The World Bank’s purpose is to reduce poverty and improve living standards for people in the developing world. The Bank provides loans, policy advice based on economic and sector analytical work, technical assistance, and increasingly, knowledge-sharing services to governments.
The World Bank acknowledges the importance of the engagement of civil society in development. There are a few facilities or programs that provide grants to civil society organizations.
Bank Funds for CSOs
The World Bank manages several types of funding mechanisms geared to providing grants directly to CSOs. These funds are administered by the Development Grant Facility which provides block grants to these funding mechanisms on an annual basis. During fiscal year 2003. (July 2002 – June 2003) the DGF provided $ 157.0 million to 48 internal and external grant programs.
> Some of the grant programs funded by the DGF include a variety of small-grants funds (ranging from $ 15,000 to $ I million) geared to supporting civil society activities in specific areas such as environment, micro-credit, post-conflict reconstruction, information technology, human rights, gender and innovative practices.
A second category of mechanisms are trust funds which are funded by development governments (e.g. UK, Dutch, Japan) and also geared to specific topics such as social development and poverty reduction.
While CSOs can access the small-grants programs directly by submitting proposals to the respective offices (see below), they must partner with government agencies and/or Bank units in order to receive trust fund moneys.
Small Grants Program

Purpose
The Small Grants Program of the World Bank was created in 1983 to promote dialogue and disseminate information about development in forums outsides its own operations. It is funded by the Development Grant Facility of the World Bank. The Small Grants Program has been decentralized to World Bank Country Offices. All decisions on grant making are made through participating World Bank Country Offices once a year. Interested NGOs and other organizations of civil society should contact the local World Bank Country Office.
The purpose of the Small Grants Program is to support the empowerment of citizens to have greater ownership of development processes, thereby making these processes more inclusive and equitable. The Small Grants Program is interested in supporting activities related to this purpose.
Activities should also:
> Promote dialogue and disseminate information for the empowerment of marginalized and Vulnerable groups; and
> Enhance partnerships with key players in support of the development process. Key players could include government agencies, civil society organizations, multilateral and bilateral agencies, foundations, and the private sector.

Application Procedures

How to Apply for a Grant ?
The Small Grants Program is administered by participating World Bank Country Offices. Not all Country offices participate in the Small Grants Program. Guidelines and application forms are available from the participating World Bank Country Office in January. The Small Grants Program makes decisions only once a year by June. Applicant organizatins should apply at least four to six months in advance of the date of the grant activity. Applicants are advised to the participating Country Office. Requests and proposals should not be sent to the World Bank Office in Washington, D.C.
Who can Apply ?
> Civil society organizations based in a developing country and working on issues of development can apply for a grant.
> Civil society organizations must be in good standing and have a record of achievement in the community and record of financial probity.
> Priority will be given to organizations not supported by the Program in previous years (organizations are not eligible for more than three grants from the Small Grants Program within a five – year period).
> The World Bank Small Grants Program is able to fund only a very small percentage of the requests it receives. The demand for grants greatly exceeds the availability of funds.
What Kind of Activities are Supported ?
The Small Grants Program supports activities related to civic engagement for the empowerment of marginalized and vulnerable groups. Civic Engagement is the process through which civil society organizations actively engage in relationships and actions with the state and other development actors to address issues of public concern.
Activities should promote dialogue and dissemination of information; and enhance partnerships with key players in support of the development process. Key players could include government agencies, civil society organizations, multilateral and bilateral agencies, foundations, and the private sector.
Activities may include, but are not limited to, workshops and seminars, costs for publications or audio-visual materials, or other innovative networking efforts that small organizations generally find difficult to fund through their regular program budgets. The activity should be completed within one year of the date the grant is awarded.

What Kind of Activities are not Supported ?
Small Grants can not fund; Research programs, formal academic training programs, operational projects, ongoing institutional core support (such as equipment), scholarships, fellowships, study programs, individuals applying on their own behalf, or non legal entities. Proposed activities should not complete with or substitute for regular World Bank instruments; the activity should be clearly distinguishable from the Bank’s regular programs.
What Size of Grants are Awarded ?
Most grants are in the range of $ 3,000 to $ 7,000 with a maximum of $ 15,000. The Small Grants Program rarely funds more than half of the proposed budget for an activity, and therefore prefers that its grants help leverage additional contributions from other sources. Applicant organizations are asked to describe how a grant from the World Bank might help them to raise matching funds from other donors.
Development Marketplace
World Bank generally invites civil society groups (NGOs), Societal entrepreneurs and private sector corporations for submitting innovative developmental ideas and roughly US $ 3 million is awarded to small scale projects that not only delivers results but also have the potential to be expanded or replicated. Generally this is announced in between Nov-Dec of every year e.g. for 2005., the last date of submission of the proposal was up to 21 Jan 2005. Each year the theme is also given e.g. for 2005, the theme was “Innovations for Livelihoods in Sustainable Environment”.
For more details contact [email protected]

Contact for Small Grant Program

The World Bank
70 Lodi Estate, New Delhi-110 003, India
(Postal Address : P.O. Box 416, New Delhi – 110 001)
Tel : (91 – 11)2461 7241, Fax : (91 – 11)2461 9393
e-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.worldbank.org.in

Making Health a Reality for the People of India

Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) is a non-profit, registered society formed in 1970. It is a federation of 24 State Voluntary Health Associations, linking together over 4000 member institutions across the country. VHAI is one of the target health and development networks in the world.

 

VHAI advocates people-centered policies for dynamic health planning and programme management in India. VHAI initiates and supports innovative health and development programmes at the grassroots with the active participation of people.

 

VHAI strives to build up a strong health movement in the country for a cost effective, preventive, promotive and rehabilitative health care system. It works towards a responsive public health sector and responsible private sector with accountability and quality service. VHAI promotes health as an issue of human right and development.

 

The beneficiaries of VHATs programme include health professionals, researchers, social activists, and government functionaries and media personnel.

 

Vision

“Making Health a Reality for the People of India”

 

Mission

> Promotion of social justice, equity and human rights in the provision and distribution of health services for all, with emphasis on the less privileged millions.

> Strengthening a people’s health movement in the country.

> Advocating congenial policies and programmes aimed at improving the health status and quality of life of the people.

 

Strategies

> Supporting voluntary efforts in the country through formation and strengthening of state level organizations.

> Initiating innovative grassroots level sustainable health and development programmes in some of the least developed in the country.

> Capacity building of voluntary agencies through formal and non-formal training, awareness building and orientation programmes.

> Developing and sharing effective development communication tools aimed at promoting educational activities and campaigns.

> Doing health policy research for influencing policies and programmes for a cost-effective, preventive, promotive and economically sustainable health care system in the country.

> Doing advocacy and lobbying with policy makers by suggesting viable alternatives supported by research, for improving governance and programme implementation.

> Repackaging and dissemination of information collected globally to network partner in the country.

> Effective networking with Government, UN Agencies and voluntary and professional bodies with regard to sharing of expertise and resources.

> Responding to medical and health emergencies during and after natural disasters.

 

Know VHAI

The Voluntary Health Association of India *VHAI was founded in 1970 as a secular, non-political, non-profit organization. It is registered under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860 as a Non-Governmental Agency. VHA federates 27 State level Voluntary Health Associations in the country. It is linked to over 4500 member institutions through State Voluntary Health Associations. VHAI works closely with a large number of associates and partners in India and abroad. This includes a Health Workers Collective of over 120000 members, spread across the country. These make VHAI as one of the largest health and development networks in the world.

