Embassy Cotonou is pleased to announce an open competition for community organizations in Benin to submit applications for a grant from Embassy Cotonou's Small-Grants program (ECSG). The application period is open until August 31, 2017, and awards are subject to fund availability. A detailed program description and application instructions can be found on Embassy Cotonou's website, located at http://tiny.cc/CTNgrants. The ECSG program is aimed at assisting Beninese community groups to develop lasting, self-sustaining projects that significantly impact communities by addressing critical health, social, and development concerns. Each year, Embassy Cotonou supports approximately six to ten projects with small grants, typically under $5,000. These grants have contributed to agricultural modernization, economic development, combatting early marriages and gender-base violence, improving sanitation, empowering women, improving learning conditions, and greater access to clean water, health services, and education. To qualify for an ECSG grant, projects must involve significant community contribution in the form of funding, materials, and/or labor. Applicants must have the ability to manage ECSG projects independently and complete their project within 12 months. To learn more about grant guidelines, please visit Embassy Cotonou's website, or contact the Small-Grants Team at
[email protected].