Opportunity Alert: 2016 Commonwealth Foundation Grants Programme for Civil Society Organizations ( £30,000 in Grants per Year)

Deadline: 5 January 2016

The Commonwealth Foundation awards annual grants for sustainable development projects that contribute to effective, responsive and accountable governance with civil society participation. The grants are open to civil society organisations (CSOs) working in Commonwealth Foundation eligible member countries. (List mentioned below).

The Commonwealth Foundation’s mission is to develop the capacity of civil society to act together and learn from each other to engage with the institutions that shape people’s lives, as we work towards a more effective, responsive and accountable governance with civil society participation.

In addition to awarding grants to civil society organizations (CSOs), the grants programme will broker knowledge and ideas. It will support innovation, share replicable and sustainable models, and promote good practices across the participatory governance sector.

Grants Available & Duration

• Up to £30,000 per year
• Multi-year funding available (up to three years)

Grants programme objectives

The grants programme has three objectives:

1. To deliver an efficient and effective programme which is responsive to the development needs of CSOs across the Commonwealth.
2. To complement the effectiveness of the Foundation’s projects by providing grants to CSOs beyond those supported through the programme work.
3. To generate knowledge and understanding of participatory governance and its benefits in promoting effective, responsible and accountable governance within the Commonwealth by supporting models of good practice.

Eligible Countries

This is the current list of Commonwealth Foundation member countries that are eligible for projects to be undertaken in their country.

Antigua and Barbuda*, Bangladesh, Barbados*, Brunei Darussalam, Cameroon, Ghana, Guyana*, India, Jamaica*, Kenya, Lesotho, Malaysia, Maldives*, Malta, Mauritius*, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea*, Rwanda, Seychelles*, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St Lucia*, Swaziland, The Bahamas*, Tonga*, Trinidad and Tobago*

Note: *Small Island Developing States in Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Ocean eligible for grants under the SAMOA Pathway focus area.

Key Dates

• The call for applications opens at 12.00 GMT on 1 December 2015
• The deadline for submission of the preliminary application form is 17.00 GMT on 5 January 2016
• Preliminary applications will be assessed in January and February 2016
• Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full application in March 2015
• The deadline for submission of full applications is 29 March 2016
• All applicants will receive a formal notification on the outcome of their application by the end of July 2016 at the latest.

Grants Programme

The new call for grants is now open. The deadline for submission of the preliminary application form is 17.00GMT on 5 January 2016. Please see the updated guidelines and supporting documentation available here.
With more than 2.3 billion citizens, the Commonwealth provides a potentially huge pool of ideas for advancing societies. The Commonwealth Foundation’s grants help civil society organisations get their ideas across to policymakers.
The Commonwealth Foundation awards grants for sustainable development projects that contribute to effective, responsive and accountable governance with civil society participation.

At a glance

• Open to civil society organisations (CSOs)
• Up to £30,000 per year
• Multi-year funding available (up to three years)
• Delivered in Commonwealth Foundation eligible member countries

 What makes our grants so special?

• Initiatives on participatory governance in Commonwealth Countries from grass roots to national level
• Projects range across sectors and themes from creative expression to community empowerment; from health to human rights.
• Grantees learn from each other and develop the tools to monitor and evaluate their projects through our learning workshops 

Focus areas

Grant projects must focus on one or more of the following:

1. Creative expression
2. Capacity development
3. Constructive engagement
4. Learning and sharing
5. The SAMOA Pathway 

Cross-cutting themes

Applicants are encouraged to integrate the cross cutting theme of gender into the project design.

- See more at: http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/grants#sthash.qt8wyrDm.dpuf

Grants Programme

The new call for grants is now open. The deadline for submission of the preliminary application form is 17.00GMT on 5 January 2016. Please see the updated guidelines and supporting documentation available here.
With more than 2.3 billion citizens, the Commonwealth provides a potentially huge pool of ideas for advancing societies. The Commonwealth Foundation’s grants help civil society organisations get their ideas across to policymakers.
The Commonwealth Foundation awards grants for sustainable development projects that contribute to effective, responsive and accountable governance with civil society participation.

At a glance

• Open to civil society organisations (CSOs)
• Up to £30,000 per year
• Multi-year funding available (up to three years)
• Delivered in Commonwealth Foundation eligible member countries

 What makes our grants so special?

• Initiatives on participatory governance in Commonwealth Countries from grass roots to national level
• Projects range across sectors and themes from creative expression to community empowerment; from health to human rights.
• Grantees learn from each other and develop the tools to monitor and evaluate their projects through our learning workshops 

Focus areas

Grant projects must focus on one or more of the following:

1. Creative expression
2. Capacity development
3. Constructive engagement
4. Learning and sharing
5. The SAMOA Pathway 

Cross-cutting themes

Applicants are encouraged to integrate the cross cutting theme of gender into the project design.

- See more at: http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/grants#sthash.qt8wyrDm.dpuf