Grant Programs for Agriculture, Energy, Environment, Natural Resources

Seed Grants for Micro-Credit Projects. RSWR makes seed grants to help small grassroots organizations empower women through income-generating projects. The grants are used to set up programs of micro-credits to benefit members of the recipient organizations.

Projects include many in the production and sale of fruits and vegetables; meat and milk; grain crops; fish; fuelwood; and other enterprises associated with small-scale agriculture and rural livelihoods.

RSWR currently makes seed grants in selected states and districts of South India; to members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Kenya; and to grassroots organizations in Sierra Leone. Eligibility to apply for grants extends to NGOs that are less than 20 years old, and that have annual budgets of less than the equivalent of US$16,500.

Grants are up to US$5,500 per year for a maximum of five years. Projects are funded one year at a time.

About the program

APPLICATION: RSWR publishes guidelines for preparing and submitting project proposals.

A proposal includes the number of women who will participate in the project; estimates of the revenues and expenses of the business or businesses the women will undertake; a description of the loan repayment plan; an explanation of how the work can become self-supporting after the grant has ended; a project budget; and a statement indicating how the project is compatible with RSWR’s principles.

Proposals are sent to RSWR by postal mail or email. There are two application deadlines each year.

About how to apply