Central Asian Republics Rule of Law Project

From Center for Civil Society International, 24 January 1995

Grant proposals are now being solicited by USAID's Central Asian Republics Rule of Law (CARROL) Project, as administered by the American Legal Consortium (ALC) on behalf of Chemonics International, Inc.

The object is to assist the Central Asian Republics in establishing a political, legal and regulatory environment that supports democratic governance and respect for human rights. The Central Asian Republics include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

The ROL Small Grants Program is designed to support local non-profit organizations (operating alone, or in partnership with a U.S. organization) working on programs supportive of the project's goals and contributing to the Rule of Law in the region. Priority will be given to programs and activities that:

• strengthen core legal institutions and processes, as well as civil society as it relates to legal development;
• promote democratic legal reforms;
• support an orderly transition to a market based economy;
• protect human rights; and
• promote democratic governance and limitations on the arbitrary exercise of governmental power.

Grants should support education and action oriented programs with the potential to mobilize other organizations and resources in the development of ROL activities.

Qualified nonprofit organizations may include:

a) private voluntary organizations (PVOs)

b) non governmental organizations (NGOs), and

c) official public institutions involved in research and educational activities supportive of the Rule of Law.

In the case of U.S. local partnerships, either party may submit the Grant Application forms, but for administrative purposes, ALC will designate the U.S. partner as responsible for discharging the grantee's obligations under the Grant Agreement. Documentation of the partnership will be required.

A grantee organization must be legally registered and recognized as a nonprofit or charitable entity under the laws of the country in which it operates, or must have taken steps toward registration.

The following are not eligible to receive ROL grant awards:

• for profit entities;
• political parties, groupings or institutions, or their affiliates or subsidiaries;
• organizations that advocate, promote, or espouse anti-democratic policies or illegal activities.

The proposed activities to be funded under the Grants Program may be the sole or primary work of an organization, or a special dimension or function of an organization largely dedicated to other types of work.

Although support is not limited to any fixed categories of activities, the following are illustrative:

1. Helping citizens understand and gain access to laws and legal information;
2. Helping NGOs and civic organizations strengthen their rights and operate more effectively;
3. Helping citizens organize to advocate changes in the legal system and promote public accountability of governmental agencies;
4. Helping citizens protect their individual and property rights;
5. Helping citizens utilize the legal system for the resolution or adjudication of conflict;
6. Helping citizens monitor legal developments affecting human rights;
7. Developing systems of private and quasi public alternatives dispute resolution;
8. Helping the public remove legal and regulatory constraints on private sector commercial activities and property ownership.

According to ALC, approximately $1.5 million is available under the Grants Program over the course of the Contract Period (through December 1996). It is not anticipated that the ALC will award any multi year grants (i.e., grants spanning more than one calendar year).

Applications for grants of less than $ 5,000 will not be considered by the Grants Committee and ALC anticipates that most grants awarded will be in excess of $25,000.

(Note: If $750,000 is awarded in each year, 1995 and 1996, and if few awards will be for less than $25,000, this suggests that a maximum of 30 projects will receive awards in each year.)

The grantee must contribute at least 25% of the total project budget from its own or other non grant resources. This contribution may be met through cost sharing (internal) or co funding (external), or some combination of the two.

Until June 30, 1995, grant applications may be submitted at any time.

Thereafter, applications will be solicited and grants awarded on a quarterly basis, in accordance with a schedule that will be advertised and shared with all potential grantees that have inquired regarding the Grants Program.

For more information about the application requirements and an official application package, please contact:

In Almaty:

Grants Manager
American Legal Consortium
187 Furmanova Street, 3rd Floor
480013 Almaty, Kazakhstan
Fax: 7 3272 507 662

In Washington, D.C.:

CAR ROL Project
Chemonics International, Inc.
2000 M Street, N.W., Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20036
Fax: (202) 955 3400