 

For more detail please contact :

Sri Alok Mukhopadhyay, Chief Executive, VHAI

Voluntary Health .association of India

40 Qutub Institutional Area. New Delhi – 110 016

Phone : 265  807  -72.2651  018,2695871 Fax: 011-26853708

Email: [email protected]   Website : www.vhai.org

 

“There are not paths. Paths are made by walking.”

 

UNIFEM is the Women’s Fund at the United Nations. It was created in 1976 by the UN General Assembly resolution in 1976, in response to the call from the women’s movement. It was set up to be an aid to and advocate for women of the developing world-to give them voice and visibility. It serves as a bridge between global policy-makers and grassroots women in the developing world and is a key institution for forming linkages and bridging micro-voices to macro-policies.

 

The fund is an autonomous organization that works in close association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

 

Programs

 

1. Engendering Governance:

> Strengthening accountability by engendering institutions, systems and processes of governance, which include engendering of development planning processes as also systems of economic governance through engendered fiscal systems.

> Engendering the leadership of women in politics to play a transformatory role in policy and development planning in South Asia.

> Enabling gender responsiveness in the bureaucracy.

> Strengthening the intellectual and conceptual understanding of South Asia networks of organizations and individuals committed to gender-just and sustainable development.

 

2. Promoting Human Rights:

> Facilitating the implementation of human rights instruments and bring laws into conformity with human rights standards.

> Strengthening institutional mechanisms for gender justice.

> Addressing different forms of violence against women and girls in the home and the community and socio-cultural practices and socialization processes that perpetuate it.

> Developing actions to address women’s human rights in the context of conflict and post-conflict.

> Promoting well defined preventive, protective and prosecution strategies in the region to reduce trafficking of women and children.

> Projecting the gender dimension of HIV/AIDS into the public discourse in HIV/ AIDS, including the Government, NGOs, bilateral and UN agencies.

 

3. Economic Security and Rights:

> Highlighting women’s work and their economic contributions by engendering Census Exercises in India, Nepal and Pakistan.

> Building women’s capacities and improving their access to larger markets and financial products and services.

> Improving living and working conditions for migrant women workers in Nepal and Sri Lanka, home-based workers and mountain women.

 

4. Catalyzing gender mainstreaming within the UN system:

> Building gender sensitivity’ into the UNDAF process.

> Supporting and catalyzing the work of the Inter-agency Working Group on Gender.

• Building synergy with UNDP and other UN agencies.

Contact Address

Ms. Chandni Joshi,

Regional Programme Director

L’mled Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)

223 Jor Bagh. New Delhi – 110 003

Tel: 91-11-24698297. 24604351

Fax: 91-11-24622136.24627612

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.unifem.org.in

Service

Trusts created by the Tata Group have provided valuable service to society ghrough the funding of educational and healthcare institutions and scientific and artistic teaching and practice, besides aiding community welfare activities.

 

Sir Dorabji Tata Trust

This multipurpose trust was established in 1932 when Sir Dorabji Tata committed all his wealth to it. The trust is best known for promoting six pioneering institutions of national importance. Four of these were established

in Mumbai : the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (in 1936) ; the Tata Memorial Centre for Cancer Research and Treatment (1941); the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (1945) ; and the National Centre for the Performing Arts (1966). The National Institute of Advanced Studies (1988) and the Sir Dorabji Tata Centre for Research in Tropical Diseases (1999) are in Banglore.

 

Jamsetji Tata Trust

Set up in 1974, this trust is named after the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata. Established to mark the centenary year of the first Tata enterprise, it bestows grants in areas where innovative efforts are being made.

 

J.N. Tata Endowment

Established in 1892, the trust funds higher education for deserving Indian scholars. The trust has supported 3,500 scholars and awarded more then Rs 68 million to promising students from various strata of society.

 

J.R.D. and Thelma J. Tata Trust

Set up in 1991 by J.R.D. Tata with his and his wife’s personal wealth, the trust works to uplift women and children.

 

J.R.D. Tata Trust

Established in 1944, this trust supports, by way of institutional donations, the advancement of learning. It also gives research grants and scholarships, provides relief in the wake of natural calamities, and backs social-welfare projects and philanthropic activities.

 

Lady Meherbai D. Tata Education Trust

This trust was set up in 1932 by Sir Dorabji Tata in memory of his wife. Lady Meherbai Tata. It helps women graduates go abroad to study social work, and has thus far supported 228 women graduates (with total disbursements of Rs 30,70,000).

 

Lady Tata Memorial Trust

Established in 1932 by Sir Dorabji Tata in memory of his wife Lady Meherbai Tata, this trust promotes research in diseases of the blood. It disburses funds mainly by way of  international awards, which are decided by a scientific advisory committee in London. A fifth of the trusts income is expended on Indian awards for research on the alleviation of human suffering.

 

M.K.Tata Trust

This trust was set up in 1958 by Minocher K. Tata his personal resources. The objectives of the trust are the advancement of learning in all fields by way of research grants and scholarships; and providing medical and other relief in the aftermath of natural calamities.

 

Sir Ratan Tata Trust

The trust was established in 1918 in accordance with directives in Sir Ratan Tata’s will. It utilises its funds in five areas : basic and advanced (postgraduate) education; primary and preventive health; rural livelihoods and communities; arts and culture; and public initiatives. Preference is given to projects based in rural India, and those that involve the advancement of women and children.

 

R.D. Tata Trust

Set up in 1990, the promoted the advancement of learning by way of institutional grants. It also backs social-welfare projects and philanthropic activities. Tata Social Welfare Trust and Tata Education Trust Established in 1990, the trust encourages the advancement of learning in all fields by way of research grants and scholarships. It also provides medical and other relief to people who have suffered in natural calamities.

 

Contact:

Bombay House, 24, Homi Mody Street, Fort, Mumbai – 400 001, India Tel: +91-22-5665 8282

The PACS Programme is a seven year (2001-2008) efforts to empower millions of poor people living in many of India’s most backward districts. It seeks to achieve this by strengthening civil society oranisations (CSOs) working for the poor. The programme today covers over 10500 villages in around 74 districts of 6 states through a network of over 350 CSOs.

 

Aim

The PACS Programme stems from the overall aim of the UK’s Department For International Development (DFID) to reduce global poverty and promote sustainable development.

 

In particular DFID is committed to achieving the UN Millennium Development Goal of having the number of poeple living in extreme poverty in the world by 2015.

 

In India DFID is working in partnership with the state governments of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh on a variety of programmes.

 

The PACS Programme was conceptualised to help the very large number of poor people living in other regions of the country.

 

To achieve maximum long-term impact over a large area in an effective and manageable way, the PACS Programme focuses on strengthening the awareness and capabilities of poor people, so that they can demand and exercise their rights – political, economic, social and human – to improve their own lives. In other words, the programme focuses on the demand side, rather than on supply side activities such as building infrastructure.

 

Focuses on around 100 of the poorest districts of India, the PACS Programme seeks to build the capacities of poor people to:

>  Influence policies, and

>  demand services and entitlements that can improve their lives.

This is the primary objective of the programme. The programme seeks to achieve these goals through a network of civil society organisations (CSOs). CSOs have been deliberately chosen as agents of change. In many of the poorest areas they have a far more effective reach than governments or market forces.

 

The secondary objective of the programme is to strengthen the capacity and role of Indian civil society and CSOs working for the poor. This will ensure that the benefits of the programme are sustained over the medium term.

The long-term goals of the programme are :

>  Supporting the poor to help themselves as well as demand their rights

>  Influencing government to adopt successful methods for reducing poverty

>  Making government at all levels more effective and accountable, and

>  Making society more responsive to the problems and aspirations of the poor.

