community Archives

Community of Democracies: Inviting Organisations for CD-UNITED Program!

Deadline: 31 December 2016

The Community of Democracies invites organizations to apply for funding through its CD-UNITED program entitled “Democracy in Action: Expanding Civil Society Space” which provides financial support to projects that support and strengthen democracy.

CD-UNITED is the Community’s flagship initiative that seeks to finance projects and initiatives that support and strengthen democracy, promote human rights and fundamental freedoms, and build civil society around the globe.

The Community of Democracies (CoD) is an international organization that drives the global democracy agenda through common action. It was established in 2000 to bring together governments, civil society and the private sector in the pursuit of a common goal of supporting democratic rules and strengthening democratic norms and institutions around the world.

Project Priorities

The project should:

be action-oriented with clear objectives and well-defined activities; innovative elements are introduced; the project brings added value;
define realistic indicators and targets;
have a realistic timeline – all activities are diligently planned;
identify potential obstacles for the project’s implementation and appropriate mitigation measures (risk analysis);
be a part of organization’s larger strategic plan.

Eligibility Criteria

The applications may be submitted by: non-governmental organizations, nonprofit organizations, public institutions, private and public higher education entities, for profit organizations, unregistered organizations and public international organizations.
The inclusion of local civil society within the proposed initiatives is required.
Work with non-profit organizations is preferred; however, there may be occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.
Applications will be assessed on “first come, first served” basis.
Applications are completed in English.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can download the application forms via given website.

For more information, please visit Community of Democracies.

Asia Foundation’s Civil Society Fund: The South Asia Water Governance Program to Support Transboundary Water Issues

Deadline: 22 March 2016

The Asia Foundation is seeking proposals from eligible non-government (NGO) and civil society organisations (CSOs) for Civil Society Fund (CSF) of the South Asia Water Governance Program (SAWGP) that will support civil society and community engagement on transboundary water issues in the South Asia region.

The CSF seeks to promote regional cooperation in the management of the Himalayan river systems in order to deliver sustainable, fair, and inclusive and climate resilient development of water resources. It aims to deliver regional benefits and therefore proposed projects must involve engagement between two or more countries in the region.

Eligible Countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan

Focus Areas

Implement innovative transboundary water initiatives that seek to engage directly with communities living in transboundary water environments.
Collaborate, share knowledge, experiences and best practices on transboundary water issues.
Build CSO awareness of the impacts and implications of transboundary water governance decisions and build their capacity to engage in transboundary water decision making processes.

Grant Information

Grant activities will be funded for 12-16 months and up to 20 grant awards will be awarded in two lots.

Lot 1: Up to $ 150,000 – $ 450,000- 5 Awards
Lot 2: Up to $ 150,000– 15 Awards

Eligibility Criteria

Type of organisation: Grants will be limited to not-for-profit organisations. ‘Not-for-profit organizations’ include international and national civil society organisations (CSOs) and non-government organisations (NGOs), consortia, networks, federations and membership bodies, think tanks, academic institutions etc. but exclude government bodies (national, regional or local) and individuals.
Registration: Applicants must be based in one of the CSF focused All CSOs/NGOs applying must be registered under the applicable CSO/NGO laws of the country in which they are located. All CSOs/NGOs must be eligible to receive foreign donor funds.
Experience: Applicants must have a strong track record of work on water governance and management, with at least three years of programming on such issues in at least one of the following CSF focus countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan. This experience should be documented in the organization’s proposal. Applicants must have a track record of working directly with or supporting community engagement and participation.
Geographic scope: Initiatives funded through the CSF must be transboundary in nature. Therefore, proposals must involve work in two or more CSF focus countries.
Consortia: Applications from consortia, partnerships or networks of two or more CSOs are preferred. For all consortia, a lead organisation must be declared, and all consortium partners should be not-for-profit organisations.
Capacity: Applicants must have demonstrable financial and human resource capacity to execute large donor funded projects, and in the case of INGOs, in multiple countries.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can download the application forms via address given on the website.

For more information, please visit Civil Society Fund.

