Special Grants

Grant Making Process

for the Asanka Creative Initiatives Fund

step 1

Open Call for Concept Notes

Individual activists will be asked to submit their concept notes within three (3) weeks.

step 2

Submission of Concept Notes

Concept notes are accepted from individual activists based in the West African subregion or in the diaspora who propose creative initiatives focused on storytelling and/or advocacy about LGBTQI people

step 3

Translation of Concept Notes

All Concept Notes are translated into English or French

step 4

Notifying Ineligible Applicants

After an internal screening for eligibility, all ineligible applicants are notified via email

step 5

Shortlisting by the decision-making panel

Concept notes are reviewed by the panel virtually, respecting principles of confidentiality and absence of conflict of interest

step 6

Interviews

Shortlisted applicants are invited to an interview with the decision-making panel to present their creative initiative and answer any questions about the project

step 7

Virtual decision-making

The decision-making panel scores each interviewed applicant and makes a collective decision about which projects to fund, based on the Asanka criterion and priorities. Final decisions by the panel are communicated to the ISDAO team

step 8

Notification to Candidates

The ISDAO team sends a notification to pre-approved applicants and requests detailed budgets and references: this is the Due Diligence

step 9

Signing of grant agreements and transfer of funds

Funds are transferred to the fiscal hosts of grant recipients’ choice within two to three weeks of signing the agreement