to registered organizations and educational institutions with a proven track record of success. For-profit or commercial entities, including for-profit media organizations, are not eligible to apply.

Ineligible

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

• Programs relating to partisan political activity;
• Charitable or development activities;
• Construction programs;
• Programs that support specific religious activities;
• Fund-raising campaigns;
• Lobbying for specific legislation or programs;
• Scientific research;
• Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; or
• Programs that duplicate existing programs.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Ireland: Communities Integration Fund 2023

Deadline: 15-Mar-23

The Minister of State O’Brien is inviting applications for the Communities Integration Fund 2023 to support communities across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting the integration of migrants.

Purpose and Goal

• A total of €500,000 is available in 2023 to local community based organisations to carry out integration projects in their local area. Organisations eligible to apply include local community groups, sports clubs, faith-based groups, arts groups, cultural organisations, and schools. Applicant organisations must operate on a not-for-profit basis.
• This funding can be used for both once-off initiatives and short to medium term projects. Projects should take an inclusive approach, aiming to bring migrants and host communities together.
• The maximum amount that may be granted to projects under CIF 2023 is €5,000. Please note that as capital expenditure must only amount to a very minor part of the overall expenditure capital expenditure must not exceed 10% of the overall project cost. Funding cannot be used for the provision of prize money, vouchers or monetary equivalents. The grant awarded is non-transferable.
• Please note that applications from Local Authorities, International Protection accommodation service providers, and individuals acting alone are not eligible for CIF.

Themes

• Intercultural Awareness – A project that brings host communities and migrant communities together to celebrate each other’s cultures and customs.
• Combating Racism and Xenophobia – A project aimed at preventing racism and xenophobia among local communities.
• Sport & Community Games – A project to facilitate local migrant integration by encouraging migrants to get involved in sport.
• Arts – A project to encourage social interaction between migrants and members of their local communities, through arts and crafts, music, dance, theatre and literature.
• Food/Cuisine – A project to promote interculturalism and integration through the sharing of different cuisines and cooking methods.
• Community Events – A project to adapt existing community activities or events to make them more inclusive of migrants.
• Capacity Building – A project with a social inclusion focus that seeks to help particularly vulnerable groups of migrants overcome specific difficulties (e.g. job-seeking skills, social media skills, IT skills, English language skills).
• Employment – A project offering employment advice and/or opportunities, e.g. through sponsorship by local businesses for training, skills assessment, placements, etc.
• School aged projects – A project focused on the educational needs of migrants through provision of additional supports e.g. to help migrant children to maximise the benefit of their school attendance (e.g. homework clubs).
• Migrant Women – A project assisting migrant women to integrate into Irish society

Funding Information

• Grants may range from €1,000 up to a maximum of €5,000, depending on the size and nature of the project.
• Projects must commence before 31 December 2023 and must be completed no later than 30 June 2024. Projects failing to observe these dates will be deemed ineligible, and funding must be returned to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

Target Groups

• The purpose of the Communities Integration Fund 2023 is to support communities across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting the integration of migrants and their children.
• As the Fund is intended to promote the integration of migrants and host communities, applicants are required to explain how the proposed project will bring migrants and host communities together.

Assessment Criteria

• All applications will be screened to ensure their completeness, and the eligibility of the applicant organisation and proposed activities. Applications deemed complete and eligible will then be assessed according to the following criteria:
  • Overall strength of project proposal by reference to planned activities;
  • Degree to which the planned outcomes meet the goals of the CIF 2023;
  • Value for money.
• In determining the overall allocation of CIF 2023, DCEDIY may have regard to the need to achieve a balanced geographical spread of activities and to ensure a diverse array of migrant groups are represented.

For more information, visit Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

US: Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields Program

Deadline: 19-Apr-23

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is seeking applications for Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields Program.

The purpose of this program is to support research, education/teaching, and extension projects that increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in STEM.

NIFA intends this program to address educational needs within broadly defined areas of food and agricultural sciences. Applications recommended for funding must highlight and emphasize the development of a competent and qualified workforce in the food and agricultural sciences.

WAMS-funded projects improve the economic health and viability of rural communities by developing research and extension initiatives that focus on new and emerging employment opportunities in STEM occupations. Projects that contribute to the economic viability of rural communities are also encouraged.

Purpose and Priorities

• For the Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields (WAMS) program, NIFA will support projects with a target audience of K-14 students (kindergarten through twelfth grade plus two years of post-secondary schooling (e.g., vocational technical institutions or community or junior colleges)).
• Four-year undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral focused projects will not be awarded under this grant announcement. Projects with a primary target of four-year undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral studies should consider other NIFA’s workforce development focused programs.
• The purpose of this program is to support integrated education/teaching and extension/outreach projects that increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in STEM. For a definition of “underrepresented minorities” and “rural area” please visit Appendix III of this RFA. NIFA intends for this program to address educational needs, as determined by each institution, within broadly defined areas of food and agricultural sciences and their allied disciplines.
• Applications recommended for funding must highlight and emphasize the development of a competent and qualified workforce in the food and agricultural enterprise. WAMS-funded projects should improve the economic health and viability of rural communities by developing education and extension initiatives that focus on new and emerging employment opportunities in STEM occupations for women and underrepresented minorities. Projects that contribute to the economic viability of rural communities are also encouraged.
• WAMS project activities must support the creation, adaptation, and adoption of learning materials and teaching strategies to operationalize what they know about how students learn. Many of these concepts are identified in the National Research Council’s publication How People Learn. WAMS-funded projects shall also focus on imparting both technical knowledge as well as leadership and interpersonal skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problemsolving, as these are abilities expected by employers.

Funding Information

• The amount available for the Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields (WAMS) program in FY 2023 is approximately $1,800,000.
• Award Ceiling: $200,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligibility Requirements As contained in Section 7204 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) (Pub. L. 110-246 which amends Section 1672 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5925)), applications may only be submitted by the following eligible applicants:
  • State agricultural experiment stations;
  • colleges and universities;
  • university research foundations;
  • other research institutions and organizations;
  • Federal agencies;
  • national laboratories;
  • private organizations or corporations; and,
  • individuals or any group consisting of two or more of the entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (H). Applicants for the Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields (WAMS) program must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA.
• Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or, preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.
• Duplicate or Multiple Submission – submissions of duplicate (other than revisions) or predominantly overlapping applications is not allowed. In FY2023, An eligible applicant may submit up to two applications on behalf of multiple institution’s staff as long as they are not essentially duplications of the same project or portions of the same project to multiple programs.
• NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits duplicate submissions. For additional information or clarification please contact the NIFA POC listed in this RFA. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Call for Project Proposals: “Dwabo” Small Grants Programme 2023 (Ghana)

Deadline: 28-Mar-23

The Embassy of France aims to encourage the strengthening of civil societies in Ghana through the “Dwabo” Small Grants Programme in order to enable stronger policy advocacy and increase stakeholder engagement.

For its fourth edition, the “Dwabo” small grants programme will be dedicated to “sexual and reproductive health and rights of women”. Civil society organizations (CSOs) have a recognized role in social change and political dialogue and increasingly, CSOs are demanding to be more actively included in policy-making processes, including those at a national, sub-regional and local level.

Aims

• The aim of this call is to support innovative projects, especially in under deprived areas, bringing together a multiplicity of actors (CSOs, institutions, private sectors, federations, etc.).
• In this light, the French Embassy in Ghana is seeking high quality project proposals that seek highlight the relevance of sexual and reproductive health rights in Ghanaian society. The projects will aim at:
  • Guaranteeing sexual and reproductive rights for women, girls and vulnerable communities to ensure that they can enjoy the right to dispose of their bodies,
  • Improving access to appropriate sexual and reproductive health services (birth control, choice of spouse, family planning, etc.),
  • Promoting free and equal access of women, girls and vulnerable communities to rights and justice and protection from all forms of violence,
  • Advocating for the adoption of laws and policies that guarantee equality and non-discrimination,
  • Promoting and implementing measures to improve gender equity, empowerment of women, promotion of woman’s rights,
  • Sensitizing and advocating against early marriage and/or teenage pregnancy that prevent teenagers from attending school,
  • Promoting sustainable change in social habits and more favourable laws for girls, especially young girls in vulnerable situations (comprehensive sexuality education, etc.).
• The Embassy encourages the submission of proposals on awareness-raising, capacity-building and actions by CSOs in Ghana. Multi-action projects, including public democratic debate or public engagement, will be preferred to one-off projects.

Funding Information

• Each successful project will be supported with a grant ranging from € 10 000 to € 15 000 for a duration of 12 months for project implementation.

What Kinds of Proposals are Expected?

• Proposals should clearly defined context, objectives, beneficiaries and indicators of monitoring and evaluation that address the current identified sectors. These proposals should go beyond purely descriptive research or status reports but must present actionable plans and propose innovative and feasible solutions or tools which can be implemented directly at the local level.
• A co-financing from the project holder is expected (10% minimum).
• The running costs of the project should not exceed 8% of the total budget.
• Sitting allowances and honorarium will not be accepted.
• Projects benefiting from co-financing with other partners (NGOs, private sector, local authorities, other donors, etc.) will be favoured.
• Coalition of different CSOs is welcomed but only one NGO among the coalition will receive the grant.
• The selection committee will give preference to most disadvantaged regions, particularly but not limited to those in the northern part of Ghana.
• Projects will have to implement a gender approach, in all its dimensions and at all levels. Whether in terms of project beneficiaries and capacity building actions, staff of the organisation, or involvement in the implementation of actions, projects should include gender indicators and candidates should provide proof of this consideration and mastery of the concept.

Eligibility Criteria

• Any Civil Society Organization (CSO) legally registered to operate in Ghana can apply.
• Conditions for CSOs:
  • CSOs that are legally registered and recognized in Ghana;
  • CSOs that are affiliated to known coalitions and networks;
  • CSOs with offices in the regions, and especially in the districts where they plan to implement the project. Credible national CSOs may also collaborate with local CSOs located within their preferred project districts to apply for a project.

Ineligible

• Actions concerned only or mainly with individual sponsorships for participation in workshops, seminars, conferences and congresses;
• Actions concerned only with organisation of workshops, seminars, conferences and congresses;
• Actions concerned only or mainly with individual scholarships for studies or training courses;
• Actions in the formal education sector, except in special circumstances;
• Equipment costs beyond 7% of the total budget;
• Actions supporting political parties;
• Actions which include religious proselytism;
• Actions which discriminate against individuals or groups of people on grounds of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or lack of them, or their ethnic origin;
• Actions which are in conflict with constitutional provisions.

For more information, visit Embassy of France in Ghana.

Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards 2023 (South Africa)

Deadline: 27-Mar-23

The SAB Foundation is accepting applications for its Social Innovation Awards to recognise entrepreneurs and social innovators who have developed innovative products, services, and processes that solve social problems.

The programme supports businesses with prototypes and those who are in their early development stages.

Awards

• The Social Innovation Award
  • Is aimed at innovators/social entrepreneurs/institutions/social enterprises with prototypes or early stage businesses that can solve a social problem.
• The Disability Empowerment Award
  • Is aimed at innovators/social entrepreneurs/institutions/social enterprises whose innovations focus on providing solutions for people living with disabilities.

