Deadline: 1 April 2020

The U.S. Embassy Abuja has announced an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out projects through the Ambassador’s Special Self Help (ASSH) Small Grants Program.

ASSH program is a grassroots grant assistance program that funds grants for small development activities that generate public awareness of U.S. foreign assistance efforts which fall outside the structure of other established U.S. assistance projects. The program is intended to be flexible and allow the Ambassador to respond directly to requests from local communities for assistance with projects that have immediate impact, and further Mission priorities. Equally important, the Special Self-Help program is structured to encourage communities to be self-reliant and undertake similar activities on their own in the future.

Objectives

Acceptable project objectives include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Economic diversification, including small business creation and income generation
  • Generate sustainable income and employment opportunities in local communities;
  • Advance economic diversification at the grassroots level;
  • Encourage use of local natural resources for income generation;
  • Promote a culture of entrepreneurship;
  • Improve basic economic or living conditions of a community;
  • Purchase of income generating-equipment such as weaving looms, threshing machines, oil presses, beehives etc.
• Social services
  • Assist populations which may be disadvantaged or at-risk on a temporary or chronic basis, including people with disabilities, ethnic
  • minorities, the elderly and female heads of household;
  • Construction of health clinics or workshops;
  • Water and sanitation related projects.
• Youth and child development
  • Assist youth to gain knowledge and tools to live positively, set life goals and enhance their own health, safety and security;
  • Create opportunities for youth, including employment;
  • Construction of school rooms or community centers;
  • Purchase of school equipment, furnishings and books.
• Community-based natural resource management
  • Expand effective community ownership and management of natural resources;
  • Developing sustainable community-based tourism;
  • Promoting the conservation of natural resources.

Funding Information

• Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $25,000
• Anticipated project start date: October 1, 2020
• Length of performance period: Six to twelve months
• Number of awards anticipated: Five to ten awards (dependent on grant amounts)

Eligibility Criteria

• The Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program will only accept proposals from
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations (NPOs,) including civil society/non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
  • Established, registered grassroots community-based organizations (CBOs) and Faith Based Organizations (FBOs).
• Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.

For more information, visit https://ng.usembassy.gov/education-culture/ambassadors-small-grants-program-2/