According to the Context Analysis conducted earlier in the year, Uganda has made tremendous efforts by putting in place policies, affirmative action, and programmes that support the different rightsholder groups like women and girls, persons with disabilities, vulnerable youth and elderly persons. However, implementation is still low across the board. State recognition does not always result in effective implementation of the laws, policies and/or programmes.

This Call for Proposals is therefore meant to take advantage of the upcoming presidential, parliamentary and local government elections, to ensure that the rightsholders Voice serves are well represented. We are looking for project ideas that strengthen the political power of those who are currently unheard, those who remain ignored by public opinion and power-holders, and those whose needs are being discussed without them at the table. With new leadership expected at National, Parliament, District and Local council levels, there are advocacy opportunities to advance the issues of Voice rightsholders.

What are we looking for?

Locally registered Ugandan organisations/coalition/consortium that want to creatively lobby and advocate for the participation of Voice rightsholders in key decision-making processes, in policy formulation and in the fight for social justice. We invite these groups to submit proposals that leverage on self-led influencing approaches to support progress in any one of the Voice main impact areas or a combination of all the three.

Here are some guiding questions to inspire your ideas;-

• Do you have experience in promoting government-citizen dialogues and engagements in driving social justice among Ugandans? Especially young people, women and persons with disabilities?
• Do you have a prior engagement with the various rightsholders of Voice in an intersectional way?
• Are you familiar with Uganda’s political processes and have ideas that can help foster meaningful political participation for Voice rightsholder groups during and after elections?
• Are you a believer in a collective effort with the ability to convene other like-minded organisations to amplify the voices of marginalised and discriminated groups?
• In this COVID19 era and beyond, are your ideas innovative for creating a safe environment for political participation and creatively influencing policy change in Uganda from the grassroots to the national level or even at the regional level?
• Do you have experience in rallying young people, women and people with disabilities to meaningfully engage in decision making especially in the political arena?
• Do you have the capacity to convene groups (formal and informal) to advocate for meaningful change?

If your answer is yes to any or all of the questions above, then consider applying for this Call for Proposals!

Voice in Uganda will prioritise collaborations among organisations led by or representing marginalised communities. We will have a preference for projects that are truly committed to putting Voice rightsholders in the lead. Priority is given to applications led by organisations that represent or work on, for, and/or with the following rightsholder groups:

• Vulnerable elderly and young people
• Indigenous people and ethnic minorities
• LGBTI people
• People with disabilities
• Women facing exploitation, abuse, and violence

Intersectionality is at the very heart of Voice. Therefore, we have a strong preference for selecting projects that intend to work with more than one of the Voice rightsholder groups to address overlapping or cross-cutting challenges and promote inter-and/or intra-group solidarity.  Please check out previous Voice supported Influencing and Sudden Opportunity grantees to learn more on the kind of projects implemented in Uganda.

Proposals need to be at least 18 – 30 months with a budget of up to €200,000.

What do we mean by Influencing?

Based on the Voice Theory of Change, influencing is the process where rightsholders and their representatives will use a range of lobby and advocacy tools to influence individuals, families, communities, private business, religious leaders, (social) media, and other decision-makers’ policies, practices, and behaviours. We are less interested in supporting projects just organising workshops but more  on out-of-the-box advocacy tools that are fun and creative, appealing to the Voice rightsholders. Ultimately, the combined interventions will lead to rightsholders:

• claiming their rights as equal citizens;
• having meaningful participation in political, economic, and social spheres, and;
• accessing services and resources.

Influencing should happen and move across multiple levels from individuals to communities to (sub-) national. Actions at the individual level can reinforce actions at other levels. IN general, influencing grants target organisations and networks to strengthen their lobby and advocacy capacities and amplify the voices of rightsholder groups.

Who do we wish to fund?

Voice in Uganda would like to consolidate its work and create synergies in engagement, harness and leverage benefits from previous investments. Applications will be accepted from ONLY locally registered not-for-profit local organisations working in the following districts: Gulu, Amuru, Nwoya, Omoro, Lira, Oyam, Kole, Masindi, Hoima, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Kabarole, Lyantonde, Mbarara, Sheema, Wakiso, Mubende, Mityana, Masaka, Mpigi, Kayunga, Mbale, Pallisa, Iganga, Bugiri, Kamuli, Jinja, Butaleja, Kaliro, and Mayuge.

Applicants registered outside these areas are nevertheless eligible to apply as far as they have a project base/office in the selected areas and can provide the intervention there without undue travel costs allocated to Voice. International organisations are NOT eligible to apply as lead organisations but can be co-applicants in case of consortium applications.

What we won’t fund

• Organisations with an annual turnover of over €2 million.
• An application where the grant awarded from Voice is more than 50% of the total annual income of the applicant organisation.
  • The way to calculate this is to divide the requested amount by number of years the project will be implemented. The result will then be divided by the annual income.
  • If the result of this calculation is over 50% you can either reduce the requested amount or team up as part of a consortium where you can add up the annual incomes.
• Funding of commercial services, investment or other commercial activities.

Practising the Values of Voice

Voice believes in the principle of Nothing About Us Without Us. In practice, this means Voice rightsholder groups need to be at the centre of any effort. They must be involved in the conceptualisation, planning, and implementation of any grant. They are equal partners in any consortium, network, or coalition, playing key governance and leadership roles.

Linking and Learning

Linking and Learning is at the heart and soul of Voice. All grantees are expected to participate in facilitated meetings and gatherings enabling the exchange of ideas and learnings from each other’s experiences. Applicants must demonstrate in their proposals how they will identify, document, and share their learnings as they implement their project. These may come in many forms such as blog posts, videos, photo essay or audio recordings.

Voice values diversity and inclusion. All grantees are expected to be able to interact with and learn from a diverse group of people coming from different backgrounds, orientations, and experiences. Interested applicants must be willing to work in a diverse community, which includes representatives from all of the Voice rightsholder groups.

This Call for Proposals is closed and no longer accepting applications. Come back here at a later stage to learn about the grantees that have been selected in this Call for Proposals.

The current open Calls for Proposals can be found here.