Funding Information

Awards Can Range from R200 000 – R1 300 000 Along with business development support to assist with venture growth.

Eligibility Criteria

• If you have previously received assistance from the SAB Foundation through the Tholoana Enterprise Programme, you are not eligible to apply.
• The SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards are open to any innovation solution that offers a credible prospect of meeting a demonstrable social and/ or economic need evidenced by the SAB Foundation’s target low-income beneficiary groups (with a particular emphasis on innovation that benefits women, youth, people with disabilities and those in rural areas), as well as demonstrating potential as a sustainable businesses.
• Entries are welcomed from South African individuals, innovators, entrepreneurs, social enterprises and university departments. Entrants may enter as individuals on their own, or as members of a team, in which case one individual team leader shall complete the online application form.
• The innovation entered must be the original work of the applicant and a true innovation and/or a significant improvement on an existing technology, product, service, and production method or business model.
• Product innovation covers innovations in both goods and services, which can be divided into new or improved products. A new product has different characteristics and intended uses than existing products. It may use new technologies, knowledge and products or a combination of these. An improved product is an existing product whose performance is significantly increased; in terms of either increased output or a reduction in cost.
• Process innovation is the adaption or creation of improved ways to deliver a product or service. It could come from changes in knowledge, perception and understanding. For poverty reduction, process innovations can increase the level of service delivery to beneficiaries, or enable practitioners to reach previously untouched groups or individuals.
• Applications are open to all South African citizens, 18 years or older. All participants must submit a certified copy of their South African Identity Document with their online applications.
• The innovation/solution must have progressed past the “blue-sky” thinking stage: there must be some evidence of investment by the applicant. This means that applicants must be able to show proof that prior to applying, they have spent time and/or money developing the innovation: planning, developing and testing prototypes, market and industry research, developing a business plan.
• Please see the “Participation Rules” on the online application forms for Terms and Conditions.

For more information, visit SAB Foundation.

2024 – 2025 Fulbright Foreign Student Program in Côte d’Ivoire

Deadline: 7-Apr-23

U.S. Embassy Abidjan is pleased to announce the annual competition for the Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

This is the largest Fulbright program in Africa, primarily designed to strengthen African universities through higher degree training. Qualified candidates from other educational, cultural, and professional institutions may also apply. Recent graduates, especially women, are encouraged to apply. Although candidates for PhD programs may apply, priority will be given to candidates for master’s degree programs.

Good candidates with limited English proficiency may be considered for the Fulbright Long-Term English (LTE) Program.  LTE Fellows will receive up to 8 months English language training prior to their academic programs.

Successful candidates will be funded for a maximum of two years. All awards are contingent upon approval by the Fulbright Scholarship Board, availability of funds, and successful academic placement.

Selection Criteria

• Applications are considered in a transparent competition. The interview committee is comprised of qualified local representatives from the U.S. and host country.
• Nominees must be citizens or nationals of the nominating country, or permanent residents holding a valid passport issued by the nominating country.
• Nominees must have at least the equivalent of four (4) years of university study and the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree.  Nominees that have three (3) years of tertiary study should have the equivalent of thirteen (13) years of primary and secondary school and their undergraduate degree should allow them to be eligible to pursue higher education in their home country.  Please note that final equivalency decisions will be determined by each U.S. university and not all institutions will accept a three (3) year undergraduate degree.
• Nominees should have a sufficient level of English proficiency to enable them to engage in full-time graduate level study in the U.S.
• Nominees must meet the minimum scores on required standardized tests.
• Nominees should have a high motivation and a serious commitment to completing the program as scheduled and to returning home.
• Nominees with NO extensive or recent U.S. experience will be given preference.
• No applicant may receive more than one Fulbright Student grant, including Humphrey Scholar alumni. This does not apply to Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program alumni.
• Locally employed staff (LES) abroad employed by the State Department/United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are ineligible for grants during the period of their employment and for one year following the termination of employment.
• The Foreign Student Program is extremely competitive and high test scores are crucial. Candidates should take their first set of standardized tests as early as possible.
• TOEFL is required of all nominees (if TOEFL is unavailable in your country, then the IELTS exam is acceptable but IIE cannot provide IELTS vouchers); scores must be available when the application is submitted to IIE. A score of 70 on the Paper-delivered Test and 90 on the IBT (Internet-based Test) is desirable; however, 80/100 is preferred.
• GRE is required for candidates in all fields except law and business. Candidates should re-take the GRE if they are the fiftieth percentile in any section and should plan to have one GRE score submitted by October 1.
• GMAT is required in the field of business in lieu of the GRE.  A minimum 550 GMAT score is required for master’s candidates and a minimum score of 600 is required for Ph.D. An applicant must submit a sufficient GMAT score for submission to universities.
• Three letters of recommendation are required.
• The Fulbright Foreign Student Program implemented a zero-tolerance plagiarism policy. Accordingly, plagiarism disqualifies any applicant from this competition.

For more information, visit Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

North Macedonia: Democracy Commission Small Grants Program 2023

Deadline: 1-Jul-23

The Embassy of the United States in North Macedonia announces an open competition for organizations/independent media to submit a statement of interest (SOI) to carry out a program (or programs) that support the development of democratic institutions.

Program Objectives and Priority Areas

• Funding will be available for projects that address the priority areas:
  • Rule of Law and Government Accountability – Projects should address strengthening the rule of law, judicial independence, good governance, and the fight against corruption.  Projects should foster  a more robust citizen-responsive government with strong democratic institutions.
  • Citizen Participation – Projects should support strengthening democratic institutions in North Macedonia, including increasing participation and representation of citizens from all backgrounds in civic life.
  • Cybersecurity and Disinformation – Projects should promote cybersecurity, media literacy, and efforts to counter propaganda and disinformation.
  • Youth Development and Women Empowerment – Projects should prepare young people, and especially women, to start their own businesses; combat youth emigration; and promote greater minority participation in North Macedonia’s economy.  By addressing these issues, projects should contribute to an improved business climate and economic policies; promote private sector growth and entrepreneurship; attract foreign investors; and create jobs.
  • Environmental Protection – Projects should promote solutions to environmental issues through joint efforts by individuals (especially youth), community organizations, association of citizens, and local governments.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period:  One to twelve months
• Award amounts:  awards may range from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $24,000.

Participants and Audiences: Applicants should clearly define the target audience(s) which they are able to realistically reach/influence with the project activities.  Broad target audiences such as general public, youth, everyone etc. should be avoided.

Priority Region: Activities must be implemented in North Macedonia.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are eligible to apply:
  • Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations from North Macedonia only; and
  • Independent media from North Macedonia only.

Funding Restrictions

• The Democracy Commission Grants Program cannot fund:
  • Projects supporting partisan political activity;
  • Humanitarian/social aid and charities or charitable activities;
  • Professional development for individuals, including conferences and trips abroad;
  • Commercial or trade activities;
  • Fundraising campaigns;
  • Scientific or medical research;
  • Institutional development or support of an organization;
  • Activities that duplicate existing projects; and
  • Individuals or organizations from outside of North Macedonia.

For more information, visit Democracy Commission Small Grants.

Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program (US)

Deadline: 5-Apr-23

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP). Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART) seeks applications for funding under the SMART FY 2023 Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program.

The Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART) Support for Adam Walsh Act (AWA) Implementation Grant Program assists jurisdictions with developing and enhancing programs designed to implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). SORNA was enacted to provide a comprehensive set of standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States.

Goals

• Under the Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program, the SMART Office funds projects that assist jurisdictions in implementing SORNA. The program works to improve sex offender registry systems to support and maintain implementation of SORNA’s standards.
• The goals of the Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program are to:
  • facilitate, enhance and maintain jurisdictional implementation of SORNA;
  • provide training and technical assistance to jurisdictions implementing SORNA; and
  • facilitate information sharing and access among states, tribes, territories and the District of Columbia.

Objectives 

• An applicant should address the objectives that are relevant to their proposed program/ project in the Goals, Objectives, Deliverables and Timeline web-based form.
• For jurisdictions that have substantially implemented SORNA, the application must explain how the proposed project will support continued implementation of SORNA, enhance current registration and notification programs or address any SORNA requirements that are not fully met, as identified in the most recent SORNA substantial implementation review for the jurisdiction.
• For state and territorial jurisdictions that have not yet substantially implemented SORNA, applicants must explain how the proposed project will bring the jurisdiction closer to implementing SORNA based on addressing one or more deficiencies identified in SMART’s most recent SORNA substantial implementation review for the jurisdiction. In addition, for tribal jurisdictions that have not yet substantially implemented SORNA, applicants must have received a SORNA substantial implementation review by the SMART Office, submitted a substantial implementation package for review, or requested and received a “reasonable time” extension from the SMART Office.

Funding Information

• Estimated Total Program Funding: $16,500,000
• Award Ceiling: $400,000

Eligibility Criteria

• State governments
• Others
• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

U.S. Embassy in Zambia: Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program

Deadline: 30-Mar-23

The U.S. Embassy Zambia Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State announces a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) from organizations interested in applying for funding for program proposals that strengthen ties and build relationships between the United States and Zambia.

Purpose

• PAS invites proposals from non-profit and non-governmental organizations for projects that support core U.S. government priorities in Zambia, including promoting democracy and good governance, building inclusive economic prosperity, strengthening health systems, and advancing peace and security.
• Successful proposals will include a component that relates to the United States. This could be a component that promotes participation in U.S. exchange programs and sharing of experiences during U.S. exchange programs, sharing of models and ideas learned during U.S. exchange programs, promotion of U.S. culture and values, or components that promote a better understanding of the United States. Successful proposals will clearly describe the U.S. component of the program.
• Successful proposals will clearly define the anticipated results of the program, when results will be expected, and how the U.S. Embassy can measure the anticipated results. Successful grantees will proactively show progress towards results through regular reporting to the U.S. Embassy. U.S. Embassy officials will visit project activities regularly to monitor progress.

Priority Program Areas

• Promoting inclusion of people with disabilities and from other underserved or marginalized groups through sports, civic engagement, economic activity, and other aspects of society.
• Promoting political awareness and participation among the public and/or among youth;
• Promoting civic education and youth participation in civics, democratic processes, volunteerism, and community service;
• Promoting democracy and accountability through film or the arts;
• Fostering press freedom, independent media, professionalism in the media, including through journalism training programs;
• Combatting corruption;
• Empowerment of women and youth;
• Promoting entrepreneurship and business development;
• Human rights;
• Promoting sports diplomacy or a shared interest in sports; and
• Increasing Zambians’ pursuit of higher education in the United States

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: up to 12 months
• Number of awards anticipated: at least two
• Award amounts: Minimum of $5,000 and maximum of $25,000
• Anticipated program start date: September 1, 2022

Eligible Projects

Examples of potential small grants programs include, but are not limited to, programs that:

• Help Zambian young people, especially young women and others from marginalized groups, explore and discover their potential through innovative science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs, as well as entrepreneurship programs.
• Help young people participate in civic life through social entrepreneurship, volunteerism, and community engagement.
• Support young people, especially those from marginalized communities, to build advocacy and communications skills to successfully advocate for their priorities with government and other decision-makers.
• Support government transparency and accountability.
• Equip emerging community leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary to grow their organizations or to enhance their engagement with youth audiences.
• Promote the development and application of new technologies and innovative solutions to economic, environmental, and social challenges. Projects could connect U.S. technology or public policy experts with Zambian peers or foster the application of American technology and innovations to address challenges in Zambian communities.
• Support civil society organizations (CSOs) in developing a vibrant and prosperous democratic society through programs that strengthen NGO management, enhance the skills of early to mid-career NGO/CSO professionals, strengthen networks between NGO/CSO professionals in the United States and Zambia, or demonstrate to the public the positive role CSOs play in advancing a prosperous, healthy, and informed society.

