U.S. Embassy in Mozambique Offering Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund for Community Development Projects

The Embassy of the United States of America in Mozambique welcomes the submission of proposals for funding under the Ambassador’s Special Self-Help (SSH) Fund. The SSH Fund assists Mozambican community organizations and groups to develop lasting, self-sustaining projects that benefit entire communities.

Purpose of Small Grants: In Mozambique, the Ambassadors’ Special Self-Help (SSH) program began in 1988 and allows the Embassy to respond to local requests for small community-based development projects. The SSH program received $2 million in 2022 from African Regional Economic Support Funds to support projects throughout Africa.

 Program Objectives:

• Foster community self-reliance;
• Have community participation and contribution – volunteer time and labor, donated land, equipment and materials – and the U.S. contribution must be on a one-time basis only;
•  Improve basic economic or social conditions at the local community or village level;
•  Be viable and sustainable in terms of finance, personnel support, necessary expertise and services;
• Respect environmental norms for small projects; the proposed activity will not adversely affect protected or other sensitive environmental areas nor jeopardize threatened and endangered species and their habitat; and
• Not exceed twelve months in duration.

Some examples of past SSH grants include:

• Water Projects – boreholes, irrigation, or water collection systems, storage tanks;
• Health & Hygiene – latrines at schools and clinics, community gardens;
• Environmental Projects – recycling, solar panel systems, organic fertilization production;
• Education Projects – classrooms, community libraries; and
•  Income Generating Projects – oil press for nuts, maize milling facility, clothing production, carpentry tools, and brick making machines.

Performance Indicators

Organizations should monitor and report on performance indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, time bound, and relate to the objectives of the project. Please detail which indicators will be measured and how they will be measured. Whenever possible, performance indicators should list beneficiaries by gender. 

Example: An organization is awarded special self-help funds to implement a coffee growing program with the objective to train 200 community members and grow 2,000 coffee plants. This organization could outline the following performance indicators: number of plants grown, number of community members trained, number of women participants trained, and time to achieve these goals. 

Organizations awarded funds are responsible for quarterly reports on each performance indicator included in the grant agreement as well as analysis of progress or impediments to reach indicator targets.  

Applications must have the following format:

• The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity
• All documents are in English
• All budgets are in U.S. dollars
• All pages are numbered
• All documents are formatted to A4 paper, and
• All documents are single-spaced, Calibri – 14 point font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

Complete applications must include the following required documents:

 Mandatory application forms that must be completed and signed:

*These forms are available electronically via Grants.gov.

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – Organizations)
• SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs)
• SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) The SF-424B is required only for those applicants who have not registered in SAM.gov.

Note: In order to view the documents, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader (available for free at https://get.adobe.com/reader/)

All grant information is available at: https://mz.usembassy.gov/nofo-us-ambassador-ssh-fund-2024/