The Asfari Foundation looking for opportunities to support organisations which operate in the thematic areas described below, have excellent track records and are working towards becoming more sustainable, effective and accountable. They believe that strong organisations will be critical to positive change in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, and they are keen to invest in their development. Some of the criteria we will consider include:
Whether the applicant organisation is, or has the potential to be, an important player in its field.
Whether the organisation has, or is developing, a clear sense of purpose, direction and strategy that links clearly and legitimately to a constituency or target group.
Whether the organisation is well-managed and accountable.
Whether the organisation shows commitment to development and learning, including that of its staff.
Whether the organisation and staff align with the Asfari Foundation’s values and approach.
Whether the organisation and staff demonstrate an openness and willingness to engage in a transparent and active partnership with the Foundation, as a part of which they share learning and insights.
They will also take an interest in new and innovative approaches to programming; and to system-wide approaches to tackling challenges in the area of focus, although these are not required of applicants.
Themes
We are keen to invest in organisations which work in one or more of the following thematic areas:
Civil Society (Lebanon and Syria only, but including initiatives for Syrians and Palestinians in Lebanon and Syrian organisations worldwide working for the benefit of Syria):
Organisations and initiatives that contribute to the overall vibrancy, professionalism, effectiveness and governance of the civil society sector as a whole.
Civil society organisations that work on one or more of the themes of: citizenship, governance (whether internally, nationally or internationally) and the development of independent quality media.
Youth Empowerment (Lebanon, Palestine and Syria, including initiatives for Syrians and Palestinians in Lebanon, and Syrian organisations working for the benefit of Syria and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people in the UK):
Organisations and initiatives that contribute to the overall vibrancy, professionalism, effectiveness and accountability of the education systems in Syria, Palestine and Lebanon.
Organisations which work on entrepreneurship (whether business or social).
Organisations which work on education for young people older than 16 (including scholarships).
For more information, please view our 2018-2022 strategy document here.
The application and partnership process
From 2019 the process will involve applicants sending in concept notes by the funding round deadline of 1 April. A shortlist of applicants will then be asked to apply with a full proposal, followed by project visits by the team. A shortlist of finalists will then be proposed to the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, after which grants will be made. During the grant period, there will be regular contact with and visits from the Foundation.