Request for Proposals: Support to UN Women Community Integrated Program in South Sudan

Deadline: 29 February 2016

UN Women is seeking proposals from qualified proposers for its Community Integrated Program in South Sudan to empower women and men, girls and boys at the community level through an integrated programme delivery approach while also engaging the community.

The model uses an integrated approach to address gender issues affecting at the community level and is considered as an innovative approach towards advancing gender equality and women empowerment in South Sudan through effective programme delivery at the community level.

It also recognizes the interdependence and complementarily of all UNWOMEN programmes elements from governance and leadership to women economic empowerment and peace and security.

Characteristics

The model is people centered since it meets their needs and reflects their values delivery; and engages the direct beneficiary in the programme.
Increased accountability and transparency in programme delivery.
Promote linkages between various programme modalities to meet the various needs of men and women, boys and girls.
Community engagement in the identification of local priorities, interventions, and strategies.
Placement of programme delivery within the broader system of community, identifying and using community-based strategies to address broad determinants of gender equality and women empowerment issues to achieve programme outcomes.
Emphasis on the identification and use of gender disaggregated evidence for effective programme delivery

Priority Areas

Promoting community peace building and conflict resolution Initiative
Promotion of women economic livelihoods and building resilience
Preventing Sexual and Gender Based Violence (GBV)

Evaluation Criteria

A two stage procedure will be utilized in evaluation of the proposals

Technical Proposals: is evaluated and examined to determine its responsiveness and compliancy with the requirement specified. The quality of technical proposals will be evaluated on
- Expertise and Capacity of Proposer
- Proposed Work Plan and Approach
- Resource Plan, Key Personnel
Financial Proposals: will be opened only for those entities whose technical proposal achieved the minimum technical threshold.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can submit their applications either electronically or by post at the address given on the website.

For more information, please visit Supporting Community Integrated Program in South Sudan.

IC-IMPACTS: Promoting Bilateral Scientific Collaboration between Indian and Canadian Scientists!

Deadline: 1 April 2016

India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnership to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability (IC-IMPACTS), The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology and Government of India, New Delhi is seeking applications from Indian and Canadian researchers /scientists to conduct the India-Canada Cooperative Science Programme to promote bilateral scientific collaboration between Indian and Canadian scientists.

The research projects funded are expected to be of a high international standard that will lead to a technology or solution directly impacting the lives of Indian and Canadian citizens.

Indian-Canadian joint projects must be based on meaningful engagement, include a common project plan, and involve at least one Principal Investigator from Canada and one from India.

Areas of Cooperation

Structural performance of buildings including earthquake resistance
Innovative buildings materials with low carbon footprint
Thermal, acoustical and lighting comfort in buildings
Buildings and human health
Buildings and energy conservation
Buildings and water conservation
Building Infrastructures and Internet of Things (IoT)

Selection Criteria

Alignment with areas for collaboration identified above;
Relevance to Indian and Canadian national infrastructure challenges;
Potential for research outcome to be deployed in settings in India and Canada within three years;
Quality and originality of research program;
Qualification and excellence of research team and proven record of successfully delivering prior research project objectives (Note: there must be a lead Indian and lead Canadian researcher for each research project submitted);
Expected results and outcomes and appropriateness of budget strategy to achieve them;
Potential for successful commercialization and/or community adoption of research outcomes;
Training of highly qualified professionals;
Inclusion of multidisciplinary aspects of the research program; and,
Engagement of partners from academic, industrial, government, community sectors

Eligibility Criteria

The joint application must include one Indian and one Canadian Principal Investigators, who would be responsible for technical as well as administrative co-ordination of the project and its periodic scientific and financial reporting to DST and IC-IMPACTS respectively.
The Principal Investigator (PI) and other investigators in India should be scientists/ faculty members working in regular capacity in UGC recognized Universities / Deemed Universities / Academic Institutes and National Research & Development Laboratories / Institutes. It is preferred that a member of the project team may be designated as Co-PI.
Any Canadian Researcher eligible to receive funding from IC-IMPACTS and Tri-Council Agencies in Canada is eligible to apply as a principal investigator or research team member from Canada.
Research projects of one or two years in duration are eligible for funding.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can apply via given website.

For more information, please visit IC-IMPACT.

