Are you an organisation ready to break the shackles of exclusion of underrepresented groups in East Africa, West Africa or South East Asia? Do you have and/or wish to take to scale home-grown empowerment strategies that raise awareness, build confidence and self-esteem of Voice target groups to claim their rights? Do you see organisations across neighbouring countries needing the same capacities strengthened and with a potential to build a movement that can create a powerful ripple effect across countries? 

 If you answered ‘Yes’ to the questions above, then consider applying to this Call for Proposals. 

 Voice Empowerment grants are meant for (smaller) organisations to develop transformative leadership, build confidence and skills, forge alliances with other like-minded organisations in their countries to address shared obstacles, and work collectively against the exclusion of marginalised and discriminated groups. Informal groups can access this funding by partnering with a registered (lead) organisation. 

The Global Empowerment Grants allow several organisations (or groups) in two or more neighbouring Voice countries to ‘twin’ and embark on a joint learning trajectory to address commonly shared challenges. These grants are available from €5.000 to € 75.000, and for a minimum duration of 12 to maximum 24 months. 

What do we mean by Empowerment? 

For Voice, Empowerment is a process by which people gain power over their own lives and can take their own decisions. Power is described in terms of people’s individual and collective capacity to make strategic choices and the degree to which these choices have an impact on their lives. 

What are we looking for and where do we wish to fund? 

Proposals with “out of the box” project ideas that promote cross-country learning and focus on underrepresented groups within the following Voice focus regions: 

• East Africa Region (mainly Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda) – Age-discriminated vulnerable groups notably the young and elderly, Persons with disabilities, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (LGBTI+) people. 
• West Africa Region (mainly Nigeria, Niger, and Mali) – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (LGBTI+) people, Indigenous groups and ethnic minorities. 
• South East Asia Region (mainly Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, and Indonesia)  – Women facing exploitation, abuse and/or violence, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (LGBTI+) people, Age-discriminated vulnerable groups, notably the elderly. 

 However, Voice has a strong preference for projects with a focus on intersectionality, in other words: those that intend to work with more than one Voice target group to address overlapping vulnerabilities. 

Your project can look at any or all of the following impact themes: 

• Improved access to (productive) resources (finance, land, and water) and employment, 
• Improved access to social services, health, and education in particular, and 
• Space for political participation and citizen engagement. 

For inspiration, you can look at the type of projects that Voice currently funds -or has funded in the past- through our Grantee page and filter by empowerment grants. 

Who do we wish to fund? 

The (lead) applicant must be target group-led. This means that the target group governs and manages the organisation with the principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us” guiding their work. 

Additionally, the (lead) applicant must be registered in at least one of the countries in the region where their project will be implemented. For example: For a project in West Africa, the (lead) applicant needs to be registered in either Niger, Mali, Nigeria or another neighbouring country in West Africa. 

The only exception is if the grant cannot be led by an organisation based in the countries due to the nature of the proposed project presenting additional security or safety risks. In this case, Voice allows an application led by a target group-led organisation in a third country (preferably in a neighbouring country but also possibly outside Africa and Asia; if so required). Obviously, the majority of the activities still need to be implemented in close collaboration with local groups in the Voice focus countries, taking security and safety into account. 

Who and what we won’t fund: 

• (Lead) applicant(s) with an annual turnover of over € 500.000. 
• Funding of commercial services, investment or other commercial activities. 
• Projects involving activities involving only one country or no Voice-focus country at all. 
• Projects across Voice regions. For example, A project proposed by a (lead) organisation based in South East Asia to be implemented in East Africa. The only exception is explained above. 

Final remarks… 

Existing empowerment grantees can only apply with a project that will start after their current Voice-funded project ends. Voice encourages graduation, but can only have one contract at a time with a (lead) organisation. 

All Voice-funded projects need to be fully finished before the end of December 2020. Therefore, applicants considering applying cannot include activities beyond this deadline.