Deadline: 20-Jun-23
The U.S. Embassy is now accepting applications for the 2023 Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund Program. Communities and organizations throughout the Gambia are welcome to submit project proposals that benefit communities throughout the country.
The Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Grants program (ASSH) provides one-time small grants to improve basic economic or social conditions at the local community by funding the expansion of an existing project or activity.
The ASSH Program is designed to support high-impact, quick-implementation activities which benefit a large number of people within one year without requiring further assistance. Projects that support livelihoods in Rural Provinces, value-added agricultural production, and projects that promote marketable skills are preferred. Grants are intended for local cooperatives.
Purpose
- The purpose of this grant program is to provide small-scale assistance to Gambian communities as part of an ongoing commitment by the U.S. government to support Gambian-driven development activities at the local level.
Competitive Projects
- Competitive projects are those that:
- Improve basic economic or social conditions at the local community by funding the expansion of an existing project.
- Have the potential to produce employment and marketable skills.
- Assist vulnerable groups.
- Support high-impact, quick-implementation activities which benefit a large number of people within one year without requiring further assistance.
- Have the potential to generate additional income; and
- Involve a significant local contribution in cash, labor, or material, and are within the ability of the local community to operate and maintain.
Funding Information
- The Self-Help Fund can provide up to $6,000 U.S. Dollars in small-scale assistance to community-led initiatives.
Funding Criteria
- Projects selected for funding are those which:
- Improve basic economic or social conditions at the local community by funding the expansion of an existing project;
- Have the potential to produce employment and marketable skills;
- Assist vulnerable groups;
- Support high-impact, quick-implementation activities which benefit a large number of people within one year without requiring further assistance;
- Have the potential to generate additional income; and
- Involve a significant local contribution in cash, labor, or material, and are within the ability of the local community to operate and maintain.
- Improve educational facilities (Example: Classroom construction, Library construction,
- Improved health facilities (Example: Construction of community health centers, provision of medical equipment to community health centers)
- Improve access to clean water and sanitation facilities (Example: well or borehole construction, latrine construction)
- Social and economic empowerment of women and girls (Example: Provisions of grain mills in rural communities, provision of oil extraction machines, other income generating activities)
- More opportunities for people living with disabilities (Example: craftmanship skill, special education, creation of job opportunity)
- Reduction in environment degradation (Examples: Provision of environmentally friendly cooking stoves, land restoration, production of natural fertilizers, recycling)
Eligibility Criteria
- U.S. Embassy Banjul encourages applications from all provinces. All interested cooperatives must have an active registration with the Gambian Cooperative Agency at the time of submitting your application.
- Organizations are encouraged to have a unique entity identifier (UEI).
- The project must be initiated by the community and should benefit the community by increasing income or improving living or social conditions. If the project is designed to generate income, it must be truly community-based and not a for-profit enterprise or sole proprietorship, and the project must have a plan for equitable distribution of any income generated.
- Applicants must be a non-profit organization, NGO registered with the Government of the Gambia or a community association formed at least one year before the date of application.
- The proposed project should be a single activity that helps to improve basic economic or social conditions at the community level. Projects should be administered at the community level.
- The project should be sustainable and not require continued support after the one-time contribution from the Special Self-Help Program.
- Substantial community participation is required during the project. Contributions may include labor, materials, equipment, land, buildings, or funding.
- Projects must be within the ability of the community to operate and maintain sustainably.
- All projects must be completed within one calendar year of the grant award date.
- The maximum grant submission allowed is $6,000, converted to Gambian Dalasi at the prevailing exchange rate.
Ineligibility Criteria
- Special Self-Help Program funds cannot be used for:
- Religious, political, military, law enforcement, police, or prison-related activities;
- Personal training, research, publishing materials, or projects that solely provide trainings;
- Costs associated with events or ceremonies, including but not limited to, alcohol, entertainment, dancers, poets, musicians, venue rental, or food and drink;
- Administrative or recurring operating costs, including, but not limited to, transportation costs, per diem, administrative fees, rent, salaries, electric bills, or school fees;
- Investments in personal businesses, for-profit enterprises, or sole-proprietorships;
- Activities with unmitigated or negative environmental consequences;
- Purchase of vehicles, office supplies, printers, copiers, computers, tablets, mobile phones, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, surveillance equipment, luxury goods, or gambling equipment;
- Activities that benefit any employee of the U.S. government.
For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in the Gambia.