1. 2023 Call for Proposals: Right Sharing of World Resources Grant Program – Kenya.
Deadline: 30-Nov-23
Applications are now open for the Right Sharing of World Resources Grant Program.
RSWR is a Quaker organization supported primarily by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in the United States.
Goals
* RSWR has two main goals:
* Provide grants for women in the developing world to begin small income-generating businesses so that they may help themselves and their families out of poverty.
* Help Quakers in the United States learn about the negative effects of poverty in the developing world and the negative effects of materialism in North America.
Types of projects that RSWR support
* RSWR supports income-generating, self-employment projects for poor women who are members of a self-help group. The project must include a revolving loan component. They believe that small scale income-generating projects offer a means of establishing self-sufficiency to very poor people. By requiring that the project include a revolving loan program, they can multiple the impact of the grant as the funds are revolved to different women within the community.
Funding Information
* Up to US $5,500 for a one-year project. Each group may receive only one grant.
Eligibility Criteria
* Right Sharing of World Resources gives grants to small, grassroots women’s groups that do not have access to other adequate funding.
* The grants are for micro-enterprise, self-employment projects.
* They help with seed money and training so that a group can begin a revolving loan fund for members to take loans to begin their own small businesses. It is important to them that the women work together in self-help groups and use the RSWR resources to help themselves grow into independent and strong groups.
* Below is the list of criteria that they use in deciding which applications and proposals to consider:
* Project is located in RSWR geographic project area. In Kenya, the RSWR geographic project area includes only the following counties: Siaya County, Kisumu County, Homa Bay County, Migori County, Kisii County, Nyamira County, Vihiga County, Kakamega County, Bungoma County, Busia County, Nandi County, Trans Nzoi County, Uasin-Gishu County.
* Women’s self-help groups are no more than 20 years old.
* Leaders of the Women’s Groups must be women.
* Project is for women only and the women self-help group members have been a part of the decision making in determining project activities. They expect the women themselves to be wholly in charge of the projects without involvement of outside persons, including the management of the bank account.
* Proposal should include a clear description of the Women’s Self Help Group. Include, size and makeup of group, history, current activities and current economic circumstances.
* For effective group dynamics, they recommend a group size of 20-35. However, different groups have different organizational structures, so please explain your group structure if your group is larger than 35.
* Indication that the group is able to receive and use money as intended. In Kenya, they must see the group’s end-of-year financial report.
* Group has little or no access to other resources. Annual income is less than $4,000.
* A clear description of the proposed Income Generating Project(s) (IGP). Note: The projects must be compatible with the principles which guide the work of RSWR: local self-reliance, sustainability, mutual support and accountability.
* The Income Generating Projects are viable businesses for the geographic area and have potential to make the women a sustainable living. The proposal should describe an economic plan for each business proposed, including the amount of the loan per woman, the projected monthly gross income, monthly business expenses, loan repayment, and net monthly income projected. They expect the women’s business income to bring them above the World Bank International Poverty Line (currently $1.90 per day) after business expenses, loan repayment, and savings.
* 20 to 35 women should receive the initial loans.
* Proposal has a clearly described loan repayment plan which includes annual interest charged, monthly repayment, and length of the repayment period. Interest rates for loans should cover inflation plus a modest amount for administrative expenses, but in no case should they exceed the interest rate an established business person would be able to get from a formal sector lender.
* The proposal should include a clearly described group savings plan for each woman to save money for emergency needs.
* Budget categories must be outlined clearly and within the following guidelines: 60% or more for seed money, no more than 15% for training, no more than 5% for travel, no more than 10% for administration.
* Below are other considerations which the Board considers favorable, but they are not determining criteria:
* Projects which have applied before and not been funded but have continued to work on their training and group structure are attractive to RSWR.
* RSWR regards diversity in ethnic and/or religious affiliation as positive.
* RSWR encourages projects that involve value-added goods or goods production that generally result in greater profit margins as compared to petty trade projects.
* RSWR considers how the project impacts the environment.
For more information, visit RSWR
2. 2023 Human Rights Defenders Awards – Kenya
Deadline: 31-Aug-23
Nominations are now open for the Human Rights Defenders Awards to honor and publicly recognize the important work of HRDs in Kenya, by giving out awards to individuals who have demonstrated courage, innovation, and impact in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Civic space in Kenya continues to be under pressure as a range of actions is being directed against the work of Human Rights Defenders (HRD) and Civil Society Organizations (CSO) in Kenya. Physical attacks, criminal and administrative actions, reprisals, legislative restrictions, negative rhetoric, and limitation of human rights have undermined the constitutional and international protection available to HRDs. It is against this backdrop that the Working Group on Human Rights Defenders in Kenya, which brings together CSOs, the UN, and development partners concerned with the protection of HRDs, is organizing the Eight edition of the HRD Awards on the 1st December 2023.
