PEPFAR Small Grants Program- Funding Opportunity – Ref #: AFYDE-PSGCLM-GR-POLECON-2022
Introduction
The U.S. Embassy in Yaounde-Cameroon, Political and Economic Section announces an open competition for key population (KP) Network organizations to submit applications under the FY 2023 PEPFAR Small Grants Community Led Monitoring Activities program for KPs to spot check the implementation of comprehensive and quality KP HIV services, monitor the availability and accessibility of KP specific services and health commodities, report on KP experiences of violence, stigma and discrimination, and monitor the implementation of promised changes, in some cities of the four PEPFAR covered zones in Cameroon.
Note: Grant awards are contingent on the receipt of funding. If the program is not approved, no grants will be awarded under this call.
Basic Requirements
- Budgets cannot exceed $100,000.
- KP-led independent Cameroonian locally registered organizations and more precisely KP-led networks consisting of CBOs which cover KP sub-groups including: MSM, FSW, PWID, TG are eligible to apply for this grant.
- Projects must be completed within 10 months without requiring further PEPFAR assistance.
Unacceptable Activities and Items
- Projects that benefit a private individual, family, or individual business.
- Religious, political, or military activities, as well as those relating to police, prisons, or law enforcement.
- Revolving credit schemes.
- Land or buildings.
- Vehicles, luxury goods, gambling, or surveillance equipment.
Selection and Award Process
The program is highly competitive and only the best applications shall be considered for funding. If a project is selected for consideration, someone from the U.S. Embassy will contact the applicant and verify the information. The selection committee will base its decision on the potential impact, feasibility, and financial soundness of the proposed activity. The committee will consider the track record of the organization proposing the activity as well as its contribution to the project.
Selection Timeline
Application deadline: October 30, 2022
Selection period: November 2022
Award period: November 2022
How to Apply for Funding
Complete and send the application form to the U.S. Embassy. Click on the following link to access full information: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html. The PSG Application process is FREE of charge and the Embassy DOES NOT request payment to receive and evaluate a project.
Contact Information
Address: PEPFAR Small Grants Program
Embassy of the United States of America
B.P. 817 Yaoundé
Email: grantsyaounde@state.gov
Telephone: 22220-1500 Ext. 4171
Fax: 22220-1503
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday 7:30 am – 5:00 pm and
Friday 7:30 am – 12:30 pm
Special Self-Help Fund – Funding opportunity – Ref #: AFYDE-SSH-GR-POLECON-2024
Introduction
The Special Self-Help Fund (SSH) provides small-scale assistance to Cameroonian communities as part of the U.S. Government’s commitment to support development activities in Cameroon. Since 1983, the U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon has funded small community projects under the SSH program in all ten regions of Cameroon. The maximum support available for most projects is USD 10,000 (or about five million francs CFA).
Basic Project Requirements
- Initiated by the community and benefits the community by increasing income or improving living conditions.
- Benefits a large number of people.
- Involves a significant local contribution such as labor, materials, land, equipment, or money.
- Within the ability of the community to operate and maintain.
- Completed within one year without requiring further Self-Help Fund assistance, and
- Respects environmental norms.
Project Categories and Acceptable Activities and Items
- Water Supply and Sanitation: Ensures broadly accessible, reliable and economically sustainable water and sanitation services to bolster healthy, secure, and prosperous communities.
- Safe Water Access: Water pumps and distribution systems, well drilling, bore holes, spring capping.
- Basic Sanitation: Toilets, sinks, etc. Innovative approaches to building demand for sanitation-related products and services are encouraged.
- Social Services
- Education and Training: Construction and/or equipment of schoolrooms, vocational training workshops/centers.
- Health: Construction and/or equipment of health facilities.
- Community Development: Foot bridges, community centers, solar energy, etc.
- Income Generating Activities: Food storage facilities, grinding mills, vocational training activities that produce employment and marketable skills.
