# Local Governance and Accountability Project

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/cotonou-psf-fy2024-001-local-governance-and-accountability-project/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/352885

> U.S. Mission to Benin offered grants to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make $250,000 in total. Applications closed on May 17, 2024.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | COTONOU-PSF-FY2024-001 |
| Agency | U.S. Mission to Benin |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | May 17, 2024 |
| Award ceiling | not stated |
| Award floor | not stated |
| Expected awards | not stated |
| Total funding | $250,000 |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 19.979 |

## Who can apply

- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

Benin-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

## What the grant funds

U.S. Embassy Cotonou is pleased to announce an open competition for non-governmental organizations to apply for a Local Governance and Accountability Project in Borgou Department under the Prevention and Stabilization Fund (PSF). This project seeks to improve civic participation and government engagement in marginalized communities in northern Benin, fostering transparency, accountability, and collaboration by providing tools, knowledge, and resources for marginalized communities and their associated civil society groups to actively engage in local governance and the political sphere to achieve representation and receive improved service delivery. Detailed description of the grant and guidelines are below. Please read carefully to see if your project is eligible. A grant of $250,000 U.S. Dollars (USD) in FY 2023-FY 2025 Economic Support Fund (ESF) resources will be awarded (pending availability of funds) for work that will support program objectives below. Priority Region: Borgou Department with special emphasis on the communes of Bembereke, Kalale, Perere, and Sinende. Additional departments and communes may be considered at a later stage. Background: In Benin, the practice of decentralization since 2013 has gradually strengthened citizen participation in local governments by bringing citizens closer to local governments. However, marginalized communities at the local level in rural communities are not always integrated into the decision-making processes in central and local governments (communes). This compromises their ability to influence policies creating the impression central authorities are not prioritizing their needs. Of particular concern are the 6,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Benin displaced by violence and insecurity in northern departments. Encouraging greater participation in party politics, voting, and civic engagement equates to empowering these groups politically as majority political parties continue to exercise significant influence over the management of communes. Civil society organizations acknowledge the need to include the local public, including marginalized communities and underrepresented groups in decision-making so that local governments ensure that all citizens’ needs are met through the principles of good governance.

## Questions people ask

### Is COTONOU-PSF-FY2024-001 still open?

No. It closed on May 17, 2024.

### Who can apply for Local Governance and Accountability Project?

U.S. Mission to Benin accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for Local Governance and Accountability Project?

Closed May 17, 2024. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### How much funding is available?

About $250,000 in total.

### Who has won Regional Peace and Security grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Miscellaneous Foreign Awardees, United Nations, Association Ong Asma. The program made 96 awards worth $14.4 million in that time.