Prospective applicants of STAR-Ghana Foundation’s Action for Voice and Inclusive Development (AVID) Project, have been enlightened on processes and requirements for submission of their proposals.
The virtual information session was organized by the Foundation to, among other objectives, clarify and address concerns from organizations seeking to partner in the implementation of the project, which targets minority and underserved groups. A total of 91 organizations comprising of Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Representatives of the Fulbe groups, and organizations working with women and person with disabilities joined the session.
With funding from the Flora & Hewlett Foundation, the AVID Project is targeted at organisations of disadvantaged social groups (citizens) with the aim of increasing their voices and participation in governance, inclusive access to quality public goods and services and contribute to the sustainability of these organisations as vehicles for citizen mobilisation. During the two-hour session, participants were taken through presentations on the Call for partnership advertisement, concept note template, eligibility criteria, focus areas, timelines and other grants application guiding principles required to respond to the call for partnerships appropriately.
In her introductory remarks, the Head of Programmes for STAR-Ghana Foundation, Eunice Racheal Agbenyadzi, said the Foundation seeks to build stronger partnerships beyond its grant administration and monitoring role.
She mentioned that the project seeks to facilitate better access to social services, resources and aims at securing livelihoods for underserved groups in the country. Other discussions centred on enquiries from the participants regarding the requirements and other pertinent concerns.
The participants also took the time to ask questions bothering on, but not limited to, submission of multiple concept notes by a single organization, newly established NGOs implementing activities with their own resources, budget ceilings, whether a network of CSOs and Government agencies can apply.
Consultations
Already, STAR-Ghana Foundation has held targeted consultations with representatives of six groups, identified as part of Hewlett Foundation country strategy scoping study to understand the issues they are faced with, ongoing initiatives to address the issues and unfinished businesses. Four zonal consultations (Southern, Middle, Central-Western and Northern zones) were held by Community Based Organisations (CBOs), networks and alliances. The consultations engaged participants from market women associations, Fulani regional networks, peasant/small farmers associations, youth networks, CBOs working with women and persons living with a disability.
AVID Project
AVID targets organisations and/or networks whose activities aim to champion the development and promotion of rights of selected underserved groups, including peasant/smallholder farmers, market women, rural women, youths, persons with disabilities and Fulani ethnic groups. These six groups, identified as part of Hewlett Foundation country strategy scoping study are described as those with the most needs yet to be met, experience severe levels of marginalization and have clear advocacy issues they are tackling.
Participants were referred to the worth of documented information available on the STAR-Ghana website for further clarity to aid in their conceptualisati
