Tips for Applying to The US Ambassador´s Special Self Help Program (SSH) in Zambia

The US Ambassador in Zambia is calling for applications to his Special Self Help Program in Zambia.

Applications are possible until the 28^th of February 2019.

The maximum amount one organization can apply for is USD 15,000. In this article, we give you some special tips on how to apply for the US Ambassador´s Special Self Help Program 2019.

Who can apply for the US Ambassador´s Special Self Help Program Zambia

To apply for the US Ambassador´s Special Self Help Program Zambia, you must be a registered community-based organization. Individuals or for-profit businesses cannot apply. It is only possible to apply for one project, not for programs or components of projects of programs.

What can be funded with the US Ambassador´s Special Self Help Program Grant?

The US Ambassador´s Special Self Help Program Grant can be used to fund projects that are community based in Zambia. Projects have to keep in mind the environmental sustainability and the grantee community must be able to implement the project without further help than the financial contribution. Substantial community participation in form of labor, materials or money is required. Activities that replace or supplement activities that normally are carried out by the Zambian government cannot be funded (i.e. building government schools or clinics).

The maximum amount that can be requested is the ZWM equivalent of USD 15,000, the minimum amount that of USD 500. The project needs to have a timeline of a maximum of ten months.

How to apply for the US Ambassador´s Special Self Help Program Grant

The deadline for this opportunity is the 28^th of February 2019. You need to submit your proposal by this date either by email or by mail. For the contact details please see the homepage of the embassy. You will be notified if your application was successful by June.

Be very careful to follow the application guidelines of the Embassy. If you do not strictly follow the guidelines, your proposal will be discarded.

In the proposal document that is provided by the Embassy you need to answer questions about your organization, the proposed project, the community contributions and the budget. Furthermore, you have to attach:

• Your organizations registration documents (in copy)
• A proof of the right to use the land and/or building you want to use for your project (in copy)
• A map of your area (either drawn or copied)
• Three letters of reference
• The evidence of community support (i.e. signed meeting minutes)
• A brief organizational history

US Ambassador´s Special Self Help Program Grant – What to look out for

In this application, it is extremely important that you follow the guidelines. This opportunity gets a lot of proposals, and they even stress several times that applications that do not follow the guidelines are discarded immediately.

Another very important part is the budget. Make sure your budget is realistic and that all numbers add up. The budget is supposed to be written in ZWM with a maximum amount of the equivalent of USD 15,000.

Community involvement and commitment is of core importance for this opportunity. Make sure you show the ways that your community is included in the project and supports it.

During the process of decision making, the Embassy might contact the organization. Only chose contact persons who are always reachable. If your field officers are sometimes out of reach and do not have cell phone coverage, do not chose them as a contact person.

Best of luck for your application. Before you start, we recommend you read this article as well to give you some more tips on how to write proposals for small grants.

10 Pro Tips to Write a Winning Proposal

For further information please see this link.