Commonwealth Foundation’s New Grants Initiative

The Commonwealth Foundation has announced the launch of a Special Grants Fund for Civil Society Organizations and Commonwealth Associations (CAs) to undertake strategic and innovative projects that will promote the 2011 Commonwealth theme on ‘Women as Agents of Change.’

This year, the theme celebrates the significant contributions that women make to development and their relatively untapped potential as agents of change.

‘Women as agents of change’ is a pertinent theme for the Commonwealth in 2011 because:

• 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day (8th March)
• the Commonwealth has its first female Chair-in-Office, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago;
• 2011 is a key milestone marking five years to the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals.

Grant applications for up to £20,000 are invited from registered CSOs and CAs across the Commonwealth from 1 June -1 July to undertake projects lasting between three to six months which meet at least two of the following criteria:

1. Foster collaboration and learning between women’s organisations in more than one Commonwealth country;
2. Involve collaboration with national women’s machineries (NWMs) and governments in promoting women and girls’ social, economic and political empowerment;
3. Showcase the achievements of women in addressing social, economic and political change at national or regional levels.
4. Projects which will have an impact on women at a regional level;
5. Bring together women from different geographical, social and ethnic background to promote national and regional priorities.

Priority will be given to applications which address one or more of the following areas:

• Capacity enhancement for Women’s organisations in policy development and implementation.
• Implementation of the Commonwealth Gender Plan of Action (PoA)
• Women’s leadership and participation in democratic governance.
• Social protection and girls’ development.
• Opportunities for rural women and girls.
• Women’s social, economic and human rights.

Each eligible organisation can submit only one application to the Fund.

The deadline to submit proposals is 1 July 2011. For more information and application form, visit this link.