 

Strategies

The PACS Programme’s strategies are derived from its Aim.

 

The Programme supports a network of civil society organisations (CSOs) working on projects aimed at increasing the capacity of poor people to demand and use political, economic, social and human rights, and services to improve their lives.

 

The carefully selected CSOs, including some large Indian and international organisations, usually work in partnership with other organisations.

 

The PACS Programme is currently (as per internet checked on 2/3/2005) supporting 80 CSOs; known as programme partners. Including small and medium -sized organisations allied to these CSOs, the PACS Programme network extends to over 350 non-governmental organisations.

 

All the programme partners work within the scope of clearly defined and rigorously appraised project proposals. To know more about partners and their projects, click here going into website.

 

The PACS Programme has been designed to determine and implement the most effective strategies to empower the poor and build the capacities of local communitee. It supports an integrated approach to key development concerns, including.

>  Improved local self-governance : Many PACS Programme projects develop the capacity of the poor to voice their needs and views through panchayati raj institutions, so that they can exercise democratic control over local representatives and public services.

>  Women’s empowerment: Many PACS Programme projects focus on improving women’s participation in local government.

>  Social cohesion : The PACS Programme works to increase awareness of rights and catalyse change in institutions and policies to reduce discriminatory practices in communities, especially discrimination against tribals and dalits, the landless, women, children and minorities. The programme encourages peaceful and cohesive approaches to securing rights.

>  Policy advocacy : The absence of relevant and effective state and national policies compounds the problems of the poor. In other instances, pro-poor policies exist but are not implemented. PACS Programme managers and partners are working on advocacy efforts for the formulation and implementation of policies in favour of the poor.

>  Self-help : For the poor to work towards the long-term outcomes listed above, it is essential that their immediate, basic needs are met. Hence the PACS Programme supports sustainable self-help initiatives which complement the efforts of governments and provide a platform for addressing other key issues. Self-help also promotes the development of participatory leadership and economic security.

 

The PACS Programme seeks to promote the creation of clusters and networks of CSOs so that concerted effort can be made on these and other inter-related and pressing issues such as :

>  Denial If land rights.

>  Problems of the disabled.

>  Rights of children

>  Integrated development of specific regions such as Bundelkhand.

>  Creation of sustainable livelihoods on a large scale.

 

Parterres work to meet programme objectives by :

>  Creating awareness among the poor about their constitutional and legal rights.

>  Providing training and information in management or technology skills.

>  Organising exposure visits.

>  Encouraging and supporting microfinance groups.

>  Facilitating the development of new livelihood opportunities.

>  Establishing links to government institutions and programmes.

>  Developing their own and other organisations involved with issues of the poor.

>  Undertaking issue-based advocacy.

 

While the PACS Programme is primarily focused on the poor, it is also strengthening the capacity and role of CSOs. The programme has a long-term capacity -building framework with specific training programmes, seminars and workshops on issues and topics identified by the programme’s managers in consultation with the programme partners.

 

Stronger CSOs with enhanced skills, exposure and knowledge will ensure that the benefits of the programme are sustained over the medium term.

Through advocacy, communities of success stories and networks with other institutions, the programme attempts to meet the long-term goals of:

>  influencing government to adopt successful methods for reducing poverty

>  making government at all levels more effective and accountable, and

>  making society more responsive to the problems and aspirations of the poor.

 

Geographical Coverage

The PACS Programme is operational in an extremely backward region of central and eastern India spanning six states:

>  Maharashtra  >  Madhya Pradesh  >  Uttar Pradesh

>  Chhattisgarh  >  Bihar    >  Jharkhand

 

Rationale

The PACS Programme area across these states has been defined on the basis of a list of 100 ‘poorest’ districts of India prepared by a committee of the Government of India’s Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment, in 1997. After new districts were carved out, this list increased to 108 districts. See India’s poorest districts for a discussion on this list, a more recent list prepared by the Planning Commission and another list prepared by non-government experts.

 

From the 1997 list, the PACS Programme area was carved out in such a way that it covers the maximum number of ‘poorest’ districts in a geographically contiguous region, so that the programme could reach the largest number of poor people in an effective and manageable way.

 

The PACS Programme area so created covers around 85% of the ‘poorest’ districts of India, as defined by the Government of India in 1997. About 40% of India’s population lives in the programme area. An estimated 100 million people living in the programme area are ‘extremely poor’.

 

Present Scope

Till the end of 2003, PACS Programme projects were being implemented in 74 districts across six states; covering around 10,500 villages.

 

Submit a Project Proposal

The PACS Programme’s managers welcome concept papers for projects from reputed civil society organisations (CSOs).

CSOs seeking support should not submit project proposals at the first stage. Please read the following carefully on how to proceed.

>  First read about the PACS Programme’s Aim, Geographical Coverage and Strategies to see if your project proposal fits into the programme framework. You can also look up the Partners & Projects section to contact CSOs in your region that are already associated with the PACS Programme.

>  If your project proposal fits into the PACS Programme framework, see whether your organisation meets the Selection Criteria for receiving grants directly.

>  Read about the Selection Process and submit your concept paper in the specified format.

 

Does the PACS Programme support efforts like construction of schools and hospitals ?

No. The PACS Programme is aimed at demand-side issues: making poor people more aware of their human, political, social and economic rights and building their capabilities to exercise these rights for the betterment of their lives. The programme is not aimed at supply-side issues like construction of schools and hospitals.

 

However, CSOs participating in the programme could be involved in tackling supply-side issues through other programmes. The PACS Programme managers are also exploring the possibility of linking some of the programme’s projects to supply-side assistance, with the aid of other donor agencies and government programmes.

 

For more details write to:

PACS Programme Co-ordinator

Development Alternatives

B-32, TARA Crescent, Qutub Institutional Area

New Delhi – 110 016, India

Tel:+91-011 -26968904 (direct) / +91-011-26967938/26851158/26565370 (extension numbers 277/258)

Fax: -91-011-26866031

email: [email protected]

website: www.empowerpoor.org

The Hunger Project is a nontraditional, strategic, catalytic organization committed to the END OF PERSISTENT, CHRONIC WORLD HUNGER. It aims at creating a future that rejects the inevitability of hunger – not by providing direct relief that deal with just the periphery of the problem; rather by addressing the underlying social conditions that systematically deny hungry people the opportunity they need to end their own hunger. The Hunger Project invests in people’s productivity, mobilizes people in self-reliance; empowers women to have a voice in the decisions affecting their lives; and elicits committed local leadership for grassroots action to succeed.

 

Hunger Project: In-Action

The Hunger Project is active in the following countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Canada, Germany, Ghana, India, Japan, Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Netherlands. New Zealand, Peru, Senegal, Sweden, Switzerland, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States.

 

Hunger Project: The Funding

The Hunger Project is funded almost entirely by committed individuals who stand as co-equal partners with hungry people in the work of ending hunger. The return on investment is immediate and lasting – the joy and satisfaction of using ones resource for benefiting humanity.

 

The Hunger Project: India Program

We at THP believe a world Tree from hunger’ will come to fruition only when every woman, man and child has equal opportunity to health, education, nutrition, livelihood and a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. The Hunger Project is committed to addressing subjugation of women, exploitation of tribals, lack of access and control over productive assets, and domination of decision making by a few.

 

The Hunger Project India has chosen as its pathway) the strengthening of women’s leadership in Panchayats.

