International grants programme summary

Geographical focus

We intend to provide grants for projects that will benefit the most disadvantaged people in:

- Africa
- Asia (including the Pacific and the Central Asian Republics)
- the Middle East
- Central and South America
- the Caribbean
- Central and Eastern Europe (including the Russian Federation, the Caucasus and the Baltic states).
If your project is working in the UK you will need to show how it will benefit disadvantaged people in the areas above.

Funding priorities

Within our programme aim and geographical focus we wish to fund projects working towards long term change in the following four priority areas:

- Education - improved primary education for the most disadvantaged girls and boys.
- Health - improved health of the most disadvantaged people.
- Natural Resources - improved allocation of natural resources to benefit the most disadvantaged people.
- Human Rights - improved human rights for the most disadvantaged people.

Improved primary education for the most disadvantaged girls and boys

We wish to fund projects that contribute to one or both of the programme outcomes listed below.

- better access to primary education and higher completion rates by the most disadvantaged girls and boys
- better and more relevant primary education to meet the needs of the most disadvantaged girls and boys

Please note that as well as working toward the outcome(s) we expect you to work towards all of the cross cutting outcomes.

Improved health of the most disadvantaged people

We wish to fund projects that contribute to one or more of our programme outcomes listed below.

- increased access to and control over better quality mother and child health services for the most disadvantaged.
- increased access to and control over better quality reproductive health services for the most disadvantaged.
- developed and improved measures for preventing HIV/AIDS and mitigating its impact.
- increased access to and control over effective ways to prevent and control local diseases, including health risks identified by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
- developed and improved measures for addressing mental health problems resulting from rape, abuse, violence, torture and armed conflict.

Please note that as well as working toward the above outcome(s) we expect you to work towards all of the cross cutting outcomes.

Improved allocation of natural resources to benefit the most disadvantaged people

We wish to fund projects that contribute to one or more of our programme outcomes listed below.

- increased access to safe water and sanitation for the most disadvantaged people
- increased access to land for the most disadvantaged people
- reduced vulnerability to environmental shocks for the most disadvantaged people

Applicants should note that under this funding priority we intend to prioritise projects that increase access to safe water and sanitation.

Please note that as well as working toward the above outcome(s) we expect you to work towards all of the cross cutting outcomes.

Improved human rights for the most disadvantaged people

We wish to fund projects which contribute to one or both of our programme outcomes listed below.

- improved access to civil and political rights for the most disadvantaged where legislation does not exist or is insufficient
- increased protection against violations of existing legislation supporting civil and political rights for the most disadvantaged

Please note that as well as working toward the above outcome(s) we expect you to work towards all of the cross cutting outcomes.

Cross cutting outcomes supporting long term change

We have identified five key factors which we believe must be addressed if projects are to tackle poverty in a sustainable way. We call these cross cutting outcomes.

We expect all projects to carry out work that will contribute towards the achievement of each of the following cross cutting outcomes as well as the programme outcome(s) you have chosen.

Gender and diversity - Reduced inequalities affecting the most disadvantaged women and men, girls and boys in their access to resources, participation in decision-making processes and exercising civil and political rights.

Participation - Increased participation of the most disadvantaged people in all aspects of development projects to ensure that benefits are long term and shared fairly.
Influencing opinion - Improved responsiveness of decision and policy makers to the needs of disadvantaged people

Capacity building - Improved capacity of partner organisations, local communities and other stakeholders to tackle the causes of poverty effectively, efficiently, and in a sustainable way.

Alliances, collaboration and networks - Developed alliances, collaboration and networks at all levels, both in the UK and overseas, to bring about sustainable development initiatives for the most disadvantaged people.

Situation analysis

We expect applicants to carry out a thorough analysis of the situation in the area where the project will work. The analysis will identify groups at greatest disadvantage and the issues underlying their poverty and marginalisation as well as the way they are currently dealing with their situation. We expect it to involve members of the community, project partners and other stakeholders.

When assessing your application, we will review how you carried out your situation analysis, and how its results informed your project plan. The situation analysis should show why you have chosen the particular project location and target groups. It will demonstrate how far your project will target those at greatest disadvantage and why you think your project is the most appropriate and effective way to meet the needs you have identified.

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS is an epidemic affecting whole societies and impinges on much of the work we wish to fund. Therefore we expect that during your situation analysis you will explore whether HIV/AIDS has a significant impact on the community in which you will work. In places where it does you will need to show how you have planned your project to take account of it.

Project partners

We expect you to work with one or more partner organisations to carry out the project. We define project partners as organisations who are accountable to you for funds you have given them for project activities. They must be based in the country where the project will be carried out.

Your project partner(s) could be local community based organisations (CBOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or local or national government. We also expect partners both in the UK and the country where the project will work to be involved in situation analysis, project and budget development, project implementation and monitoring and evaluation. There should be a clear flow of information in both directions.