Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) was founded in 1959, and works to support efforts by Latin America and the Caribbean countries to reduce poverty and inequality. IDB is the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, and is completely dedicated to bring about development in a sustainable, climate-friendly way. In addition to loans, IDB also provides grants, technical assistance and do research.
IDB is currently inviting innovative proposals from civil society organizations legally established in one of the IDB’s 26 borrowing member countries to support communities and vulnerable groups and help in poverty reduction and social development.
Funding Available
The minimum amount to be funded by the IDB-managed Japan Special Fund Poverty Reduction Program (JPO) is USD $300,000 for interventions in a single community and the maximum amount is USD$1.5 million for interventions in multiple communities in a single country. The amount requested in the proposal should be commensurate with the organization’s administrative and financial management capabilities.
Sectors
Eligible proposals will be focused in the following sectors:
- Provision of basic social services such as health (primary and reproductive), nutrition, early childhood development, education, social programs for vulnerable groups (i.e. at risk children, youth, women, indigenous peoples, peoples with disabilities).
- Support for productive activities such as: business and technical skills training, microenterprise activities for sustainable livelihood, rural development of marginalized areas.
Participation Benefits
Civil Society Organizations will have the opportunity to:
- Compete for funding to develop community based development projects from USD 300,000 up-to USD1.5 million;
- Make a difference in low-income communities and socio-economically vulnerable groups;
- Contribute to poverty reduction in the region;
- Work closely with IDB specialists;
- Communicate the results to citizens or general public;
Eligibility Criteria
Civil society organizations may include: non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), Foundations, non-profit organizations, business associations, universities, think tanks, research centers and professional associations, religious institutions, groups of indigenous and Afrodescendant peoples, and other groups.
Organizations with the following characteristics will be eligible to apply:
- Local or international civil society organizations legally incorporated in one of the IDB’s 26 borrowing-member countries.
- Minimum five years of operations.
- Experience in successfully implementing similar projects in the communities identified as the main beneficiaries of the proposal.
- Sound governance structure.
- Sound financial and administrative management capacity.
Selection Criteria
- Interventions directly targeting and responding to the needs of vulnerable communities.
- Sound technical proposal that includes innovative and replicable inclusion mechanisms focused on community-based development for vulnerable populations.
- Size of budget requested commensurate with the organization’s proven administrative and financial management capacity.
- Participatory monitoring and evaluation that will contribute to building a sense of ownership among the beneficiaries to promote the sustainability of the interventions.
Last date for submitting the proposals is December 31, 2011.
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