Funding Opportinities
Advocacy Flexi Fund
With only 5 years remaining before the Millennium Development Goals framework comes to an end, it is clear that decisive and concerted action needs to be taken to ensure that MDG5 is prioritised at all levels. Without sufficient attention or priority given to MDG 5 (particularly 5b – universal access to reproductive health it is unlikely that any of the MDGs will be attained. The 2010 MDG Review Summit along with the Country Progress Reports present a unique final opportunity to prioritise MDG5b amongst key decision-makers at the national and global levels. This opportunity should not be wasted. The Advocacy Flexi Fund (AFF) provides small grants to support civil society organizations working with young people to advocate for MDG5b to ensure the sexual and reproductive health and rights of people.
We know that there are few resources available at country-level for advocacy. But sometimes a small amount of money can make a large difference. The AFF aims to support civil society organizations working with young people to advocate for the MDG5b in their country and region. Together these different advocacy campaigns will make an overall contribution to political and financial commitment for sexual and reproductive health and rights of people globally. They will help to ensure international commitments to universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights are achieved. The Advocacy Flexi-Fund will prioritise organizations with a commitment to young people and meaningful youth participation from low income countries, since it is often difficult to find funding for national advocacy activities in these countries (75 per cent of all Flexi Fund grants will be awarded to organizations in countries on DAC List of ODA Recipients). (see Annex One). In the last round there was a higher than expected number of applications and of the 350 applications submitted and grants were funded.
The Advocacy Flexi Fund supports advocacy activities in three thematic areas which:
* Recognition of the need for MDG5b in statements at international, regional and/or national meetings;
* Increase financial resources for MDG5b at country level;
* Promotion and coordination of civil society action in promoting MDG5b in national policy, programmes and budgets
The Key Principles of the Advocacy Flexi Fund
* To support national civil society organizations, particularly youth groups
* To support national initiatives to increase political and financial support for MDG5b
* To promote youth partnership and meaningful involvement in advocacy
Funding Levels
The Advocacy Flexi Fund provides grants from USD $3,000 to USD $10,000 to cover up to 90% of the cost of the activity, with a minimum 10% contribution from the grantee. The grant will cover activities over a period of one to six months starting in March 2010. The grant will not cover capital costs such as salaries, computers etc. A maximum of 5% of the grant can cover overhead costs.
The deadline for applications is 15 February 2010.
Download the application guidelines and form at www.ippf.org or email flexifund@ippf.org.