Objectives
* The objectives of these awards are to:
* Profile the work of HRDs and the challenges they face as agents of social change and transformation.
* Recognize and appreciate the human rights work of young and upcoming HRDs in Kenya and support talent.
* Enhance the safety and protection of all HRDs in Kenya.
* Recognize innovation in engaging with human rights work.
Award Categories
* Upcoming Human Rights Defenders: Individuals or movements that have been active in the human rights movement ranging between 0-5 years and have shown exemplary courage, overcoming great difficulty and demonstrated courage in championing for the protection and promotion of human rights.
* Human Rights Defender of the year: Individuals or movement who have illustrated exemplary courage, overcoming great difficulty and demonstrated courage in taking up and challenging current human rights concerns within the past year.
* Munir Mazrui Lifetime Achievement Award: Seasoned Individuals or movements whose work illustrates great commitment over an extensive period of time in the protection and promotion of human rights with great courage having overcome great difficulty and has demonstrated achievement throughout their work and life.
* Global Solidarity: Individuals or movements whose actions have stood in solidarity and made tremendous contribution to the advancement of the human rights movement in Kenya. These could be Kenyans or foreigners who in the past have contributed to human rights advancement in Kenya from a regional of global level.
Award Details
* Four awards will be presented to the overall winners: The Munir Mazrui lifetime achievement award, the HRD of the year award, and the Upcoming HRD award and the Global Solidarity Award.
* The winners will receive:
* A cash award of $ 1,000
* A plaque with the HRD’s or the group/organization’s name on it
* Will be a guest at the HRD award ceremony in 2023.
Eligibility Criteria
* The Working group will recognize the contribution of HRDs who promote and protect human rights in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.
* Nominations are open to human rights defenders with demonstrable courage, innovation, and impact of their human rights work on the community.
* You can self-nominate or nominate an individual that you believe are deserving.
Selection Process
* Nomination:
* The Working Group on Human Rights Defenders in Kenya develops a call for nominations, which is then widely circulated by the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders-Kenya, also referred to as Defenders Coalition and other partners.
* Shortlisting:
* A panel comprised of Human Rights Defenders, missions and organizations involved in the planning of the HRD Awards then shortlists five individuals per category within the set-out guidelines for shortlisting candidates.
* Verification:
* Defenders Coalition verifies the HRD’s human rights work through field visits, and interviews with the nominators, the nominees, and their references.
* Selection:
* The Independent Jury Panel, which comprises eminent individuals in the human rights sector, makes a final decision, from the names submitted, on the recipient of the three awards and the runner up.
* Award ceremony:
* Will be held on the 1st December 2023 in the presence of CSOs, the UN, the government, selected HRDs, representatives from the International Missions, and the media who will cover the event.
For more information, visit Defenders Coalition.
Also Read: Funding Opportunities For African Business
3. UNDP invites NGOs to submit EOIs for Implementation of Economic Empowerment Activities (Egypt)
Deadline: 31-Aug-23
The Ministry of Social Solidarity and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) invite NGOs to submit expressions of interest for the implementation of the economic empowerment activities of the project “Strengthening Institutional and Human Resources Capacities of the Ministry of Social Solidarity – Support to COVID-19 Response” implemented through partnership between the Ministry of Social Solidarity and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the European Union.
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September 2023
Scope
* The project aims to establish production units and local projects to meet local market requirements and create job opportunities based on the expected changes in the supply and demand chains. This will focus on supporting livelihoods with the aim of stimulating the local economy and generating income for local households, especially those severely affected by COVID-19 socio-economic impacts.
* Applying NGOs shall implement a lending program for families benefiting from the conditional cash transfer program Takaful and Karama, with a focus on the geographical areas targeted by the presidential initiative “Haya Karima” (Decent Life) to enable them establish/develop economic projects, provided that the value of the funding required by one NGO, whether targeting one governorate or more, shall not exceed USD 150 thousand in equivalent Egyptian pounds according to the exchange rate on the date of submitting the proposal.
