The Girl Generation: Diaspora Grant Programme

About The Girl Generation: Together to End FGM

The Girl Generation (www.thegirlgeneration.org) is a global campaign that supports the Africa-led movement to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).  The campaign seeks to accelerate the worldwide movement to end FGM by galvanising action, by supporting campaigns across Africa, and by pushing for more resources to end FGM.   The Girl Generation provides a positive identity under which the global movement can rally, and a common platform for the idea that together, we can end FGM.

FORWARD is a member of the consortium implementing The Girl Generation alongside Equality Now, Mannion Daniels, Ogilvy and Mather Africa and Options.

About the Diaspora Grant Programme

Since the 1980s, diaspora actors have played a central role in building the global movement to end FGM.  The Girl Generation seeks to harness the expertise and energy of the diaspora by enabling them to act as a link between Africa and the UK, and by providing a channel for the diaspoa to support work to end the practice in the countries within which we work.  As part of The Girl Generation’s diaspora strategy we are calling for proposals to fund up to five one-off grants of up to £9,000.  The grants will be used to enable diaspora organisations in the UK to work with and support organisations in Kenya, The Gambia and Nigeria to undertake work to end FGM in these countries. In future years we hope to extend the geographic scope of our focus.

This innovative diaspora grants programme will contribute to The Girl Generation’s overall strategy to galvanise a global movement and amplify on-the-ground communications efforts in target countries by:

• Building and strengthening bridges between organisations working on ending FGM on the African continent (initially Kenya, The Gambia and Nigeria) and in the UK.
• Providing opportunities for diaspora members with relevant skills, expertise and passion to channel their motivation and abilities into building the capacity of civil society in focal countries with the aim of supporting national and sub-national communications and social change campaigns and of accelerating progress towards ending FGM.

We are seeking innovative proposals from diaspora groups who believe they have the ability to contribute to our vision of ending FGM in a generation by working effectively with organisations and populations in Kenya, The Gambia and Nigeria to support communications efforts to enhance the Africa-led movement to end FGM. Proposals should be outcome driven, state clearly what changes they hope to see by the end of the project and describe how proposed activities will support these.

Proposals should also demonstrate:

• How your project would build upon and align with the wider activities of The Girl Generation.
• How you seek to leverage change towards ending FGM in Kenya, Nigeria or The Gambia, engage local organisations and communities and leave a positive, long-term impact.
• A partnership approach with project objectives delivered by a Diaspora organisation working with a partner organisation based and registered in Kenya, Nigeria or The Gambia.
• How you will use social change communications to end FGM.

In addition, we particularly welcome proposals that will:

• Engage diverse sections of the community, e.g. men, religious leaders, young people, older people.
• Have sustained impact beyond the life of the project.
• Use and promote rights-based strategies.
• Support national coalitions/campaigns/initiatives to end FGM in Kenya, Nigeria and the Gambia
• Build the communications/strategic communications capacity of organisations in focal countries working to end FGM.
• Develop and test innovative and catalytic communications approaches to ending FGM.
• Capitalise on existing traffic between countries.
• Draw in media partners.
• Create, adopt or adapt at least one communication product.
• Both build upon and enhance the capacity of local partners to influence change.

 What Happens Next?

The 2015 round of grants is open to applications from Friday, 6th February 2015 and will close on Wednesday, 8th April 12 noon GMT. Funding decisions will be announced during the week beginning 11th May 2015.

Please complete the Application Form, with reference to the Diaspora Grant Programme Overview and Guidance Notes  and send completed forms and enquiries to [email protected]. You can find more information on The Girl Generation’s website www.thegirlgeneration.org.

All grant offers will be conditional to attending a Grantee’s Workshop during the week of 1st June 2015 (To be confirmed).