The 73rd amendment of the Constitution by reserving l/3rd seats for women in the village panchayats has politically empowered I Million women all over the country. Our work in past four years with these elected women has unearthed the fact that when women gain voices in the processes that affect their lives and the lives of those who are at the lowest, it is the elected women who shoulder the responsibility of taking their communities forward on the path of economic and social justice. Elected trained women also address social conditions, which have systematically hindered and undermined the roles of these women and have deninied them opportunities of participation in public life. The Hunger Project recognizes and seeks to address these conditions by advocating and undertaking initiatives that can lead to the effective functioning of Panchayats such that they serve as appropriate sustainable institutions for addressing issues of hunger that confront millions each day.

 

THP India currently has program interventions in 14 States, viz., Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Kamataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttranchal and Uttar Pradesh. Apart from Assam & Arunachal Pradesh, where THP is working directly with communities and women leaders, most of our work is being implemented in partnership with a network of 49 local level NGOs across the Country.

 

THP’s work continues to be supported by nearly 5000 individual investors worldwide, who share our vision. Over the last year, in addition to support from bilateral donor organizations such as DANIDA, and SDC, THP also received a grant from the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.

 

Our Strategy in India

South Asia is a region with abundant food, yet it has the highest rates of child-hood malnutrition in the world – twice as high as Africa. The reason : women and girls in South Asia suffer a lifetime of subjugation.

 

A historic amendment to India’s constitution in the 1990s provides an opportunity to transform this condition. The 73rd amendment requires that one-third of all seats in village councils (panchayats) must be held by women. Women – most of whom have been denied health, education and nutrition all their lives — suddenly have a seat at the table. Each five-year term, five million women run for elections, and more than one million are elected – more than all the elected women in all the other countries in the world.

 

As women come to power, they shift the agenda toward health, education and nutrition. They become role models – winning the respect of men and building confidence in other women.

 

The Hunger Project is seizing this opportunity with a four- pronged strategy:

>  Capacity – building of elected women representatives, through a Women’s Leadership Workshop, follow-up workshops and skills trainings.

>  Making panchayats effective, by mobilizing greater public partipation in public meetings.

>  Influencing public opinion in support of women’s leadership, including action to mobilize the power of the media.

>  Building alliance at the local, state and national levels, to change policies in order to strengthen local democracy and women’s leadership.

 

Some Views Expressed in the Country Director Ms Ritu Sarin’s Statement in the Annual Report of THP for the year 2003-04

We all are convinced that decentralization is critical for creating spaces for people’s voice. We also realize that the challenges facing the rural India can never l)e solved by top-down bureaucratic interventions. The needs of communities in health, sanitation, clean water, education, family planning and income can only be met locally through local responsibility and local accountability.

 

This is where the 73rd amendment is potentially revolutionary; and mandates that resources, responsibility and power (funds, functions and functionaries) be moved from the state government to the district, block and village level – where decisions that are truly appropriate to people’s own desires and opportunities, can be made. Hence, Panchayats (village councils) make possible a social and economic revitalization of rural India, and play role in providing better health, more education and better income through implementation of development programs. Panchayats today have journeyed from an informal institution rooted in tradition to a formal institution with constitutional status, and hold the promise to uplift the entire nation.

 

THP has trained more than 20,000 women leaders with the help of its partners. And the trained women leaders struggle with this dissonance.

 

They have a vision for how they would like their Panchayat to be. In many cases there are micro plans that are ready for being implemented. But there are no funds. There are few functionaries.

 

Despite the above hurdles and insensitive policies The Hunger Project has in the past four years witnessed a revolution in women’s leadership and the potential it holds for the end of hunger. With each program activity that takes place in India, we witness yet another unfolding of the human spirit.

 

As a part of olir campaign. The Hunger Project is calling forth village elders. Government officials, journalists, NGOs and international agencies to create a broad-based movement for a new future for India, a new future that is promised by the 73rd and 74th amendment; but it is a promise that still remains to be fulfilled.

 

Strengthening Women’s Leadership

One of our key strategies is to strengthen women’s leadership in Panchayats by building up the self-confidence and morale of elected women representatives and equipping them with information, skills and tools that will help them be more effective. This is being done through the medium of Women’s Leadership workshops and follow-up sessions. Designed by THP, these workshops are conducted by a large cadre of trainers built up over the years by THP, thorough periodic Training of Trainers programmes.

 

Making Panchayats Effective

THP has designed interventions to work with and support the Gram Sabhas in becoming more active and in being able to support the panchayat leaders and also to hold the functionaries accountable. The primary emphasis again is on the increased participation of women in the Gram Sabha.

 

To facilitate the broader participation of women, representatives of self-help groups or women with a leadership potential are identified and provided with support through workshops. In some cases, women are identified at the ward level and supported to serve catalysts in their own communities.

 

THP has supported PRESS (Panchayati Raj Sahyogi Sangh), a network of 26 organizations, from Udaipur and Rajsamund, who came together to work on strengthening the Panchayats through peoples’ participation. The network covers 49 panchayats. A set of key individuals in each ward of the Panchayat are identified and trained to create a “Jagruk Manch” (forum of awareness).

 

Influencing Public Opinion

THP has been able to undertake significant work with the media and is beginning to take a lead on other policy issues as well.

 

The Hunger Project works actively with the media to focus ongoing attention on the importance of Panchayati Raj, the building of local democracy and the leadership of women therein. Media persons, writers and journalists, are encouraged through a series of interactions with social activists and the women leader themselves, about the need to give space to issues of women’s leadership in PRIs. A total of 344 media persons participated in 15 such workshops over eight different states.

 

The Hunger Project Global Office

12 East 26th Street, New York, NY10010

Phone:001-212-251-9100

Fax:001-212-532- 9785

Web: www.thp.org

 

The Hunger Project Country Office

 

The Hunger India Office

Saheed Bhavan – 2nd floor, 18/1 Aruna Sasaf Ali Marg

Qutub Inst. Area, New Delhi 110 067

Telephone : 011 – 51688847 – 52

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.thp.org

 

The Hunger Project State Offices

MADHYA PRADESH

A-450 Mansarover Colony, Shahpura, Bhopal – 462016

 

ORISSA

Tarini Mandir Road, Bhavanipatna – 766001, District: Kalahandi, Orissa

 

BIHAR

Mehman Sarai, First Floor, (Behind Imarat Rizvi), Bank Road, Patna – 800001

 

TAMIL NADU

Gandhigram Rural Institute Deemed University, District: Dindigul Gandhigram-624302

 

RAJASTHAN

C-388, first floor, Setu Path, Malviya Nagar, Jaipur-302017

 

GUJARAT

203 Sarap Building, Opposite Navjivan Press, Off Ashram Road, Ahmedabad – 380014

 

KARNATAK

C/o Azim Premji Foundation

Third floor, Wipro Centre, 5 Papanna Street, St. Marks

Road Cross, Bangalore – 560001

 

MAHARASHTRA

C/o Swayam Shikshan Prayog, C.V.O.D.

Jain high School, 84 Samuel Street Dongri, Mumbai – 400 009

 

ASSAM

Satgaon Na-para, Near Masjid,

Guwahati – 781037, Assam

 

ARUNACHAL PRADESH

Bank Tiniali, Eastern Press House Building, Itanagar – 791 111, Arunachal Pradesh

 

The Ford Foundation is a private, non-profit, philanthropic organization dedicated to international peace and the advancement of human welfare. It seeks to identify and contribute to the solution of problems of national and international importance. The Foundation works primarily by providing support for applied research, training, experimentation, advocacy and developmental efforts that are innovative and promise significant advances in its field of interest. The goals of the Foundation are to:

> Strengthen democratic value.

> reduce poverty and injustice.

> promote international cooperation; and

> advance human achievement.