Capital Magnet Fund: Serving Low-income Families and Communities across America

Deadline: 30 March 2016

The Community Development Financial Institute (CDFI), U.S. Department of Treasury is seeking applications from organisations for Capital Magnet Fund to spur investment in affordable housing and related economic development efforts that serve low-income families and low-income communities across America.

The CDFI Fund was established by the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994, as a bipartisan initiative.

Through the Capital Magnet Fund, the CDFI Fund provides competitively awarded grants to CDFIs and qualified non-profit housing organizations. These awards can be used to finance affordable housing activities, as well as related economic development activities and community service facilities.

Organizations that receive Capital Magnet Fund awards are required to produce housing and community development investments at least ten times the size of the award amount, generating a multiplier effect that means that more low-income people and low-income communities nationwide will have housing options within their financial reach.

Objectives

To empower America’s economically distressed communities
To increase economic opportunity
To promote community development investments for underserved populations and in distressed communities in the United States.
To promote economic revitalization and community development through investment in and assistance to community development financial institutions (CDFIs).

Eligibility Criteria

Capital Magnet Fund Applicants must be:

A certified CDFI, or
A non-profit organization operating with a principal purpose of developing or managing affordable housing solutions
All Applicants (regardless of entity type) must demonstrate that they have been in existence as a legally formed entity for at least three years prior to the funding round application deadline.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can submit their applications electronically at the address mentioned on the website.

For more information, please visit Capital Magnet Fund.

Global Innovation Programs: Helping Humanitarian Community Better Respond to Refugees Outside of Camps

Deadline: 1 March 2016

United States Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) is seeking applications for Global Innovation Programs to help the humanitarian community better respond to refugees outside of camps.

PRM seeks to support the development of new approaches and tools to strengthen humanitarian response to urban and other non-camp refugees globally with the development and piloting of new tools and models of assistance that will enable the humanitarian community to innovaddress the challenges unique to urban/non-camp settings.

Challenges

Identifying, counting, and assessing the needs of urban/non-camp refugees, as well as targeting the most vulnerable for assistance, and creating tools to rapidly and regularly update this information;
Conducting area-based context mapping that assesses markets, legal frameworks and rights, governance structures, land issues, and infrastructure, and creating tools to facilitate emergency context mapping that can be conducted quickly and updated regularly;
Mapping and vetting existing services (including legal aid), establishing referral systems, conducting capacity-building of referred service-providers, and conducting follow-up to ensure that both refugee needs are met and service providers are prepared to accommodate larger caseloads;
Disseminating reliable information to refugees about registration, refugee rights, available services, assistance, and other relevant issues through the use of information and communications technology, data management, and/or other outreach activities, and maintaining ongoing communication with refugee (and where relevant, host) communities;
Improving coordination among a range of stakeholders (including municipal and development actors, international organizations, and international/local NGOs), engaged in responding to urban/non-camp refugee and host community needs;
Improving refugee access to education, including through the use of electronic educational technology;
Assessing assets, networks, and resources and designs appropriate interventions on an individual or household basis, with the ultimate objective of improving refugee self-reliance;
Expanding rights and promoting integration of non-camp refugees into local communities and into ongoing or future development programming;
Building capacity of local government and civil society responses to urban/non-camp refugees, including building the capacity of local organizations to conduct advocacy;
Gathering, analyzing and using relevant beneficiary feedback on quality and availability of existing services

Funding Information

PRM anticipates providing up to $1,000,000 in total to fund NGO programs to develop innovations in urban/non-camp response.
Funding requests should not exceed $1,000,000 per concept note.

Eligibility Criteria

Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with IRS, other than institutions of higher education;
Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with IRS, other than institutions of higher education;
Institutions of higher education; and
International Organizations
International multilateral organizations, such as United Nations agencies, should not submit concept notes through Grants.gov in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Multilateral organizations that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the PRM Program Officer on or before the closing date of the funding announcement.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can download the application packages via address given on the website.

For more information, please visit Global Innovation Programs.

Alliance for Health Policy and System Research: Inviting Researchers from Low- and Middle-Income Countries!

Deadline: 29 February 2016

The Alliance for Health Policy and System Research (AHPSR) is calling researchers, decision-makers and other stakeholders from low- and middle-income countries for a unique opportunity to engage in Implementation Research and Delivery Science (IRDS) and to highlight their work to the global health community.