- Environment/Agriculture: Financial or technical support for reforestation, and soil conservation including post-conflict or post-disaster settings, waste management, biodiversity conservation, and community agricultural projects.
Unacceptable Activities and Items
- Repair of existing facilities that are in poor shape as the result of neglect or lack of funds.
- Payment of recurring operating costs such as rent, salaries, administrative or operating costs, ongoing training/education needs, medications, fuel, animal feed, or seeds.
- Religious, political, or military activities, as well as those relating to police, prisons, or law enforcement.
- Revolving credit schemes.
- Office equipment and supplies such as computers, film projectors, stereos, pencils, paper, forms, folders, etc.
- Equipment or uniforms for national sport teams or national musical or dance groups.
- Land or buildings.
- Vehicles, luxury goods, gambling, or surveillance equipment.
- Abortion-related equipment and services.
- Pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides.
Projects Funded in 2023
In the year 2023, the U.S. Embassy was pleased to sponsor eight SSH projects in five regions for a total of USD 65,000.
| Project Number |
Region | Project Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Center | Purchase of multipurpose grain mills for groups of persons with disabilities. |
| 2 | Center | Purchase of vocational training equipment for underprivileged women and girls. |
| 3 | Far-North | Purchase of equipment and training of farmers in biogas production, and in agroecology and agroforestry techniques. |
| 4 | Northwest | Construction of a rural area foot bridge. |
| 5 | Northwest | Construction of community water storage tank, pipelines and taps. |
| 6 | Southwest | Purchase vocational training equipment for internally displaced and underprivileged youth. |
| 7 | West | Refurbishing and equipping of an Integrated Health Center. |
| 8 | West | Construction of a school gender-sensitive toilets and educating of girls on menstrual hygiene management. |
Selection
The program is highly competitive, historically, less than ten percent of the applications received each year are selected. If a project is selected for consideration, someone from the U.S. Embassy will contact the applicant, verify the information, and visit the site.
Timeline
Application deadline: May 2.
Selection period: May – July
Award period: August-September
How to apply for the Fund
Complete and send the application form ONLY by e-mail at grantsyaounde@state.gov. Click here (DOC 68 KB) to download the application. You can also request the application form by e-mail. The Self-Help Application Form is FREE of charge and the Embassy DOES NOT request any payment to receive and evaluate a project.
Download the 2024 SSH Guidelines here.
Contact Information
Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund
Embassy of the United States of America
Email: grantsyaounde@state.gov
Telephone: 22220-1500 Ext. 4171 or 4075
Fax: 22220-1503
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday 7:30 am – 5:00 pm and Friday 7:30 am – 12:30 pm
Julia Taft Refugee Fund – Funding Opportunity – Ref #: AFYDE-JTF-GR-POLECON-2024
The U.S. Embassy in Cameroon is pleased to announce a funding opportunity through the 2024 Julia Taft Refugee Fund.
What is the Julia Taft Refugee Fund?
The Julia Taft Refugee Fund is an initiative by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) to support one-time, low-cost interventions of not more than $25,000 that address important gaps in protection and assistance for refugees and persons at risk of statelessness or stateless persons. Created in 2000, the Julia Taft Refugee Fund provides the means to respond to critical humanitarian gaps not addressed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), international humanitarian organizations and NGOs through local and national humanitarian organizations.
What can the Julia Taft Refugee Fund support?
The Julia Taft Fund is intended primarily to support projects that include a program participant base of refugees or returnees and host communities, with at least 50% refugees/returnees as direct beneficiaries. We will also consider funding projects that support equal access to protection, assistance, and other solutions for refugees who may experience particular vulnerabilities, such as LGBTQI+ individuals, persons with disabilities or older persons, or women and girls. Projects that target Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs), stateless persons, or vulnerable migrants will not be considered under this program. We cannot provide direct support to the local government, recommend a project funded the previous year, or provide continued funding for a project as the Julia Taft Refugee Fund is meant to cover a one-time need and not a long-term program.