Ineligible Projects

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

• Programs relating to partisan political activity;
• Charitable or development activities;
• Construction programs;
• Programs that support specific religious activities;
• Fund-raising campaigns;
• Lobbying for specific legislation or programs;
• Scientific research;
• Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; or
• Programs that duplicate existing programs.

Participants and Audiences

• Programs may be geared to a variety of audiences, depending on the topic. Proposals will be evaluated based on a well-reasoned strategy for the intended audience, as well as appropriate inclusivity, whether based on gender, religion, age, or disability.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Public Affairs Section encourages applications from:
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations with programming experience
  • Individuals
  • Non-profit or governmental educational institutions Applicants should be able to document their experience implementing similar projects.
• For profit businesses or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

 Philippines: Open Call to support women in Energy Leadership, Innovation, and Resilience

Deadline: 3-Apr-23

The USAID Energy Secure Philippines (ESP) Activity is looking for a Partner that can develop, launch, and sustain innovative actions that strengthen and promote the role of women in energy resilience and security.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) 2022 Policy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment affirms that gender equity and equality and women’s empowerment are fundamental for the realization of human rights and key to effective and sustainable development outcomes. For societies to thrive, women and girls, men and boys, and gender diverse individuals must have equal and safe access to and control over resources such as education, health care, capital, technology, water and sanitation services, land, markets, and justice. They also must have equal rights and opportunities as business owners, citizens, peacebuilders, and leaders.

The Updated GEWE Plan contains strategic actions that:

• respond to the changing needs of women and girls because of the COVID-19 pandemic and align with the updated priorities of the PDP 2017-2022;
• move the country closer to the achievement of the PPGD’s long-term vision of gender equality and women’s empowerment;
• safeguard the gains that have been achieved towards inclusion, gender equality and women’s empowerment; and
• respond to the call to action by civil society and the development community in the Philippines for the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) to lead a whole-of government approach to mainstreaming gender equality and the rights of women and girls in recovery and resilience efforts.

Aims

• Specific to energy concerns, the Philippine GEWE Plan aims to
  • improve access to available energy sources among rural households;
  • reduce gap in the employment of women and men in the energy sector;
  • provide safe and healthy work conditions for women in the sector; and
  • improve representation of women as stakeholders and decision-makers in energy development.

Objectives

• To further leverage and harness the significant role of women in energy innovation, this call for applications aim to support grants that:
  • Strengthen institutions, organizations, networks, or enterprises that promote competition in the energy market. Applicants are encouraged to work with women-based or women-led organizations with projects or initiatives in energy innovation that show potential of becoming viable in the near term. Start-ups and established small & medium enterprises are encouraged to apply. This objective puts focus on institutional strengthening geared towards demand aggregation, retail competition, and retail electricity supply;
  • Scale-up and/or replicate energy efficiency and conservation initiatives. This objective would involve initiatives that relate to demand side management, energy efficient appliances or technology, green buildings/materials, and the like. Applications maybe in the form of actual projects, campaigns, or a combination of both. In any mode, measurements of efficiency gains will be expected. The role of women, both as energy consumer and efficiency advocate, need to be clearly presented.
  • Integrate the productive use of energy with innovative financing and business modeling. Various experiences in renewable energy development have indicated that women, women formed groups, and women-led organizations are effective in starting up and sustaining enterprises that combine renewable energy and alternative financing. This objective will support renewable energy and financing initiatives in productive applications that include but are not limited to food production, education, water, services, and many others. Applicants are encouraged to start with existing projects or enterprises that show potential to scale up or integrate with a bigger value chain. Application geared to support women led initiatives in off-grid areas and marginalized sectors are highly encouraged.
  • Mobilize information technology, social medial, and creatives to promote energy security and resilience. Social media, information technology, and creatives have proven to be effective means to deliver messages and influence behavior. This can be applied to promote RE and EE as well.
• Applicants are encouraged to propose activities, events, or campaigns that are innovative and that can create impact and high visibility. Applications may include elements of social / sectoral mobilization, online strategic influencing, performances, and publications. Systematic communication approaches are expected in this objective.
• Increase and strengthen the participation of women in mentoring, training, and education programs focused on renewable energy and/or energy efficiency. This objective will involve trainings, education fairs, production of online modules, and applied studies—all geared towards increasing the access of women to energy knowledge and skills. Applicants are expected to assess current opportunities for women and determine gaps or needs. From the assessment, feasible interventions that can address the gaps or needs will be identified, and will further guide the grant activities.

Funding Information

• In accordance with ADS 302 and ADS 303, the total value of any individual grant to a U.S. organization, if any, must not exceed $100,000. This limitation does not apply to grant awards to non-U.S. organizations.

Targets by the Numbers

• 500 MW of new additional electricity generating capacity
• $750 MILLION of private sector investments leveraged
• 3 Utility Improvement/Reliability Plans implemented
• 6 Advanced Energy Systems Frameworks developed and implemented
• 5 Local Energy Codes adopted by LGUs
• 5 Lgus Integrated under the EVOSS ACT.

Approaches

• An integrated implementation approach is being done to affect this Theory of Change. To help deliver the desired impact in its 5 years of activity life, USAID ESP is pursuing the following approaches:
  • Scaling-Up Markets for Advanced Energy Systems,
  • Fostering Inclusive Growth and Investment,
  • Building Resilient Systems, and
  • Empowering Consumer Choice.

Eligibility Criteria

• This grant prioritizes applications from women-led or women-based groups, organizations, or enterprises, and they can be start-ups or established entities. Partnerships and collaboration with more mature institutions and companies is highly encouraged. Applicants and their partners must have:
  • Demonstrated experience working in women led initiatives, and experience in the energy sector will be advantageous.
  • Sound technical approach, understanding of local context, and qualified proposed personnel.
  • Demonstrated financial capacity or a functional financial system that can manage or accommodate a large USG grant
  • Cost realistic budget
• All Energy Secure Philippines grant support may not be extended to the following:
  • Organizations that are not legally registered
  • Any entity that has been found to have misused USAID funds in the past (unless specifically approved by USAID contracting officer)
  • Any entity that will have conflict of interest by participating in the call for grants
  • Political parties, groupings, or institutions or their subsidiaries and affiliates
  • Any entity whose name appears on the List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and Non-procurement Programs
  • Any entity with a member that appears on the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons list
  • Any entity with members directly or indirectly involved in money laundering, acts of terrorism, gambling, prostitution and child trafficking, drugs.

Ineligible

• All Energy Secure Philippines grant funds cannot be utilized for the following activities;
• Purchases of restricted goods, such as agricultural commodities, motor vehicles, pharmaceuticals, contraceptive products, pesticides, used equipment and fertilizers without the previous approval by the USAID Contracting Officer through RTI.
• Prohibited goods under USAID regulations, including but not limited to police or law enforcement equipment, abortion equipment and services, weather modification equipment, luxury goods, and gambling equipment.
• Purchases of goods or services restricted or prohibited under the prevailing USAID source/origin/ nationality and other regulations; or from countries or suppliers as may be identified by USAID’s consolidated list of debarred, suspended, or ineligible subcontractors. This includes prohibitions under Section 889 (a) (1) (b) which states specific telecommunications technology providers not allowed for US funding.
• Construction, infrastructure, renovation, and rehabilitation projects. Definition of
• “Construction” for purposes of this manual means: construction, alteration, or repair (including dredging and excavation) of buildings, structures, or other real property and includes, without
• limitation, improvements, renovation, alteration and refurbishment. The term includes, without limitation, roads, power plants, buildings, bridges, water treatment facilities, and vertical structures.

For more information, visit USAID.

NGOs & NPOs can apply for Public Diplomacy Annual Grants Program [Jordan]

Deadline: 4-Jun-23

The U.S. Embassy in Amman’s Public Affairs Section (PAS) is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Annual Grants Program.

Purpose of PAS Grants: PAS Amman invites proposals for programs that strengthen cultural ties between the U.S. and Jordan through cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.

Examples of PAS Grants Program programs include:

• Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions;
• Experiential learning programs to build capacity of target audiences in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) with a focus on 21st century skills.

Priority Program Areas

• Empowering Women & Minorities: Projects that support women and minority rights and persons with disabilities;
• Capacity Building through Cultural Engagement: Projects aiming to build and/or enhance skills of women and youth in Jordan’s cultural and arts landscape, with a particular focus on creative industries, including but not limited to: film, TV, performance arts; culinary diplomacy, and experiential tourism.

Funding Information

• Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of $350,000
• Total available funding: $500,000
• Length of performance period: 6 to 24 months.

Participants and Audiences

• Proposals must describe both the primary and secondary audiences for the program, including numbers anticipated to be reached. Primary audiences are those who will participate directly in the program(s), while secondary audiences are those who will be reached by the project’s primary audiences, as a result of their participation, or through any follow-on activities build into the primary program. For example, in a teacher training program, the primary audience would be the teachers who will be trained, while the secondary audience would be their students. Audiences who are considered a priority for grants funded under this APS are:
  • Emerging Jordanian voices in non-traditional, cultural, and sports fields, including people with disabilities; 18 to 35-year-old Jordanian men and women who are unemployed, underemployed, or working outside their field; women leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers across Jordan’s 12 governorates; and, as appropriate, at-risk populations.
  • Please note that proposals addressing audiences not listed can still be eligible, but such proposals must clearly indicate why addressing the proposed audience is especially important for achieving the goals stated in of this APS.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Public Affairs Section encourages applications from U.S. and Jordan:
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations with programming experience
  • Individuals; An individual person can apply for up to $150,000 in funding
  • Non-profit or governmental educational institutions.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program (Chad)

Deadline: 10-Apr-23

The U.S. Embassy N’Djamena Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce funding through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program.

Purpose of Small Grants

PDS N’Djamena invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the U.S. and Chad through cultural, information and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s or alumni of U.S. government exchange programs, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.

Priority Program Areas

PDS N’Djamena invites proposals for programs that support U.S. Embassy N’Djamena’s Priority Program Areas listed below.

