Call for Small Grants - Enhancing Public Accountability and Trust in Lebanon

The Enhancing Public Accountability and Trust in Lebanon (EPATL) small grants program is an initiative managed by ARK with support from the United States Embassy in Lebanon through the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) that promotes social accountability. In the initial stages, social accountability works by engaging citizens and civil society in providing transparent information about and building the capacity for citizen oversight.

This can include, for example, focusing on areas such as participatory governance, inclusive economic growth, and rights-based issues. A focus on civil society-led knowledge production and advocacy aims to create an environment in which citizens have access to transparent information to advocate for change. 

In support of promoting improved social accountability in Lebanon, the EPATL grants program will provide support for CSOs and NGOs in Lebanon to implement advocacy and community engagement projects. 

A total of $80,000 is allocated for distribution amongst grantees with individual projects with a total budget of $20,000 for projects spreading over a period of five to six months. Selected grantees will attend co-design workshops with ARK to finalize project documentation, negotiation, and grant budget. The final decision for the award of grants will depend on the outcome of the co-design workshops.  

To be considered for funding, proposed projects must focus on topics relevant to broad segments of the Lebanese public such as:  

Civic engagement and participatory governance  

Youth leadership development 

Access to information 

Economic and financial literacy 

Women’s rights and their participation in politics 

To be eligible for funding, grantees must have previous experience in implementing small grants in Lebanon and demonstrate a unique effort under the proposed areas.  

The above list is not exhaustive, and proposals focused on other topics are welcome if they focus on issues relevant to the enhancement of public accountability and trust in Lebanon. 

All projects must include: 

At least two events (in person or hybrid) that engage with citizens and other non-governmental stakeholders (e.g., embassies, INGOs, subject matter experts, activists, and local actors). 

A plan to engage local communities in project campaigns and activities (including town hall meetings at the municipal level, focus group discussions, etc.) 

At least one online advocacy campaign throughout the project implementation period.  

Your proposal must demonstrate your organization’s prior work in the areas of advocacy, transparency and accountability, the organization’s mission and the effects and change that will take place through your grant. It is not a requirement to have extensive experience of research or advocacy to apply for a grant. 

Grants are anticipated to start in mid-February 2023 and end by July 2023. 

Proposals including direct service provision to beneficiaries (e.g., aid distribution) will not be considered. 

The form below will guide you in the development of your proposal. Your application is not limited in length and the number of pages for your response is purely indicative. However, it is important to avoid repetition and to respond clearly. Proposals that lead to grants will demonstrate a strong understanding of social accountability and a creative approach. 

Interested organizations are requested to notify ARK of their intention to submit a proposal (Expressions of Interest - EOI) as soon as possible, so that we may inform you of any changes that may occur before the submission deadline. 

Clarification questions may be submitted by 25 January 2023 (23:59 Beirut time). 

All questions and EOIs must be submitted to the email address below to be included in the Q&A. 

Submission Deadline: 29th of January 2023.  

Submit to:  [email protected] 

Documents:       

  Proposal Submission Form (MS Word)

 Annex 1 – Past Performance (MSWord)   

Annex 2-   Detailed Budget (Excel) (to be requested from the e-mail [email protected])