 

Founded in 1936, the Foundation operated as a local philanthropy in the state of Michigan, U.S.A., until 1950 when it expanded to become a national and international foundation. Since then it has provided over $12 billion in grants. These funds derive from an investment portfolio started with gifts and bequests from Henry and Edsel Ford. Over the years, the Foundation has diversified its investment portfolio to provide a perpetual source of support for its programs and operations. The total endowment of the Foundation is currently $10 billion. It has no commercial or religious affiliation and receives no funding from governments or from any other outside source.

 

Since the Foundation’s resources are models when compared to the problems it seeks to address, it focuses on a limited number of program strategies within its over-arching goals. In doing so, it brings together women and men who have diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Moreover, it also encourages broad participation and partnership in problem solving, and involves individuals and institutions from the non-government, government and business sectors, with special attention to those living and working closest to where the problems are located. This diversity and collaboration help to build common understanding and attempt to empower people to make significant and long-lasting improvements in their lives and communities.

 

An international Board of Trustees sets policy for the Foundation and delegates authority for grant-making to the President and senior staff. Program Offices in New York and the 12 overseas field offices explore opportunities to pursue its goals, formulate strategies, and recommend proposals for funding. A report on its activities, which also contains a list of grants made during the year is published annually and is available on request.

 

New Delhi Office

At the invitation of Prime Minster Jawaharlal Nehru, the Foundation established on office in India in 1952. It was the Foundation’s first program outside the United States, and remains the largest of its overseas field operations. Through its office in New Delhi, the Foundation also serves Nepal and Sri Lanka.

 

During the first two decades, the Foundation operated both as a grant-making organization and on implementing agency, and focused primarily on agriculture and rural development. It maintained a large staff that provided technical assistance and implemented many projects directly. Since 1972, the Foundation has functioned mainly as a grant-making institution, providing funds to academic institutions and research organizations, government agencies and non-government entities.

 

The Foundation’s program of support has evolved in response to changing needs and priories. Over the past five decades, the Foundation has made major commitments in the areas of agriculture and rural development, forest and natural resource management, reproductive health, livelihood, human rights, governance, education and culture, regional cooperation and security, and the promotion of in-country philanthropy. Grants in these fields have been designed to strengthen individual and institutional capabilities, support innovative concepts and approaches, and promote generation and sharing of knowledge.

 

The New Delhi office is headed by a Representative who is assisted by a group of internationally recruited program staff. This team of professionals seeks out promising opportunities in areas of program priority. Grant applications are carefully evaluated by the program staff who work with prospective partners to develop projects and recommend grants for funding Grants are not normally given for individual scholarships, travel or study abroad, or for the construction and maintenance of buildings.

 

Since its establishment in 1952, the New Delhi office has made 3,640 grants totaling around $502 million to more than 1,200 institutions. These grants include support for organizations in Nepal and Sri Lanka whose work contributes to the solution of problems within the region. The preset annual program budget of the New Delhi office is around $15 million.

 

Programs at the New Delhi Office

The Foundation has been privileged to have participated in the remarkable progress and achievements made by India and the South Asian region during the past fifty years. It also shares in the subcontinent’s continuing concerns. Despite significant economic growth and technological advancement, large numbers of people continue to live in absolute poverty. Furthermore, persistent inequities in access to resources and services, heightened conflicts and incidence of violence, growing social and cultural alienation, and continued deterioration of the natural resource base are among the elements of this development paradox.

 

In responding to these challenges, the Foundation is guided by the fundamental belief in the importance of encouraging ‘solutions through the initiative of those living and working closest to where the problems are. The Foundation also strongly believes in the value of ensuring the participation of women and men from diverse communities, from different sectors and at all levels of society. Grant-leaking in all programs attempts to primarily serve the historically disadvantaged, particularly those among the poorest of the population.

Strategies, approaches and projects are designed to especially benefit the most marginalized, those who are most vulnerable, excluded and farthest from centers of power, knowledge and opportunities. Women, dalits, advises and issues that affect them are at the core of Foundation programs. The Foundation’s priorities are to support grassroots organizations, citizens groups and social movements that work to uplift and empower the poor. The Foundation also supports government agencies, civil society, academic and research institutions, and advocacy organizations.

 

The Foundation organizes its grant-making around three major programs:

> Asset Building and Community Development.

> Peace and Social Justice, and

> Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom.

Each major program is, in turn, organized along fields and initiatives. In some cases, individual fields also respond to unique grant-making opportunities that may not directly relate to initiatives but promise significant scope for innovation and learning.

 

These fields and initiatives are described in more detail in the inserts at the back of its brochure.

 

Asset Building and Community Development

There are an estimated 300 million people living below the poverty line in South Asia. One of the leading causes of poverty is the lack of assets – financial, physical, natural, human and social. A lack of assets is the main reason for the vulnerability of the poor and their inability to cope with unforeseen circumstances. Access to assets can enable people to raise incomes and improve living standards.

 

The Ford Foundation’s Asset Building and Community Development program supports efforts by individuals and organizations to build a bundle of assets in ways that reduce poverty, discrimination and injustice. As durable resources, these assets are transferable across generations and provide a basis for enduring solutions for problems of persistent poverty.

 

The Foundation supports efforts towards asset creation by :

> Promoting more equitable, productive and sustainable management of natural resources and

> Creating economic opportunities, improving livelihoods and developing financial institutions responsive to  the needs of poor and disadvantaged people.

 

Better management of natural resources is promoted by greater access to common property resources, more equitable use, greater benefits through local value addition and more sustainable management.

 

Asset Building and Community Development

 

Environment and Development

The Environment and Development program seeks to advance new thinking, innovation and development practice that is compatible with the sustainable and equitable use of natural resources and environmental services. Natural resources include forests, agro biodiversity rich areas, fisheries and coastal waters that underpin many rural economies. Environmental services range from promoting clean air, maintaining biological diversity and contributing to the capacity of watersheds to replenish and purify water.

 

The Foundation supports efforts to integrate environmental conservation with strategies to improve livelihoods, create new economic opportunities and increase social equity. It supports resource dependent and especially marginalized communities to build social networks, increase their capacity to better manage resources, secure tenure and resource rights and use various strategies to assure equitable long-term access to natural resources. Respect for diverse cultural values and vitality are also important components of these strategies.

 

Through this program, the Foundation funds two major initiatives – community-based natural resource management and conservation-linked enterprise development. Grants in both initiatives support interventions at local, state and national levels. Federations of people’s organizations, social movements and membership organizations are given priority. Funds are provided for capacity development, action-research, pilot experiments, networking and policy advocacy.

 

Community-based natural resource management

This initiative supports efforts to promote equitable access, sustainable use and participatory management of natural resources within communities landscape. Priority is given to projects that:

> Promote environmentally friendly land use patterns and management approaches, which equitably distribute benefits and fairly allocate costs among resource users;

> Facilitate the evolution of equitable, accountable and efficient institutions capable of achieving scales necessary effective integrated resource management; and

> Ensure the partipation of poor and marginalized communities in management decision-making from the scale of individual resources to higher landscape levels.

 

Conservation-linked enterprise development

This initiative supports efforts to promote individual and collective asset creation through enterprises organized around the sustainable, equitable and efficient use and management of natural resources. Grants support projects that :

> Strengthen local capacities, facilitate economies of scale and increase efficiency through economically viable enterprises involving consortia, federations and networks of local resource users;

> Promote application of local knowledge and appropriate technology for better management of resources, local value addition and greater benefits to local communities; and

> Facilitate reinvestment of returns from enterprises in natural resources quality improvement, community development and livelihood security.

 

In addition to the above, the Foundation will make “opportunity” grants to address the challenges faced by vulnerable communities in the mountains and coastal areas.

