FOUNDATIONS THAT PROVIDE SMALL GRANTS TO NGOS

Small grants are also very easy to apply. There are no full length proposals, no stages of applications and no
complicated log frames to be done. Usually, proposal formats are less than 5-10 pages which can be developed
quickly by small and grassroots-based NGOs.
Some donor agencies when giving out such grants also do not make it mandatory for applicant organizations to
be legally registered in their area of operation. In fact, this type of grant opportunity is best suited for small and
informal groups and associations that have not yet registered legally. Even new NGOs can apply for such
funding as there is little need to prove long project experience.
Keeping in view the advantages of small grant money, we have developed a list of foundations and other types
of donors that regularly offer small grants to NGOs around the world. Some of these donor agencies have
deadlines – so organizations have to carefully look at the dates before applying to them. Some other donors
accept proposals round the year. Also, they mostly fund to address specific problems or areas of intervention.
1. Humanitarian Innovation Fund’s Small Grant Facility for NGOs
The Humanitarian Innovation Fund (HIF) has a Small Grant Facility to provide funding support to
organisations and individuals to identify, nurture and share innovative and scalable solutions to the challenges
facing effective humanitarian assistance.The Fund seeks to work towards: enabling and supporting
humanitarian innovators to move creative ideas through the innovation process; supporting them in building
new partnerships with key actors; enabling the lessons from grant funded projects and from analysis of
innovation processes in humanitarian contexts to be disseminated more widely; and strengthening existing
relationships between humanitarian agencies, academics and those in the private sector engaged in innovation
processes.
The basic criteria of applying for the grants at HIF are that the project proposed has to be innovative and it has
to be related to humanitarian aid.
HIF’s Small Grant Facility is open all year round and offers grants of up to £20,000 for the recognition,
invention & diffusion of a humanitarian innovation.
There are five key stages in the innovation process and our small grants are awarded at three of those stages:
Recognition, Diffusion and Invention.
For more information, visit this link: http://www.humanitarianinnovation.org/fu…/awards/small-grant
2. Rufford Small Grants Foundation
Rufford Small Grants Foundation is a UK-based charity that offers Rufford Small Grants for nature
conservation projects in developing countries.
It has given more than 2000 grants in 137 countries.
The Rufford Small Grants Foundation provides a staged funding process with five different types of grants:
Rufford Small Grant (up to £6,000), 2nd Rufford Small Grant (up to £6,000), Booster Grant (up to £12,000),
Continuation Grant (up to £25,000) and Completion Grant (up to £25,000).
To view more information about this foundation, visit this link: http://www.rufford.org/
3. Partnership for Transparency Fund
The Partnership for Transparency Fund (PTF) is a US-based mobilizes expertise and resources to provide
advice and small grants to civil society organizations to engage citizens in actions to remove corruption in the
public sector. It strives to support innovative approaches, learn from its work and share the knowledge gained.
Civil society has an important role to play in the development of anti-corruption and good governance
programs, and it can play this role more effectively if it is independent, financially, from government or direct
bilateral or multilateral funding. This is where PTF adds value to the process. Through technical and financial
support, PTF empowers Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to play an effective role in the design,
implementation and monitoring of anti-corruption activities.
Organizations receive small grants ($25,000 – $40,000) for projects that are results-oriented, time-bound
(typically 12-18 months) and evaluated on completion. PTF will only support projects that (1) will have a
direct and sustainable impact on reducing corruption, (2) as far as possible have a measurable and sustainable
outcome and (3) involve direct interaction with public agencies.
To apply for funding from PTF, a concept note has to be submitted. During review of the proposal, PTF would
also look into your audited accounts. Upon approval of the concept note, an Adviser will be assigned to help
you develop a project plan that includes a budget and a logframe.
For more information, visit this link: http://ptfund.org/
4. United Nations Trust Fund Small Grants Programme
Every year, the United Nations announces a call for proposals under its Small Grants Programme for the
Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples of the United Nations Trust Fund on
Indigenous Issues.
The Fund gives priority to projects focusing on the Programme of Action of the Second Decade under the
broad mandated areas of the Forum: culture, education, health, human rights, the environment and social and
economic development. The Fund is based on voluntary contributions; disbursal of grants is subject to receipt
of funds from donors.
The main aim of the Trust Fund is to support programs and projects advancing the goal of the Second
International Decade to “Strengthen international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous
peoples in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, social and economic
development, by means of action-oriented programs and specific projects, increased technical assistance and
relevant standard-setting activities”
Indigenous peoples’ organizations (local, national or regional), women’s indigenous organization and
indigenous youth organization can apply for funding.
Projects should be submitted by indigenous peoples, with the full participation, consultation and free, prior and
informed consent of the indigenous peoples, groups or communities to be served by the project. All project
proposals must include written evidence of free, prior and informed consent, such as a letter or document
including names, signatures and contact details of the indigenous peoples, groups or communities the project
seeks to serve.
Project proposals should be sent to the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues before 1
November of the every year. For more information, visit this
link: http://undesadspd.org/IndigenousPeop…/…/ApplyforFunding.aspx
5. The UNDP Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supports countries in addressing development, climate,
