2023 Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program | NGA POLECON GR 23 002 022423

Opportunity Information: Apply for NGA POLECON GR 23 002 022423

The 2023 Ambassador's Special Self-Help (ASSH) Program is a small grants opportunity run by the U.S. Embassy in Abuja under the U.S. Department of State (Funding Opportunity Number: NGA POLECON GR 23 002 022423; CFDA: 19.220). It is designed to fund modest, community-driven projects in Nigeria that quickly improve living conditions while also supporting longer-term community self-reliance. The program is structured as a one-time U.S. contribution toward a practical project the community can sustain after the grant ends, with the broader aim of helping communities build the confidence, systems, and local ownership needed to continue similar development efforts in the future.

The application process is intentionally staged in two steps to reduce the burden on applicants. First, organizations submit a short Statement of Interest (SOI) that is limited to two pages and focuses on the core project idea, goals, and basic feasibility; it is not a full proposal. The Embassy reviews eligible SOIs and then invites selected applicants to submit a full proposal for a second merit review, after which final funding decisions are made. The SOI deadline for this round is April 30, 2023.

ASSH prioritizes grassroots community development activities, and the opportunity highlights four main objective areas. The first is economic diversification and opportunity creation, with an emphasis on projects that generate sustainable revenue and create jobs for the broader community, not only for members of a single group. This includes projects that build entrepreneurship (including women-led entrepreneurship), support innovation that can be replicated locally, and encourage income generation using locally sourced natural resources, including diversified agricultural practices. The second objective area is social inclusion and services, supporting projects that improve conditions for vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, the elderly, and female heads of household, including access to basic services like water and sanitation. The third area is youth and child development, including initiatives that expand youth opportunities (especially employment-related) and strengthen early childhood and primary education access and quality. The fourth area focuses on the environment and community-based natural resource management, supporting community ownership and stewardship of natural resources, conservation, resilience-building, and local capacity to adapt to environmental changes.

To be considered eligible and competitive, projects must meet a set of practical requirements that emphasize impact, community ownership, feasibility, and sustainability. Projects should improve basic economic or social conditions at a small community scale but still have long-term value. They must show high impact, benefit a significant number of people, and demonstrate a strong beneficiary-to-budget ratio. The project must be initiated by the community and show meaningful community participation, and it must be feasible within the local socio-economic context. A required community contribution of at least 10 percent of the total project cost must be included, and this contribution can be cash or in-kind support such as volunteer labor, donated materials, land, transportation, equipment, or similar inputs. Projects are expected to be completed in 6 to 12 months and be self-sustaining afterward, with a clear plan for long-term operation and maintenance. Applicants must demonstrate that the project addresses a real need and that the beneficiary community can maintain it, ideally supported by evidence of prior successful implementation experience. Financial responsibility is also required, including having a bank account in the organization’s name. Strong coordination with local leaders and local government representatives is expected, and the project should be managed by an organized group with a capable project manager who is a long-term resident in the community.

Eligibility is limited to non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations registered at the federal or state level in Nigeria that work directly with communities. The program strongly prefers established local grassroots groups based in the communities where the projects will be implemented. Organizations that have previously received funding through the Ambassador's Special Self-Help program are not eligible for this competition. For-profit entities, commercial/private businesses, and individual applicants are explicitly ineligible.

Funding details in the notice indicate an award ceiling of $10,000 and an expectation of around 10 awards, though the project requirements section also states that applicants should request a U.S. contribution amount above $10,000, which is a notable inconsistency that applicants would typically clarify using the full notice on the U.S. Mission Nigeria website or by contacting the grant email address. Regardless, budgets must be clearly presented and well defined, and they should focus on permanent items or technical assistance necessary to complete the project. The Embassy also states that costs incurred while preparing the proposal or any expenses made before an award is issued will not be reimbursed.

The SOI submission has strict formatting and content rules, and noncompliance can make the application ineligible. The SOI must be written in English, must not exceed two pages, and must have numbered pages. It should include the project name and location (with address and geographic coordinates), the applying organization’s legal name, status, and address, and complete contact details (name, email, phone). Applicants must provide a brief project description that clearly summarizes goals, objectives, expected outcomes, performance indicators, the target group, estimated numbers of direct and indirect beneficiaries, and a proposed timeline. The SOI must also introduce the organization, describing past and current operations and noting any previous grants from the U.S. government or other donors, along with a clear statement demonstrating the organization’s capacity to implement the project and manage U.S. government funds. A total budget figure must be presented in U.S. dollars (using the official rate), with a brief cost description and the community’s contribution; Nigerian naira amounts should not be included. Finally, the SOI must include the signature and contact information of a community leader who resides in the beneficiary community, such as a municipal, religious, or civil society leader; while one signature is acceptable, multiple signatures are encouraged.

Submission is by email only to AbujaPolEconGrants@state.gov. The email subject line must read: "2023 ASSH SOI - Name of applicant organization." The SOI must be attached as a single PDF document; other file formats are grounds for ineligibility. The Embassy will not open Google Docs or other shared links, and link-based submissions are considered ineligible. Scans must be readable; poor scan resolution that makes documents unreadable can also result in disqualification.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Nigeria in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2023 Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.220.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 24, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $10,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NGA POLECON GR 23 002 022423

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: