UNDP organizational development drants open for civil society organizations: Call for applications

Details

14.07.2017

Under the Civil Society for Enhanced Democracy and Human Rights project, UNDP is launching a call for applications for organizational development grants. 

This grant programme aims to help local mid-sized civil society organizations (CSOs) handle organizational challenges and achieve a wider impact through improved internal management, policies, and practices.

The purpose of this programme is to establish a network of local capacity building hubs for CSO development. We are looking for local CSOs that are interested in boosting their organizational development, have necessary capacities and resources for quality changes, and have a sound understanding of organizational development concept.

Through participation in this programme, the selected CSOs are expected to improve their performance in the following areas:

• carry out their work in the area of democratization and human rights, taking up the role of a subnational leader in their focus area;
• mobilize local CSOs and organize joint initiatives while acting according to the first among equals principle (without monopolizing the key role, ensure equal development of all partners);
• promote active networking of CSOs at the local, subnational, and international levels for the issues of democratization and human rights as well as knowledge exchange in organizational development;
• set the standard in organizational development for the smaller grassroots CSOs and motivate them to give due attention to their institutional growth; provide other CSOs with consultations and advice as to organizational capacity building;
• carry out small-grant administration functions for other CSOs (if deemed relevant).

Grant size: institutional grant for selected CSOs cannot exceed USD 80,000. Funds should be spent on implementation of the goals determined through the independent assessment of the CSOs’ organizational capacities.

Eligible oblasts: Kharkivska, Khmelnytska, Kyivska (excluding the city of Kyiv), Mykolayivska, Poltavska, Vinnytska, Volynska, Zaporizka, Zhytomyrska.

6 CSOs will be selected to participate in the programme. It is expected that they will join the network of existing hubs to benefit from the individually tailored capacity development support, including mentoring and advice, and will contribute to the civil society efforts in promoting democracy and human rights at the national level.

Deadline for applications: 15 August 2017.

For more information, please consult the full text of the call for proposals, or contact Olena Ursu at 044-253-59-65, or via e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Background:

Throughout 2013-2016, UNDP helped to improve the organizational capacity of 8 CSOs that now act as civil society hubs at the subnational level (5 out of them specializing in democratization and 3 in human rights). The CSOs updated their charters and internal management systems; enhanced openness and transparency in reporting to their constituencies and the public; increased their budgets by 2-4 times and financial sustainability; strengthened their positions as local leaders by engaging over 2,500 civic activists and local officials in the public events; and organized a network.