• Chad increases prosperity and invests in all its people, especially women, better addressing basic needs.
  • Activities, training, and workshops to promote female entrepreneurship and strengthen the capacity to engage in sustained economic activity
  • Entrepreneurship programs for underrepresented audiences including women, minorities, and residents of small cities and rural areas.
  • Programs supporting women’s rise to senior leadership positions in government, business management, civil society, academia, and other sectors.
  • Anti-corruption educational programs and initiatives that contribute to government accountability, business transparency, and improving Chad’s investment climate.
  • Developing support and mentoring programs for women entrepreneurs
  • Activities, workshops to promote English language and strengthen the capacities of English language teachers
• Chad develops and strengthens democratic institutions and processes and promotes accountable governance and respect for human rights.
  • Protection of human rights, especially those of vulnerable populations such as women, refugees, displaced persons, and the disabled.
  • Programs for teachers and/or students developing engaging activities and workshops that combat violence and promote tolerance.
  • Programs that promote women and girl’s empowerment and education and combat Female Genital Mutilation, Gender Based violence and any other form of violence against women and girls
  • Programs to enhance religious freedom, interfaith dialogue, religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence
  • Programs to increase citizens’ understanding of and participation in the electoral and governance processes.
  • Workshops, seminars and trainings for journalists in investigative journalism, covering elections, reporting human rights abuse, countering disinformation and fake news

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: 3 to 12 months
• Number of awards anticipated: Up to 10 awards (dependent on amounts)
• Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $2,500 to a maximum of $10,000
• Total available funding: $50.000

Participants and Audiences: Participants include, but are not limited to, women, youth, refugees and other displaced persons, the disabled, rural and nomadic populations, educators, religious leaders, journalists, entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Eligibility Criteria

The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from U.S. and Chadian:

• Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations with programming experience
• Individuals
• Non-profit or governmental educational institutions
• Governmental institutions
• For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

For more information, visit U.S. Mission to Chad.

Grants to Engage Men and Boys as Allies in the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls in the US

Deadline: 24-Mar-23

The Office on Violence Against Women is now inviting applications to Engage Men and Boys as Allies in the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls.

Purpose Areas

In FY 2023, funds under this program must be used to develop and/or implement strategies that engage and mobilize men and boys at individual, group, relational, and societal levels to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and/or sex trafficking through one or more of the following purpose areas:

• Develop and/or implement programming to recruit and train men and boys to serve as role models, positive influencers, change agents, and/or mentors to address and prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and/or sex trafficking.
• Integrate education on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and/or sex trafficking into established support and/or enrichment programs (e.g., mentoring, youth services, sports, fraternal, faith-based, fatherhood, re-entry, and educational programs) to assist men and/or boys in developing healthy relationships, challenging social norms that support violence against women and girls, becoming active bystanders, and understanding the intersection of the above crimes with other types of related violence (e.g., gang initiation, gun violence).
• Develop and implement a train-the-trainer program for community organizations or programs, and/or governmental agencies or programs, to incorporate education and/ or training into their existing work with male clients to prevent violence against women and girls.

OVW Priority Areas

In FY 2023, OVW has five programmatic priorities. Applicants are strongly encouraged, but not required, to address a priority area. Applications proposing activities in the following areas will be given special consideration.

• Advance racial equity as an essential component of ending sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sex trafficking. To receive special consideration under this priority area, applicants must partner with and equitably compensate culturally specific, community-based organizations (if the applicant is not a culturally specific, community-based organization), and include project activities that specifically engage, promote, and serve culturally specific communities in the application. To receive special consideration under this priority, applicants must also provide documentation, such as a mission statement, to prove that they meet this requirement and are “by and for” the community they serve or that their culturally specific community-based organization partner meets this requirement. The partnership(s) and mission statement must be documented in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
• Improve outreach, services, civil and criminal justice responses, prevention, and support for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sex trafficking from underserved communities, particularly LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities.

Program Specific Priority:

• Due to the rise in youth experiencing online harm and abuse, including the sharing of nonconsensual intimate images and cyberstalking, special consideration will be given to applicants who address online harm and abuse in their proposed activities.
• Activities that Compromise Victim Safety and Recovery or Undermine Offender Accountability
• OVW does not fund activities that jeopardize victim safety, deter or prevent physical or emotional healing for victims, or allow offenders to escape responsibility for their actions. Applications that propose any such activities may receive a deduction in points during the review process or may be eliminated from consideration. Please note that OVW will support survivor-centered alternative pathways to justice and non-criminal approaches to accountability that fall within the statutory scope of this program.

Funding Information

• Anticipated Number of Awards: 8
• Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards: $350,000
• Period of Performance Duration (Months) 36
• Anticipated Total Amount to be Awarded Under Solicitation $3,100,000

Eligibility Criteria

• The following entities are eligible to apply for this program:
  • A nonprofit, nongovernmental entity, including a culturally specific organization (such as an Urban Indian organization or Native Hawaiian organization), or tribal organization.
  • An Indian tribal government.
  • A unit of local government or an agency of a unit of local government in the United States or U.S. territories.
  • Note: Institutions of higher education, regardless of whether they are nonprofit, nongovernmental or governmental entities, are not eligible applicants.
• Faith-Based and Community Organizations
  • Faith Based and community organizations, including culturally specific organizations, tribal organizations, and population specific organizations, that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this solicitation.

Ineligible Entities and Disqualifying Factors

Applications submitted by ineligible entities or that do not meet all program eligibility requirements will not be considered for funding. In addition, an application deemed deficient in one or more of the following categories may not be considered for funding:

• Activities that compromise victim safety,
• Out-of-scope activities,
• Unallowable costs,
• Pre-award risk assessment,
• Completeness of application contents, and
• Timeliness. Failure to comply fully with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements will result in removal from consideration. An applicant with past performance issues, long-standing open audits, or an open criminal investigation also may not be considered for funding.
• Note: Any nonprofit organization that holds money in offshore accounts for the purpose of avoiding paying the tax described in section 511(a) of the Internal Revenue Code is not eligible for a grant from this program.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program (US)

Deadline: 18-Apr-23

The Office of Population Affairs has announced the Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program.

OASH works to advance health equity, especially for those who have suffered historic disparities. In support of this vision, OPA promotes health across the reproductive lifespan through innovative, evidence-based sexual and reproductive health and family planning programs, services, strategic partnerships, evaluation, and research. The Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program is a national, evidence-based program that funds diverse organizations working to reach adolescents to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes and promote positive youth development.

OPA intends this Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program initiative to advance equity in adolescent health by targeting resources to specifically support replication of medically accurate and age-appropriate evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs (EBPs) and services in communities and populations with the greatest needs.

Factors

• Projects should focus on serving youth who are at disproportionally affected by unintended teen pregnancies (including rapid repeat pregnancy) and STIs due to factors such as:
  • Race;
  • Ethnicity;
  • Geography; and/or
• Otherwise historically underserved or marginalized. This includes those that have been adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality (e.g., youth experiencing homelessness, youth in foster care, youth in juvenile justice, LGBTQI+ youth, youth with disabilities, expectant and/or parenting teens, etc.).

Funding Information

• Estimated Total Program Funding: $68,625,000
• Award Ceiling: $2,000,000
• Award Floor: $350,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• Any public or private (profit or nonprofit) entity located in a State (which includes one of the 50 United States, District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands) is eligible to apply for an award under this announcement.
• Faith-based organizations and American Indian/Alaskan Native/Native American (AI/AN/NA) organizations that are public or private entities are eligible to apply. Public or private community-based organizations are eligible to apply.
• Examples of eligible Organizations include:
  • State governments
  • County governments
  • City or township governments
  • Special district governments
  • Independent school districts
  • Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
  • Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
  • Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
  • Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
  • Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Private institutions of higher education
  • For profit organizations other than small businesses
  • Small businesses.

For more information, visit Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health.

2023 Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program (US)

Deadline Date: 27-Mar-2023

The Office on Violence Against Women is pleased to announce the applications for Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program (Rural Program) to support efforts that enhance the safety of rural victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and supports projects uniquely designed to address and prevent these crimes in rural areas.

Purpose Areas

• Pursuant to funds under this program must be used for one or more of the following purposes:
• To identify, assess, and appropriately respond to child, youth, and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities, by encouraging collaboration among domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking victim service providers; law enforcement agencies; prosecutors; courts; other criminal justice service providers; human and community service providers; educational institutions; and health care providers, including sexual assault forensic examiners;
• To establish and expand nonprofit, nongovernmental, State, tribal, territorial, and local government victim services in rural communities to child, youth, and adult victims;
• To increase the safety and well-being of women and children in rural communities, by– (A) dealing directly and immediately with domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking occurring in rural communities; and (B) creating and implementing strategies to increase awareness and prevent domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; and
• To develop, expand, implement, and improve the quality of sexual assault forensic medical examination or sexual assault nurse examiner programs.
• In addition to the purpose areas, Rural Program grantees are required to implement at least one of the strategies set forth:
  • Implementing, expanding, and establishing cooperative efforts and projects among law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim service providers, and other related parties to investigate and prosecute incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including developing multidisciplinary teams focusing on high-risk cases with the goal of preventing domestic and dating violence homicides;
  • Providing treatment, counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and other long-term and short-term victim and population specific services to adult and minor victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural communities, including assistance in immigration matters;
  • Working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies directed toward such issues;
  • Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs addressing sexual assault, including sexual assault forensic examiner programs, Sexual Assault Response Teams, law enforcement training, and programs addressing rape kit backlogs; and
  • Developing programs and strategies that focus on the specific needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who reside in remote rural and geographically isolated areas, including addressing the challenges posed by the lack of access to quality sexual assault examinations by trained health care providers, shelters and victims services, and limited law enforcement resources and training, and providing training and resources to Community Health Aides involved in the delivery of Indian Health Service programs.

Funding Information

• Award Ceiling: $950,000
• Period of Performance Duration (Months) 36.

Out-of-Scope Activities

• The activities listed are out of the program scope and will not be supported by this program’s funding. unallowable costs in the Funding Restrictions section of this solicitation.
• Research projects. Funds under this program may not be used to conduct research, defined in as a systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. Surveys and focus groups, depending on their design and purpose, may constitute research and therefore be out-of-scope. Prohibited research does not include assessments conducted for internal improvement purposes only. For information on distinguishing between research and assessments, see the Solicitation Companion Guide.
• Child abuse or family violence issues such as violence perpetrated by a child against a parent or violence perpetrated by a sibling against another sibling.
• Services to children for anything other than child sexual assault or services beyond ancillary services provided to a victim’s child when there is an inextricable link between a parent’s victimization and the child’s need for services and a connection to providing victim services for the parent. For example, funds may be used to provide services to children of battered clients residing in a shelter.
• Education and prevention for students not specifically related to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and/or stalking, such as “bullying” or “character building” educational programs.
• For projects providing legal assistance, criminal defense of victims charged with crimes, except for representation in post-conviction relief proceedings with respect to the conviction of a victim relating to or arising from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking of the victim.
• For projects providing legal assistance, representation in tort cases.

Eligibility Criteria

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
• City or township governments
• Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
• County governments
• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education
• Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
• State governments
• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

DRL: Protecting Survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Libya

Deadline Date: 01-May-2023

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for proposals that enhance efforts to combat gender-based violence (GBV) in Libya.

DRL’s goal is to prevent, address, and respond to GBV within Libya. DRL aims to enable Libyan civil society to lead survivor-sensitive GBV advocacy efforts and develop effective reporting and survivor-centered service provision mechanisms.

