Cuba remains the only non-democratically elected government in the Western Hemisphere. Current Cuban law prevents the right to assemble, limits political freedoms, restricts freedom of expression and labor rights, and enforces a state monopoly over mass media. The day-to-day life of Cubans is hampered by the dual currency system, housing and food shortages, and a lack of sufficient transportation.
The goal of U.S. assistance is to empower Cuban civil society to demand more effective democracy and respect for human dignity. To promote a peaceful transition to self-determined democracy on the island, U.S. assistance programs focus on providing humanitarian assistance to victims of repression, strengthening civil society, weakening the information blockade, and helping Cubans to create space for dialogue about democratic change and reconciliation. To encourage civic participation in Cuba, the U.S. program focuses on strengthening independent Cuban civil society groups (CSGs), including professional associations and labor groups. Efforts are aimed at increasing the capacity for community involvement in, and networks among, civil society groups.
In continuation to the efforts of USG, The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), represented by the Bureau of Latin America and the Caribbean (USAID/LAC), Office of Cuban Affairs is seeking applications for Cooperative Agreements for a three-year Civil Society program entitled “Democratic Engagement at the Community Level.”
Under this award and subject to the availability of funds, USAID’s LAC/Office of Cuban Affairs intends to support multiple cooperative agreements totaling approximately $3.0 million a year.
USAID plans to award multiple cooperative agreements to the applicants that best meet all technical evaluation criteria and cost considerations, with emphasis on the applicant’s technical proposal.
This program will work with and through independent CSGs which promote and advocate democratic principles and practices. These CSGs provide opportunities for people to interact in a democratic environment, and have important potential for strengthening democratic values in restrictive political environments.
Objectives
The overall objective of the Community Engagement Program is to increase the number of independent civic, social or development projects/activities that are carried out in Cuba. The program will strengthen independent Civil Society Groups1 and provide them with technical and other assistance that will expand their capabilities to organize, train, and mobilize small groups of people in the same eighbourhood/community that are interested in working together to alleviate or resolve a common problem. The program will focus on concerns and felt needs in the immediate environment that are significant for more than just a few families and which could potentially be supported by a majority of the people. Program implementers will help citizens organize into groups that will identify, implement and evaluate small projects/activities that will increase the quality of life at a grassroots level.
Sub-Objectives
– to increase community self-confidence and social capital by providing an opportunity for people to work together and successfully plan, implement and evaluate local projects without Government assistance
– to develop leadership skills and strengthen community capabilities to implement self-help activities
Deadline for submitting the application is July 18, 2011
For more information and details, please visit this link and search the Funding Opportunity Number USAID-W-OAA-GRO-LMA-11-033613.
