Democracy Commission Small Grants Program Competition

The United States Embassy is pleased to announce the Democracy Commission Small Grants Program competition for FY 2023. The program supports initiatives that develop democratic institutions and support civil society capacity building in Armenia. Grants may support initiatives within the following thematic areas: Promotion of civil society and association building; Free flow of information (including support for independent media); Transparency in government; Rule of law and legal reform; Public education and advocacy (including civic education); Democratic political processes; Conflict resolution; Protection of human rights and promotion of tolerance; Anti-trafficking and anti-corruption; Ethnic minority, LGBTQ+, and gender equality; and Women’s empowerment. However, the priority program objectives for 2023 are:

· Protection of human rights and promotion of tolerance;

· Conflict resolution; and

· Advancing equity and inclusion of ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ populations, gender equality; and Women’s empowerment.

All projects should explain how the proposed activities impact Armenia’s democratic development and further the long-term goals of the organization. Project proposals should describe specific objectives and expected outcomes. Proposals focused primarily on training or capacity building will not be considered unless the training will lead to concrete, measurable outcomes. Collaborative projects between partnering NGOs are strongly encouraged.

The following organizations are eligible to apply:• Armenian not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations;• Independent media outlets registered in Armenia.