USAID/OTI West Bank and Gaza Fact Sheet
June 2005
OBJECTIVE
USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) program in the West Bank and Gaza, begun in June 2005, is designed to respond quickly and flexibly to priority Palestinian needs. The aim of the program is to promote good governance and youth empowerment.
The program will:
- Increase the ability of Palestinian national and local government to respond to citizen needs, and
- Increase the participation of youth in social, political, and economic life.
In-kind grants will be provided to local Palestinian entities to:
- Support positive interaction and coordination between local government institutions, the central Palestinian Authority, local communities, and civil society organizations;
- Promote participatory decision-making at the community level;
- Engage Palestinian youth in activities that are constructive and improve their quality of life; and,
- Facilitate the flow of accurate information from multiple viewpoints.
Working with non-governmental organizations, informal community groups, media entities, and national and local government officials whenever possible, OTI identifies and supports critical initiatives that move the region along the continuum from conflict to peace. ARD, Inc. implements the $10 million small grants program and manages OTI offices in Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus, Gaza City, and Jerusalem.
The OTI initiative will complement USAID's longer term development objectives, with a special emphasis on work with youth and local government. The small grants program will be closely coordinated with the Palestinian Authority. Small grants will range from $10,000 to $100,000 and will address the priority needs identified by local communities.
For further information, please contact:
Justin Sherman, OTI Team Leader, Asia and Near East jsherman@usaid.gov, 202-712-1924 or Helen Glaze, OTI Program Manager, Asia and Near East hglaze@usaid.gov, 202-712-1543.
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