Social Development and Public Governance > Gender Equality in Development > IDB Policy and Instruments for Gender Equality > Program for the Support of Women's Leadership and Representation (PROLEAD)

PROLEAD Funding

CHALLENGING BARRIERS TO WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Women with decision-making power are beginning to make a distinct contribution to the shaping of political, economic, and social policies in Latin America and the Caribbean. With the strengthening of democracy throughout the region, women are becoming more vocal and visible civic and social actors. The increasing reliance of democratic governments on institutions of the civil society is rapidly creating new leadership opportunities for women. But women still have a long way to go.

From Uruguay to the Bahamas, the number of women in leadership positions continues to be small when compared to their participation in economic, social, and political spheres. As we approach the new millennium, women's representation in cabinet and elected office has rarely exceeded ten percent in the countries of the region. Similarly, businesswomen are woefully underrepresented in top leadership positions relative to their participation at the middle and bottom echelons of organizations.

The challenge today lies in opening spaces for women's sustained participation at the highest levels of civic and public life. Encouragingly for the future, women's groups at all levels have started to question and address the various barriers to equal participation in policy formulation and decision-making.

This current movement towards women's greater leadership has translated into a growing number of requests to development institutions to finance new programs and initiatives in this area. The Program for the Support of Women's Leadership and Representation (PROLEAD) is the Inter-American Development Bank's (IDB's) response to this unprecedented momentum. Other agencies such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Inter-American Commission of Women of the Organization of American States (OAS/CIM) have joined the IDB's effort to further the goals and aspirations of Latin American and Caribbean women through this innovative and groundbreaking endeavor.

PROLEAD: CHANNELING RESOURCES TO

STRENGTHEN WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP

PROLEAD's focus is to increase women's civic participation and their access to leadership positions in public and civic life in Latin America and the Caribbean. More specific aims are to:

award grants to specific projects that promote women's civic participation and leadership;

foster networks that will enhance information and experience sharing between women leaders and organizations within and outside of the region on issues related to women's civic participation and leadership;

strengthen the capabilities of organizations that promote women's participation and leadership;

generate and disseminate basic information about women's participation and leadership, including best practices and lessons learned; and

encourage greater involvement of the donor community in supporting women's leadership in the region.

PROLEAD's actions will be guided by a set of principles that include: the need for transparency, dialogue and consultations, diversity, flexibility, timeliness, and non-partisanship.

In keeping with its objectives and principles, PROLEAD's basic institutional structure includes: 1) an Executing Unit, which operates with a small staff out of the IDB's headquarters in Washington, DC; 2) a twelve member Council, comprised of women representing private sector, governmental and non-governmental organizations, experts on issues impacting women, and representatives of the collaborating agencies of UNICEF, UNIFEM, UNDP, OAS/CIM, and the IDB, provides strategic guidance to PROLEAD's staff and makes funding recommendations; and 3) an Advisory Network, whose members are drawn from development agencies, NGOs, civic organizations, and other institutions based in Latin America and the Caribbean, serves as local liaison.

Initial funding for PROLEAD's activities has come from the IDB (US$3.25 million) and the Governments of Norway (US$350,000) and Sweden (US$120,000). Additional resources will be secured from the collaborating agencies and through other fund-raising efforts.

GUIDELINES AND APPLICATION PROCEDURES

TYPES OF ACTIVITIES THAT PROLEAD SUPPORTS

PROLEAD grants will fund projects in a broad range of areas such as training, research, public education, advocacy, coalition-building, and legislative reform. PROLEAD will especially encourage projects with innovative program design. Efforts that assist young and minority women will receive particular attention. The topics listed below are meant to be suggestive, not restrictive.