The purpose of this call is to solicit case studies that are real examples of projects of Implementation Research and Delivery Science (IRDS). The objectives of these case studies are to demonstrate the benefits of employing this approach on health systems and/or outcomes, as well as to provide insight on how projects are carried out in practice.

Case studies will be published in a compendium by the Collaboration for Implementation Research and Delivery Science between the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research within the World Health Organization, the World Bank, and the United States Agency for International Development.

The compendium will showcase the range of IRDS projects and the potential of this approach for improving health. This compendium may be used for reference by program managers carrying out implementation research in low and middle income countries, teaching by professors or others involved in training and capacity building for research, or to promote IRDS to the greater global health community.

AHPSR Objectives

Stimulating the generation and synthesis of policy-relevant health systems knowledge;
Promoting the dissemination and use of health policy and systems knowledge; and
Strengthening capacity for the generation, dissemination and use of health policy and systems research knowledge among researchers, policy-makers and other stakeholders.

Eligibility Criteria

The case should be a real-world example of an IRDS project that was carried out with the aim of generating knowledge on the implementation and scale up of interventions, including policies, programs, and practices, as a means of contributing to health improvements and/or systems strengthening in low and middle income countries.

AHPSR is looking for cases that highlight the following factors:

Research that generated knowledge on the implementation and scale up of interventions that was applied, resulting in demonstrated improvements in health systems and/or outcomes;
Projects that engaged important and diverse stakeholders throughout the research process;
Research that used a mixed methods approach to provide an in-depth understanding of implementation and scale up;
Research that identified lessons learned (both positive and negative) about implementation, as well as proposed feasible options for action within the context;
Projects that contributed to the establishment of mechanisms or a system for continuous learning and adaptation during implementation.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can apply via given website.

For more information, please visit Alliance for Health Policy and System Research.

4Humanities: Seeking Applications for “Shout Out for the Humanities” Student Prize Contest 2016!

Deadline: 1 March 2016

Are you are an undergraduate or graduate student? Do you value humanities and think that society should too? Can you better advocate for humanities than to have students? Can you tell it in your own words, pictures, videos, songs, online materials and much more? Then make a submission for Shout Out for the Humanities student prize contest.

4Humanities is seeking applications from undergraduate or graduate students around the world for “Shout Out for the Humanities” student prize contest for advocacy of the humanities that draws on the expertise of the international digital humanities community.

4Humanities was founded in November 2010 by a collective of digital humanities scholars and practitioners in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia and is growing through the recruitment of members from the digital humanities community, the general humanities community, and others in society.

4Humanities is a site created by the international community of digital humanities scholars and educators to assist in advocacy for the humanities. 4Humanities is both a platform and a resource for humanities advocacy. As a platform, 4Humanities stages the efforts of humanities advocates to reach out to the public.

Prize Information

Undergraduate (1st: US $1,000 – 2nd: $700 – 3rd: $300) and
Best graduate student (1st: US $1,000 – 2nd: $700 – 3rd: $300)

Evaluation Criteria

Message
Quality
Impact

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant must be a currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate student (or have graduated within two years of the contest submission deadline of March 1, 2016) in an institution of higher learning in any country
Applicant can enter the contest as an individual or a team.
All team members must have been a student within two years of the contest submission deadline.
Applicants entry must be in English or be accompanied by an English-language version.
Award of prizes is subject to confirmation of your eligibility as a student.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can download the application forms via given website.

For more information, please visit Humanities Student Prize Contest.

Advocate Europe: Seeking Unconventional and Transnational Projects Proposals!

Deadline: 8 March 2016

MitOst in cooperation with Liquid Democracy are seeking applications for Advocate Europe which is an annual idea challenge for European initiatives and projects funded by Stiftung Mercator. Advocate Europe is looking for unconventional and transnational project proposals which strengthen connection and cohesion in Europe.

Advocate Europe is aimed at civil society actors who are looking for start-up funding and support to implement sustainable ideas in the fields of civic education, arts and culture, democracy and participation, social innovation or advocacy.