What Projects were Funded During Past Years?
Since 2015, the U.S. Embassy has sponsored nine projects in five crisis-affected regions for a total of USD 222,200.
| Year | Region | Project Type |
| 2023 | Far-North | Construction of a grain bank, a toilet block of ten latrines, and carrying-out reforestation activities by planting tree nurseries that can attain maturity within six months for out-of-camp Nigerian refugee women and youth who have settled at Mabas, in Mokolo subdivision. |
| 2022 | West | Construction of one borehole, disinfection of 10 wells, provision of psychosocial support to refugees who have been victims of trauma; and provision of agricultural tools and inputs to refugee women in market crop production in Bafang. |
| 2021 | East | Construction of four toilet blocks of 24 latrines and a modern well for out-of-camp refugees at Tihomo in Garoua Boulai. |
| 2020 | North | Construction of two modern wells and helping of out-of-camp refugee women to set up farmlands for market gardening in Man and Helbao. |
| 2019 | Adamawa | Equipping a vocational training center, and training out-of-camp refugee women in Borgop and Ngam. |
| 2018 | East | Construction and equipping of a comprehensive food-processing center for out-of-camp refugees in Kenzou. |
| 2017 | East | Construction of five gender sensitive eco-toilet blocks around the Lolo Refugee Camp. |
| 2016 | Far North | Construction of two boreholes for out-of-camp refugees in Kerawa. |
| 2015 | East | Construction of a specialized school for refugees in Mandjou. |
Who is eligible to apply?
The Julia Taft Refugee Fund is limited to Cameroonian registered CBOs, associations, or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with at least 2 years of experience working in Cameroon. Recipients of the previous year’s Julia Taft Fund are not eligible for this year’s funds.
How can my organization apply for funding?
NGOs are invited to submit a grant proposal for their projects by March 10, 2024, using or providing the information requested in the standard U.S. Embassy format (Attached – Word 59KB) via email to grantsyaounde@state.gov.
Please note the following guidelines when preparing proposals:
- Project budgets cannot exceed $25,000.
- Proposals can address one or more of the following sectors: WASH, education, health, vocational training, income generating activities, or any relevant social issue. (Attached – Word 69KB)
- Applicants MUST have a UEI number and be registered in SAM.gov.
- Applicants must have a Code of Conduct, which must be consistent with the UN’s Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) recommendations on the prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation.
Contact Information:
Julia Taft Refugee Fund
United States Embassy
Phone: 237- 222-20-1500 Ext: 4171 or 4075
E-mail: grantsyaounde@state.gov
ARDF–Africa Regional Democracy Fund- Funding opportunity – Ref #: AFYDE-ARDF-GR-POLECON-2024
Introduction
The purpose of the Africa Regional Democracy Fund (ARDF) for Democracy, Human Rights and Governance- is to strengthen democratic institutions, improve governance, and promote respect for human rights in Cameroon. The ARDF provides assistance to Cameroonian organizations that seek to implement short-term, highly targeted activities designed to show measurable results. Last year, ARDF funding supported organizations in all ten regions of Cameroon. Typical ARDF grants are approximately USD 24,000 (approximately 12 million francs FCFA); they may not exceed USD 100,000 (approximately 50 million francs FCFA). A single group may not receive more than one grant in a given funding period. Organizations that have successfully partnered with international donors in the past with proven records will be more competitive for this program and stand a greater chance of receiving ARDF funding.
The U.S. Embassy will give priority to proposals that are creative and innovative and that utilize technology and modern media to reach a wide audience.
Basic Project Requirements
The U.S. Embassy will consider funding under the ARDF Program only those projects that:
- Have funding ceiling of a maximum amount of $50,000 for Human Rights, and $100,000 for Elections.
- Are initiated by Cameroonian organizations (excluding the executive branch of the Cameroonian Government).
