FY21 Julia Taft Fund (Refugee) Small Grants in Thailand

Description

OverviewEach year, the Julia Taft Fund awards grants of up to $25,000 USD per country with the goal of addressing gaps in refugee assistance, by issuing grants to local nonprofit organizations for quick-impact projects. Grants are intended to address one-time needs or interventions, and/or respond to needs not addressed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The activities of the proposed project should not be directed to sustained, long-term programs. We encourage community-based organizations (CBOs) and NGOs to submit proposals. Please note the beneficiaries of your proposed project must be at least 50 percent refugees, internally displaced persons, vulnerable migrants, and/or stateless persons, and are not intended to directly address the needs of undocumented/illegal migrants in general. Priorities for FY2021This year, we encourage applicant organizations to submit proposals that include at least one of the following angles:Advocacy: including activities that encourage local and/or central governments to change policies in a positive way. For example, proposed quick-impact projects, in addition to focusing on needs and interventions, could also include a roundtable to which government representatives are invited, or could result in a report or publication that is shared with government officials with recommendations. Projects that duplicate the work or services provided by UNHCR or other multilateral refugee programs will not be considered.Refugee Education & Work Readiness (new for 2021): including activities that prepare refugees and asylum seekers for inclusion in the Thai education system and workforce. Projects that focus primarily on non-refugee migrants, or that duplicate the work or services provided by UNHCR or other major NGO programs will not be considered.Grant Application Process and TimelineApplying for a Julia Taft grant is a two-phase process.Phase 1 – Short Concept Note: Organizations interested in applying for the Julia Taft Grant should submit a Concept Note with a limit of 400 words (2-3 paragraphs recommended) providing a brief description of the organization and its goals, stating the main objective and activities of the project to be implemented, and providing an estimated requested budget. The deadline to submit the concept note is 11:59pm (Bangkok time), Monday, January 25, 2021. Proposals must be sent via e-mail to BnkRefugeeSection@state.gov and should include e-mail and telephone contact information. Phase 2 – Complete Proposal: The U.S. Embassy will then review all concept notes and select those that best meet the goals of the Julia Taft Grant program. The U.S. Embassy will then directly contact the selected organization(s), on or around Thursday, January 28, 2021, to submit a more detailed proposal. Please note that during the second phase of the application process the selected organization(s) should submit more detailed information about the organization, its program and project history, a detailed project narrative that would support how the proposed project would benefit the targeted community, a detailed budget, a project timeline, and detailed description of the goals and activities. The proposed program should be scheduled to start in either August or September 2021. Additional details will be provided to the selected organization(s) during the second phase. The deadline to submit complete, detailed proposals will be 11:59pm (Bangkok time), Monday, February 15, 2021. Proposals must be sent via e-mail to BnkRefugeeSection@state.gov and should include e-mail and telephone contact information.Organizations that submit a concept note (in Phase 1) or complete proposal (in Phase 2) will receive a confirmation of receipt via email; if the submitting organization does not receive this notification within 72 hours of the submission please contact the U.S. Embassy Bangkok Refugee & Migration Affairs Section at BnkRefugeeSection@state.gov.U.S. Embassy Bangkok, in Coordination with the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration of the U.S. Department of State, will consider the final proposals and will seek to inform organizations about funding decisions in June or July 2021. Funds are subject to availability and appropriations by the U.S. Congress.Additional InformationProjects that duplicate the work or services provided by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees or other multilateral refugee programs will not be funded. Concept notes and detailed proposals must be submitted by a registered local community group (CBO/NGO), and not by government officials or private individuals. The organization(s) selected will be required to submit registration documents to demonstrate status as a nonprofit organization authorized to operate in Thailand. Groups must have diverse membership (no single families) and must be already established and operating. Ongoing administrative or operating costs, such as stipends or rent, may be included in the request, but should only account for a small portion of a comprehensive grant proposal. Proposals mailed to the Julia Taft Fund will not be returned.Proposals submitted may be shared with other like-minded embassies in Bangkok for potential funding. If you do not want us to share your concept note or proposal with other embassies, please note this in your submission.Please note that more than one proposal may be funded, up to a combined total of $25,000 (per country). Organizations are welcome to submit proposals ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 total. Please be aware that in most cases the Julia Taft Fund money cannot be used to pay for salaries or perishables (such as food). If you are proposing an income generating project, please contact the U.S. Embassy Bangkok Refugee and Migration Affairs office for additional information.All final proposals will require measurable results and indicators. The U.S. Embassy will regularly monitor the progress of any approved and funded projects. Examples of Projects Receiving Funding in the Past Establishment of Legal Aid Clinics for Asylum Seekers Job / Vocational Training for Refugees and Asylum Seekers Urban Agriculture Training for Refugees Establishment of Community Centers to Serve Refugee / Asylum Seeker Populations Human Rights Education  Awareness-Raising for Refugees and Asylum Seekers on Legal OptionsInquiriesPlease contact BnkRefugeeSection@state.gov with any specific questions.

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