Democracy Commission Small Grants Program

Competition for 2012 is closed.

Purpose of the Program

The United States Embassy in Podgorica supports specific projects and initiatives that facilitate the development of democracy and democratic institutions in Montenegro through grant awards of up to $24,000, although most awards are smaller.  Grants are awarded to local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), media, or other organizations that have displayed organizational skill and trustworthiness.  Proposals will be evaluated according to the ability of the applying organization to carry out a project with clearly formulated goals, the audience the program is intended to reach, and the potential for positive impact in Montenegro. Preference will also be given to applicants that have received little or no support from the U.S. Government or other international donors in the past. 

In 2012, the Commission is interested in projects that focus on rule of law.  This theme can support programs which bolster all aspects of rule of law, including fighting corruption and organized crime; increasing the independence and transparency of the judiciary; supporting human and minority rights; organizing campaigns to support enacting and enforcing laws which support underprivileged, marginalized or disabled communities; protecting the work of whistleblowers; educating youth and academic institutions about transparency and fairness in grading; and promoting the rights of youth and women.  

Guidelines for Application

• The maximum grant period is one year.
• Project proposals should be completed in English. Supporting documents will be submitted upon request and may be in Montenegrin.
• Project proposals should include all of the information requested in the Application Form.
• Amounts in the project budget have to be in U.S. dollars and should include local taxes.
• Project budget should include any expenses incurred only on the territory of Montenegro.
• Fees for staff engaged in the project implementation on a regular basis (project manager, project assistant, accountant, etc.) should not exceed 25% of the total project budget.
• The project budget should include bank charges.
• Grants are made on a one-time basis. A successful applicant may re-apply for a second grant, but the second proposal must be for a distinctly different project from the first project funded by the Democracy Commission.

Projects not funded by the U.S. Embassy Democracy Commission include:

1. Those submitted by non-Montenegrin organizations and individuals;
2. Those relating to partisan political activity;
3. Conferences and individual trips abroad;
4. Charitable activity and humanitarian aid;
5. Fund-raising campaigns;
6. Commercial projects;
7. Scientific research;
8. Individuals not affiliated with an organization that can provide long-term sustainability to the project;
9. Those that duplicate existing projects.

Evaluation Criteria

The U.S. Embassy has established the Democracy Commission, which reviews and evaluates proposals. The Embassy is also in touch with other donor institutions and countries that provide financial support for the projects promoting civic participation.

The deadline for receiving completed electronic application forms  is January 16, 2012.  Applicants are requested to send in only the electronic application.  Supporting documents will be requested if applicants progress to the second evaluation round.

Incomplete, extremely lengthy, and unclear applications will not be taken into consideration. 

How to Apply

Application Guidelines and Application Form in Adobe PDF format:

• Application Guidelines (PDF 51,3kb)
• Application Form (World File 33.5 KB)

Democracy Commission
Public Affairs Section
United States Embassy
Džona Džeksona 2
81000 Podgorica