Funding Information
* The amount of funding requested shall not exceed the equivalent of USD 150,000 in Egyptian pounds according to the exchange rate on the date of submission of the proposal.
Outcomes
* Improving the socio-economic status of vulnerable groups following the COVID19 crisis.
Activities
* Selecting the economic and operational model of economic projects and production units based on the local needs in each governorate, availability of raw materials/production inputs, competitors, market share, feasibility of implementing these units and the return to beneficiaries. Number of beneficiaries in each NGO shall not be less than 50 beneficiaries.
* Develop a technical and financial training plan for the project according to the nature and scope of each economic project/production unit in coordination with the project management and with the assistance of specialized consultants.
* Provide an integrated feasibility study that includes, but not limited to, the unit’s business model, the model estimated cost, the estimated number of employees in the unit, the marketing plan, the economic return from the unit operation, and the expected results.
* Training the beneficiaries to qualify them to join economic activities, provided that training shall include technical and administrative aspects.
Targeted Beneficiary Groups
* Individuals in the working age group (21-55 years) in the Takaful and Karama database, including:
* Current beneficiaries who want to maximize their monthly revenue through microenterprises.
* Beneficiaries who have been enrolled in the program for four years and are about to graduate from the program.
* Beneficiaries within the villages targeted by “Haya Karima” Presidential initiative.
* The Ministry of Social Solidarity considers disability a cross-cutting issue in all its activities. Therefore, the project must meet a minimum share (5% of the total) of beneficiaries of persons with disabilities seeking employment and/or training opportunities from poor and low-income families.
* The project should accommodate not less than 50% women beneficiaries at working age of the total number of beneficiaries.
* The project management team should be consulted if there is a justification for anything that may hinder the contracted NGO’s compliance with some of the criteria.
* Each NGO is allowed submitting only one bid for one governorate, or more than one bid for more than one governorate.
Targeted Geographic Scope
* The governorates of the presidential initiative “Decent Life”’ shall be targeted, provided that the best bids meeting the needs of the largest number of the target group and achieving the greatest economic benefit are selected. Implementation in all governorates is not a necessity.
Eligibility Criteria
* NGOs should:
* NGOs’ experience in implementing economic empowerment projects, especially in the proposed activities should not be less than three years.
* Registered under the Civil Work Regulation Law No. 149 of 2019 and its executive regulations for the year 2021, and have submitted a request to reconcile the situation accordingly.
* Has a license from the Financial Regulatory Authority to carry out lending activities in the governorates in which it wishes to implement the project.
* Has a good financial position and have sufficient financial resources to implement the project.
* An NGO that is not suspended, and does not have any legal disputes or negative financial credentials with the Ministry of Social Solidarity or any international organization.
* No declaration of bankruptcy, no participation in bankruptcy or receivership proceedings, and no pending judgment or legal action against the NGO that could harm its operations for the foreseeable future.
* The NGO should pass the capacity assessment and risk management by one of the specialized institutions designated by the UNDP before the final contract is awarded.
* Does not have conflict of interest with the Project Management Unit of the Ministry of Social Solidarity or UNDP.
For more information, visit UNDP.
4. Call for Applications: Training on Engaging with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights
Deadline: September 08, 2023
Are you a civil society actor, a representative from an African civil society organization or an international organization from East, North, Central, or North Africa? Then this training is for you.
The African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies and the International Service for Human Rights are organizing a training to equip human rights defenders with the knowledge and skills to integrate the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) into their existing work at the national level in a strategic manner and provide an opportunity for participants to prepare for and engage in lobbying and advocacy activities at the ACHPR with the aim to effect change back home at the national level.
Objectives
The objectives of the course fall into the following three broad categories:
* Supporting human rights defenders:
* Develop human rights defenders’ advocacy skills and expertise.
* Enhance the ability of human rights defenders to engage strategically with the ACHPR and other international human rights mechanisms, as well as to develop diplomatic and civil society networks.
* Improve the quality of NGO participation in the ACHPR, with a view to exert a greater influence on human rights foreign policy.
* Share tools and knowledge, which human rights defenders can use to ensure their voice is central in international human rights decision-making.
* Develop advocacy strategies for specific issues, and to ensure follow-up and action on the ACHPR’s resolutions.
* Increase human rights defenders’ understanding of the short, mid and longer-term opportunities provided by African human rights mechanisms.
* Explore and compare the benefits of engagement with these mechanisms, and examine how advocates can use them to bolster their work at the national level.