 

The Foundation and its partners will measure progress as :

> Better and more secure access of poor and marginalized communities to environmental assets and to the incomes, livelihoods and values derived from them;

> Improved condition of natural assets in areas where the Foundation is working;

> Enhanced community capacity to participate in decision-making on environment and development issues;

> Increased public  awareness of the value of sustanaible  development and environmental services; and

> Policies and processes in both the public and private sectors that promote equitable and sustainable resource management.

 

Asset Building and Committee Development

Development Finance and Economic Security

The Foundation’s economic development program aims to reduce poverty and social injustice and to improve the well-being of poor and marginalized people by enabling them to better access resources and in formation and to build assets, skills and capabilities.

 

Making micro-finance more accessible

Micro-finance, including both credit and savings, has proven to be an important instrument in poverty reduction. Even small amounts of credit can help change people’s economic circumstances by enabling them to have more working capital or to buy income-producing assets such as milch animals or to reduce indebtedness.

 

Micro-finance is now available through a variety of organizations that have successfully demonstrated that it is possible to make loans to poor people in a financially sustainable way. However, millions of people still do not have access to sound and reliable ways to save and borrow money. The Foundation seeks to change this and to enhance the development impact of micro-finance by:

> Strengthening the capacity of micro-finance organizations to expand outreach, especially to poor women, dalits, low-caste and indigenous people;

> Enhancing skills and leadership capacity among poor people to build their own micro-finance and development organizations;

> Strengthening micro-finance organizations through improvements in internal systems, better public policies, and enhanced sector capacities and standards; and

> Leveraging greater resources for micro-finance from government and commercial sources, especially banks.

 

Strengthening livelihoods

A growing labor force, limited job creation and high rates of unemployment limit the livelihood options of poor people, the vast majority of whom work in the informal sector in a wide range of activities. They include-scale agriculture, petty trade, crafts production and services in which risks are high and return low. Opportunities for advancement are limited because people lack skills; education, training, and financial and other resources. They also lack access to markets conditions. Most enterprise development programs focus more on training, credit and other supply side factors with very title reference to market demand and coordination of services.

Finally, efforts to strengthen poor poeple’s livelihood are limited because, unlike in micro-finance, standardized best practices are not yet available for livelihoods promotion.

 

The Foundation’s economic program seeks to fill these gaps by :

 

> Promoting market responsive and demand-led enterprise development services to micro and small entrepreneurs; and

> Improving policies and programs based on sound research or practical experience to enable micro and small entrepreneurs to better access emerging local and global market opportunities. This aspect of the program also focuses on high impact sectors such as agriculture and the informal economy in which a large proportion of low -income workers are employed.

 

Leveraging rights for economic security

Poor people, including women, dalits, low-caste and indigenous people, face severe discrimination on a daily basis. Not only is such discrimination a violation of people’s human rights, it is also a significant barrier in overcoming poverty. There is growing awareness that livelihoods and development are human rights and that various types of rights – social, civil, political, and economic – are interlinked and mutually reinforcing.

 

The Foundation supports these efforts by :

> Building knowledge and awareness about the links between social discrimination  and poverty and ways to address poverty and economic security from a human rights perspective; and

> Encouraging application of rights-based perspectives and strategies in poverty reduction and livelihoods programs as, for example, by drawing upon international and national commitments and mechanisms for compliance to realize economic rights.

 

Peace and Social Justice

Enormous changes have taken place worldwide during the last decade. Innovations in technology and communications have revolutionized people’s abilities to share and exchange information and ideas across continents. Globalization and integration of the world’s economies have brought significant changes in people’s working lives. Ethnic, social and geo-political shifts have rewritten geographic boundaries and transformed relations between and among countries.

 

Despite increased communication and information exchanges, social and ethnic conflict and political violence continue to remain pervasive across the subcontinent. Vast numbers of people continue to live in extreme poverty lacking access to basic resources like food, water and land.

 

Women of particular ethnic or religious groups continue to experience discrimination and large scale human rights violations are committed by state and non-state actors with impunity. Many also do not have access to basic services, including those necessary for their reproductive and sexual health.

 

The challenges posed by this highly dynamic, complex and uncertain environment guide the Foundation’s efforts in Peace and Social Justice; Programs in this area work towards :

> Fostering effective, open, accountable, and responsive governmental institutions to secure the rule of law and the narrowing of inequality;

> Strengthening civil society through broader participation of individuals and civic organizations in charting the future;

> Supporting regional and international cooperation toward a more peaceful and equitable international order based on tolerance among diverse people;

> Promoting justice and ensuring the protection of human rights with a special emphasis on the assertion and protection of the rights of women.

 

Peace and Social Justice

 

Local-Global Governance

The Foundation’s governance work in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka is based on the conviction that deepening of democracy is possible only when citizens themselves address the existing democratic deficits at different levels of governance. Under this program, the Foundation focuses specifically on the issue of representation and voice by supporting organizations that are committed to effective citizen participation especially of women and marginalized groups of several levels of governance including local and global. The Foundation also works towards;

> Building capacity of elected representatives at the local level;

> Strengthening institutions and the network of citizens at the regional and global levels; and

> Supporting innovative research, documentation, advocacy and training that not only explicate the causes of democratic deficit but also propose solutions that link different levels of governance for better result.

 

As part of this concern, the Foundation supports efforts that generate and disseminate empirical and comparative knowledge regarding the redistributive and welfares functions of the state; promote greater understanding of policy making process in the context of globalization; and strengthen capacity building of organizations that work towards achieving greater accountability and transparency of state institutions. The Foundation’s support in promoting accountable governance focuses not only on the effective use of too Is such as budget analysis, right to information law by citizen groups, but also on innovative strategies that create synergy between marginalized groups and state institutions. Limited funds will also be available to support south-south dialogue and networking on the state and globalization.

 

Peace and Social Justice

Civil Society

The Civil Society program of the Foundation’s New Delhi office seeks to strengthen civil society in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka in three areas of interest :

> Promoting domestic philanthropy and resource mobilization, with an emphasis on philanthropy for social justice;

> Strengthening civil society as a democratic, participatory public sphere; and

> Fostering pluralism and peaceful co-existence.

Both current and new grantees are eligible for support. This program is particularly interested in reaching out to groups outside of major urban areas, as well as to potential applicants in Nepal and Sri Lanka.

 

The Foundation is particularly concerned with the development of social justice philanthropy, as opposed to philanthropy for welfare or charitable purposes.

 

Under this initiative, the Foundation supports :

> The development and growth of intermediary grant-making institutions that operate at the local, state or national level in order to promote social change and social justice (examples include village-level philanthropic institutions, community foundations, or women’s funds);

> Capacity building around governance, strategic grant-making, and resource mobilization for community-based and social justice philanthropies, as well as opportunities for peer learning and exchange;

> Research efforts by academic institutions that broaden knowledge of community-based and social justice philanthropy; and

> Effective media strategies in order to broaden and deepen public understanding of and support for civil society and philanthropy.

 

Strengthening civil society as a democratic, participatory public sphere

The initiative attempts to :

> Strengthen the research, communication, advocacy and leadership capacities of key civil society organizations, coalitions and networks that advance the foundation’s social justice goals and that represent the concerns of marginalized group;

> Support the development of watchdog groups, that use the public sphere to articulate and advance public interest goals;

> Strengthen the ability of South Asian civil society organizations to use the global public sphere to advance domestic social justice concerns; and

> Support coalition building and strengthening in order to create linkages across communities, issues, and geographic levels.

