ARDF-MBA-FY22-01: Africa Regional Democracy Fund - Eswatini Democracy and Human Rights Resilience Project
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of U.S. Mission to Eswatini notices from 2023.
U.S. Mission to Eswatini offered grants of up to $40,000 (at least $20,000) to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 5 awards worth $40,000 in total. Applications closed on September 15, 2023.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed August 2, 2023. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$40,000
- Award floor$20,000
- Total funding$40,000
- Expected awards5
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
Key dates
| Posted | August 2, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | September 15, 2023 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | October 15, 2023 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
• Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non- governmental organizations. • Public and private educational institutions • For-profit organizations
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Africa Regional Democracy Fund awards averaged $187,976; this notice allows up to $40,000 per award.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Embassy Mbabane, Eswatini of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out the Eswatini Democracy and Human Rights Resilience Project. The main aim of the project is to build resilience through trainings and advocacy programs on human rights and democracy in Eswatini. Please follow all instructions below. Priority Region: All four regions of the country Program Objectives: The Eswatini Democracy and Human Rights Resilience Project will fill a need for U.S. action to change the narrative of U.S. programs funded in Eswatini and stimulate an end to the cycle of violence within Eswatini. Through this program, the grantee will capacitate new national leaders to actively engage in defending the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini, to support the active engagement of civil society in the political life of the country/in pursuit of human rights and justice, to advocate for civic space that this would require, and contribute to the momentum to swing the pendulum in the direction of enduring justice. Project Objectives 1. To provide restorative relief for local human rights defenders, organizations, institutions, and allies to generate and sustain momentum for fundamental human rights in Eswatini. 2. To complement Southern Defenders by providing psychosocial support to the family and extended network of Thulani Maseko, strengthening resilience among advocates and allies of the former Lawyers for Human Rights network which Thulani Maseko co-founded. 3. To reinforce the work of human rights lawyers of the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) Legal Aid Clinic representing emaSwati in legal jeopardy and providing pro-bono services as a check on the power of the State to instill fear and marginalize those working for constructive change within Eswatini. 4. To strengthen public discourse on the value of human rights in Swati society, including press, media, social media and online for a and engagement, build new allies, confront misinformation, and build literacy about human rights in a manner to improve the country’s commitment to and record of human rights conventions. Participants and Audiences: Citizens of Eswatini, the University of Eswatini Legal Aid Clinic, the Law Society, and other legal support civil society organizations, while boosting support to the fragmented Swaziland Human Rights Coalition which has degraded over the past several years.
Who has won Africa Regional Democracy Fund grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Africa Regional Democracy Fund (19.225) awarded $29.3 million across 156 grant awards, an average of $187,976 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Foreign Awardees | 77 | $6.0 million | |
| Unicef | New York | 1 | $5.7 million |
| Institute for Security Studies | 1 | $3.3 million | |
| International Republican Institute | District of Columbia | 5 | $1.1 million |
| Center for International Private Enterprise, Inc. | District of Columbia | 2 | $860,000 |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is ARDF-MBA-FY22-01 still open?
No. It closed on September 15, 2023.
Who can apply for Africa Regional Democracy Fund - Eswatini Democracy and Human Rights Resilience Project?
U.S. Mission to Eswatini accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Africa Regional Democracy Fund - Eswatini Democracy and Human Rights Resilience Project?
Closed September 15, 2023. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $40,000 each. About $40,000 in total across about 5 awards.
Who has won Africa Regional Democracy Fund grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Miscellaneous Foreign Awardees, Unicef, Institute for Security Studies. The program made 156 awards worth $29.3 million in that time.
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