SMALL GRANTS GENERAL OVERVIEW
SMALL GRANTS PROGRAMS SPONSORED BY THE U.S. EMBASSY IN ANGOLA
The United States Embassy in Luanda offers two different small grants programs, Self Help and the Democracy and Human Rights Fund-DHRF. Embassy Luanda has funded irrigation systems, agricultural cooperatives, school construction, health programs, and training in marketable skills such as culinary and tailoring programs, as well as agricultural training in the use of tools, small animal husbandry and cultivation techniques. Projects have also benefited disadvantaged groups such as orphans and those with physical handicaps. Since 1998, the Embassy Self Help program has provided more than $353,650 for 49 projects in 12 provinces of Angola.
A second program, the Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF), supports grassroots activities that promote political pluralism and human and civil rights. DHRF has provided $593,830 for 40 projects in all 18 provinces of Angola since 1994. DHRF projects supported by the Embassy groups have promoted improved civil rights through debates on democracy, identified human rights violations nationwide, built a rural counseling center for women and children and initiated a public education campaign on land issues and conflict resolution through workshops and seminars.
In 2006, Embassy Luanda granted $60,000 for the Ambassador’s Special Self Help Fund (SSH) and $87,000 for Democracy and Human rights Fund (DHRF). The 2006 supported the following projects:
1. Community Gardens. Materials and equipment for a community garden for 175 families.
2. Women’s Cooperative. Built a storage facility which also serves as a meeting place and administrative center for 100 women members of the cooperative.
3. Renovation. Constructed a storage facility for small farmers benefiting 1029 small producers.
4. Remodeling. Built an agricultural storage facility for a farmers’ cooperative, helping 642 small farmers market their products.
5. Claps of Peace-2. Sponsored 16 radio debate programs to raise awareness of peace, citizenship and conflict resolution.
6. Voter Education. Sponsored 12 radio debates and meetings with .20 organizations, associations and churches to provide training on. the electoral process.
7. Electoral Civic Education. Held four seminars to train 80 civil society activists and community organizations in voter training and observing elections. Kunene Election Network will also establish a community information center to educate the local community on electoral issues, using radio advertisements and theater performances.
8. Democracy and Elections. Training for election observers on conducting fair and transparent elections. Train 50 activists on electoral civic education, fundamentals of democracy, and constitutional law. The activists will then speak at seminars, on the radio and at community meetings.
The Embassy Luanda Grants Program manages two additional programs: Trafficking in Persons (TIP) which works to re-integrate trafficking victims into society and the Ambassador’s Fund for Refugee Assistance (AFR). In 2005, the Embassy awarded $12,000 to TIP fund training programs for 200 street children on the right to life and human dignity. The Ambassador’s Fund for Refugee Assistance (AFR) supports returning refugees through education including vocational skills. In FY05 Embassy Luanda provided $20,000 USD to enable1064 school-age children to obtain the documents they needed to enroll in school.
If you wish to apply for a small grant from the U.S. Embassy in Angola, please provide the following in writing:
a brief description of the project (what the project will do, where it will take place, how many people it will affect);
the objective of the project (what the desired outcome of the project is);
type of involvement the community will have in the project (what members will do to support the project, what assistance will be provided by other organizations);
a budget for the project (must be less than $25,000);
and a brief history of the organization (who is applying for the grant, other projects completed, contact information).
Alternatively, you can print and fill out the Portuguese-language small grants application form PDF file(43k).
U.S. law prohibits the Embassy from funding:
private businesses;
partisan political, military, police, sporting, cultural or religious activities;
salaries, rent or vehicles for organizations;
travel to international conferences or reception (food and drink) expenses;
direct social services to populations;
and similar activities.
Unfortunately, the Embassy cannot fund all proposals because we receive many more proposals than we have funds. Whether or not we are able to fund your project, we would like to thank you for the work you are doing in Angola.
If your organization has a project that falls within the Small Grants program guidelines and you wish to apply for a grant, please contact the Small Grants Coordinator.
