Democracy Commission Small Grants Program – Kyrgyzstan

Deadline: 20-Mar-24

The U.S. Embassy Bishkek Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through the Embassy’s Democracy Commission Small Grants Program to support the development of the country’s democratic institutions and civil society by competitively awarding small grants to nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and associations, to nonprofit civil society organizations (CSOs), and to independent local media organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Embassy strongly encourages proposals that include partnership with and support for Kyrgyz state institutions, and grantees that demonstrate experience working with relevant governmental authorities.

Priority Themes

Advancing Business Empowerment and Social Entrepreneurship
- The economy of the Kyrgyz Republic relies heavily on external factors, contributing to the country’s economic instability in recent decades. The limited economic opportunities and high level of poverty, especially in rural locations, has led to mass labor migration, causing additional socio-economic problems within communities.
- This funding opportunity seeks to continue to support projects that strengthen the enabling environment for economic growth by addressing specific current challenges:
  - high level of poverty in rural locations;
  - lack of core competencies and skills needed in the modern workplace; and/or,
  - lack of economic opportunities and resources
- Project Goal: To strengthen rural entrepreneurship and small business development by increasing knowledge and available tools that entrepreneurs and small businesses owners can use to make their businesses successful.
- Project Audience(s): Potential entrepreneurs and current small business owners (ages 25-45), and underserved and vulnerable populations in rural regions (ages 18-35)
Promoting Democratic Institutions
- The Kyrgyz Republic has made democratic gains since its independence; however, democracy in the Kyrgyz Republic continues to face challenges and risks. Independent observers have noted violations of electoral processes; high levels of corruption and low levels of transparency; attempts to impose regulations on NGO/CSOs in a discriminatory manner, persecution of independent media and political repression of freedom of speech; poor public understanding of democratic institutions and legal rights, especially in rural regions; and overall political instability due to social, economic, and geographical divisions.
- This funding opportunity seeks to promote more inclusive and accountable democracy by addressing specific current challenges:
  - limited knowledge of the importance of the rule of law, civic engagement, civil society, and advocacy;
  - limited CSO capacity in communication and public relations, digital storytelling and technology skills, especially in rural areas; and/or
  - limited cooperation between rural civil society and local government to address challenges that constrict opportunity and quality of life.
- Project Goal: To strengthen democracy in the Kyrgyz Republic through increased civic engagement, promotion of human rights, and increased collaboration between citizens and government bodies on good governance.
- Project Audience(s): Rural youth (ages 18-35) and their families, community leaders, urban and rural NGOs including youth organizations, local and state government officials, independent media and journalists.
Combatting Gender-Based Violence
- Combatting Gender-based violence (GBV) is a key sub-theme of promoting the rule of law and gender equality, which are essential to democratic norms. Despite extensive work and assistance to ensure gender equality in the Kyrgyz Republic, GBV continues to impede progress in the country on this issue.
- This funding opportunity seeks to build upon previous projects and strengthen the efforts to effectively prevent and respond to GBV by addressing specific current challenges:
  - entrenched gender stereotypes and prejudice;
  - lack of economic resources and economic vulnerability; and/or,
  - normalization and general acceptance of GBV.
- Project Goal: To strengthen civil society and government capacity to address GBV in the Kyrgyz Republic through preventative measures.
- Project Audience(s): Vulnerable women and adolescent girls, victims of GBV, journalists, bloggers, media representatives, law enforcement, decision makers.
Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE)
- A significant number of young adults and teenagers in the Kyrgyz Republic experience challenges with social integration, including lack of educational and economic opportunities, especially in rural areas and new urban settlements around Bishkek. Without a strong sense of purpose, these young people are at risk of drifting into violent extremism, leading to further exclusion by their communities. One significant obstacle to young people’s positive engagement in society is a lack of critical thinking skills and ability to assess the credibility of the information available to them.
- This funding opportunity seeks to build upon previous projects and expand PVE programming in the Kyrgyz Republic through strengthening individual and community resilience and local capacity by addressing specific current challenges:
  - lack of sense of belonging to a community, along with low civic participation and proactivity;
  - lack of media literacy and critical skills to recognize and reject violent extremist narratives; and/or
  - low capacity of local government and civil society actors in PVE and lack of effective collaboration in prevention of radicalization and extremism.
- Project Goal: To strengthen individual and community resilience among youth in rural regions and new urban communities and build capacity of rural civil society organizations to prevent radicalization through better coordination with key stakeholders, such as youth and government.
- Project Audience(s): At-risk youth (especially men aged 14-28) and women, including school and university students, unemployed youth, members of ethnic minorities, especially in underserved and rural areas.
Countering Trafficking in Persons (CTIP)
- The NRM established formal policies on victim identification, assistance referral, provision of social services, and protection of victims’ personal data, but the government provided very limited training on the NRM to key implementers.
- This funding opportunity seeks to build upon previous projects and expand countering TIP programming in the Kyrgyz Republic by addressing specific current challenges:
  - lack of effective standard operating procedures (SOPs) for state bodies including local administrations and local self-governments to implement the NRM;
  - low capacity of local government officials, including Inter-Department Commission members, as well as NGO representatives, to implement the NRM and identify victims based on four identification criteria; and/or
  - limited public awareness on trafficking-related issues, cybersecurity, risks of illegal migration and the legal rights of migrants.
- Project Goal: To reduce trafficking-in-persons in the Kyrgyz Republic by educating and empowering labor migrants and at-risk groups to identify and report instances of victimization, building capacity of government officials, and improving understanding of TIP issues.
- Project Audience(s): At-risk youth and women (ages 18-35), labor migrants, media, local government officials.

Funding Information

Funding Range: The maximum grant amount per award is $50,000. The average approved award range is between $20,000 and $30,000.

Duration

Length of Project Period: 9-12 months

Eligibility Criteria

The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations,
- Civil society/non-governmental organizations
- Think tanks, and
- Media organizations
For this announcement, only organizations based in the Kyrgyz Republic are eligible to apply.
Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one non-governmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award.