Call for Applications for Members of the ISDAO's Local Activist Grant Making Panel (LAGMP) - Nigeria

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are recruiting activists from the LGBTIQ movement, sex workers (SWs) and/or people who use drugs (PWUDs) to join our Local Activist Grantmaking Panel (LAGMP) for a two-grant cycle term. We are recruiting new members for our panel, as current members have recently completed their terms and supported us in funding organisations in 3 grant cycles of the ISDAO-Love Alliance Initiative. As an activist-led fund, we are keen to ensure greater representation, inclusion, and intersectionality of the diversity of our communities within the panel. In particular, we welcome key players who are from any part of Burkina Faso and individuals who self-identify as LGBTIQ, Sex Workers, and/or PWUD rights activists and respond to both the geographic AND community priorities:

Geographical areas of interest: All parts of Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja.

Communities: Activists identifying as one or more of the following groups: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, queer, intersex, sex workers or people who use drugs.

Are you a Nigerian LGBTIQ, sex worker or PWUD rights activist with excellent collaborative experiences on LGBTIQ, sex worker or PWUD rights? Are you committed and invested in the struggles of LGBTIQ, sex workers or PWUDs in Nigeria and in the sexual and gender minority movements, as well as in human rights, diversity and equity issues? Would you like to participate in decision-making concerning the allocation of resources to our movements? This is your opportunity to join ISDAO's Local Activist Grant Making Panel (LAGMP) in Nigeria and bring your skills, experience and thoughts to our grant-making process and decision-making.

ISDAO strongly encourages young activists (under 30) in these three communities to apply to be part of the LAGMP.

ABOUT ISDAO

ISDAO is an activist-led feminist fund dedicated to building a West African movement that champions sexual diversity and sexual rights through a flexible approach to grantmaking and the strengthening of a culture of philanthropy committed to promoting human rights and social justice. Currently, ISDAO works in nine West African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo. We have awarded grants in five cycles at sub-regional level and in three cycles at national level, notably in Burkina Faso and Nigeria through our special initiative, Love Alliance. Love Alliance includes communities of people who use drugs, LGBTQI people and sex workers.

As part of the grantmaking process for the Love Alliance special initiative in Nigeria, ISDAO is calling for applications from activists for the Local Activist Grant Making Panel (LAGMP)

I. MISSION AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct responsibility and supervision of the ISDAO team, members of the Local Activist Grant Making Panel (LAGMP) review eligible proposals received in response to ISDAO's annual call for proposals, in accordance with ISDAO's vision, values and mission. The LAGMP is an autonomous decision-making body within ISDAO and has the power to review proposals and ensure fairness and transparency in the selection process for proposals submitted by organizations or groups. The LAGMP evaluates eligible proposals on the basis of the criteria and process collectively developed by the LAGMP at each review cycle, based on the proposals received in each grant cycle, the feminist principles that guide ISDAO's work, national advocacy priorities and the proposal's contribution to the Love Alliance's theory of change. The review also draws on a collective analysis of the context and knowledge of LGBTIQ movements, sex workers or PWUDs. Priorities are developed on the basis of proposals received, emerging issues in the country and knowledge of the movement at national level. The panel makes collective decisions on funding based on the analysis provided by the three evaluators, discussion and collective review by all LAGMP members at the time of the decision.

No single panel member can make a grant decision or unilaterally influence funding decisions. This is a joint decision-making process conducted by all panel members. In accordance with the conflict of interest policy, LAGMP members who have an actual or potential conflict do not participate in the review, discussion or decision-making on the particular proposal to which they are linked.

The core mandate of panel members includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Actively participate in the review and scoring of proposals, including but not limited to participating in face-to-face and virtual meetings to discuss and make decisions regarding ISDAO funding.
• Share knowledge on current issues, concerns, opportunities and priorities within the LGBTIQ, SW and PWUD movements.
• Share knowledge and skills with other panel members and ISDAO staff to ensure effective and informed decision-making on proposals.
• Dedicate time to the proposal review process and provide specific technical advice and assistance on a voluntary basis.
• Undertake to comply strictly with the provisions of the conflict of interest and confidentiality policy required for panel activities. 
• Follow ISDAO principles in all decisions they make as LAGMP members.

More generally, LAGMP members are essential resource persons in the context of strategic thinking and the implementation of ISDAO's grant-making activities.

The role of LAGMP member is voluntary, but LAGMP members receive an honorarium for their participation in the decision-making process, and all travel and other expenses related to attendance at face-to-face meetings are covered by ISDAO.

Commitment: LAGMP members have a two-grant cycle mandate and must commit to full participation in face-to-face meetings and virtual proposal review processes. Each year, this represents a maximum of 10 days (including travel) for face-to-face meetings and a 4-week virtual review period.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

1. During an LAGMP member's term of office, any group or organization with which that member is directly associated as a staff member or paid volunteer is not eligible to apply for funding under ISDAO's Love Alliance call for proposals.
2. The LAGMP will not be an anonymous panel. This means that the name and a short biography of each panel member will be published on the ISDAO website. Photos may also be added if the panel member gives his or her consent. No other information will be shared. This is part of our process of transparency and accountability to the movement and is based on feedback received from the movement during an independent external evaluation of our grant-making process, carried out in 2022.

II. EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

An ISDAO LAGMP member must:

1. Identify as belonging to one (or more) of the following categories: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, queer, intersex, sex worker, person who uses drugs ;
2. Extensive experience collaborating and working with LGBTIQ,sexworkers and/or PWUD individuals, groups and communities in the field of advocacy, community organizing and social programs;
3. Exposure to diverse fields, approaches, and contexts of LGBTIQ,sexworker and/orPWUD activism and organizing ;
4. Have knowledge and/or relevant experience on the rights and issues of LGBTIQ,sexworkers and/orPWUD in Burkina Faso;
5. Demonstrate a strong commitment to human rights, diversity and equality; 
6. Be easily accessible by e-mail and telephone;
7. Currently be an activist, based in any part of Nigeria;
8. Have and maintain private access to a computer and the Internet, and be able to work with MicroSoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and use e-mail systems ;
9. Be able to communicate, read proposals and supporting documents and write in English;
10. Ability to work as part of a team in a multicultural environment;
11. Be able to work virtually and face-to-face;
12. Be able to adapt to change;
13. Adhere to and practice the values of integrity, transparency, tolerance and discretion;
14. Agree to make decisions that align with and represent ISDAO's values and principles.

Note: No level of education is required to answer this call.

III. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

The following documents must be attached to the application for it to be considered complete:

1. A completed application form
2. A curriculum vitae.
3. Letters of recommendation from two people in Nigeria. The two references must come from the communities/movements of LGBTIQ, Sex Workers or PWUD  in Nigeria. The letter of reference must clearly confirm your character, integrity, skills, knowledge, and role within the LGBTIQ, SW or PWUD community.

To apply, please download and complete this form.

Then please attach your completed application form, two letters of reference and your current CV to an e-mail with the subject line: "Application to ISDAO's Local Activist Grant Making Panel (LAGMP)"and send it to proposals@isdao.org The e-mail should be addressed to the ISDAO management team. Please note that the deadline for this application is July 14, 2023, 11:59 pm GMT+1.