U.S. Embassy in Eswatini: Ambassadors Special Self Help Program

Deadline: 3-Jun-22

The U.S. Embassy Mbabane, Eswatini of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications for funding through the Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program.

The Ambassador’s Special-Self Help (SSH) Programme is a grass-roots grant assistance program that allows the U.S Ambassadors to support local requests for small community-based development projects. The purpose of the Special Self-Help Programme is to support communities through modest grants that will positively impact local communities. The SSH philosophy is to help communities to help themselves.

Projects

Water Supply and Sanitation
- Safe Water Access – Increase access to water (e.g., well drilling and spring capping); and expansion of water supply infrastructures, such as pumps and distribution systems.
- Basic Sanitation – Increase access to and use of sanitation services for safe human waste disposal to protect human health and environmental quality.
Social Services
- Assist vulnerable and at-risk populations. These groups include the disabled; orphans, children, and youth; victims of gender-based violence; ethnic minorities or other socially excluded groups; the elderly; and female heads of household.
- Projects for vulnerable groups could include, but are not limited to:
  - classrooms construction
  - school and health centers equipment,
  - income-generating activities
  - local infrastructures

Funding Information

Length of performance period: 12 months
Number of awards anticipated: 6 awards (dependent on amounts)
Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $3,000 to a maximum of $9,000
Total available funding: Subject to availability of funding
Type of Funding: FY 2021 Economic Support under the Foreign Assistance act
Anticipated program start date: September 5, 2022

Participants and Audiences

The U.S Embassy, Mbabane is seeking proposals from local community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, other civil society groups, faith-based organizations, advocacy groups, community development groups, and other community-based entities.

Priority Region: All 4 regions of Eswatini

Eligibility Criteria

There is a strong preference to fund local community organizations that are serving a grassroots need and a project that is community-generated, implemented and supported. The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations, including civil society/non-governmental organizations
- Community-based organizations, schools, clinics, community development groups, advocacy groups
No applications are accepted from individuals or private businesses. Only projects that have strong community involvement, benefit the greatest number of people within the community, and lead to ongoing self-sustaining activities are eligible to apply. There is a strong preference to fund local community organizations that are serving a grassroots need and a project that is community-generated, implemented and supported.

Criteria

All citizens of Eswatini representing a civilian, religious, social, community development, special interest, disability, or advocacy group or organization may request funding for community activity. Groups must be registered with the proper authorities. The project must be submitted by an organized group who are motivated, have a real need, and have already successfully implemented projects in the community. The project should be feasible and based on the socio-economic context of the local community.
To be eligible, for funding, the proposed project must meet the following criteria:
- Improve basic economic or social conditions at the local community or village level and have long-lived values.
- Support high-impact, quick-implementation activities that benefit a large number of people, without requiring further SSH assistance.
- Involve a significant local contribution in cash, labor, and/or materials, and be within the ability of the local community to operate and maintain on a sustainable basis. The contribution may include labor, material (bricks, sand, gravel, seeds, etc.), land, buildings, or money to ensure the success of the project
- Not initiate, continue, or supplement technical assistance programs.
- Contribute, whenever possible, to income-generating or self-sustaining activities; and
- Projects must be self-sustaining upon completion. The U.S. Embassy’s support for the project must be a one-time-only/one grant contribution.
- Projects must be within the community’s ability to maintain and operate. Requests for large-scale agriculture or construction projects or expensive equipment are not considered priority projects.
- Managers of a project should have evidence that they are financially responsible and will be able to account for funds sent to them. Having a bank account, or establishing credit with vendors, are examples of such evidence.