Like many embassies worldwide, the German Embassies also give out funding for projects by grassroots NGOs on the local level. In most cases, they give out small grants to support initiatives that cannot get funding from the government or from other sources. This article is based on experiences with a proposal to the German Embassy in Nepal.
What is the German Embassy looking for in a proposal?
The small-scale funding program is meant to support the relationship of the German Embassy with the host country. Therefore, only NGOs registered in the specific country are eligible for funding and can apply. In most cases, the Embassy wants to support grassroots NGOs from within the communities.
To get a better idea of what the Embassy wants to see in a proposal, you should look at the development cooperation activity in your country. The embassy will want to support projects in similar areas as those Germany is already working in. So if the GIZ – the German organization for technical cooperation – is working a lot in the areas of education and health in your country, these are probably the areas where the Embassy funds as well.
Keep in mind that the German Embassy generally supports projects only for one year. In your timeline, you have to clearly state how you want to implement your project within one year. Sometimes you will have to finish within one calendar year, sometimes one year from the acceptance of your proposal. Make sure that you clearly understand which deadline applies to you before you start.
The German Embassy wants to see a very comprehensive budget in a proposal. This is a very good chance for you to show that you know what you are talking about. You know the local circumstances best and with a good and precise budget, you can convince the donor of your idea.
If the German Embassy accepts your proposal, they will want to make a project visit after completion to see what you have achieved. Keep that in mind along the way and plan enough time to factor this in. Also, take care of a good documentation to be able to show the different steps of your project at the end.