Advocate Europe encourages applicants to submit their ideas for a Europe that is co-created by its citizens – one that that is based on open-mindedness and tolerance, that offers justice and equal opportunities, that protects individual rights, that guarantees democracy and the rule of law, and that ensures freedom.

Funding Information

Advocate Europe will fund up to 12 pioneering proposals with grants of up to €50,000 each.

Community Awards: Very special is the Community Award, whose winners are solely determined by public voting until 15 March 2016.The three ideas with the most user votes receive Community Awards.

First Prize: €5,000
Second Prize: €3,000
Third Prize: €2,000

Selection Criteria

Strengthen connection and cohesion in Europe: Proposals are accepted that support the exchange of people and ideas, and promote international and intercultural understanding. The goal is to identify critical topics for the further development of a unified Europe and to bring together key groups such as multipliers, stakeholders, activists, administrators, young Europeans and change-makers.
Are Surprising and unconventional: Supports original approaches and courageous ideas that are oriented towards the current and future needs of Europe’s civil society and citizens. Also looking for ideas that help to design the future, not just manage the status quo.
Are based on everyday life: Looking for project ideas that have practical relevance and a clear relationship to the everyday life of people in Europe.
Are based on unusual partnerships: Team up with a friend, neighbor or colleague who works on the same topic, but in completely different field. Connect things that don’t seem to belong together at first glance. Advocate Europe is particularly interested in ideas and partnerships from organisations and initiatives that are made up of two or more actors outside of typical constellations.

Eligible Countries: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Vatican City.

Eligibility Criteria

Non-profit organisations and initiatives from across Europe are eligible to apply for and receive funding.

How to Apply

Interested applicants can register themselves through the address given on the website.

For more information, please visit Advocate Europe.

Global Youth Innovation Network: Youth Agribusiness, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship Summit on Innovation, 2016

Deadline: 31 January 2016

Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN) is seeking applications for its second Global Youth Summit called the 2016 Youth Agribusiness, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship Summit on Innovation (YALESI 2016) that will be held in Dakar, Senegal from March 29-31, 2016.

The summit will prioritise young people’s needs, considering their developmental needs including under-served populations, such as girls, to an effective and inclusive employment strategy.

The summit, representing over 100 countries, will give its participants the tools to learn and share how young women and men, especially in rural areas, are increasingly acquiring new capacities and developing innovative solutions to transform themselves as Hunger Fighters, Job Creators, Innovators, and Change Agents. Youth participants and partner organizations will present proven innovative agribusiness and entrepreneurship practices by sharing their knowledge, expertise, challenges and success stories.

GYIN is a fully youth-inspired and led network for youth entrepreneurs and rural micro-enterprises who are committed to act as hunger fighters, change agents, and innovators, driven by the passion to see generational transformations and changes from the grassroots to the global level. The network creates an environment to support youth in development and empowerment programs.

Values

GYIN operates within the follow six core values referred to as ANTERS:

Accountability: By telling the truth at all times, everyone becomes responsible for his/her actions or decisions.
Network: We are all interconnected in a way that transcends any form of barrier in space and time.
Trust: Our words and actions will be consistent and coherent with what we stand for and do at all times
Empowerment: Reinforcing the strengths and eliminating the weaknesses of everyone thereby cascading into collective interests of all.
Respect: Recognize and value the diversity a person by focusing on different strengths, ideas, talents, creativity, experiences and energy to achieve our mission.
Self-reliant: Acknowledge and count everyone’s strengths as first order assets.

Objectives

Leadership: To build sustainable poor rural youth businesses that are more resilient to climate change, environmental degradation, and market transformation.
Agribusiness: To contribute directly to the reduction of poverty through raising incomes of smallholder farmers in rural areas.
Entrepreneurship: To give poor, rural youth the skills to manage profitable, sustainable, and resilient farm and non-farm enterprises.
Education: To research the characteristics of enabling environments and empowering poor, rural youth to articulate these needs to institutions and policy makers.
Community learning and Partnership: To develop public/private partnership building activities and support of rural youth advocates allowing poor rural youth and organizations to influence policies and institutions that affect their livelihoods.

For information regarding application procedure and more, please visit Global Youth Innovation Network.