The USAID Rule of Law Program in Georgia is a five-year activity implemented by the East-West Management Institute, Inc. (EWMI) and funded by the US Agency for International Development. EWMI is a U.S.-based not-for-profit organization with extensive experience in supporting legal and judicial reforms around the world. The goal of the USAID Rule of Law Program is to strengthen the rule of law in Georgia by attaining the following objectives: 

Objective 1: Independence and effectiveness of justice system institutions strengthened 

Objective 2: Equal access to justice for all enhanced 

Objective 3: Citizen and institutional oversight of justice institutions increased 

Under Objective 3, the Program supports civil society engagement with justice institutions to increase the quality of court services and ensure better treatment of disadvantaged groups. The program also supports the oversight of courts and other justice sector institutions by CSOs and citizens, CSO studies and advocacy for justice sector reforms, initiatives to find technological solutions to problems in the justice institutions, and engagement of courts with local communities. 

The Open-door grants mechanism will support civil society organizations’ and unregistered civic groups’ proposals providing innovative solutions to justice challenges. These may include studies, advocacy initiatives, collaborative and awareness-raising projects directed at increasing community engagement with courts and bringing the justice system closer to the public. The Program welcomes initiatives guided by the principles of ‘people-centered justice,’ i.e., putting people at the center of the work of courts and other justice system institutions. Local initiatives, partnerships among CSOs and justice institutions, CSOs and academia, as well as CSOs and media are encouraged. Proposals should include clear communication and outreach plans. 

Applicants are encouraged to avoid overlaps with the projects that were funded through the grant competitions held before October 17, 2022. It is also not intended for funding proposals that fall within the mandates of ongoing grants competitions. [1]

Eligibility 

Nongovernmental organizations and unregistered citizen groups. 

Timeline 

Proposals can be submitted at any time. The open-door mechanism reviews grant applications on a rolling basis. The USAID Rule of Law Program will process the grant applications within one month. 

Selection criteria 

The following general criteria will be used to assess the projects: 

1. Degree of compliance with the Program objectives; 

2. Scope and relevance of the project’s impact; 

3. Effectiveness of project methodology; 

4. Cost-effectiveness of the project; 

5. Effectiveness of the monitoring and evaluation plan; 

6. Sustainability of the project (please note that sustainability can refer to activities, structures, knowledge, and outcomes that result from the project implementation); 

7. Capacity to implement the project. 

Grant Funds 

The maximum budget for grants will be $25,000 with project activities lasting for 6-12 months. Applicants are encouraged to provide cost-share for the projects equal to at least 5% of the requested funding. Higher contributions are welcome.

The following program activities cannot be supported by the USAID Rule of Law Program: 

1. Support for or lobbying on behalf of a particular political party; 

2. Religious activities; however, the USAID Rule of Law Program may support a religious organization for non-religious aims if its proposal corresponds to project objectives; humanitarian activities; 

3. Theoretical research; individual or group travel grants; 

4. or capital construction projects for commercial purposes. 

Proposal Submission Process: Applicants must submit short proposals and budget summaries. Unregistered groups shall additionally submit a memorandum of understanding or other document demonstrating the participants commitment to take part in the project and indicating a project manager. The short-listed applicants will be asked to fill out detailed grant application forms in English. 

Applications must be submitted electronically in English or Georgian to nghvinjilia@ewmi.org. Emails must have Open-door Grants in the subject line. Application Forms can be obtained from the www.jobs.ge announcement. Requests for additional information should be sent to Anna Jobava, Civil Society Advisor, at ajobava@ewmi.org.

See the grants program description together with the application and budget forms in the attached file.

[1] For information on the funded projects and grant competitions, please, check the USAID Rule of Law Program Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/USAIDRuleofLawProgram