Financial Times

World Bank requests applications for small grants
The World Bank Colombo Office is inviting non-governmental and civil society organizations in Sri Lanka to submit their applications for the Small Grants Programme 2005.

The theme for this year's Small Grant Program is "Social Accountability." The programme will support civic society organizations in programmes that will strengthen the voices and harness the power of communities by utilizing community media directly or indirectly in extracting accountability. The grant amount will be a maximum of US $ 5000 [about Rs. 500,00] per grantee and the applicant must indicate a willingness to match an equivalent amount for completing activity within one year, the bank said in a statement.

All registered nonprofit, non-governmental and civil society organizations are eligible but priority will be given to organizations that have not been supported by the Small Grant Programme last year.

The bank said that the Small Grants Programme cannot fund research programmes, formal academic training programmes, operational projects, ongoing institutional core support (such as equipment unrelated to the proposed activity), scholarships, fellowships, study programmes, individuals applying on their own behalf, or organizations not categorized as civil society organizations. Proposed activities should not compete with and must be clearly distinguishable from regular World Bank programmes, the statement added.

Applications for the Small Grants Program are available from the reception at the World Bank's Colombo Office, 73/5, Galle Road, Colombo 3. To receive copies by mail, e-mail or fax, please contact Ms. Chulie De Silva or Ms. Kerima Thilakasena at the same address; or e-mail: cdesilva@worldbank.org; kthilakasena@worldbank.org or send a Fax, to 2440357. Application forms will also be available on the website www.worldbank.org/lk.

The deadline for submission of applications is March 18, 2005.

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