The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) 2016 Small Grants Program application opens January 1, 2016. Registered community-based organizations working in the areas of HIV and AIDS prevention, the care and support of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), and democracy and governance related to the national HIV response are eligible to apply. The U.S. Embassy is accepting applications for grant awards up to ZMW 100,000 until February 29, 2016.
“PEPFAR’s Small Grants Program gives local, community-based organizations the opportunity to grow and thrive,” said Dr. Tamu Daniel, acting PEPFAR country coordinator. “The small grants program has helped bring more than 300 community-based ideas and solutions to prevent HIV and support OVC to fruition since 2005.”
HIV and AIDS prevention small grants reduce the spread of HIV by addressing stigma and discrimination, promoting community-based solutions to health issues, behavioral changes that reduce the risk of HIV, voluntary testing and counseling, and other effective prevention methods. Past OVC projects include training families and caretakers of OVC in life-skills, providing psychosocial support, and strengthening communities’ capacity to care for OVC.
“This year we are expanding our portfolio to emphasize democracy and governance in Zambia’s HIV response,” said Dr. Daniel. “Organizations educating citizens about their rights to high quality health services, ensuring accountability and transparency in Zambia’s HIV response, and collaborating with other civil society groups to improve the response, for example, are encouraged to apply.”
Applicants must demonstrate prior success in working in HIV/AIDS prevention, with OVC, or democracy and governance as related to the national HIV response, how the activities proposed will be sustained over the long term, and a monetary or in-kind contribution to the project from the organization or from its community. Applicants must be legally registered non-profit organizations in Zambia. Projects should be ready to begin October 1, 2016 and must be completed by September 30, 2017.
Complete guidelines and application forms are available on the United States Embassy Zambia web site: http://zambia.usembassy.gov/smallgrants.html. For further information applicants may contact Charlene Repique, PEPFAR Small Grants Coordinator, Embassy of the United States of America, P.O. Box 320065, Lusaka, Zambia 10101, [email protected], +260 211 357062.