and ecosystem sustainability in an integrated manner. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is the
implementing agency of the Programme. UNDP-GEF offers countries highly specialized technical services for
eligibly assessment, programme/project formulation, due diligence, mobilization of required co-financing,
project implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and
knowledge management.
The UNDP-GEF has a Small Grants Programme (SGP) that embodies the very essence of sustainable
development by “thinking globally acting locally”. By providing financial and technical support to projects
that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people’s well-being and livelihoods, SGP
demonstrates that community action can maintain the fine balance between human needs and environmental
imperatives.
It covers areas of biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, forest management, international waters and
chemicals.
SGP grants are made directly to community-based organizations (CBOs) and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) in recognition of the key role they play as a resource and constituency for environment and
development concerns. The maximum grant amount per project is US$50,000, but averages around
US$25,000. In this way, SGP complements the large and medium-sized GEF project funding by providing a
window for the direct participation of NGOs, local communities, and other grassroots organizations.
SGP call for proposals are mostly carried out from the UNDP-GEF country offices so it is therefore best to
contact the UNDP office in your country.
For more information, visit this link: http://undesadspd.org/IndigenousPeop…/…/ApplyforFunding.aspx
6. Fondation Ensemble’s Small Grants Fund
The Fondation Ensemble’s Small Grants Fund to support actions implemented by small organizations in areas
of Water, Sanitation, Sustainable Agriculture, Renewable Energies, Eco-habitat and Biodiversity Conservation.
Under this Fund, the Foundation funds projects implemented by small organizations. Projects should bring
concrete and lasting improvement to the living conditions of its target population; contribute to environment
protection; be driven by the demand and needs of the local populations, and those of the intervention area: plan
appropriate and concrete actions with measurable results; be participatory and in partnership; implementation
is made in conjunction with identified partners and encourages their capacity building; be coherent with the
intervention country’s national strategy; have a detailed global budget showing the split between the different
funders, including the Foundation.
The Foundation covers up to 10% administrative costs, inclusive of all head office support costs.
The Foundation usually makes a call before accepting proposals. For more information, visit this
link: http://www.fondationensemble.org/amicprog_crit.php
7. United States Embassy: Small Grants Program for NGOs
The embassies of the United States across various countries around the world have small grants to support
NGOs. These programs are referred under different names such as Small Grants Program to NGOs or Civil
Society Grant Program or Ambassador’s Program or more specifically on theme-based such as Democracy
Grants Program or HIV/AIDS Grants Program.
Interestingly, many of the embassies of the United States have some program or the other that provides direct
funding to NGOs. These programs are also annual in nature where proposals are requested from NGOs once
every year and a selection process is carried out.
Before you can think of exploring funding at the US embassy in your country, it is important note down a few
points.
Most of these grant programs provide small funding. It also means that the proposal writing process is not
stressful and time-consuming, but there is a small format that needs to be completed. These grant programs are
not open all throughout the year so NGOs need to keep a close watch on the announcements and the deadlines.
The funding announcements of these embassies are mostly through their website.
You need to keep monitoring the funding opportunities at the website of the US embassy in your country. To
find out about the embassy website in your country, visit this link and select your
country: http://www.usembassy.gov/
8. Small Grants for Purchase of Nature
The IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands (IUCN NL) is accepting project proposals for the Purchase
of Nature (SPN), which provides funds for the purchase and protection of threatened wildlife habitats and
vulnerable ecosystems.
Financially supported by the Dutch Postcode Lottery (NPL), the SPN aims to contribute to conservation of
biodiversity by supporting the (strategic) purchase of threatened natural areas.
Habitat destruction is the most prominent cause of the growing list of threatened species worldwide. The
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2009) concludes that almost 17,000 species are severely threatened.
The onslaught of logging and land conversion has resulted in the loss or serious fragmentation of the world’s
wilderness habitats.
In areas under high pressure direct action is needed, to stop further degradation and fragmentation of
sanctuaries for wildlife and the obstruction of migration routes.
By providing funds SPN enables local NGOs to put a hold to this and create natural reserves. This direct
intervention is an exceptionally valuable approach, as it places ownership and management responsibility in
the hands of capable local conservation organizations.
Creating a wildlife reserve is a well known instrument to preserve habitats that are important for wildlife – in
particular endangered species – that would otherwise be destroyed. By buying threatened natural areas and
getting legal protection for them, the NGOs are in a unique position to make conservation history.
All NGOs must submit a pre-proposal first. The SPN will invite NGOs to submit a full proposal after a
positive assessment of the preproposal.
The maximum financial assistance provided by the SPN is euro 85.000. There is no minimum. Co-funding of
purchase projects is only possible when the IUCN NL grant is clearly visible and constitutes a substantial part
of the overall budget, or when the IUCN NL grant can trigger other donors to contribute
For more information, visit this link: http://www.iucn.nl/…/t…/restoring_and_conserving_nature/spn/

Small grant facility | Humanitarian Innovation Fund

Our small grant facility is open all year round and offers grants of up to £20,000 for the recognition, invention & diffusion of a
humanitarian innovation.
HUMANITARIANINNOVATION.ORG

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