Civil Society Fund

 Documents*

Call for Proposal-English Call for Proposal-Vietnamese Application Form-English Application Form-Vietnamese CSF 2008 - list of winning projects * Documents are in .doc format

CIVIL SOCIETY FUND 2009

The Civil Society Fund (formerly known as Small Grants Program) of the World Bank was created in 1983 as a way of supporting small, nonprofit, civil society organizations (CSOs). The Social Development Civil Society Fund (Civil Society Fund or CSF) seeds and supports activities that build capacity to enhance development outcomes. Activities strengthen mechanisms for inclusion, accountability, and people’s participation. Activities also strengthen partnerships with public sector, other civil society organizations, and the private sector.

We are pleased to announce the start of the Civil Society Fund 2009 for Vietnam with the total amount equivalent to 692 million Vietnam Dong made available for in-country grants to national CSOs.

Activities eligible for grant receipt this year should focus on capacity building, empowering and strengthening the voice of vulnerable groups including disadvantage children, youth and women, people with disabilities, urban migrants and ethnic minorities. The activities should aim at supporting these vulnerable groups and promoting social inclusion.

Activities may include, but are not limited to workshops or seminars to enhance engagement skills and/or knowledge to promote the participation of the vulnerable groups to the development process; appropriate communication campaigns to improve public service delivery and policymaking process; or innovative networking efforts to build capacity.

Grants from Civil Society Fund must be used for specific activities to be completed within one year of the date the grant is awarded. Priority is given to organizations not supported by the Small Grants Program in previous years and organizations are not eligible for more than three grants from the Small Grants Program or Civil Society Fund within a five-year period.

Please note that the CSF will not provide support for operational projects; research programs; formal academic training programs; ongoing institutional support; scholarships, fellowships, study programs; equipment purchase, service provision, construction of facilities or for individuals applying on their own behalf, including for travel or studies. Due to limited funding availability, only organizations with a development rather than charity purpose will be eligible. The maximum size of each grant will be 85 million Vietnam Dong. Grant proposals will be assessed on a competitive basis, to select the most innovative activities.

If your CSO meets the above-mentioned requirements and would like to apply for a grant, please pick up an application form and guidance at the World Bank Office Reception, 8th floor, 63 Ly Thai To Street, Hanoi.

For more information please contact Ms. Bồ Thị Hồng Mai (tel: 04 3936 7300, fax: 04 3934 6597; email: vietnam@worldbank.org). Organizations outside Hanoi may also contact our office to get this form by mail or email. The deadline for submission of your application is March 20, 2009 (for those outside Hanoi, the deadline is based on the date of the post-office stamp).

Decisions on grants will be made by end-April, 2009 and the selected proposals will be notified shortly afterwards.