- Promote political pluralism, respect for human and civil rights, citizen participation and public accountability.
- Benefit a large number of people.
- Include activities, expenditures and timelines that are consistent, reasonable, and within the ability of the organization to implement.
- Can be completed within one year, without requiring further ARDF assistance; and
- Respect environmental norms.
Program Categories and Acceptable Activities
- Elections and Political Processes:
Provides assistance that enables citizens to select and replace their leaders through periodic, inclusive, accountable, and free and fair elections. This includes support for legal and regulatory frameworks, open and effective election administration, broad public participation and civic awareness, societal oversight of electoral processes, and accountable procedures for election-related grievances and appeals.
- Human Rights Systems and Policies and Protection:
- Supports systems to prevent and address human rights violations through early warning, monitoring, investigating, and reporting.
- Promotes respect for human rights and supports human rights defenders through utilization of national, regional, and international legal systems for human rights protection and enforcement.
- Harmonizes domestic laws and policies with international human rights standards; promotes the adoption and implementation of human rights and labor standards; and
- Sponsors legal aid and other assistance for victims of human rights violations. Supports the work of National Human Rights Commission(s).
- Integrates human rights into training for security sector actors, teachers, civil society leaders, journalists, religious leaders, and government officials.
Unacceptable Activities and Items
ARDF funding may not be used to conduct the following activities or purchase the following items:
- Paramilitary activities and prohibited from supporting police and other law enforcement forces (even if the proposed activity is consistent with programs described above.)
- Construction of buildings.
- Purchase of vehicles.
- Long-term (12 months or more) recurring administrative costs such as building or equipment maintenance, rent, office supplies, or administrative salaries.
- Travel outside of the immediate region.
- Conferences or workshops that lack a specific and clearly articulated goal.
- Research projects without a results-oriented component.
- Humanitarian assistance or support for refugees (unless human rights related).
- Activities that do not directly encourage or promote increased respect for civil and human rights.
- Purchase of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, or fertilizers.
- Activities to influence the outcome of elections; or
- Training or advice, or support for police, prisons or other law enforcement forces, military or any program of internal intelligence or surveillance.
Funded Projects since 2017
Since 2017, the U.S. Embassy has sponsored 130 ARDF projects for a total of USD 2,600,000. Some of the themes of projects that received funding included:
For Human Rights Systems, Protection and Policies
- Educating communities on the rights of children, widows, women, Indigenous, and minorities.
- Facilitating the issuance of civil documentation for indigenous people and IDPs.
- Providing legal assistance to detainees and promoting the use of Habeas Corpus.
- Protection of Human Rights defenders and dissemination of human rights international standards.
- Fighting against Trafficking in Persons, child abuse Sexual and Gender-based Violence in schools, Human Rights violation in traditional settings.
- Creating and training CSOs, media, to advocate for freedom of association.
- Auditing the state of respect of human rights in councils.
For Civic Education
- Training municipal level CSO networks on participatory planning, budgeting and budgeting expenditure tracking within the framework of decentralization and peace building.
- Popularizing civic education, to eradicate violence in secondary schools.
- Teaching women and youth in low-income areas about good governance, civic engagement, anti-corruption, democracy, sustainable development, societal and environmental issues.
- Training local and regional actors on strategies for implementing inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, Indigenous people in local governance.
- Creating media jingles on the importance of biometric voter registration, educating on governance, democracy, and electoral process.
- Organizing the collection of voter registration cards.
- Educating IDPs on the Anglophone crisis, women, and youth on peace and tolerance, their rights, social cohesion, interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
For Legislative Support
- Raising awareness of constitutional rights and provisions of the penal code.
- Creating legal platforms for disclosure of community data on legislative and government actions.
- Training journalists on reporting public interest issues and key government reforms.
For Elections Support
- Engaging the youth and Civil Society Organizations in promoting citizen participation and electoral transparency through election observations.