* Develop strategies and lobbying techniques to increase the potential of human rights defenders’ national and regional advocacy work.
* Influencing the substantive outcomes of regional human rights mechanisms in a positive manner, including ACHPR resolutions and the work of ACHPR thematic and country specific human rights experts (such as the Special Rapporteur).
* Creating a peer group of human rights defenders working on a diverse range of issues, identifying best practice in advocating for human rights change, and exchanging lessons and experiences in conducting regional/international advocacy.
Course Content and Methodology
* The course will be conducted in English and would comprise general lectures and discussion, debates, case studies, etc on the following broad themes:
* An introduction to the African Human Rights System and Mechanisms.
* Status of Human Rights and Democracy in Africa.
* The United Nations Human Rights System.
* Networking, Advocacy and Lobbying Strategies, human rights monitoring and reporting.
Date & Venue
* 13th-15th October 2023 – (Venue TBC)
Languages
* English and French are the languages of the Training with available simultaneous interpretation facilities.
Cost Covered
* Only selected applicants will be contacted.
* The Organisers will meet the participation cost associated, flight, accommodation and conference package for the 3 days.
Expected Outcomes
At the end of the course, participants would be:
* Acquire knowledge and skills on the relevant regional and international human rights instruments and processes to enhance their engagemen.
* Learn more about the work of the ACHPR and how to engage strategically with its mechanisms.
* Strengthen their practical knowledge in advocacy and lobbying strategy with human rights mechanisms through case studies.
* Collectively discuss human rights trends in Africa.
* Meet and learn from defenders from all around Africa working on a range of human rights issues.
Eligibility Criteria
* Civil Society Actor
* Representatives from African Civil Society Organisations
* International NGOs from Africa
For more information, visit ACDHRS.
Also Read: Funding Opportunity For African Businesses
5. Call for Applications: Social Welfare and Community Development Services and Programmes (South Africa)
Deadline: 15-Sep-23
The Department of Social Development invites NPOs and qualifying organisations to submit funding applications for social welfare and community development services and programmes.
Programmes
* Older Persons
* Persons with Disabilities
* Care and Services to Families
* Child Care and Protection
* After School Care
* Social Crime Prevention
* Victim Empowerment
* Substance Abuse
* Child and Youth Care Centres
* Youth Development
* Sustainable Livelihoods
* Note: This Call for Proposals includes a Programme Specification for all Programmes. However, the Programme Specifications for Older Persons excludes residential, independent and assisted living facilities, while the Programme Specifications for Persons with Disabilities excludes residential facilities and protective workshops.
* Note: A separate call for proposals for residential, independent and assisted living facilities for Older Persons, and residential facilities and protective workshops Persons with Disabilities only will be issued in the 2024 financial year.
Eligibility Criteria
* Be registered in terms of the NPO Act 71 of 1997 or Item 1 of Schedule 1 of the Companies Act 71 of 2008;
* The above-mentioned registrations must be current and proof of validity must be included in the funding application (i.e. deregistered organisations will automatically be disqualified);
* If the proposal relates to a specialised service requiring statutory registration, the organisation must supply evidence of registration in terms of the applicable legislative requirements;
* Proven track record of rendering of social welfare/community development services within the RSA;
* Clear targets, outputs and outcomes must be reflected in funding applications;
* Funding applications must further include audited or certified financial statements of the applicant organisation in respect of the previous financial year;
* Funding applications must include indication by the applicant organisation of its internal monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and specifically declare its willingness to adhere to the Department’s timelines for reporting on results;
* Funding applications will be considered in accordance with the Western Cape Government’s Department of Social Development’s funding policy for NPOs.
* The call excludes proposals for residential, independent and assisted living facilities for older persons, as well as residential facilities and protective workshops for persons with disabilities, which will be advertised in the 2024 financial year.
Requirements
* Proven track record of rendering of social welfare/community development services within the RSA.
* Demonstrated expertise, experience and competence to implement high quality programmes as required.
* Clear targets, outputs and outcomes must be reflected in funding applications.
* Finance (Public Finance Management Act – Section 38 (1) (j) requires that the organisation must have effective, efficient and transparent financial management and internal control systems in place. Organisations must submit audited or certified financial statements of the applicant organisation in respect of the previous financial year with the application.
* The organisation must have monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and in place.
For more information, visit Department of Social Development.
6. Call for Proposals: TechWomen Program 2024
