World Bank announces Small Grants Program in Azerbaijan

The Ministry Officer Rufat Gulmammadov told a press conference that the CIT Ministry is the first among Azerbaijan's state agencies to carry a joint project with the World Bank. The total amount of grants is $50,000, APA reports.

"We offered NGOs to submit proposals on the fields they want. We suggest the priority be given to projects aimed at development of democracy, human rights and information freedom and youth leisure," he said.

The NGOs, registered by the Justice Ministry, can apply or the grant program competition. The proposals can cover education and health sector reforms through application of new technology, transparency of budget, integration of the youth to the civil society, social defence, public transparency, poverty reduction, human rights protection etc.

The projects should be submitted in two copies in Azerbaijani and English with 2 or 3 pages long application to Azerbaijan Community Development Research and Training and Resource Center by April 27.
The Small Grants Program (SmGP) is one of several facilities or programs supported by the World Bank that provides grants to NGOs and other organizations of civil society.

The SmGP aims to make development more inclusive and equitable by providing funds for activities that support the civic engagement of marginalized and vulnerable groups.

Accordingly, grants focus on empowering people who have been historically excluded from society's decision-making processes, such as women, youth, people from racial and ethnic groups, people with low-income, and people from rural areas.

They also aim to enhance partnerships with key players in support of the development process. Key players could include government agencies, civil society organizations, multilateral and bilateral agencies, foundations, and the private sector.

The Program is funded by the Development Grant Facility and was created in 1983.