 

Promoting pluralism and peaceful co-existence

Promoting pluralism and peaceful co-existence builds upon prior work supported by the Foundation. Limited funds will be available in this area to support two areas of work:

> Research and dissemination that deepens understanding about pluralism and co-existence, as well as about the role of associational life; and,

> Civil society efforts that promote pluralism through diverse strategies (the program is exploring opportunities to collaborate with the Governance, Education, Arts and Culture, and Economic Development programs in order to foster pluralism from a multi-faceted approach).

 

Peace and Social Justice

 

Sexuality, Reproductive Health and Rights

The Sexuality, Reproductive Health and Rights program of the New Delhi office as part of the Foundation’s Peace and Social Justice program attempts to promote and secure reproductive and sexual health and rights for women and address issues of discrimination. It is firmly anchored on the conviction that women’s health needs can be adequately addressed only when there is a simultaneous improvement in the status of women in society. The long term vision of this program is therefore to effect social transformation around women’s rights. By using women’s sexual and reproductive health as the vehicle but moving beyond that to larger issues of social justice, the program is aimed at questioning underlying inequalities and discrimination and affirming the fundamental value of human agency. It attempts to assist and empower communities and individuals, particularly historically disadvantaged women, to demand and access quality services that effectively meet their sexual and reproductive health needs. It also supports efforts that enable women to control and articulate their reproductive health and rights.

 

Through support to ‘NGOs, researchers and government agencies, the program addresses the underlying social, cultural, legal, political and economic factors that limit people’s ability to address and claim sexual and reproductive rights in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. This is sought to be done through a program consisting of three initiatives.

 

Reframing strategies for reproductive health and rights

This initiative attempts to strengthen efforts made to address and reanove political, institutional and technical barriers so as to ensure that women are able to exercise the full range of reproductive rights, free of coercion and discrimination.

 

Promoting and securing sexual rights

Women’s lack of control over sexual decisions and the culture of silence surrounding issues of sexuality have led to the neglect of their sexual health. It has also increased control over sexual rights of women and vulnerable groups. Additionally, the lack pf a proper understanding of sexuality itself has led to insular strategies being adopted in addressing youth and HIV/AIDS issues. The initiative is aimed at deepening a positive, life enhancing understanding of sexuality. Primarily, it promotes sexual well-being as a key organizing principle of policies and programs.

 

Addressing gender violence and ensuring the rights of vulnerable groups

This initiative is premised on an understanding of the intersectional of gender violence, sexuality and women’s health. Women suffer from violence and its consequences because of their gender and unequal status in society. The fallout of violence on women’s health is deep and long lasting but invariably left unaddressed. The initiative attempts to strengthen institutional, legal and civil society’s response to gender violence and remove vulnerability to violence of people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

 

Knowledge, Creative and Freedom

The New Delhi office’s Educations, Arts and Culture Program is part of the larger unit called knowledge, Creativity and Freedom which aims to build knowledge, encourage creativity, and secure greater freedom of expression for all people, especially the poor, women and minorities. In the new global context created by increasing trans-national flow of goods, peoples, technologies, information, ideas, and images, this Program seeks to nurture the freedom to think creatively and innovatively, and to strengthen institutional and individual capacities to produce knowledge equitably and democracally. Our grant making in this area is based on our belief that knowledge and creativity are central to the richness of people’s lives and the progress of communities, and reiterates our long-term commitment to strengthening endangered historical, cultural, and artistic resources that form the living fabric of socially marginalized and economically disadvantaged groups. The Program also affirms the importance of the freedom to think and act critically, innovatively and responsibly in facilitating the creation and maintenance of just and plural societies.

 

The Program works towards :

> Enhancing individual and institutional capacities in the social sciences and the humanities to access and shape global knowledge-production;

> Improving and expanding opportunities for higher education, especially for historically excluded groups, and supporting scholarship and research that deepens our understanding of marginalization and discrimination;

> Strengthening the academic presence of arts and culture disciplines in institutions of higher learning, as well as fostering the use of the arts to improve the curriculum, instruction, student motivation, and student achievement in schools;

> Promoting pluralistic artistic expression in public areas, especially in schools and colleges.

 

Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom

 

Higher Education and Scholarship

In an environment where public investment in advanced education has traditionally been given a relatively low priority by national governments and international donors, the Foundation’s Higher Education and Scholarship program focuses on support for post-secondary higher education in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

 

Grant making in this program focuses on providing scholars and institutions with improved access to current information and electronic knowledge and on enhancing their capacity to become key players in the global areas of scholarship as well to develop and maintain plural and diverse communities in the region.

 

The International Fellowships Program (www.ifpsa.org<http://www.ifpsa.org/>) provides opportunities for advanced study to exceptional individuals belonging to social groups and communities that lack systematic access to higher education.

 

Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom

 

Arts and Culture

Over the past decade, the Arts and Culture program focused on fostering diversity by supporting the documentation, preservation, dissemination, and revitalization of folklore, especially of marginalized communities. In addition to revitalizing folklore traditions, the initiative sought to deepen the understanding of folklore as an interdisciplinary field of study, and to enhance awareness and appreciation of expressive and material folk arts of India among broad audiences. Towards these ends, the Foundation supported various folklore institutions across the country including the National Folklore Support Centre in Chennai, which has evolved into a key partner in the field, and now regularly publishes the Indian Folklore Research Journal.

 

Under the arts education, initiative, the program therefore works towards :

> Increasing the academic presence in institution of higher learning of a wide array of artistic and creative disciplines such as history of art, cultural studies, ethnomusicology and music theory, and film and media studies;

> Fostering the use of the arts in schools to improve the curriculum, instruction, student motivation and student achievement;

> Preserving and disseminating products of artistic and cultural activities, especially through their transformation into achieves for the use of practitioners and scholars globally;

> Promoting pluralistic artistic expression and cultural forms in the public arena, especially in colleges and schools; and

> Nurturing the use of arts and cultural practices in strengthening values of secularism, tolerance and peace.

The goal is to systematically institutionalize the idea of arts education and make it a self-sustaining proposition, so that the principles of creavitity, expression, innovation, and freedom become central to formal pedagogy in the subcontinent.

 

Program Staff (Jan 2005)

Representative’s Office

 

Representative	Ganesan Balachander
Executive Assistant Secretary	Tahina Sunder
Secretary	K. Nagasubramanian

 

 

Asset Building and Community Development

Program Officer, Environment and Development	Vasant Saberwal
Program Secretary	To be recruited
Program Officer, Development Finance and Economic Security	Rekha Mehra
Program Secretary	Renuka Agarwala

 

Peace and Social Justice

Program Officer, Sexuality, Reproductive Health and Rights	Roshmi Goswami
Program Secretary	Sundari Kumar
Program Officer, Local – Global Governance	Bishnu Mahapatra
Program Secretary	Savita Sinha
Program Officer, Civil Society	Sushma Raman
Program Secretary	Sunita Rana

 

 

Knowledge, Creativity and Freedom

Program Officer, Education, Arts and Culture	Sumathi Ramaswamv
Program Secretary	Charu Gupta

 

Grants and Information Services

Manager, Grants and Information Services	Neera Sood
Grants Administrators	Rekha Kapoor, Mana Challu
Information Officer	K. R. Raghunathan

 

Senior Administrative Staff

General Services Manager	S. Chellani
Manager, Finance and Accounts	Neera Uppal

 

Guidelines and Application Procedures

 

How to apply for a grant

The Foundation does not have a standard application form. Applicants are encouraged to write a letter of inquiry to the appropriate Program Officer to determine whether the Foundation’s current program priorities and available funds permit consideration of a specific proposal. If the initial reaction is favorable, a detailed proposal may be invited containing the following:

1. Background information of the organization (name, address, history, legal status, principal officers, principal sources of funding and current activities).
2. Brief narrative of the background and context of the problem or opportunities being addressed by the proposal.
3. Overall goal, specific objective and rationale of the proposal.
4. Description of the activities to be funded, including staff and timing, and links between these and the work of other organizations.
5. Description of the methods that will be used or developed.
6. Anticipated outcomes and achievements, including impact on the larger group, and how this impact will be evaluated.
7. Detailed budget, including expected funds from other sources.

