REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Deadline: 1 July 2008

The Fund for Global Human Rights seeks to increase the flow of financial resources to on-the-ground human rights organizations and to strengthen human rights movements and communities in countries around the world.  This RFP invites proposals from human rights organizations based in Guatemala, Mexico, Philippines and Thailand. Below you will find information on eligibility requirements, criteria for grant reviews, and other program information.  Currently the Fund makes grants to human rights organizations based in 16 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.  The Fund aims to provide funding for human rights organizations over the longer term.  To that end, we maintain a long-term focus on specific countries and regions where we believe strategic grant-making can make a difference in advancing human rights protections over time.  For more information on the Fund and to view our most current grantee list, please visit our website at http://www.globalhumanrights.org.

Grants will be for one year (January – December 2009) and may be renewed in 2010. Grants will range from $5,000 to $30,000. Requests for grants above $30,000 will not be considered.  First-time applicants are strongly encouraged to apply in the $5,000 to $15,000 range.

PART A: Eligibility Requirements

The Fund for Global Human Rights provides grants to non-governmental, non-profit organizations working to promote respect for human rights in the countries and regions in which they are based.  The Fund does not have thematic restrictions and supports organizations working to address a wide range of human rights problems.  For example, some of the Fund’s current grantees defend indigenous land rights in Guatemala, promote women’s rights in Morocco, struggle for accountability for war crimes in West Africa, and fight the practice of bonded labor (a form of slavery) in India.  In each country, however, through consultations with human rights activists in the field and donor colleagues, the Fund develops strategic priorities with an eye towards strengthening human rights movements over time.

The Fund defines human rights activities as those that seek to challenge the structures of power so that they better defend, protect and promote human rights.  The Fund does not support service-oriented development projects, but will consider funding organizations that also conduct development or income generation activities for their work to promote human rights. 

THE FUND FOR GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS DOES NOT SUPPORT: stand-alone conferences, individuals, businesses, scholarships, fundraising events, university-based research, government agencies, micro-credit programs, construction of roads, bridges, buildings, wells or medical facilities, or activities directly or indirectly intended to support candidates for political office.

THE FUND ALSO DOES NOT PROVIDE GRANTS FOR service delivery development projects unless they are part of a broader human rights program.  For example, the Fund generally does not support literacy training, vocational training, or social/psychological/medical services, unless these activities are part of an integrated strategy to provide the recipients of these services with human rights education and with tools to defend and demand their rights.

PART B: To Apply for a Grant from the Fund for Global Human Rights

Your application must include the following seven sections.  Please follow this format to ensure that the Fund has the necessary information to understand your program.

1)  A complete Application Cover Sheet (use format enclosed on the last page of this document).

2)  Organization Information
• When and why was your group formed?
• What are your organization’s mission, primary constituency and overall approach?
• What role do the people who benefit from your organization’s work have in designing the activities of the organization?  What positions do they occupy in the organization?

3)  Organization’s governance and leadership
• Describe your leadership, staff, members and their roles in decision making, and your decision making process. Please provide brief biographical information about your key staff (full CVs are not necessary), and identify whether they are male or female.
• How do you identify and strengthen new leaders and workers?
• What specific problems have you encountered in managing your organization and work, and how have you dealt with them?
• What have been the major changes in your organization and its leadership, management and constituency over the last 3 years?

4)  Organization’s work
• What are the most important issues you address and initiatives and actions you have taken?
• What are the major lessons you have learned about what strategies are most effective in bringing about change?
• Describe your 3 most important accomplishments. (Please describe changes that have occurred as a result of your work, rather than listing completed program activities such as publishing a report or organizing a conference.)
• What specific goals do you want to achieve over the next 3 – 5 years?
• Apart from funding, what support do you require to strengthen your organization and work (such as information, institutional linkages, capacity building)?

5)  Organization’s Plan of Activities for 2009
• What specific activities will you implement over the coming year? (Please provide a narrative response to this question.)
• What impact do you hope these activities will have on the human rights situation? Please be specific and provide two or three examples of your strategic objectives.
• What would you use a grant from the Fund to do?  (for example, to cover operating costs or to support a specific project)

6)  References
Please provide list of 3 individuals very familiar with, but not part of, the organization. Please include institutional affiliation(s), telephone numbers and e-mail addresses.

