Inter-American Foundation
Grants and fellowships in agriculture, environment, and other themes to support grassroots development in Latin America and the Caribbean
Principal Office: USA
The Inter-American Foundation (IAF) is an independent agency of the U.S. government that provides grants to non-governmental and community-based organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The broad goals of IAF are to improve the quality of life of poor people, and to strengthen participation, accountability, and democratic practices.
Grant Programs for Agriculture, Energy, Environment, Natural Resources
1 — Grants. IAF makes grants to non-governmental and community-based organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean to raise living conditions of disadvantaged populations, and to advance other social goals.
Among other themes, the Foundation’s grant-making interests include grassroots projects in agriculture; clean water and sanitation; community conservation; and local management of natural resources (forests, fisheries, etc.).
Grants range from US$25 thousand to US$400 thousand for projects of one to four years.
APPLICATION: IAF posts a grants application form. Applications can be submitted in Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, or Haitian Creole. Proposals may be submitted throughout the year, and they are reviewed as they are received.
Applications include a project summary, information about the organization, project narrative, and an itemized budget request.
About IAF’s grants, and how to apply
2 — Doctoral Fellowships. IAF supports doctoral dissertation research in Latin America and the Caribbean for PhD candidates at U.S. universities. The fellowships are available in the social sciences, physical sciences, technical fields, and other disciplines related to grassroots development in Latin America or the Caribbean.
Eligibility for fellowships extends to nationals of the USA, Latin America, and the Caribbean (except Cuba).
About IAF’s fellowships
APPLICATION: IAF coordinates with the Institute of International Education (IIE) for administration of IAF’s fellowships program.
The program operates through an annual call for applications. IIE’s web pages provide application guidelines and forms, a submission deadline, and contact information.
Each applicant must have a confirmed collaboration with an appropriate institution in the country of the proposed research.
About how to apply (Institute of International Education)
Geographical Distribution of Grant Activities in Developing Countries
Latin America and Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Granada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela
Note: The IAF has also made grants in Anguilla, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, and Turks and Caicos. These are not classified as countries in the Terra Viva Grants Directory
IAF’s website is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole.
Grant seekers can consult the map and list of active projects to learn about the initiatives that IAF chooses to fund.
The IAF posts contact information for its office in Washington.
April 2021