PVO co-financing II

The project will extend grants to NGOs and support related activities. The project will target up to 40 Kenyan NGOs, both those based in communities and those working nationwide. Under the first component, the project will provide grants to NGOs that are already well-positioned or wish to develop capacities to interact more effectively with local communities. This will include support for (1) 2-5 initiatives involving NGOs from strong multisectoral lead agencies (Kenyan or international) to improve their ability to develop the institutional capacity of up to 20 emerging national or community-level Kenyan NGOs; (2) 5-7 partnerships (NGOs working collaboratively to increase their capacities to foster community development); and (3) 1-3 networking initiatives. The second component will finance seminars, study tours, and studies to complement the grant activities. Four workshops/seminars will be held, covering networking, community participation, organizational structure, and experiences in collaborating with local voluntary organizations. Lessons learned will be documented and case studies of success prepared. In addition, key NGO personnel will participate in observational tours, and at least two studies will be conducted in the concept and practice of community participation. The third component, which has not yet been approved or funded, would involve creation of the Kenyan Community Development Foundation (KCDF) as a nonprofit, independent, Kenyan-managed Foundation to provide assistance to NGOs that work to help low-income people to participate in the development of their communities.