- Mobilizing youth and women leaders for strong and nonviolent involvement in the electoral process.
- Engaging community mobilization for greater participation of women, indigenous people, Persons with Disabilities and youth in the electoral process.
- Strengthening the skills of members of the media, CSOs, political parties for impartial, free and fair election processes.
Selection and Award Process
The program is highly competitive; historically, less than ten percent of applicants receive funding each year. If a project is selected for consideration, someone from the U.S. Embassy will contact the applicant and verify the information. The selection committee will base its decision on the potential impact, feasibility, and financial soundness of the proposed activity. The committee will consider the track record of the organization proposing the activity as well as its contribution to the project.
Selection Timeline
Application deadline: June 23, 2024
Selection period: July – August 2024
Award period: August – September 2024
How to Apply for Funding
Click on the following link: https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/353804 to view the full Notice of Funding Opportunity and application requirements.
Contact Information
Address: Africa Regional Democracy Fund
Embassy of the United States of America
B.P. 817 Yaoundé
Email: grantsyaounde@state.gov
Telephone: 22220-1500 Ext. 4171 or 4075
Fax: 22220-1503
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday 7:30 am – 5:00 pm and
Friday 7:30 am – 12:30 pm
Climate Grants Program- Funding Opportunity – Ref #: AFYDE-CLIMG-GR-POLECON-2024
Introduction
The Political and Economic Section of the U.S. Embassy in Yaoundé, Cameroon, announces an open competition for experienced Cameroon-based Civil Society Organizations that are working in Environment to submit applications under the FY 2023 Climate Grants Program to advance Sustainable Landscapes. Proposals funded under this announcement should seek to support the implementation of natural climate solutions (NCS) and other activities, which reduce net greenhouse gas emissions through the conservation, management, and restoration of forests, mangroves, and other ecosystems, as well as low emissions practices in agriculture and other production systems, while supporting economic growth, resilience, and other co-benefits.
The U.S. Embassy will give priority to proposals that are creative and innovative in the strategy to reach a wide audience.
Basic Project Requirements
- Budget threshold and ceiling are $50,000.
- Applicants are Cameroonian organizations with at least 2 years of experience working in Environment.
- Project should benefit many people.
- Include activities, expenditures and timelines that are consistent, reasonable, and within the ability of the organization to implement.
- Can be completed within 12 months, without requiring further assistance; and
- Respect environmental norms.
Unacceptable Activities and Items
Climate Grant funding may not be used to conduct the following activities or purchase the following items:
- Support to police, prisons or other law enforcement forces, military or paramilitary, or any program of internal intelligence or surveillance.
- Projects that benefit a private, family, individual business.
- Revolving credit schemes.
- Construction of buildings.
- Purchase of vehicles.
- Humanitarian assistance or support for refugees.
- Activities that do not directly encourage the protection of the environment.
- Activities to influence the outcome of elections.
Selection and Award Process
The program is highly competitive. If a project is selected for consideration, someone from the U.S. Embassy will contact the applicant and verify the information. The selection committee will base its decision on the potential impact, feasibility, and financial soundness of the proposed activity. The committee will consider the track record of the organization proposing the activity as well as its contribution to the project.
Selection Timeline
Application deadline: July 21, 2024
Selection period: July – August 2024
Award period: August – September 2024
How to Apply for Funding
Click on the following link: https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/354746 to view the full Notice of Funding Opportunity and application requirements.
Contact Information
Address: Climate Grant Program
Embassy of the United States of America
B.P. 817 Yaoundé
Email: grantsyaounde@state.gov
Telephone: 22220-1500 Ext. 4171 or 4075
Fax: 22220-1503
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday 7:30 am – 5:00 pm and
Friday 7:30 am – 12:30 pm
Please click here for U.S. Department of State required grant application forms. These forms must be submitted in English, but French translations are provided as a guide to assist you in completing them.