GRANT REQUESTS
ACN is a child-focused nonprofit organization that supports programs benefiting children and youth (ages 19 and under). We especially welcome income-generating projects that not only help vulnerable children but also enable the program to become more self-sufficient over time.
Because all inquiries and project proposals are referred by the ACN Head Office to our Country Representatives, your country’s name must be clearly stated both in your cover email to ACN and at the beginning of your project proposal. If your country does not have an assigned Country Representative, you will hear from our Global Programs Coordinator, who will ask you to provide the names and contact information of international donor organizations familiar with your program to serve as references.
If your organization has received or is currently receiving funding from other donors, please include:
· The names of donor organizations, and
· The projects funded, and
· The names and contact information of the representatives you have worked with.
YOUR PROPOSAL SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE:
(1) The name of your country.
(2) The name of the bank account beneficiary, precisely as it appears on your bank account.
(3) Your organization’s full name, street address (do not include a P.O. Box), city, district, COUNTRY, and phone number. *Please ensure this address matches the one registered with your bank.
(4) The name and position (within your organization) of the person submitting the proposal.
(5) A brief statement (1–2 sentences) describing the purpose of the grant. *Example: The purpose of this grant is to purchase and install solar panels to provide electricity for the community clinic, enabling nurses to work both day and night.
(6) The number of children directly benefiting from your project.
(7) Your bank’s name, complete address (do not include a P.O. Box), and phone number.
(8) Whether your account is a local currency account or a U.S. Dollar account.
(9) Your bank’s SWIFT number.
(10) Your bank’s intermediary bank information, if applicable.
(11) An itemized budget.
Please do NOT include in your budget:
a. Administrator or staff salaries
b. Requests for funding an entire program rather than a specific project within an established program
c. Construction requests, unless accompanied by an explanation demonstrating that existing walls or roofs are unsafe for children receiving education or vocational training
(12) If your proposal requests funding for a training program, please:
a. Explain what employment assistance your organization will provide to program graduates.
b. Identify the tools you plan to provide to graduates and include these costs in your budget.
c. Note that ACN believes that reasonably priced tools used during training should be provided as loans, not gifts, and repaid through piecework during or immediately after training (e.g., during a post-graduation cooperative period). Once tools are fully paid for, graduates may take them, and repaid funds should be used to purchase tools for future trainees.
d. Ensure that a staff member is present at the training site whenever trainees are present.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
· You do not need to include your bank account number unless you are selected as a finalist.
· Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) must attach a copy of their registered charity certificate.
· Privately-owned schools do not typically qualify for an ACN grant. Community schools do qualify.
· Please include three photos:
a. The signpost outside your office identifying your organization,
b. Your headquarters, to give us a sense of your local setting, and
c. A photo of yourself so that we know with whom we are corresponding and possibly visiting on-site.
· The average ACN grant is generally under US$1,500.00. Please include an itemized budget listing the price of each requested item.
· Even if you have an assigned Country Representative, include References! Include the names and contact details of external funding organizations who are familiar with your work. References can strengthen your proposal.
Grant Review Process:
· The review cycle runs from February 1 to September 30.
· Once received, proposals are forwarded to a Country Representative or to our Global Programs Coordinator for review and ranking.
· Projects may be visited in person, or if that’s not possible, references are contacted.
· Final evaluations are completed in December, and grant awards are announced in January of the following year.
Please note: If inaccurate information leads to a bank returning a transfer and assessing a penalty fee to ACN, the grant may be canceled.
If you have any questions while preparing your proposal, please do not hesitate to contact ACN. All questions and proposals should be emailed to info@assistingchildreninneed.org. We will be happy to assist you.