U.S. Embassy Funding Opportunities

United States Ambassador Donald Booth at the Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Signing Ceremony on January 14, 2011

Construction of School lunching ceremony in Makot, Gambela

The Small Projects Office (SPO) was established in 2003 under the Political Office.  The purpose of the Small Projects Office is to administer grants for small scale, high impact projects within Ethiopia that foster community development.

SPO operates four separate programs: the Ambassador’s Special Self Help Program, the President’s Plan for Emergency Relief Small Grants Program (PEPFAR), the United States African Development Foundation ( USADF) Small Grants Program and Democracy and Human Right program. Application and evaluation processes vary between programs; however all are year-long grants. Each program is designed to offer grants unique in nature that serve separate diplomatic and aid functions.

Distinct from larger-scale assistance carried out by other parts of the United States Government, these funds support projects initiated by Ethiopian NGOs, community- and faith-based groups, and civic associations focused on small-scale, short-term, community-based activities designed to bring about tangible and immediate improvements in people’s lives.

Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program (SHHP)
The SSHP funds community-initiated projects that support education, income-generating activities, and water/sanitation initiatives, as well as other activities that improve living conditions or increase income.

PEPFAR Small Grants (SG) Program
The PEPFAR Small Grants Program funds activities that enable community- and faith-based organizations, as well as organized groups of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), to implement small-scale projects that promote HIV/AIDS prevention and to provide care and support.

Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF)
The Democracy and Human Rights Fund helps finance activities that support democratic institutions, promote political pluralism, and protect and advance human rights.

NOTE: The Democracy and Human Rights Fund has been suspended and is currently not accepting applications.

USADF  Small Grant Program
Tthe United States African Development Foundation (USADF) generously reached out to the Small Projects Office in an effort that would contribute to small-business growth in Ethiopia.

In the ten years between 2003 and 2012, the Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program, the PEPFAR Small Grants Program, the Democracy and Human Rights Fund and the USADF funds have together granted USD 3,336, 257 to 227 projects that benefited more than 6,361,374 people in all regions of Ethiopia.

Projects supported by SSHP, PEPFAR SG, DHRF and USADF have helped build schools in towns where children were previously unable to attend; provided HIV/AIDS education to vulnerable mentally-challenged young people to prevent further spread of the disease; protected little girls by producing materials that increased awareness and the prevention of female genital mutilation; provided clean water by constructing wells, pit latrines, and clothes-washing facilities; and supported income-generating activities that enabled single women , girls,  youth and  People  living with HIV/AIDS to increase their earnings to sufficiently care for their children.

If your project promises to improve people’s lives in ways as described above, we invite you to apply for funding.