Potential program approaches may include:

• Improving procedures and referral systems that provide comprehensive, victim-centered services including medical, economic, and psychosocial support for survivors.
• Reinforcing capacities of service providers and local institutions to protect women from violence, politically motivated threats, discrimination, exploitation, and abuse.
• Strengthening coordination among service providers, local institutions, and professionalized networks of support.
• Enhancing integrated digital, physical, and psychosocial security measures and increasing awareness of reporting mechanisms for GBV survivors.
• Amplifying rights awareness campaigns, including efforts to change societal attitudes that stigmatize survivors of GBV and prevent survivors from accessing assistance and formally reporting crimes.
• Supporting the establishment of shelters or other protection mechanisms for GBV survivors across all of Libya and increasing response efforts, including improving access to emergency assistance, transportation, and relocation support.

DRL requires all programs to be non-discriminatory and expects implementers to include strategies for nondiscrimination of individuals/organizations/beneficiaries based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, or veteran’s status.  Proposal approaches should specifically center on supporting underserved and marginalized communities in Libya.  This may include, women, residents of South Libya, indigenous communities including Amazigh, Tuareg, and Tebu peoples, migrants, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, and/or LGBTQI+ identifying people.

Where appropriate, competitive proposals may include:

• Opportunities for beneficiaries to apply their new knowledge and skills in practical efforts;
• Solicitation of feedback and suggestions from beneficiaries when developing activities in order to strengthen the sustainability of programs and participant ownership of project outcomes;
• Input from participants on sustainability plans and systematic review of the plans throughout the life of the project, with adjustments made as necessary;
• Inclusion of vulnerable populations;
• Joint identification and definition of key concepts with relevant stakeholders and stakeholder input into project activities;
• Systematic follow up with beneficiaries at specific intervals after the completion of activities to track how beneficiaries are retaining new knowledge as well as applying their new skills.

Funding Information

• Total Funding Floor: $1,000,000
• Total Funding Ceiling: $1,000,000
• Anticipated Number of Awards: 1-2
• Period of Performance:  24-36 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses.  DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.
• Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process.  Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards.  Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs.  The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

For more information, visit DRL.

Australian Embassy Federated States of Micronesia: Direct Aid Program

Deadline Date: 30-Jun-2023

The Australian Embassy Federated States of Micronesia has launched the Direct Aid Program (DAP), a small grants scheme available to non-government organizations and community groups to support small-scale sustainable development projects and activities within their groups or communities.

Funding Information

• Funding limit of grants is USD$20,000.00 per application.

Eligible Projects

• Preference in funding will be given to projects addressing the following:
  • Education (e.g., basic education, teacher training and workshops)
  • Health (e.g., improving access, community preventative health education campaigns)
  • Women (e.g., skills training for income generation, addressing gender issues)
  • Youth (e.g., training in job and life skills)
  • Minorities and disadvantaged groups
  • Environment (e.g., recycling, environmental health awareness)
  • Community development (e.g., training/ organizational strengthening in planning, leadership, and project management.

Ineligible Costs

• start-up capital
• staffing or sitting fees
• household effects and personal items
• fundraising, donations, or prizes
• applications from private individuals
• items of a recurrent nature (e.g., spare parts, supplies, maintenance & repairs, replacement equipment, gasoline, oil, salaries & wages)
• major infrastructure (e.g., roads, buildings, classroom etc)
• international or domestic travel, overseas study tours, offshore training or per diem expenses
• meeting, seminar, or conference attendance
• micro credit loans
• activities which are for promoting religious or political purposes
• scholarships
• purchase of vehicles, trailers, and machinery such as tractors, outboard motors and boats
• construction of major facilities

Eligibility Criteria

• Submissions should demonstrate a commitment on the part of the local authorities and/or people who will be the beneficiaries to implement and sustain the project. DAP projects should be designed to benefit the whole community and must always respect human rights and gender equity as well as being environmentally sound.

Assessment of Applications

Proposals will be assessed by the DAP Committee based on:

• conformity with the objectives and guidelines of the DAP program
• the costs and developmental benefits of the proposal
• the appropriateness of the expenditure proposed
• achievable and sustainable outcomes
• soundness of the project’s objectives and design

For more information, visit Australian Embassy Federated States of Micronesia.

DRL: Bolstering the Strength and Credibility of Libyan Civil Society

Deadline Date: 01-May-2023

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announce an open competition for proposals that enhance protections for civil society, human rights defenders, and journalists so that they can operate securely and freely.

DRL’s goal is to empower and protect human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society organizations in Libya.  DRL aims to ensure that Libyan civil society and human rights defenders are able to safely operate and be seen as essential avenues of information representing issues of public importance in Libya.

DRL requires all programs to be non-discriminatory and expects implementers to include strategies for nondiscrimination of individuals/organizations/beneficiaries based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, or veteran’s status.  Proposal approaches should specifically center on supporting underserved and marginalized communities in Libya.  This may include, women, residents of South Libya, indigenous communities including Amazigh, Tuareg, and Tebu peoples, migrants, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, and/or LGBTQI+ identifying people.

Where appropriate, competitive proposals may include:

• Opportunities for beneficiaries to apply their new knowledge and skills in practical efforts;
• Solicitation of feedback and suggestions from beneficiaries when developing activities in order to strengthen the sustainability of programs and participant ownership of project outcomes;
• Input from participants on sustainability plans and systematic review of the plans throughout the life of the project, with adjustments made as necessary;
• Inclusion of vulnerable populations;
• Joint identification and definition of key concepts with relevant stakeholders and stakeholder input into project activities;
• Systematic follow up with beneficiaries at specific intervals after the completion of activities to track how beneficiaries are retaining new knowledge as well as applying their new skills.

Focus Areas

Proposals must address one or both of the following program focus areas:

• Bolstering Support and Resiliency for Libyan Civil Society (not to exceed $1,000,000): Programs should enable Libyan civil society to engage on human rights issues safely and effectively.  Potential program approaches may include:
  • Providing CSOs effective access to multi-sectoral services that enhance their operational security and resilience, including digital, physical, and psychosocial security resources, support mechanisms, and legal assistance.
  • Building the capacity of CSOs to more impactfully advocate with key government and international stakeholders.
  • Fostering partnerships between CSOs, nascent or informal organizations, human rights actors, and the communities they represent to help identify key issues, needs, and concerns and form consensus on priorities and resources.
  • Promoting coalition and network building efforts among CSOs across all regions of Libya on rights-related issues.
  • Supporting CSOs to bolster policies and regulations that safeguard civic space and fundamental freedoms, including efforts to monitor and report on violations.
• Strengthening Credibility for Libyan Civil Society (not to exceed $1,500,000): Programs should seek to curb online harassment targeting Libyan civil society and strengthen the credibility of CSOs as an essential avenue of information on and representation of issues of public importance in Libya.  Program approaches may include:
  • ​Strengthening public trust in high quality information produced by independent Libyan civil society and media.
  • Supporting CSOs to raise awareness about disinformation, including its origins, identification, and potential negative effects particularly highlighting the harm it brings to underserved groups.
  • Promoting CSOs to lead fact-based and human rights-centered reporting and digital media literacy programs that deter online harassment of CSOs and human rights actors​.
  • Providing CSOs and human rights actors with tools and resources to counter disinformation, hate speech and online harassment campaigns that impedes their ability to operate and engage with the communities they seek to represent and access.
• Proposals may also combine these approaches or elements (not to exceed $2,500,000).

Funding Information

• Total Funding Floor:  $750,000
• Total Funding Ceiling:  $2,500,000
• Anticipated Number of Awards:  2-3
• Type of Award: Grant, Cooperative Agreement.
• Period of Performance:  24-36 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses.  DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.
• Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process.  Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards.  Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs.  The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

For more information, visit DRL.

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives – Lebanon (2023)

Deadline Date: 06-Apr-2023

The Embassy of Canada to Lebanon is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the Canadian embassy. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

Thematic Priorities

• All projects must align with at least one of the following CFLI thematic priorities:
  • Inclusive governance, including diversity and 2SLGBTQI+ rights, democracy, human rights and the rule of law;
  • Peace and security, with a focus on conflict prevention and building peace; and
  • Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, in particular initiatives aiming to:
    • Support strong and sustainable women’s rights organizations and movements;
    • Address sexual and gender-based violence, including child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation/cutting; and
    • Support evidence-based policy-making, legal frameworks and program delivery for gender equality.
• Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is a cross-cutting theme and must be integrated in all CFLI projects.

Funding Information

• The Embassy of Canada to Lebanon expects to support 5-7 new CFLI projects this year. The average CFLI contribution is $30,000 to $65,000 Canadian Dollars (CAD$100,000 is the maximum allocation amount for a project eligible under CFLI).

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible recipients include:
  • Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations; and
  • Local academic institutions working on local projects.
• In alignment with this policy, the CFLI project application process now requires a gender-based analysis (GBA). The purpose of this change is to enhance the gender equality outcomes of the CFLI program.
• A GBA must be completed at the full proposal stage, and will require applicants to:
  • consider how women, girls, men, and boys are affected differently by the problem their project is aiming to address, ensuring, at the same time, that the project does not cause harm;
  • consult women and/or girls in the development of their project proposal; and
  • ensure that the views of those women and/or girls inform the project’s design.

For more information, visit Embassy of Canada to Lebanon.

South Africa: ygap Agriprenenur Accelerator Program

Deadline Date: 30-Jun-2023

Applications for the 2023 ygap South Africa Agripreneur Accelerator Program are now open.

ygap South Africa’s accelerator program provides support for entrepreneurs who are looking to grow their impact focused venture.

The ygap South Africa Accelerator Program helps ventures to refine and validate their business model, move towards financial sustainability, and grow the impact that they are having in their community.

Completing the ygap South Africa Accelerator Program will expand your ability to increase revenue, create employment opportunities, secure further investment, and make a real difference in the communities you operate within.

ygap is an international development organisation which backs innovative impact ventures led by local entrepreneurs globally.

The program offers a six-day accelerator followed by twelve months of tailored support including business skills development, technical support, strategy insights and mentor support, connections to international partner networks, peer learning and access to a global community of entrepreneurs.

What it looks like

• Bootcamp days will help you to strengthen your business model, meet a cohort of like-minded entrepreneurs, and equip you with the tools you need to grow.
• Their team of local experts will provide 12 months of tailored support, including business skills development, technical support, strategy insights and mentor support, connections to international partner networks, peer learning and access to a global community of entrepreneurs.

Who they’re looking for?

• Ventures that are operating in the area of Agriculture. They particularly encourage Black and women-led businesses working in the areas of climate and sustainability, livelihoods or food security.
• Ventures that are post-revenue and able to provide evidence of commercial transactions.
• Ventures that clearly recognise and desire the benefits and value of participating in the ygap program. ygap invests deeply in the ventures they support, and expect the same level of dedication and investment in participating in the ygap program.
• Ventures that have a social or environmental focus. Through the operation of the business, ventures must be working toward  making their community, their city, or their country a better place.
• Ventures that are “local” to the issue they’re solving, intimately connected to their community, passionate and committed, and it for the long-haul.
• Ventures that have already launched and are currently operational. In most cases, participating ventures must be formally registered and proof of this status will be required (unless this is not applicable to where your business runs).

