USAID funding opportunity for local NGOs in conflict mitigation and reconciliation program

The Annual Program Statement (APS) for Conflict Mitigation and Reconciliation Programs and Activities of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) [Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA), Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation (CMM)] has issued this call for applications to provide funding to local NGOs in eligible countries as well as from qualified US and non-US non-profit and for-profit organizations to carry out activities that mitigate conflict and promote reconciliation by bringing together individuals of different ethnic, religious or political backgrounds from areas of civil conflict and war.

Eligible countries for this funding opportunity are:

•              Africa: Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, West Africa Regional

•              Asia: Philippines, Thailand, Regional Development Mission for Asia

•              Europe and Eurasia: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal

•              Latin America and the Caribbean: Peru, Guatemala, Middle East, Morocco, Yemen

USAID emphasizes upon a “people-to-people” approach while implementing conflict mitigation programs and encourages organizations to derive lessons learned and best practices for future people-to-people programming. Project proposals need to outline this approach and the strategies should be based upon best practices, building of capacities of local partners and integration of gender analysis. Projects that involve local participation, leading to sustainability of peacebuilding efforts are strong encouraged.

The proposed duration of the project can be between a minimum period of 12 months and a maximum period of 36 months. With total USAID allocation of US $15,500,000 for this program, applicants can propose project funding of US $100,000 to US $1,200,000. Local NGOs located in eligible countries can submit applications requesting funding amount of US $100,000 to US $500,000.

NGO contribution for the proposed project is not a requirement; however, applications that include additional in-kind and/or cash contributions from non-USG sources will be more competitive.

This call for applications is open up to 26 July 2011. However, USAID will review submitted projects in batches. The deadline for the accepting first batch of applications is 4 March 2011. For more information, visit grants.gov and search by funding opportunity number for “APS-OAA-11-000001.”

For more NGO funds, grants and resources always visit http://ngogrants.blogspot.com/

UN Women’s Project Inspire seeking Life-changing Idea

UN Women Singapore and MasterCard have started a joint initiative called “PROJECT INSPIRE: 5 Minutes to Change the World” to help you create a better world of opportunities for women and girls in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa.

The initiative is inviting submissions of life-changing ideas on how to make a difference. If you have an inspirational idea that can empower women, improve their livelihoods and change the world, then you can submit it here. If your idea gets selected, you can win US $25,000 to make it a reality.

The idea should be creative and should make a meaningful impact with the limited resources you have. It should be practical enough and must inspire others to do the same. It should be accessible, doable, measurable and sustainable. The idea should lead to the empowerment of disadvantaged women or girls through education, skills training, financial inclusion and social entrepreneurship.

Ideas should be submitted in form of a video running for a length of five minutes. Applicants sending the submissions should be 18-35 years old.

Besides the winner getting the $25,000 grant, there will be a special recognition to the Best Financial Literacy/ Livelihood proposal which will win a start-up grant of US$10,000. Finalists will get an opportunity to come to Singapore to present their inspiring idea to an expert judging panel. You will also attend a workshop on sustainable social entrepreneurship and presentation skills training.

Submissions are open from 8 March – 30 June 2011. For more information, visit this link.

For more NGO funds, grants and resources always visit http://ngogrants.blogspot.com/

Ramsar Small Grants Fund accepting proposals from NGOs

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is accepting proposals for its Small Grants Program aimed at assisting developing countries and those economies in transition to implement the Convention and to support the conservation and wise use of wetland resources, with a strong human and social dimension.

Funds may also be used to provide emergency management assistance for Ramsar Sites under threat and to provide ‘preparatory assistance’ to allow non-Contracting Parties to progress toward accession when such needs arise.

Projects may be proposed and implemented by any agency, NGO, or individual, but proposals MUST be endorsed and monitored by the Administrative Authority (the Ramsar implementing agency) in the Party’s government. Each year a rigorous evaluation procedure is carried out by the Ramsar Secretariat to assess the project proposals according to the strength of the project design, their relevance to the Convention’s objectives, and the capacity of the proponents to complete the project successfully.

Interestingly, the Ramsar Convention’s Secretariat has regional teams that provide advice to help applicants develop suitable proposals. If your organization requires this kind of assistance, you need to send the draft proposal to the Senior Regional Advisors by 30 April 2011.

The deadline for applications in their final form for the next round is 30 June 2011. For more information, visit this link.

For more NGO funds, grants and resources always visit http://ngogrants.blogspot.com/

Global Health Corps Fellowships

The Global Health Corps, which aims to mobilize a global community of emerging leaders to build a movement for health equity, is currently open to accepting applications for 2011-2012 fellowships with placements in United States and other countries such as Burundi, Malawi, Rwanda and Uganda.

