The Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) announces an open competition for applications that support civic activism and advocacy efforts across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Secretary Clinton emphasized the essential role of civil society organizations on July

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3, 2010 at the Community of Democracies meeting in Krakow, stating “societies move forward when the citizens that make up these groups are empowered to transform common interests into common actions that serve the common good.” MEPI’s core objectives include building more participatory societies where citizens have the opportunity to play more active roles in making decisions that affect their lives, and in holding their governments accountable.

The Middle East Partnership Initiative seeks proposals that contribute toward achieving the following key objective:
• Civil society organizations (CSOs) and motivated individuals in the MENA region more effectively advocate for causesSpecifically, projects should assist activists and organizations in developing sustainable tools and methods that will increase their capacity to achieve impact – ideally, on policy outcomes and political freedom.

Assistance in the design, organization, and implementation of public advocacy campaigns on specific topics are more appropriate to this project than general training programs directed to basic organizational capacity.

Local CSOs and individuals should determine the advocacy topic(s) to be addressed, but efforts may focus on a specific thematic issue or on behalf of a specific demographic group, and must be consistent with MEPI’s overall mission and goals (mepi.state.gov).

We are particularly interested in receiving creative proposals focused on assisting MENA-based CSOs and emerging leaders with limited experience in developing and implementing effective, issue-based campaigns.

Any proposed training activities should engage participants in the application of practical skills.

In order to assist MENA-based CSOs in the practical implementation of learned skills, applicants should consider the provision of small sub-awards to the local organizations or activists with whom they plan to work.