Eligibility Criteria

• Agripreneurs operating in South Africa, who are dedicated to creating a positive change in the lives of people living in poverty. Your business needs to be a registered business with some trading history. Businesses with a proven revenue model and have an ability to create positive change are encouraged to apply.

Is business eligible to apply?

• The ygap Accelerator Program works firmly at the validate stage of the entrepreneurship value chain and supports ventures with the following eligibility:
  • Must have already launched and be currently operational. In most cases, participating ventures must be formally registered and proof of this status will be required (unless this is not applicable to where your business runs).
  • Must be post-revenue and able to provide evidence of commercial transactions.
  • Must have an element to their business that is unique. It could be a unique product or service offering, a unique production method, or a unique business model.
  • Must have a social or environmental focus. Through the operation of the business, ventures must be working toward  making their community, their city, or their country a better place. To validate the positive impact that the venture is making, they align to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • Must be “local” to the issue they’re solving, and intimately connected to their community. Growing an early-stage impact venture is hard, so they want to ensure that the team behind the venture is passionate and committed to solving the problem, and is in it for the long-haul.
  • Must clearly recognise and desire the benefits and value of participating in the ygap program. ygap invests deeply in the ventures they support, and expect the same level of dedication and investment in participating in the ygap program.

For more information, visit ygap Agriprenenur Accelerator Program.

Women’s Peace & Humanitarian Fund invites Proposals from CSOs in Malawi

 Deadline Date: 07-Apr-2023

The Women’s Peace & Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) has launched a Call for Proposals in Malawi to support civil society organizations working to enhance meaningful participation and decision-making of women in conflict prevention processes.

The call for proposals specifically contributes to WPHF Impact Area 2: Increased meaningful participation and decision-making of women in conflict prevention processes and response. It is aligned with the overall goal of contributing to peaceful and gender equal societies and UN Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.

Types of Funding and Requirements

• Under this call for proposals, WPHF is accepting applications for both institutional/core funding and programmatic funding.
• An organization (lead applicant or co-implementing partners) can submit one application for institutional funding AND/OR one application for programmatic funding. Organizations who apply for both institutional and programmatic funding need to submit two separate applications.
  • Institutional Funding: Stream 1 (USD $2,500 – $30,000)
    • Aims to reinforce the institutional capacity of women’s rights/led organizations working on gender specific issues in peace and security and humanitarian contexts, to ensure they are able to sustain themselves and to improve their impact. Prospective applicants will need to demonstrate how the current context affects their institutional and financial capacities and how the funding would support them as an organization. It will finance a limited range of activities to support the development or strengthening of a CSO’s institutional capacity. The purpose of this funding stream IS NOT to finance programmatic activities.
  • Programmatic Funding: Stream 2 (USD $30,000 – $200,000)
    • This funding stream will finance projects which aim specifically to fund programmatic activities aligned with the following impact area:
      • WPHF Impact area 2: Increased meaningful participation and decision-making of women in conflict prevention processes and response.

Location and Duration

• The WPHF will fund qualifying projects in any district in Malawi with the exception of Mangochi, Mulanje and Karonga districts, where other similar or related projects are being implemented.
• Multi-country projects, or projects outside this geographical focus will NOT be accepted. CSOs can apply for a maximum of 2 years.

Eligibility Criteria

• National, regional or local/grassroots women or young women led, women’s rights, youth rights, feminist, or civil society organizations with a proven track record working with women, young women and girls, are eligible to apply.
• Women’s Rights or Feminist Organization: The organization’s official mission/vision statement must reflect its commitment to addressing multiple/intersecting forms of discrimination and advancing gender equality and women’s rights. The organization must aim to address the underlying drivers/systems/structures, including patriarchy and gendered power dynamics, and work to transform these.
• Women-Led Organization: must be headed by a woman as director/head of organization.
• Youth Focused Organization: To be considered “youth focused”, the organization’s core mission/vision must focus on supporting the social, economic and political participation of young women and young men and addressing multiple/ intersecting forms of discrimination against young women and men. WPHF will provide specific attention to youth focused organizations supporting young women, advancing gender equality and peacebuilding.
• Young Women Led Organization: must be headed by a young person aged between 18 – 29 years old who serves as director/head of organization

Ineligible

• International non-governmental organizations;
• Government agencies or institutions;
• UN agencies or UN Country Teams;
• Private individuals;
• Private sector entities;
• Universities, Think Tanks or Education or Research Institutions

For more information, visit Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).

Public Diplomacy Grants Program (Pakistan)

 Deadline Date: 02-May-2023

The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Consulate General Lahore of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards, contingent on funding availability, through the Public Diplomacy Grants Program.

Project Goal: These projects will support the inclusive development of all aspects of Pakistani society, fostering diversity and inclusion in civil society, empowering women and girls, promoting interfaith and intra-faith harmony, and supporting the business education of future leaders in Pakistan’s economy. In addition, these projects seek to increase the people to people ties between the U.S. and Pakistan, with opportunities for Pakistanis to travel to the U.S. and for Americans to travel to Pakistan.

Project Objectives: Organizations may submit more than one proposal under this funding opportunity. Projects that address one or more of the objectives are welcome. Each proposal will require its own application and should specify which project objective(s) the activities will support. Extra consideration will be given to projects if they include activities that foster a greater appreciation for diversity. By the end of each project, participating women, youth, community and education leaders, and civil society actors will be able to show measurably greater knowledge and skills in at least one of the areas:

• Empower Women Leaders for Peacebuilding
  • Proposals in support of this project should address one or more of the following objectives:
    • Empowering civil society to increase tolerance for ethnic and religious diversity.
    • Creating opportunities for youth to engage in multi-cultural, inclusive activities.
    • Increasing awareness of women leaders and their successes.
    • Encouraging citizen participation.
• Promote Leadership for Women through Sports
  • proposals in support of this project should address one or more of the following objectives:
    • Encouraging civil society participation of women and girls.
    • Increasing awareness of women leaders and their successes.
    • Building capacity for women’s empowerment development.
    • Strengthening people-to-people connections between Pakistanis and Americans.
• Develop Capacity of Business Incubation Centers (BICs) at Higher Education Institutions in Punjab
  • Proposals in support of this project should address one or more of the following objectives:
    • Providing solutions for entrepreneurs to start and succeed in business.
    • Increasing capacity for business incubation and innovation.
    • Empowering the next generation of business leaders.
    • Strengthening people-to-people connections between Pakistanis and Americans.

Public Diplomacy Grant Priority Areas

• Empower Women Leaders for Peacebuilding: This project will introduce Madrassah ulemas (female religious scholars), female teachers specialized in religious studies at educational institutions, and/or female social advocates to best practices in addressing issues of intolerance, prejudice, and extremism.
• Promote Leadership for Women through Sports: This project will empower female secondary and university students in various sports through coaching, mentoring, and training to develop life skills such as problem-solving, conflict resolution, teamwork, resilience, and leadership.
• Develop Capacity of Business Incubation Centers (BICs) at Higher Education Institutions in Punjab: This project will support capacity-building at BICs at higher education institutions across Punjab through diverse initiatives. The project may include in-person training and/or mentoring from U.S. entrepreneurs and business leaders for BIC staff, and training for BIC incubatees.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: Eighteen (18) months or less
• Number of awards anticipated: Three (3)
• Award amounts: As indicated for each project
• Total available funding: $750,000

Project Audience(s): The project audiences will largely depend on the grantee’s proposal. In general, the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Consulate in Lahore encourages inclusive audiences and prioritizes women, youth, minority communities, and audiences in rural areas of Punjab.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are eligible to apply:
  • Not-for-profit organizations
  • Civil society/non-governmental organizations
  • Think tanks
  • Public and private educational institutions (Not-for-profit departments)
• Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one, non-profit, nongovernmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Mission’s Public Affairs Section Small Grants Program in Colombia

 Deadline Date: 30-Apr-2023

The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Mission in Bogota Colombia is pleased to announce funding availability through the Embassy’s Cultural and Educational Grants Program.

This grants program supports projects proposed by Colombian and/or United States non-governmental organizations (NGOs), individuals, and cultural and educational institutions that aim to promote mutual understanding between the United States and Colombia.

Purpose of Small Grants

• PAS Bogota invites proposals for programs that strengthen societal and cultural ties, shared values, and bilateral cooperation between the United States and Colombia in support of U.S. Embassy Strategic Goals. All programs must include a U.S. cultural or educational element or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives, and build partnerships between their citizens.
• Examples of PAS Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to:
  • Academic and professional lectures, seminars and speaker programs;
  • Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions;
  • Awareness-raising programs on the challenges persons with disabilities face accessing the democratic process, including the lack of reasonable accommodations and information to exercise their political rights.
  • Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs;
  • Policy advocacy programs that promote and advance the human rights of historically\ underserved and marginalized groups such as Afro-Colombians, Indigenous, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+), persons with disabilities, and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent inequality.
  • Workshops to strengthen networks of U.S. government (USG) programs alumni, CSO/NGO networks, entrepreneurial networks, and/or educational groups.

Priority Program Areas

• The Embassy’s Cultural and Educational Grants Program supports U.S. Mission Bogota’s strategic objective of enhancing opportunities for citizen participation in support of peace through cultural and educational program and advances the diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) and climate and environment priorities. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)
  • Disability Rights:
    • Projects that advance the rights of persons with disabilities, build capacity of organizations that advocate for enforcement and effective implementation of disability-inclusive legislation and policies, and promote democracy and political participation of persons with disabilities, among others.
    • Projects focused on improving access to educational opportunities for persons with disabilities.
  • LGBTQI+:
    • Policy advocacy programs that advance the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) persons, including efforts to safeguard LGBTQI+ youth from harmful practices (e.g., so called “conversion therapy”).
    • Programs that improve the quality of investigative journalism and transparency, increase awareness of the impact of stereotypical and biased reporting on LGBTIQI+ persons and women, and help counter disinformation.
  • Climate and Environment
    • Environmentally-focused activities addressing the climate crisis, combating wildlife trafficking, fostering resilience, conserving nature, water security, and reducing harmful pollutants, including, but not limited to, awareness raising campaigns, leadership, or capacity-building training workshops for youth and underserved communities, a recycled art installation or competition, among others.
    • In addition to the outlined priority program areas, the Public Affairs Section may give consideration to project proposals focusing on the following topics:
      • Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM)
      • Economic empowerment of women, girls, Afro-Colombians, Indigenous communities, the Venezuelan diaspora, LGBTQI+ persons, and other underserved populations.
      • Any other initiatives supporting Colombia’s transition to a sustainable and inclusive peace.

Funding Information

• Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $15,000.
• Total available funding: $90,000
• Length of performance period: Up to 12 months.