 

The Foundation supports diversity and affirmative action goals in its grant-making and internal policies. The opportunities that prospective grantee organizations provide for minorities, disadvantaged groups and women are considered in evaluating grant proposals. A full statement of minority representation and a numerical profile of staff and governing board members by gender with designation and institutional affiliation should be included in the proposal. Applications are considered throughout the year. Normally, applicants may expect to receive within a month on initial indication of whether their proposals are within the Foundation’s program interest and budgetary limitations.

 

Eligibility

Any legally constituted organization or individual is eligible to receive a Foundation grant. Grants are available solely for educational, scientific, literary and charitable activities, as stipulated by United States tax lows regulating the operation of private philanthropies.

 

Types of grants

Most of the Foundation’s grant funds are given to organizations, including universities, governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations. Grants can be made for specific projects or for general support of an organization whose work closely parallels the Foundation’s program interests. Grants to individuals are rarely given and are limited to activities related to the Foundation’s program interest that cannot be funded by a grant to an organization.

 

The Foundation does not award undergraduate or graduate scholarships or make grants for purely personal or local needs. As a general rule, the Foundation does not support individual study tours or attendance at conferences. All grants are made on the basis of the merit of the proposals and their potential contribution to the advancement of the Foundation’s program objectives.

 

Government approval

The Foundation’s activities in India are governed by a memorandum of understanding signed with the Government of India. Under the terms of this memorandum, prior approval of the Government of India is necessary before a grant can be made to an individual or organization within India.

 

On occasion, permission from the relevant state government is required. Normally, institutions with a foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) number receive clearance within 30 days. However, institutions without an FCRA number are required to apply for “Prior Permission” and this procedure usually takes three months or more. Delays beyond the prescribed period cannot be ruled out.

 

THE FORD FOUNDATION

55 Lodi Estate, New Delhi 110 003

Telephone: 91-11-24619441/2464 8401

Fax: 91-11-24627147/24617738

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.fordfound.org

Terre des hommes (Earth of Humanity) is a children’s aid organization working against the injustice faced by children all over the world.

 

Terre des hommes believes in supporting children in their own environment and social context, with respect and solidarity, and without any reference to gender, race caste or religion.

 

Terre des hommes is an international federation of national chapters, which raise funds to support action and advocacy on behalf of children against poverty, oppression, abandonment and discrimination.

 

The first such group was set up in Lossane (Switzerland) 1959 by a Swiss journalist, for the child victims of the Franco-Algerian conflict. Other TDH chapters are in Germany, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Denmark, France, Luxurnburg, Geneva, Basel and Canada. These all work almost independently. But they have an international federation with its H.Q. at Geneva (Switzerland).

 

Terre des hommes, Germany chapter, Initiated in 1967.

 

Terre des hommes, Germany works for the creation of a just and peaceful world for all children, those alive today and the generations to come. Its endeavors are based on the fundamental principles of humanity, tolerance and equal rights for all people regardless of their origin, gender and religion.

 

Within Germany, it seeks to inform and educate the public about the situation of children, women and other vulnerable groups in developing countries.

 

Within developing countries it acts through local project partners, supporting local initiatives to protect children from exploitation, deprivation and injustice and to promote children’s rights.

 

Terre des hommes Germany – India Programme (tdhG-IP) started its work in 1975 from Pune. The Pune office is now the Regional Office for South Asia.

 

The mission statement of TDH is ” To create a world of Peace and Prosperity for all the children of today and generation to come”.

 

Support to projects

TdhG-IP supports projects of grassroots organisations that empower vulnerable groups, with a special focus on children and women. These are projects working towards

> eradicating child labour and child abuse.

> universalizing elementary education.

> improving the economic status of families.

> empowering women through providing legal aid, skill training and income earning capabilities.

> Combating discrimination against girls and women.

> promoting people-oriented health care.

> working to improve the environment, preserve bio-diversity and cultural diversity.

> protecting children from the vagaries of natural disasters, both by assisting those who are victims of such calamities and by working towards preventing these.

 

The India – Country – Strategy of Tdh focuses on the following issues/interventions –

1. Children Right Issues- a) Survival b) protection c) Development d) Right to participation
2. To work with children, for children
3. To change the social context of children’s life like poverty, deprivation, violence, homelessness etc.
4. To work against all forms of discrimination based on gender, caste, creed, race and
5. To defend human rights.

 

Supporting to campaigns

TdhG-IP also supports initiatives that promote the socio-economic rights and political empowerment of marginalized groups, and campaigns that create public awareness and mobilize public opinion on issues of  children’s and women’s rights.

 

It initiated and actively supports the national Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL), and is also involved in the International Campaign against Child Trafficking (ICaCT) and the national Campaign Against Child Trafficking (CACT).

 

Other campaign priorities include promotion of bio-diversity and sustainable use of natural resources, support of cultural diversity and peace, and cam bating the impact of globalisation especially on women and children.

 

The Geographical Coverage of TDH(G) is whole India.

 

The eligibility criteria for any VO/NGO to get in partnership with Tdh is –

1. a) Registered society/trust with minimum 3 years of good track record of working in the field.
2. b) FCRA Registration.
3. c) Local Base/Local Organisation.

 

The application procedure is first to write a letter (concept note) with reports about the organisation. On its basis the Tdh office will send the project proposal format when there will be any possibility of co-operation.

 

Tdh also provide disasters support only in the area, when there is any organisation having previous project support e.g. there was flood in Bihar and Assam, but Tdh provided disaster support only in Bihar because there were project partners.

 

Apart from the Pune office tdhG-IP maintains offices in Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Mumbai with a view to closely working with partner organizations based in remote areas in different zones.

 

Coordination Office

terre des hommes Germany

South Asia/ India Programme

Contact Person

 

Shri C.J. George, Regional Coordinator – South Asia

781, Regie House, Pudamje Park, Nana Peth,

Pune – 411002 Maharashtra

Tel : 020 26344028/26351634, Fax : 020 26344029

Email: [email protected]

Website:

 

tdhG-IP – Northern Office

 

Contact Person

 

Ms. Sharmistha Choudhury, Prog. Coordinator

C – 115, New Rajendra Nagar,

New Delhi 110060

Tel :01128744214/28744365

Email: [email protected]

 

tdhG-IP – Southern Office

 

Mr. P.E. Regi, Progm. Coordinator

No. 5, Ground Floor, Stephens Road Cross,

Fraser Town, Bangalore 560005, Kamataka

Tel : 08025482964 / 26484937

Email: [email protected]

 

tdhG-IP – Western Office

 

Ms. Chetna Desai, Asst. Progm. Coordinator

A/601, Uphaar, Ashok Van, Western Express Highway

Dahisar (East), Mumbai 400068

Tel: 022 28965077

Email: [email protected]

 

tdhG-IP – Eastern office

 

Smt. Suranjana Basu Das, Progm Coordinator

385/1, Keyatala Lane, Near Golpark Petrol Pump

Opp. Hotel Southway. Kolkata 700029. W. Bengal

Tel: 033 24659887/24659788

Email : [email protected]