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U.S. Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund, U.S. Embassy Lilongwe

ID: DOS-MWI-ASSHF-FY21 • Type: Posted
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Description

The goal of U.S. assistance is to help create a peaceful, prosperous, and secure future for the people of Malawi. Economic growth is essential to that goal and Malawi can reach its potential through education, entrepreneurship, and the creation of opportunities for investment and trade. This program seeks to fund small projects that will expand opportunities for education and marketable job skills. It will also support the creation or expansion of community business endeavors. The program is structured to encourage communities to be self-reliant and undertake similar activities on their own in the future. All projects are community-based, initiated locally, administered at the local level, and include significant community contributions in cash, labor, or materials. Over the past 50 years, the SSH fund has disbursed over $6 million to 1,463 projects covering all 28 Districts in Malawi. Projects funded have included classroom blocks, under-five clinics, school libraries, girls' hostels, installation of biogas digesters, eco-stove production, agricultural commercialization, and provision of clean and safe drinking water through boreholes and shallow wells.

Program Objectives:

Objective:

  1. Develop innovative small business endeavors, especially to expand or add value to agricultural production.
  2. Expand access to foundational education, with an emphasis on marginalized and vulnerable populations.
  3. Create or expand educational opportunities for job skills needed in Malawi's private and public sectors.

4. Develop entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, especially to increase profitability of agricultural production.

Expected Results

An increase of knowledge, skills, and opportunity that will allow the community to be more self-reliant.

Main Activities

To achieve the goals and expected results, the program could include the following:

  • Development of small to medium size business enterprises (agricultural, horticultural, aquaculture, and extractives) through agricultural value addition.
  • Construction of hostels, libraries, lavatories, space for vocational activities, or provision of clean water to expand childhood educational opportunity.
  • Job skills training, or tools/equipment purchase related to specific business and employment opportunities.
  • Entrepreneurship and business management training.
  • Other unique and innovative projects.
Background
The U.S. Embassy Lilongwe aims to create a peaceful, prosperous, and secure future for the people of Malawi through economic growth, education, entrepreneurship, and opportunities for investment and trade. The U.S. Ambassador’s Special Self-Help (SSH) Fund seeks to fund small projects that expand opportunities for education, marketable job skills, and community business endeavors. The program encourages self-reliance and local initiative.

Grant Details
The program objectives include developing innovative small business endeavors to expand agricultural production, expanding access to foundational education with a focus on marginalized populations, creating or expanding educational opportunities for job skills needed in Malawi’s private and public sectors, and developing entrepreneurial skills to increase profitability of agricultural production.

The main activities include developing small to medium-sized business enterprises through agricultural value addition, constructing facilities for childhood educational opportunities, providing job skills training and tools/equipment purchase related to specific business and employment opportunities, entrepreneurship and business management training, and other unique and innovative projects.

Eligibility Requirements
All citizens of Malawi representing civilian, religious, social, community development, special interest, disability, or advocacy groups or organizations may request funding for a community activity.

Applicants must be organized groups with a real need and feasible proposed projects based on the socio-economic context of the local community. For-profit and commercial firms are not eligible to apply.

Period of Performance
The period of performance is twelve (12) months with an anticipated award date in September 2022.

Grant Value
$60,000 total funding with eight anticipated awards.

Place of Performance
Projects can be implemented in all regions of Malawi.

Overview

Category of Funding
Community Development
Funding Instruments
Grant
Grant Category
Discretionary
Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement
False
Source
On 4/1/22 the Department of State posted grant opportunity DOS-MWI-ASSHF-FY21 for U.S. Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund, U.S. Embassy Lilongwe with funding of $60,000. The grant will be issued under grant program 19.700 General Department of State Assistance. It is expected that 8 total grants will be made worth between $3,000 and $8,000.

Timing

Posted Date
April 1, 2022, 12:00 a.m. EDT
Closing Date
May 31, 2022, 12:00 a.m. EDT Past Due
Last Updated
March 31, 2022, 3:52 a.m. EDT
Version
2
Archive Date
June 30, 2022

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Additional Info
All citizens of Malawi representing a civilian, religious, social, community development, special interest, disability, or advocacy group or organization may request funding for a community activity.

Award Sizing

Ceiling
$8,000
Floor
$3,000
Estimated Program Funding
$60,000
Estimated Number of Grants
8

Contacts

Contact
Kisa L Ngoma Grantor
Email Description
self Help Fund adminstration email
Contact Phone
265887010655
Additional Information
Website to access NOFO

Documents

Posted documents for DOS-MWI-ASSHF-FY21

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