7)  Financial Information
A.  Financial report for the past calendar or fiscal year:
• What was your organization’s total annual budget last calendar or fiscal year?
• Please list the main categories of expenditures, give an amount for each, and indicate the currency.
• Include the most recent audited financial statement (if available).

B.  Budget for the current calendar or fiscal year (sample budget is attached):
• What is your organization’s total annual budget (projected total expenses for current calendar or fiscal year)?
• How much funding have you already raised for the current calendar or fiscal year?
• Please list the main categories of expenditures, give an amount for each, and indicate the currency.
• The organization’s funding sources and amounts. 
• Please provide us with contact information for each of your institutional funders (individual’s name, title, institutional affiliation, e-mail address, telephone number).

C. Budget for the request to the Fund for Global Human Rights
• Please list the main categories of expenditures, give an amount for each, and indicate the currency.

 
SAMPLE ORGANIZATIONAL BUDGET

Following is an example of an organizational budget.  This budget should include projected expenses for the entire organization, not only for the amount requested from the Fund.  You do not have to follow this format exactly, but please include the following budget categories. 

NOTE:  If your organization conducts lobbying or legislative advocacy, please list expenses for these activities as a separate line item.

SAMPLE Organizational Budget, January - December 2008 
 EXPENSES  US$ Total
 
I. SALARIES  
1. Staff salaries      18,000
2. Consultants 5,200
  
II. ADMINISTRATION 
1. Rent  6,180
2. Printer and copier maintenance 620
3. Paper and office supplies 3,600
4. Fuel for vehicle 2,000
5. Telephone bill  1,400
6. Internet Subscription fees 800
  
III. PROGRAMS COSTS 
1. Research and documentation 8,800
2. Press and publicity 1,400
3. Training staff in house 1,000
4. Economic Justice Training for Rural Communities 13,000
5. Printing and publication of materials (For training and advocacy) 9,000
6. Community awareness workshops and discussions 10,000
7. Legislative advocacy  1,000
8. Media training/workshop      7,000
  $89,000
INCOME
Source   Purpose    Status  Amount Period
Foundation X  Economic Justice Training Project received $20,000 Jan – Dec 2008
Foundation Y  Institutional Support   requested $29,000 Jan – Dec 2008
Foundation Z  Community Awareness Project received $30,000 June 07 – May 08
Fund for Global Human Rights Institutional Support requested $10,000 Jun 08 – Jul 09
 
PART C: Deadlines

Proposals must be received no later than July 1, 2008.  This deadline will be strictly enforced.

Please send proposals via email to: info@globalhumanrights.org.  If your proposal is ready before July 1, please submit it early to reduce email traffic on our server on the day of the deadline.

An e-mail will be sent to you when the proposal is received. Please do not e-mail a proposal more than once unless you receive an email response that asks you to re-send it.  If you do not receive an email confirming receipt, please send an email asking if the proposal should be re-sent. 

If you are sending multiple files, if possible please attach them to one e-mail. 

Successful applicant organizations will be notified about grant awards in November 2008.

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO E-MAIL THE PROPOSAL, YOU MAY SEND IT VIA POST OR FAX TO:

The Fund for Global Human Rights
1634 “I” Street, NW, Suite 1001
Washington, DC  20006
United States
Fax: 202-783-8499

Please follow-up with an email asking whether a proposal has been received if you sent it by fax or regular mail.

If you have questions about any part of this Request for Proposals, please send an e-mail to info@globalhumanrights.org
 
Fund for Global Human Rights
APPLICATION COVER SHEET

Organization’s Name 

Contact Name  Position

Name of organization’s leader(s) Number of paid staff  Number of volunteers

Street Address  City  Country

Phone Number Contact’s mobile phone number

FAX Number  E-mail

$ 

$
Total 2007 Calendar or Fiscal Year Organizational Budget                                                         Amount of Funding Requested

$ 

Amount of funding raised so far for fiscal or calendar year 2008 How did you hear about the Fund?

Does your organization have a bank account in its own name?  ____YES      ____NO