Global Health Corps Fellows must be under age 30 at the time of application; have an undergraduate university degree by July 2011; and be proficient in English

For each placement, two fellows will be selected: One in-country fellow (citizen of the placement country), and one international fellow (US citizens for placements in Africa; any non-US citizen for placements in the US).

The Program works to program works to build the movement for global health equity by:

•              Increasing the impact of great organizations today: Fellows work with high-impact organizations in year-long paid positions. During their fellowship year, fellows make a significant and measurable contribution to the partner organization and the target population.

•              Training and supporting the leaders of tomorrow: Over the course of the fellowship year, fellows participate in a wide range of activities aimed at increasing their effectiveness as practitioners and their development as leaders.

•              Building a global community of changemakers: Fellows build a set of shared values, commitment and skills that they carry well beyond the fellowship year. The GHC community and alumni program serve as a source of opportunity and strength throughout fellows’ lives and careers.

Deadlines:

1 March 2011: Applications close for American Candidates

1 April 2011: Applications close for International Candidates.

For more information, visit this link.

For more NGO funds, grants and resources always visit http://ngogrants.blogspot.com/

Purchase of Nature has small grants for conservation NGOs

The IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands (IUCN NL), a platform of 25 IUCN members in the Netherlands has a unique small grants program which provides funding local NGOs to purchase and protect threatened wildlife habitats and vulnerable ecosystems around the world.

In areas under high pressure the purchase of remnants of natural vegetation and creating private protected areas can have a massive impact on the conservation of local biodiversity. With exploding land prices, triggered by developments in the ‘biofuel’ market or development projects, there is no time to wait for decisive action from politicians or decision makers. (In the Paraguayan Chaco for example, hundreds of hectares of dry forest are destroyed every day). If used by capable NGOs, land purchase can be an extremely valuable and fast-working instrument to protect threatened ecosystems and safeguard them for future generations. The SPN programme provides the financial support for such dedicated NGOs to implement these much needed interventions.

The SPN programme works only with carefully selected local conservation NGOs, with a proven capacity in management of natural resources. These NGOs will eventually own and manage the purchased areas. The SPN programme DOES NOT own any lands, it only provides the funds for the purchase. Buying land and placing the management, and/or ownership, in the hands of an NGO can be a delicate and sometimes complicated matter.

The funds are eligible for local conservation NGOs working in Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Although the geographical range of SPN is very broad, the bulk of the projects funded are located in Latin America. Legislation in most countries of this continent makes it relatively easy (compared to many countries in Africa and tropical Asia) for NGOs to purchase and manage land, and arrange for the title deeds to be registered in their name.

The deadline for submission of pre-proposals is 1 May 2011. For more information, visit this link. 

For more NGO funds, grants and resources always visit http://ngogrants.blogspot.com/

IDRC’s Canadian Window on International Development Awards

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is accepting applications for the Canadian Window on International Development Awards for citizens from developing countries and Canada.

These awards reflect the fact that the boundaries between international development policy and domestic policy increasingly parallel similar problems in developing countries so that both Canada and the less developed countries benefit from research on these issues. The complexities of national economic and social development in Canada are increasingly evident, and are often related to international issues. Similarly Canadian trade, investment, immigration and other policies often affect development in less developed countries. These awards will support research that illustrates these interrelationships.

Special Feature of this Award

Successful candidates will propose comparative research requiring data from both Canada and a developing country to better understand the common, interrelated problem/issue, identified by the applicant. Selection will favor proposals that demonstrate:

• the relevance of the research topic for Canada and for the developing country or countries being studied; and

• the close linkage between the international and national component of the topic.

• Successful proposals will also identify the potential for Canada and the developing country to learn from one another in dealing with the shared problem or issue.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Hold Canadian citizenship or permanent residency status in Canada, or hold a citizenship of a developing country;

• Be registered at a Canadian university;

• Be conducting the proposed research for a doctoral or Master’s dissertation;

• Must have completed course work and passed comprehensive examinations by the time of the award tenure.

Please note: Master’s level students are only eligible to apply for the award pertaining to research into the First Nations or Inuit communities and a developing country.

Duration

Award tenure corresponds to a period of field research, which will be no less than 3 consecutive months in a developing country and, in general, no more than 12 months.

Value

A maximum of $20,000 per year will be awarded, to cover justifiable field research expenses. Candidates must propose a budget that covers the costs of fieldwork in Canada and/or other developing countries.

Please note that living expenses incurred at the researcher’s home base will not be supported.

Number of Awards 2 to 3 per year, depending on the final budget of the proposals.

Deadlines

April 1, 2011 (awards will be announced in September 2011).

For more information, visit this link. 

 For more NGO funds, grants and resources always visit http://ngogrants.blogspot.com/