Participants and Audiences

• Embassy Bogota encourages projects focusing on a wide range of audiences, with a particular emphasis on groups from socially and/or economically disadvantaged communities.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations and entities in Colombia and/or in the United States are eligible to apply. Organizations must be legally registered:
  • Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with programming experience
  • Non-profit educational and cultural institutions
  • Governmental institutions
  • Individual citizens from the United States and Colombia
• For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

Ineligible

• The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:
  • Programs relating to partisan political activity;
  • Charitable or development activities;
  • Construction programs;
  • Programs that support specific religious activities;
  • Fundraising campaigns;
  • Lobbying for specific legislation or programs;
  • Scientific research;
  • Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; or
  • Programs that duplicate existing programs.

For more information, visit Annual Program Statement.

Call for Concept Papers: Innovation in Market based Sanitation and Menstrual Health Management Activity in Kenya

Deadline Date: 30-Mar-2023

The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Mission in Bogota Colombia is pleased to announce funding availability through the Embassy’s Cultural and Educational Grants Program.

USAID Western Kenya Sanitation Project (USAID-WKSP) is five-year (2022 to 2027) program with a goal to create a financially sustainable, transformative, replicable, and locally owned sanitation and Menstrual Hygiene Management marketplace in eight western Kenya counties: Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Siaya, Homa Bay, Kisii, Kisumu, and Migori through:

• Increased access to and uptake of market-based improved sanitation and fecal sludge management products and services.
• Increased access to and uptake of market based improved Menstrual Hygiene (MHM) products and services at the household level.

What is the challenge?

• The full range of technical options for providing improved and safely managed sanitation and MHM products and services is still not widely known nor are the characteristics of the different options well understood. There is little appreciation of the long-term financial, environmental, and institutional implications of operating and maintaining the various MHM and sanitation systems.
• As a result, with the growing population, communities and institutions are choosing the only available technical options that, in the long term, are inaccessible, unaffordable, unsustainable, and not environmentally friendly. Access to finance has also been a challenge for sanitation and MHM enterprises and households.

Award Details

• The successful applicant(s) will be eligible for support by the project to pilot/scale the innovation.

What are they looking for?

• This Hackathon is aimed at identifying technology-based solutions and designs to provide a space for creative problem solving of sanitation and/or MHM challenges, and through grant funding, support local innovative concepts and ideas through the rapid building and testing a range of low-cost solutions and prototypes.
• The developed solutions will increase the uptake of sanitation and MHM products in the market. Challenges also arise from the limited options available and the differing environments and conditions to which each is suited. The Hackathon will not only be based on the technical aspects of the technologies, but also on such factors as type of settlements and ownership, financial costs and affordability, design life, scalability, expectations and preferences, institutional capacity, the potential for job creation, and environmental considerations.
• The solution(s) should possess the characteristic of sustainable market-based approaches (MBS) to sanitation and/or MHM challenges addressing affordability, operation and maintenance, and institutional responsibilities.

Eligibility Criteria

• They welcome applications from diverse range of applicants. You can apply as an entity / institution or as part of a group / consortium and this includes:
  • Research institutions
  • Learning institutions
  • Non-governmental Organizations
  • Designers, manufacturers, technology firms, social enterprises, entrepreneur and service providers.
  • Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institutions
• N/B Institutions led by Youth and women are encouraged to apply.

Tips for Success

In response to the call applications should:

• Adhere to USAID-WKSP’s core values regarding feasibility, scalability, accessibility, and cost effectiveness.
• Provide inclusive solutions (leaving no one behind) for women, aged, children, Persons with Disabilities, etc.
• Be implementable within the 8 counties covered by USAID-WKSP and within the project’s 5-year period.
• Be original, creative, sustainable, and commercially viable.
• Be complementary to existing products and services.

For more information, visit Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International.

Open Call: Community-based Green Urban Transformation in Deprived Urban Neighbourhoods of Pemba Island, Zanzibar (Tanzania)

Deadline: 30-May-23

The European Commission (EC) is accepting proposals to improve the life of the urban poor communities in the main urban areas of Pemba island, by promoting urban integrated development, strengthening the climate urban resilience of the built environment and communities, and the provision and access to basic services, adopting a multi-stakeholders approach.

The call is aligned with the Green and Smart Cities SASA programe’s scope, addressing the effect of rapid urbanisation by supporting a more sustainable and inclusive urban development in selected cities, focusing on provision of green infrastructure, local economic development and improved public service delivery.

Objectives of the Programme and Priority Issues

The specific objective(s) of this call for proposals is/are:

• Promote urban and compact integrated development and improved urban structure and functioning of the target areas, providing upgraded accessibility and connectivity, provision of public and social services for the urban poor communities of Pemba.
• Enhance climate urban resilience improving the provision of and access to basic services and green infrastructure.
• Improve and empower the life of women, girls and target vulnerable groups in the urban poor communities targeting gender-related issues and applying gender-responsive approach in the design and implementation of interventions.

The priorities of this call for proposals are:

• Coherent urban planning and impactful interventions – Actions should have a tangible and measurable impact at identified target neighbourhood or urban settlements, and showcase and promote good urban planning in alignment with the main urban plans and in complementarity with other ongoing projects, such as BIG-Z World Bank initiatives.
• Partnership with competent authorities – Actions should be implemented in partnership with authorities at all levels ensuring full ownership and sustainability of interventions as well as the methodologies, approaches and technical solutions applied. Adequate governance/coordination mechanisms and structures should be proposed.
• Participatory, inclusive, community-driven approach – Shehia leaders and other stakeholders of the targeted communities should be engaged in the design and the implementation of the interventions and in the local decision-making process in order to ensure the sustainability of processes promoted and the management/maintenance of the improved facilities. Community-led and labour project’s implementation through labour-intensive jobs creation and engagement of the residents in the work construction should be prioritized.
• Green and nature-based solutions in infrastructures and services provision – Actions should propose green infrastructure and climate resilience solutions to upgrading and building of structure and social services, as well in suggesting sustainable materials and design solutions.
• Capacity building – Actions should ensure required training and technical support to allow communities and local authorities to perform their role in the execution, operation and maintenance of the infrastructure and services and actively support the local urban governance process.

Funding Information

The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 5.000.000. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.

• The Call is divided in two lots, allocated in two geographical areas:
  • Lot 1: North Pemba (including Wete and Micheweni):
    • Minimum EUR 1.500.000 – maximum EUR 2.000.000
  • Lot 2: South Pemba (including Chake Chake and Mkoani):
    • Minimum EUR 2.500.000 – maximum EUR 3.000.000

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead applicant
• In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
  • Be a legal person and
  • Be non-profit-making and
  • Be a specific type of organisation such as: non-governmental organisation, a civil society organisation,
  • Be established:
    • In a Member State of the European Union
    • In another eligible countries as stipulated in the basic act NDICI
  • and
  • Be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co- applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary and
  • Have at least 5 years of experience in project management, of which 3 in Tanzania; and have a least 3 years of experience in the specific areas of the lot applied for;
• Potential applicants may not participate in calls for proposals or be awarded grants if they are in any of the situations;
  • Lead applicants, co-applicants, affiliated entities and, in case of legal entities, persons who have powers of representation, decision-making or control over the lead applicant, the co-applicants and the affiliated entities are informed that, should they be in one of the situations of early detection or exclusion of the practical guide, personal details (name, given name if natural person, address, legal form and name and given name of the persons with powers of representation, decision-making or control, if legal person) may be registered in the early detection and exclusion system, and communicated to the persons and entities concerned in relation to the award or the  execution of a grant contract. In this respect, provisionally selected lead applicants, co-applicants and affiliated entities or those placed in the reserve list are obliged to declare that they are not in one of the exclusion situations through a signed declaration on honour. For grants of EUR 15 000 or less, no declaration on honour is required.
  • The lead applicant must declare that the lead applicant himself, the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies) are not in any of these situations.
  • The lead applicant may act individually or with co-applicant(s).
  • If awarded the grant contract, the lead applicant will become the beneficiary identified as the coordinator. The coordinator is the sole interlocutor of the contracting authority. It represents and acts on behalf of any other co-beneficiary (if any) and coordinate the design and implementation of the action.
• Co-applicant(s)
  • If the lead applicant act with co-applicant, there must be a maximum of 2 co-applicant(s) per proposal.
  • If the lead applicant is not a “local organisation”, it must act with at least one “local organisation” as co-applicant.
  • Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
  • Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant himself.
  • Co-applicants must sign the mandate.
  • If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant(s) (if any) will become beneficiary(ies) in the action (together with the coordinator).
  • In addition, please note that contracts cannot be awarded to or signed with applicants included in the lists of EU restrictive measures.

For more information, visit EC.

Journalist Capacity Building Programs in Pakistan

Deadline: 1-May-23

The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the Embassy of the United States of America in Islamabad, Pakistan (hereafter referred to as “PDS”) solicits proposals for multiple funding opportunities for projects to train and build capacity among Pakistani journalists, including traditional media practitioners, digital media professionals, vloggers, and documentary makers, among others.

The U.S. Mission in Pakistan continues to promote a free and independent media in Pakistan through various initiatives aimed at building the capacity of journalists and strengthening journalist networks across Pakistan. These programs are a key component of U.S. Public Diplomacy efforts in Pakistan, creating valuable opportunities for the Mission to engage key audiences and create lasting professional, educational, and personal opportunities for Pakistan’s media practitioners. Proposals funded under this Notice for Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will further one or both of the following U.S. Mission to Pakistan’s Integrated Country Strategy goals:

• Strengthen Civilian Democratic Institutions and Protect Human Rights.
• Foster Inclusive Economic Growth and Sustainable Development.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: Twelve (12) to Eighteen (18) months or less.
• Number of awards anticipated: 6-8
• Estimated Total Program Funding: $685,000
• Award Ceiling: $150,000
• Award Floor: $50,000

Projects

• Project 1: Capacity Building of Journalists on Environmental Issues (Award Ceiling $150,000 and Award Floor $100,000)
  • Objective 1: Increase the technical and professional capacity of environmental journalists, filmmakers, and documentary producers.
  • Objective 2: Create new and/or strengthen existing media and/or online platforms for environmental journalists, filmmakers, and documentary producers.
  • Objective 3: Promote and encourage data-driven, investigative, and accurate news reporting on climate change.
  • Objective 4: Increase commentary and public awareness of climate change to influence government and public behavior towards environmental challenges.
  • Objective 5: Participants will apply globally practiced professional journalism standards when producing and reporting news stories on these issues.
  • Objective 6: Create new and/or strengthen existing network/s of women journalists reporting on environmental, energy, and/or climate issues.
  • Objective 7: Reduce barriers to growth for Pakistani women journalists reporting on environmental, energy, and/or climate issues.
  • Objective 8: Connect Pakistani and American journalists covering environmental, energy, and/or climate issues through a network for increased collaboration.
• Project 2: Capacity Building of Social Media Influencers and Digital Journalists (Award Ceiling $75,000 and Award Floor $50,000)
  • Objective 1: Increase the technical, professional and monetization capacity of Pakistani social media influencers.
  • Objective 2: Create new and/or strengthen existing network/s of Pakistan’s social media influencers.
  • Objective 3: Reduce barriers to growth for social media influencers and their public outreach.
  • Objective 4: Increase collaboration between Pakistani and American social media influencers through joint content collaboration.
  • Objective 5: Increase the technical, professional, and monetization capacity of rural area-based social media influencers.
  • Objective 6: Create new and/or strengthen existing network/s of women social media influencers.
  • Objective 7: Reduce barriers to growth for Pakistani women social media influencers and their public outreach.
  • Objective 8: Connect Pakistani women and American women social media influencers through a network for increased collaboration.
  • Objectives 9: Increase the interaction and understanding between civil society representatives and social media activists.
  • Objective 10: Promote public discourse on effective ways to combat misinformation on social media and in Pakistani society.
• Project 3: Strengthening Radio Media (Award Ceiling: $150,000 & Award Floor: $100,000)
  • Objective 1: Improve the ability of radio networks to create revenue generation strategies.
  • Objective 2: Increase the revenue of radio networks.
  • Objective 3: Capacity building of workshop participants.
  • Objective 4: Participating radio networks produce and air programs in collaboration with U.S. partners.
  • Objective 5: Create new and/or strengthen existing network/s of Pakistani women radio professionals.
  • Objective 6: Reduce barriers to growth for Pakistani women radio professionals.
  • Objective 7: Connect Pakistani women radio professionals to American counterparts to build a network for increased collaboration.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are eligible to apply:
  • Not-for-profit organizations.
  • Civil society/non-governmental organizations.
  • Think tanks (Not-for-profit).
  • Public and private educational institutions (Not-for-profit departments).
• Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one, non-profit, nongovernmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal.

