Programs > By Location > Middle East and North Africa > Small Grant Program
Call for Proposals: the ICNL Small Grant Program
The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) announces the availability of Small Grants of up to USD $8,000 to support advocacy and media campaigns, research, trainings, workshops, and other efforts by local organizations in the Middle East and North Africa advocating for civil society law reform.
Executive Summary
ICNL is pleased to announce the availability of Small Grants ranging from USD $1,000 - $8,000 for the support of targeted civil society law reform initiatives in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen. Individuals and organizations based in these five countries are invited to submit Small Grant applications beginning January 31, 2008 for projects that will conclude no later than December 31, 2008. Proposals should support specific civil society law reform efforts in one or more of the five countries identified above. Previously awarded grants have funded:
- A two-day seminar in Egypt to discuss reform strategies in light of the difficult legal and regulatory environment for civil society advocates in that country;
- A civil society law drafting workshop in Algeria attended by civil society activists and academics that produced a model law to guide future law reform initiatives;
- A consensus-building program in Iraq that brought together representatives from all of Iraq’s regions and sects to discuss priorities for a new civil society law, and produced and distributed thousands of brochures summarizing the program’s findings all across Iraq;
- A two-day workshop in Yemen to promote the monitoring of legal reform by civil society organizations in that country; and
- An advocacy training in Jordan that included thirty NGOs and the Ministry of Political Development and led to greater use and dissemination of successful methods of lobbying for the passage of a new civil society law.
ICNL will accept applications throughout 2008, but decisions will be made on a rolling basis and no more than $60,000 of Small Grants will be awarded this year. ICNL therefore recommends that applications be submitted as soon as they are complete.
Eligibility Requirements
The Small Grant program is open in 2008 to individuals and indigenous organizations residing and working in one of the following countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen. Applicants should have a demonstrated commitment to civil society law reform the ability to communicate in both English and Arabic.
Grantees will be chosen in a competitive process based on the following criteria:
- The extent to which the proposal advances or supports indigenous civil society law reform initiatives;
- The sustainability and cost-effectiveness of the proposed project;
- The distinctiveness of the proposed project – that is, the extent to which it advances new ideas or initiatives and does not duplicate existing programs; and,
- The extent to which the proposed project involves important societal stakeholders, including civil society representatives, academics, government officials, and the private sector.
All grant recipients will be required to file a report on the use of funds, activities conducted, and outcomes of their projects prior to receiving their final grant disbursements.
Application Instructions
Applicants for the small grants program are required to complete a short application providing:
- a description of the project, including objectives, intended results, activities, and timeline;
- a description of the monitoring and evaluation procedures that will be implemented; and,
- a line-item budget detailing how funds will be used.
Click here to apply for the small grants program and view a sample application. All applications must be completed in English.
About ICNL
ICNL is an international not-for-profit organization that promotes an enabling environment for civil society and public participation worldwide. Since its inception in 1992, ICNL has provided technical and research assistance to support the reform of laws affecting civil society in over 100 countries. The Small Grant program is a component of ICNL’s MENA Civil Society Law Reform Project, a three-year initiative to support and promote ongoing locally-led law reform efforts in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen. For more information about ICNL’s programs in the Middle East, visit http://www.mena.icnl.org/.
For More Information
Should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact ICNL Middle East and North Africa Specialist Kareem Elbayar at kelbayar@icnl.org or +1 (202) 452-8600 x. 229.