Funding Opportunity

under Education Sector:

USAIDs Small Grants Program
Small Grants and Ambassadors Fund Program (SGAFP)

Small Grants and Ambassadors Fund Programme

National Project Office:

House # 10, Street #30, Sector F 7/1

Islamabad, Pakistan
T: 051-2656433-35; Fax. No. 051-2656436
Email: info@sgafp.org.pk
Website: www.sgafp.org.pk

USAID Disclaimer: This application guideline and form for the Ambassadors Fund Program is made possible with support from the American people delivered
through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the sole responsibility of National Rural Support Programme
(NRSP) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

USAIDs Small Grant Program

Education:
Proposals for education grants must be designed to help resolve challenges related to
educational quality and/or access. Specifically, proposals should align with one or both of
two
goals
described
in
the
2011
USAID
Education
Strategy
(http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PDACQ946.pdf). USAID seeks to support improved quality of
education through activities contributing to Goal One: improved reading skills for 100
million children in primary grades. Activities to improve educational access must be designed
to contribute to Goal Three: increased equitable access to education in crisis and conflict
environments for 15 million learners.
A-Improved Early Grade Reading Outcomes:
Application for grants to undertake activities towards this goal must be aimed at improving
measurable impact on the reading outcomes for primary school age children over the life of
the grant. Activities proposing to affect this change must count the number of children with
improved reading skills as a result of the intervention using one or more subtests of the
Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA). Alternately, proposed activities may contribute
indirectly toward reading skill improvement by advancing empirical knowledge about
improving reading outcomes in Pakistan, building the capacity of publishers, booksellers,
authors and others to create new titles for nascent readers in local languages, educating
parents and other community members in ways to help strengthen childrens reading skills
at home and advocate for improved education quality in schools, organizing community
reading events, and other such measures. Preference will be given to approaches that
increase reading skills or opportunities to learn to read among girls, children with disabilities
and/or special learning needs, geographically isolated children and other marginalized
populations. Proposals to improve early grade reading outcomes may include but are not
limited to:
introducing approaches and methods for developing a habit of reading in primary age
children;
strengthening teachers use of the EGRA or comparable reading assessments;
facilitating the sustainable use of technology for improving reading skills and habits within
and outside the school environment;
developing and availing low cost, high quality reading material, particularly for emerging
readers and children with visual impairments, and particularly in local languages;
implementing non-formal accelerated literacy programs for out of school children,
potentially including their illiterate parents and/or older siblings to further strengthen
reading outcomes at primary education level;
undertaking empirical research to identify the most cost-effective approaches to improve
reading/reading culture.

B-Increased Equitable Access to Basic Education:

Application for grants to undertake activities towards this goal may propose any innovative
activities that can improve access to basic education. Proposals to increase educational
access can focus on increased enrollment and/or retention in formal primary schools or

Funding opportunity under Education Sector

USAIDs Small Grant Program

non-formal basic education programs in safe learning spaces for primary school aged
children, with emphasis on girls, children with disabilities and/or special learning needs, IDPs

and other children from conflict affected areas, and other marginal or disadvantaged
populations. Proposals may not include construction, but may include the provision of safe
temporary learning spaces, provision of materials, teacher training and other inputs required
to provide basic education to children who would otherwise not be enrolled. When
relevant, proposals seeking to improve access must measure their contribution by tracking
increases in enrollment in effected learning spaces/schools as a direct result of the proposed
activities. Sustainability, scalability, replicability, cost effectiveness, innovation and scope of
impact will be considered in assessing proposals. Proposed activities may include but are not
limited to:
establishing temporary and permanent schools, without undertaking construction;
accelerated basic education programs for children and youth i.e. completing education in
shorter than the normal education cycle;
alternative education service delivery, e.g. inter-active radio instruction, mobile education
services etc.
training and/or mentoring for teachers or teachers aides on supporting the psychosocial
well-being of learners;
training and/or mentoring to increase the recruitment of new teachers into the
workforce, with a particular focus on female teachers;
building the capacity of local organizations to advocate for policies that ensure access to
quality education for all, especially for disabled and marginalized groups;
social mobilization projects to promote learners access to education opportunities,
especially focusing on girls and children with special needs;
technical support and capacity building at any level of the education system that can
improve access to education, particularly in post- conflict or disaster prone areas;
empirical research to identify the most cost-effective approaches to increasing student
enrollment and retention and address other related knowledge gaps.

Funding opportunity under Education Sector