Deadline: Ongoing
The Inter-American Foundation (IAF) invites proposals for its grant program. The IAF funds the self-help efforts of grassroots groups in Latin America and the Caribbean to improve living conditions of the disadvantaged and the excluded, enhance their capacity for decision-making and self-governance, and develop partnerships with the public sector, business and civil society. The IAF does not identify problems or suggest projects; instead it responds to initiatives presented. Projects are selected for funding on their merits rather than by sector.
Proposals may be submitted throughout the year and will be reviewed as they are received.
Geographical Focus
The IAF only supports projects in independent countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Note: Funding in the Caribbean is currently restricted to Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.
Grant Size
Requests can be made for grants between US$25,000 and US$400,000.
Eligibility Criteria
- The IAF looks for the following in a project it funds:
- innovative solutions to development problems;
- creative use of the community’s resources;
- diverse array of community voices in project development and execution;
- substantial beneficiary engagement in:
- the identification of the problem addressed,
- the approach chosen to solve it,
- the design of the project, and
- management and evaluation of activities;
- partnerships with local government, the business community and other civil society organizations;
- potential for strengthening all participating organizations and their partnerships;
- feasibility;
- evidence of eventual sustainability;
- counterpart contributions from the proponent, the beneficiaries and other sources;
- the potential to generate learning;
- measurable results;
- evidence of beneficiaries’ enhanced capacity for self-governance.
- The following are INELIGIBLE for IAF grants:
- proposals presented or directed by government entities;
- proposals from individuals;
- proposals presented or directed by entities outside the country in which the project is located;
- proposals from groups that do not contribute financial or in-kind resources to the proposed activities;
- proposals associated with political parties or partisan movements;
- purely religious or sectarian activities;
- pure research;
- welfare projects of any kind, charitable institutions or proposals solely for construction and/or equipment;
- projects whose objectives do not encourage a shared capacity for self-help.
Application Procedure
- Applications in Spanish, Portuguese, English, French or Haitian Creole are accepted throughout the year.
- Applications can be sent via e-mail to the Inter-American Foundation, Program Office.
- The IAF will not accept applications submitted by fax.
- E-mailed applications must include the country of submission on the subject line.
- The initial review will take five months and will yield a small number of projects to be analyzed further through site visits. Proponents no longer under consideration will be notified. Depending on the complexity of the project and the number of site visits required, reviews of successful proposals may take up to 12 months.
- The IAF’s application has three required parts:
- Part 1: Cover Sheet. This must be completed with the requested information.
- Part 2: Narrative. Responses to the questions cannot exceed 10 pages double-spaced in 12-point type.
- Part 3: Budget. Follow the model.
For more information, please visit Inter-American Foundation Grants.
