HDI Awards Grants Totaling Nearly $200,000 to Haitian Grassroots Organizations
Pig nursery under construction.
As a philanthropic intermediary and with the support of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, HDI awarded another round of grants this fall totaling almost $200,000. Emphasizing decentralization and the empowerment of grassroots Haitian organizations, grantee projects largely focus on agriculture and related livelihood programs such as promotion of animal husbandry and provision of agricultural inputs. HDI prioritized grantees and projects that:
Foster Haitian leadership development and build local capacity
Serve resource-constrained communities, especially through the empowerment of women and youth
Promote a sustainable model
Build rural infrastructure
Are accountable for their outcomes and can measure their impact
Demonstrate transparency in financial management
HDI received and conducted due diligence on fifty-three (53) proposals. The Program Committee of HDI’s Board of Directors, which is composed of Haitian development experts, met several times to review and discuss the proposals. The Committee ultimately recommended grants of $8,000-$12,500 to 21 community-based organizations.
For this round of grants, HDI introduced a small-scale capacity building component. We assessed each grantee in three capacity areas (financial management, program management, and governance) so we can offer technical support where necessary during grant implementation and can also better measure the results of this small grants program. We are working to build a rigorous evaluation system into all our programs.
HDI's Grant Administration
HDI amplifies the impact of philanthropists’ investments in economic and social development in Haiti by channeling funds directly to small grassroots organizations on the ground. A dollar goes farther when spent in rural Haiti. In addition, the benefit of investing locally is multiplied because the funds not only help poor families but also strengthen Haitian-led organizations to develop their capacity to design and implement their own solutions.
Small grants are a key part of HDI’s approach to sustainable development in Haiti. We find promising Haitian leaders with locally-informed solutions, and empower them with resources and training to help them develop into more capable civil society organizations.
If you are interested in supporting Haitian grassroots organizations’ efforts to improve their communities through small grants, we would love to talk to you. Please contact Liz Fischelis, HDI’s program manager for philanthropic advising and grants programs, at Elizabeth.Fischelis@tbf.org for more information.