Ambassador’s Special Self Help Program for Not-for-Profit Organizations in Tanzania

Deadline: 1 July 2019

The U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam has announced an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out projects through the Ambassador’s Special Self Help (SSH) Small Grants Program.

SSH program is a grassroots grant assistance program that funds grants for small development activities that generate public awareness of U.S. foreign assistance efforts but that fall outside the structure of other established U.S. assistance projects. The program is intended to be flexible and allow the Embassy to respond directly to requests from local communities for assistance with small community projects that have immediate impact, and further mission priorities and objectives. Equally important, the Special Self-Help program is structured to encourage communities to be self-reliant and undertake similar activities on their own in the future.

Priorities

• Economic Empowerment
  • The Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund welcomes innovative and unique incomegenerating activities within a community that improve the livelihood of disadvantaged populations, including people with disabilities, orphans, elderly, or victims of sexual exploitation or trafficking. The proposed activity should provide a benefit for the community-at-large.
• Advancement of Women and Girls
  • The Embassy encourages proposals that support women’s economic or social empowerment, women’s employment, and marketable skills. Emphasis will be given to the expansion of women owned businesses that train, employ, and empower women and girls.
• Children / Youth
  • Ambassador’s Special Self Help grants may also support community programs benefiting children and youth. Community-led activities covering a broad range of youth services including sustainable nutrition programs and innovative youth empowerment initiatives are welcome.
    • The organization will have to provide ongoing project reports. U.S. Embassy staff will make periodic visits to the project site.
    • Recipient communities must demonstrate their substantial commitment by either contributing to the project financially or providing labor orsupplies (in kind contribution) to carry out the project.
    • Proposed projects must be well planned and ready to be implemented and must be easily self-sustaining when thegrant is completed. Projects must be completed in less than one year.
    • The organization must obtain approval from the local development committee, district and/or authorities,local village and/or district councils before submission of the proposal to the U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam.

Participants and Audiences

All applicants must be registered Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) and have been in operation for at least one year to be eligible for funding. Proposals are welcome from Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that work directly with communities. Organizations with currently running projects may apply as long as they justify the need for more resources in new directions.

Funding Information

• Estimated Total Program Funding: $50,000
• Award Ceiling: $10,000
• Award Floor: $2,000

Eligibility Criteria

• The Ambassador’s Special Self Help Program will only accept proposals from
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including civil society/non-governmental organizations headquartered in Tanzania.
  • Established, registered grassroots community-based organizations (CBOs) and Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) headquartered in Tanzania.
• For-profit, commercial entities and individuals are not eligible to apply.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted electronically at the address given on the website.

For more information, please visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=316596