Grants

	Funding Partners

Introduction

Who we are: The Independent Development Fund is a new grant making Fund supported by a number of international development partners with the intention for it to become a fully Independent major grant making institution in Uganda in the medium to long-term future.

The project has been developed in response to the present status of Civil Society in Uganda whereby there is limited scope for citizens to engage effectively with public institutions, at all levels, to increase and improve their responsiveness to uphold the basic Human and Civil rights of all citizens.

It is premised on the central importance of an active and vocal civil society for achieving better outcomes for Ugandan citizens and to actively pursue all aspects of political, social, economic and civil rights and to enjoy freedoms in accordance with the United Nations declaration of Human Rights underlining the central pillars of a democratic society.

Our main aim: We give Grants and Grant management support to help CSO’s engage in rights based issues and help improve the quality of life in the community. We fund projects and support organisations on a national and local level that will make the most difference.

Our Vision: "To become a sustainable model of excellence that contributes to the development of a creative and effective Civil Society, that enables citizens to engage in the democratic process, and to uphold basic human rights, for a better quality of life for all Ugandans"

Our Mission: To provide grants and associated grant management support to Ugandan CSO’s to promote a human rights approach in the development of a civil society and enabling all citizens to:

• Access information (and understand) laws and policies impacting on their human and civil rights.
• Engage effectively with the Government through monitoring and open dialogue, on issues of Human Rights and associated Good Governance, Poverty reduction and local democracy initiatives.

Our Values: | PROFESSIONAL | ACCESSIBLE | FAIR | INTEGRITY | SUPPORTIVE | QUALITY | LEARNING | NEUTRAL

Our commitment to equal opportunities: We are committed to equality and will not discriminate against anyone on the grounds of: sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, national origin, disability, sexuality, religious belief or political opinion, age, marital status, economic status and social background.

Objectives is helping to achieve:

• Promote a Human Rights approach and to support and facilitate citizens to access and understand laws and Government policies that will impact on their human and civil rights,
• Engage effectively with the Government on local and national issues of Human and Civil Rights and associated Good Governance, poverty reduction and local democracy initiatives

Methodology:

1. Allocating resources systematically and professionally
2. Providing grants of varying sizes
3. Providing organizational capacity building services
4. Strengthening dialogue between Human Rights Organisations (HROs)/CSO’s, Government and the private sector through networking and coalition building efforts; and Measuring the impact of its services, undertaking Independent research and sharing the lessons on best practice.

Planned Grantee (future) activities:

Grant making is done through a number of activities which Include:-

• Lobbying and Advocacy through workshops
• Sensitization and awareness campaigns in the CSO locations
• Radio programmes
• TOT for community trainers on Human and Civil Rights approaches
• Exhibitions for awareness raising
• Publication and dissemination of information packages on Human and civil rights
• Promotion and protection of Human rights through:- Solidarity walks on Internationally recognized days like:-

1. International Day for human rights
2. International Women’s Day
3. International Day for Disabled

To become a sustainable model of excellence that contributes to the development of a creative and effective civil society that enables citizens to engage in the democratic process and to uphold basic Human Rights, for a better quality of life for all Ugandans.