GRANT GUIDELINES

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Below, you will find essential information regarding our closed funding call for projects by grassroots Indigenous-led organizations from Brazil for the year 2024. Please note that this is the only call for this year.

 GRANT CRITERIA AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Azimuth World Foundation is dedicated to supporting grassroots organizations led by Indigenous Peoples. The projects we fund prioritize improving access to Health and  Water , as well as preserving territorial sovereignty and traditional ways of living in harmony with Nature  for the communities they serve. The projects must be designed by the communities themselves and address their self-determined priorities.

All grant applications should align with this mission.

To be eligible for funding from Azimuth World Foundation's Donor-Advised Fund, organizations must meet at least one of the following criteria:

- Have a USA Fiscal Sponsor or "Friends of" with tax-exempt status (501 (c)(3))
- Meet the criteria to be considered equivalent to a USA tax-exempt charity by NGOsource, i.e., pass an Equivalency Determination process. 
  Note: This Equivalency Determination process is lengthy, costly, and bureaucratic, and should only be pursued as a last resort.

Our priorities are the following:

Communities we have served before. 
We prioritize ongoing support over one-off funding because we want to cultivate lasting and meaningful relationships with communities, organizations and individuals. Genuine collaboration, mutual learning and trust building are essential to becoming better allies. Our approach enables our partners to confidently design projects, programs and initiatives and plan for the long term, knowing they have our ongoing support and partnership. It also allows us to understand where our funding can make the most difference.

Underserved and under-resourced communities and lesser-known, lesser-funded, smaller organizations.
We recognize the value of grassroots and small organizations that have a deep understanding of local dynamics and can effectively implement targeted interventions. We want to guarantee that the projects we fund are culturally appropriate, relevant, and address self-determined priorities.

Communities facing severe and urgent problems.

Empowerment of Women and Youth.
We prioritize projects that empower women and young people. We recognize their potential to bring about change and act as catalysts for community protection.

 APPLICATION PROCESS

In 2024, the funding cycle will be closed and accessible only to invited organizations.

However, if you know of or represent a grassroots, Indigenous-led organization from Brazil aligned with our eligibility criteria, with a project waiting to be funded, please reach out to us at grants@azimuthworldfoundation.org.

Organizations invited to apply, should:

- Start by creating an account on our platform: Grant Interface Registration
- Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
- After creating the account, you will receive a confirmation email. Please confirm receipt of this email on the platform.
- Once your account is created, log in to the platform and enter the access code you were given.
- After entering the code, you'll gain access to the application form. When you are ready to start filling in the form, click “Apply”. You can then fill it out and submit it directly through the platform.
- Stay updated by signing up for our newsletter, which provides reminders about important deadlines.
- Fill in the application form and submit it. If you want, you can download the form as a .pdf. The form is available to download here.
- While the submission of requested documents and information is not obligatory, we encourage their inclusion because AWF’s Donor-Advised Fund will require your financial documentation to transfer the funds to your organization.*
- Feel free to enhance your application with supporting materials such as films, research papers, stories, or other resources. You can submit them as attachments via email  to grants@azimuthworldfoundation.org or use a free file-sharing platform.
- Remember to submit your application before the specified deadline, as late submissions cannot be accepted. Adhering to deadlines ensures that we can provide the necessary care and  attention to each application and manage all requests equitably for all organizations and communities.

 *Azimuth World Foundation, as an Indigenous Peoples ally, is committed to decolonizing its grant-making process and fostering a culture of trust. Our aim is to ensure that the grant application process, the grants themselves, and our relationships with partners are not unnecessarily burdensome or bureaucratic. However, it is important to note that we must comply with the laws and regulations of the United States and adhere to the rules of the US Fiscal Policy in order to support organizations effectively. While certain requirements may be unavoidable, we try to minimize any unnecessary complexities and maintain a collaborative and empowering approach throughout the grant-making journey.

 RESTRICTIONS

- We exclusively fund projects by Indigenous Peoples-led organizations that are intended to be implemented within the communities represented by the organization's leadership.
- Each organization can submit only one application per funding cycle. If an organization receives a grant in a cycle, they are not eligible to apply for the next cycle, but they can reapply after that.

 GRANT AMOUNTS

- Our total grant budget for the year is USD 50,000.00.
- We encourage applicants to request funding based on their project needs within this budget.
- The minimum grant amount available is USD 5,000.00.
- If your project requires funding exceeding USD 50,000.00, we suggest considering two options: scaling down the project or dividing it into phases and applying for funding for a single phase.

 GRANT JOURNEY TIMELINE

- One single grant cycle in 2024 opening on May 13 
- The portal will be open for 15 days and will close on May 27, 23:59 (CST). Please be mindful of these dates.
- After submitting your application, check your inbox for emails from us requesting clarifications. Applications are marked as complete.
     Note: Grant applications will only be evaluated once they are deemed complete. If you receive a request from us for additional information or documents, please provide them promptly to facilitate the review process and presentation to our committee for evaluation.
- Azimuth's assessment period (~ 1 month).
- Trustee informs Azimuth's Donor-Advised Fund of selected organizations. 
- Processing time: organizations with "Friends of": up to 3 weeks, organizations that require Equivalency Determination: over 9 weeks.
- After funds are disbursed, a Memorandum of Understanding is sent for approval and signing.
- Follow-up conversations to share successes and challenges will be scheduled as your time allows.

 EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

To ensure a comprehensive evaluation and selection process, the following steps are undertaken:

- The Grants Manager conducts an evaluation and prepares a report.
- AWF's team selects a maximum of 10 projects to present to the committee.
- The Advisory Committee selects up to 5 projects for funding (maybe less depending on the ask amount of selected projects).
- The Trustees review the recommendations made and either affirm the decision or request an alternative.
- The final recommendation is presented to the Fund, which does its due diligence and disburses the grant amounts to the selected organizations.

 ACCOUNTABILITY AND RELATIONSHIPS

Azimuth World Foundation recognizes the importance of accountability in our grant-making process, and we aim to employ culturally sensitive and genuinely supportive approaches. We prioritize fostering open communication and learning from our partners and we don’t rely on traditional reporting methods. We value the opportunity to engage with you and understand your project's progress, and we are available to support you in overcoming any challenges you may encounter along the way. We offer the option of participating in our Voices from the Ground segment, which serves as communication material for you and as a tool for sharing updates and raising awareness for us.

Need help? 
E-mail us at grants@azimuthworldfoundation.org  

Precisa de ajuda?
Envie-nos um email para grants@azimuthworldfoundation.org

about Equivalency Determination
about US 501(c)(3) "Friends of"