Ineligible

This award does not allow:

• Projects relating to partisan political activities;
• Charitable or development activities;
• Construction projects;
• Projects that support specific religious activities;
• Fund-raising campaigns;
• Lobbying for specific legislation or programs;
• Scientific research or surveys;
• Commercial projects;
• Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization;
• Projects that duplicate existing projects; or
• Illegal activities.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

U.S. Embassy Baku: Public Diplomacy Small Awards Program in Azerbaijan

Deadline: 22-Dec-23

The U.S. Embassy Baku Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Awards Program.

U.S. Embassy Baku invites proposals for projects that expand and strengthen ties between the United States and Azerbaijan through cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation.  All programs must include connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.

Examples of PAS Small Award programs include, but are not limited to:

• Programs that enhance connections between educational institutions to foster a greater understanding of American academic standards
• Initiatives to support local media counter disinformation and promote transparency initiatives
• Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions
• Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs
• Professional and academic exchanges and programs.

Priority Program Areas:

• Regional cooperation and interconnectivity in the South Caucasus.
• Strengthening U.S.-Azerbaijan economic ties.
• Green energy and other economic and environmental sustainability initiatives.
• Rule of law, gender equality, and respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights.
• Programs that promote media literacy and/or combat disinformation.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period:  12 months or less.
• Number of awards anticipated:  Up to 10 awards, depending on available funds.
• Award amounts:  Awards may range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $25,000.
• Total available funding:  $55,000.

Participants and Audiences:

Selected programs should demonstrate engagement with underserved communities and equity with respect to race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, and disability.  Proposals should demonstrate how working with underserved communities will enhance the program’s goals and objectives, as well as the experience of participants.  Applicants should strive to implement projects with diversity and inclusion as guiding principles.

Eligibility criteria

• Submissions are encouraged from U.S. and Azerbaijani entities with relevant experience.  This experience should be documented in the proposal.  Eligible entities include not-for-profit, civil society/non-governmental organizations, public educational institutions, think tanks and individuals.

Ineligible

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

• Programs relating to partisan political activity.
• Charitable or development activities.
• Construction programs.
• Programs that support specific religious activities.
• Fund-raising campaigns.
• Lobbying for specific legislation or programs.
• Scientific research.
• Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; or
• Programs that duplicate existing programs.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Call for Concept Notes: Shiraka Programme Fund – Jordan

Deadline: 26-Mar-23

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Jordan is soliciting concept notes for its Shiraka Programme Fund to focus on creating local economic development opportunities that foster green growth and empower youth and women in their local communities.

With the Shiraka programme, the Netherlands supports societal development in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. The social contract between government and citizens is the main focus. Shiraka focuses on the involvement of civilians in governance and the service delivery of governments towards citizens. In Jordan the Shiraka Programme has worked with local organisations to support initiatives that are focused on local economic development.

Goals Outcomes and Priorities

• The goal is to achieve economic development (i.e., income generating) opportunities in local communities that foster green growth. By doing so, innovative approaches should be identified and pursued to create green jobs, promoting green business models, improve sustainable livelihoods in poorer or remote communities and empower youth and women.
• Addressing climate change is an integral part of the Netherlands’ Multi-Annual Country Strategy (MACS) 2023-2026 for Jordan. In their efforts, they closely cooperate and coordinate with the Government of Jordan. The Netherlands will provide support to Jordan to achieve its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) climate ambitions. Specific mitigation measures that the Netherlands will continue to contribute to energy efficiency in the water sector, nature inclusive solutions in agriculture and investment in renewable energy.
• The Netherlands will contribute to adaptation by reducing water use through the promotion of water and climate smart agriculture and by making new water sources available through desalination, rainwater harvesting and treating wastewater. The Netherlands will also support exploring innovative green finance options. The Netherlands is keen to identify new and innovative approaches, closely linked to their interventions in the water, private sector development and agriculture sectors. With this call for proposals, the Netherlands aims to incorporate considerations of climate change impacts (including climate adaptation) to achieve local economic development opportunities that foster green growth.
• Reaching vulnerable groups, including refugees and host communities, women and youth, and having their needs at heart, is centre stage in the Netherlands’ strategy. During the design phase, the project should be finetuned towards the greatest possible impact in terms of empowering women and youth.

Funding Information

• Duration of the project must be at least 2 years and maximum 3 years.
• Requested budget can range from 800,000 to 1,400,000 EUR.

Framework and Instructions for the Shiraka Programme Fund

• Project must avoid duplications and create synergies with any existing Dutch funded activities and interventions, and other donors.
• Project must be aligned with or supporting policies of the Government of Jordan, such as the Economic Modernization Vision, and encouraged to work closely with relevant ministries or municipalities.
• Preference for projects which generate innovations, which will have important impact and have the potential for scaling up.
• Gender sensitivity, optimising equal opportunities for young men and women, refugees and vulnerable individuals are cross-cutting themes for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The project must clearly show the integration of these themes, wherever possible.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants should be local non-governmental and non-profit organisations. Consortia of organisations are also allowed and encouraged to apply.
• Organisations need to have a proven track record in the field that they apply for, either based on the organisation’s history of interventions or the individuals that will be working on the proposed project.
• The proposed budget is realistic and cost-effective; and the remuneration of individual managers and board members of an applicant must be cost-effective, and in reasonable proportion to the seniority of their position and to the organisation’s size and complexity. The maximum overhead allowed is 7% of the total budget.
• The proposed activities are only implemented in Jordan.
• Charitable activities, research studies, academic courses, workshops/training abroad and equipment are ineligible for funding.

For more information, visit Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Local Cooperation Fund in Belarus

Deadline: 10-Mar-23

The Finland in Belarus is inviting applications for the Local Cooperation Fund.

The Fund for Local Cooperation (FLC) is a part of Finland’s official development co-operation. It is aimed for local civil society actors to carry out specific projects with clear goals and sustainable outcomes. The FLC supports the overall aims of the development policy of Finland. The focus of the funded projects and activities should focus on the goals defined in the Finnish development policy program.

The FLC activities in Belarus are managed by the Embassy of Finland in Lithuania. The fund supports initiatives of Belarusian non-governmental organisations. The FLC helps Belarusian civil society actors to carry out well-targeted projects with a clear goal and sustainable outcome in the field of human rights, democracy and good governance. The approach is to establish partnerships with a limited number of organisations instead of supporting one-time activities like workshops or seminars.

Priority areas for projects in 2022-2023

• Rights and livelihoods of people with disabilities
• Empowering girls and women.

Funding Information

• The expected project length is approximately one year. The Embassy aims to fund two (2) projects with around 20.000€ funding per project per year.

Eligibility Criteria

• The organisation(s) in question should have a genuine, credible domestic basis; the proposed programme should not be launched or fully financed by the donor.
• The proposed activities should reach a large audience and have potential for a broad impact.
• Prospective applicants must provide detailed information on their organization.
• The applications will be assessed based on the following criteria:
  • Past experiences of projects with a similar focus
  • Specific, achievable and relevant objectives of the project
  • Clarity on the main beneficiaries
  • Effective and efficient use of the funds – the organization needs to demonstrate in the budget proposal that the funds will be used effectively to reach the specified objectives
  • Innovative approaches to solve problems
  • Sustainability of the results. The organization needs to indicate clearly how the impact of the project will be sustainable after the funding from the Embassy of Finland has ended
• Overall openness is important. The projects have to be registered in Belarus.
• The FLC does not support activities of political parties, public institutions, activities of unregistered organisations, projects in which the beneficiary is a single person or a single family or purely charity purposes.
• The Fund is designed to support projects. It is not intended to support the operating expenses of organisations. The administrative costs for the project must be reasonable.

For more information, visit Local Cooperation Fund.

2023 The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives [Laos]

Deadline: 31-Mar-23

The Office of the Embassy of Canada to Laos, in Vientiane is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassy or high commission. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

Thematic Priorities

All projects must align with at least one of the following CFLI thematic priorities:

• Inclusive governance, including diversity and 2SLGBTQI+, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
• Growth that works for everyone, including women’s economic rights, decent jobs and entrepreneurship, investing in the poorest and most vulnerable, and safeguarding economic gains.
• Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
• Environment and climate action focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as on water management.

Funding Information

• The average CFLI contribution is $15,000 to $30,000 Canadian Dollars (CAD$100,000 is the maximum allocation amount for a project eligible under CFLI).

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible recipients include:
  • Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,
  • Local academic institutions working on local projects,
  • International non-governmental organizations working on local development activities,
  • Intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities,
  • Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects, and
  • Canadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities.
• The majority of CFLI funding is to be directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as international, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional organizations may be eligible for funding, provided they are working with local partners and on local projects that are consistent with the objectives of the CFLI. Similarly, municipal, regional and national government institutions may receive funding, provided that their projects are essentially local in nature. The CFLI is always looking to fund innovative projects that deliver measurable results.

Criteria

• Proposals must be completed in English or French.
• Only those proposals using the designated application form and including the required budget document will be considered.
• Successful applicants will normally have 6-8 months to implement the chosen project depending on when the Contribution Agreements are finalised. Projects spanning 2 fiscal years (April 2023 to March 2025) may be permitted depending on the project objectives and the complexity of activities.
• Applications will be assessed for approval on their merits by a selection committee.
• Due to the large number of proposals, only the successful candidates will be contacted via email.
• In alignment with this policy, the CFLI project application process now requires a gender-based analysis (GBA). The purpose of this change is to enhance the gender equality outcomes of the CFLI program.
• A GBA will require applicants to:
  • consider how women, girls, men, and boys are affected differently by the problem their project is aiming to address, ensuring, at the same time, that the project does not cause harm
  • consult women and/or girls in the development of their project proposal
  • ensure that the views of those women and/or girls inform the project’s design

For more information, visit Office of the Embassy of Canada to Laos.