Call for Expression of Interest: Capacity of Civil Society Organisations - KwaZulu-Natal

The Foundation for Human Rights (the Foundation) is a grant-maker to the Human Rights Sector. The Foundation was established in 1996 in terms of a joint agreement between the Government of South Africa and the European Union to address the legacy of apartheid and promote a human rights culture through support to civil society organisations in the human rights sector. The Foundation successfully concluded two programmes of support between 1996 and 2008, and is currently implementing a third programme, ‘Access to Justice and Promotion of Constitutional Rights – Strengthening Civil Society’, which is aimed at vulnerable and marginalised groups. The programme is funded through the Budget Sector Support by the European Union to the Department of Justice & Constitutional Development, with the Foundation as the implementing agency.

Under this programme, the Foundation intends to provide grants to civil society organisations (CSOs) which promote a human rights approach in their work, and to partner with CSOs in providing services to vulnerable and marginalised groups. In particular, the work supported by the Foundation will:

• Enable people living in South Africa, particularly members of vulnerable and marginalised groups, to access information and understand policies and laws impacting on their rights as set out in the Constitution;
• Strengthen policy dialogue and engagement with government on issues of human rights and good governance, poverty and inequality, as well as local democracy initiatives;
• Strengthen the capacity of civil society to engage in related activities.

Pilot: Building Stronger Organisations

Reference Number: AJPCR/RA3.2/S02

The Foundation wishes to pilot a new approach to capacity building which results in organisations at community levels being enabled to more effectively undertake advocacy and implement campaigns and dialogues that promote Access to Justice. This pilot programme will be restricted to organisations located in, and working in, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The purpose of this intervention is to strengthen organisations working within vulnerable and marginalized communities   as well as social justice and human rights organisations that work with such organisations. Strengthening of organisations will include:

• Greater responsiveness and accountability of organisations to community priorities;
• New layers of skilled leadership, particularly women and youth.

Expressions of Interest are invited from groups/consortia of South African CSOs. Note that the group must consist of CSOs with at least two years of experience of social justice activism in KZN, and may include emerging community structures, social movements, local NGOs and support NGOs. The group should consist of between 5 and 15 organisations.

The successful applicants will be supported through a 16-month phased approach that will include:

• A planning and needs assessment phase in which members of the group, together with Foundation project staff, will meet to design the components of the intervention;
• An external review and assessment of these plans;
• The implementation of approved activities through a grants process.

For the full guidelines for applications to this call for the expression of interest, refer to www.fhr.org.za. Alternatively, copies of the document may be requested from the Foundation. For more information contact the Grants Unit at 011 339 3560 or e-mail to grantsunit@fhr.org.za.

Applications that do not comply with the guidelines may be rejected immediately. The Foundation also reserves the right to cancel at its discretion this call through the media.

All posted or hand delivered applications must be placed in a sealed envelope indicating the same name of the applicant and reference number of the call and delivered on or before the application deadline to:

Physical address:

The Grants and Services Manager
Foundation for Human Rights
8th Floor, 209 Smit Street (corner Rissik Street)
Braamfontein

Postal address:

The Grants and Services Manager
Foundation for Human Rights
Private Bag 124
Braamfontein
2017

For more about the Foundation for Human Rights, refer to www.fhr.org.za.

To view other opportunities, refer to www.ngopulse.org/group/home-page/other-opportunities.