Open Society Initiative for West Africa 2012- CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Deadline: February 27th, 2012

Countries/Region: Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. To achieve this mission, the Foundations seek to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights. On a local level, the Open Society Foundations implement a range of initiatives to advance justice, education, public health, and independent media. At the same time, it builds alliances across borders and continents on issues such as corruption and freedom of information. The Foundations place a high priority on protecting and improving the lives of people in marginalized communities.

The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) is a grant making and advocacy foundation that is part of the global Open Society Foundations Network. OSIWA works to support the creation of open societies in West Africa marked by functioning democracy, good governance, the rule of law, basic freedoms, and widespread civic participation. Its headquarters is in Dakar and it has offices in Abuja, Monrovia, Freetown and Conakry.

OSIWA is dedicated to the creation of open societies in West Africa. It seeks to promote inclusive democratic governance, transparent and accountable institutions and active citizenship in West Africa.

OSIWA’s long term vision of West Africa reveals a prospering region where open society values prevail. We envision a West Africa that is more integrated and where democracy thrives – a region where people enjoy basic freedoms, everyone can participate meaningfully in civic and political life, inequalities and inequities are minimized, exclusion gives way to greater appreciation for pluralism, and governments are accountable and corruption is on the wane.

OSIWA primarily awards grants to local organizations based in the nine countries in West Africa in which OSIWA works. In rare and limited circumstances, it provides support to West Africa based international organizations with a strong commitment to transfer knowledge to local groups they partner with. It provides grants to government institutions as well as regional and sub regional organizations working in its core priorities areas. OSIWA requires all organizations seeking funding to submit a completed application form, budget, work plan and a monitoring and evaluation framework.

For more information, visit this link.