The Commonwealth Foundation has announced a new grant  for Civil Society Organisations for projects to be implemented in Commonwealth Developing Countries. The Foundation’s Grants programme contributes to sustainable development in the context of effective, responsive and accountable governance with civil society participation.

The Programme will broker knowledge and ideas. It will support innovation, share replicable and sustainable models, and promote good practice across the participatory governance sector.

There are two types of grants:

1. Commonwealth Theme Grants : Commonwealth Themes grants will open for applications in 2013.
2.  Participatory Governance Grants : The Participatory Governance Grants can now be applied for as from December 3rd 2013. Grants will be given to selected organizations for a period of 3 years amounting up to £30,000 per year.

The objectives of the new grants programme are:

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

At a glance:

• The Foundation will give grants to fund activities or projects of registered CSOs
• Beneficiaries will be from a Commonwealth Foundation member country
• Grants will be up to £30,000 per year
• Grants are available for multi-year funding (up to three years)
• Grant applicants are encouraged to show clear evidence of counterpart resourcing
• Up to 10% of the total grant will fund a monitoring, evaluation and learning element
• Up to 15% of the total grant will fund indirect and overhead costs.

The grants programme has two grant streams which support the outcome areas identified in the strategic plan:

1. Enhanced capacity of CSOs to collaborate with each other and engage in participatory governance
2. Increased collaboration and learning between CSOs and institutions in governance

The grants programme will be particularly supportive of proposals that mainstream the Foundation’s cross-cutting outcome areas in their project design:

• Gender equality
• Environmental sustainability
• Cultural respect and understanding

Registered civil society organizations in Commonwealth developing countries can propose projects (of no more than 3 years) that address one of the Commonwealth Foundation’s short-term outcomes. Applying organizations should have their project activity less than £30,000 per annum.

Organisations based in non-Commonwealth Foundation member countries can apply for a grant, provided the activity or project is taking place in an eligible country.

Applications have to be submitted online through the Commonwealth Foundation’s website.

Deadline to apply for the Participatory Governance Grant  is 31 January 2013.

For More Information, visit the Participatory Governance Grant Link.

To facilitate your application and ensure that you are eligible to apply, please read the following documents carefully before proceeding:

• Application Guidelines.pdf | 113K

• How to fill in your application form.pdf | 935K

• List of eligible countries.pdf | 13K

• Template – Logic Model.docx | 22K

• Template – Project Plan.docx | 21K

• Commonwealth Foundation Strategic Plan 2012-16.pdf | 1460K

• Template – Budget.xlsx | 114K