Civic Education and Good Governance: efforts that promote a better understanding of the workings of the formal political/democratic system, empower women as citizens, and foster the awareness and exercise of citizenship functions.
Community Leadership: initiatives that create the climate for indigenous or grassroots leadership to emerge, and help strengthen women's leadership and civic participation at the local level.
Economic and Business Leadership: initiatives to strengthen women's leadership in business and economic spheres, and to expand their roles and stake in the economic structure of their businesses and countries, such as through the formation of networks and associations.
Political Leadership: efforts geared to opening up political parties to women, incorporating women's issues into political agendas, preparing women candidates, and training elected women.
Young Women's Leadership: programs that develop young women's leadership potential, and that focus on upgrading their skills, raising their social consciousness and political awareness, and improving their self-confidence. This also includes fostering intergenerational exchanges, through mentoring and other mechanisms.

PROLEAD GRANTS

PROLEAD will initially award grants in two funding cycles: one in l998, and one in l999.

Grants will be awarded for projects ranging from US$5,000 to US$100,000.
A maximum of two to three grants for regional projects that benefit more than one country in Latin America and the Caribbean will be awarded during each funding cycle.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Grants will be awarded to institutions, including NGOs, educational and research centers, women's groups and organizations, and grassroots and community organizations.

To be eligible, an organization must:

serve women and/or groups from Latin America and the Caribbean;
have at least a two-year track record in managing development programs;
be able to demonstrate stable management and appropriate accounting procedures;
be non-partisan or multi-partisan, and be able to work across party lines;
partner with a private organization, if the applicant is a public institution;
demonstrate the ability to attract funds from other sources; and
be located in a member country of the IDB in Latin America and the Caribbean, and have the legal authority to receive IDB technical assistance.

Beneficiary organizations are not required to be women's organizations, but preference will be given to organizations or groups that include women at all levels within their structure and have a history of work that benefits women.

HOW PROPOSALS ARE SELECTED FOR FUNDING

Only proposals that meet the criteria and follow the format outlined in this brochure, and provide all the information requested by PROLEAD, will be considered for funding.

The selection process will be conducted by PROLEAD staff, external technical reviewers and PROLEAD's Council.

The following criteria will be used to consider the proposals:

consistency with PROLEAD's objectives;
ability to demonstrate how women will participate in and benefit from the project;
clarity of the need/problem statement;
appropriateness and feasibility of the proposed activities;
ability to demonstrate the expected results of the proposed activities;
potential for replicability and/or expanded impact;
qualifications of project staff or team members; and
ability to demonstrate how collaboration will occur in the case of two institutions submitting a joint proposal.

PROLEAD will not consider proposals that are for:

individual benefits, including academic scholarships

general support and start-up costs

endowments

debt cancellation

partisan projects
microenterprise development/credit

programs to develop basic skills, such as literacy and basic training

construction or renovation (capital costs), or

land purchase

Proposals not approved for funding in the 1998 grantmaking cycle may be resubmitted for the second grantmaking cycle in 1999.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

COVER SHEET. Proposals must begin with a one-page cover sheet stating the:

organization's name and address

name of the director and contact person, along with their telephone and fax numbers and e-mail addresses, if available

organization's mission

purpose of the request

relationship of the request to the organization's mission

organization's total annual budget, in U.S. dollars

project's total budget, in U.S. dollars

amount of grant being requested, in U.S. dollars

funding from other sources, in U.S. dollars, and

time-frame for project

PROPOSALS must present the following information:

1. Need/problem statement and justification (1/2 page)

Concisely describe the problem or need to be addressed by the proposed project. Provide social, economic, geographic, and political context, including estimates, where possible, of how many people will be affected by the issue the project intends to address.

2. Project description (4 pages)

Objectives: State the project's objectives and specific results sought.
Target population and geographic location: Describe the groups participating in and served by the project, including the geographic area that will be covered by the project.
Project activities: Present a detailed description of each activity that will be implemented under the project: where and when it will occur, and for how long; and key groups and individuals involved.
Methodology and expected outcomes: Especially for research proposals.
Collaborating organizations. If two or more institutions are submitting a collaborative project proposal, clearly describe how that collaboration will operate.
Timeline of activities: Provide the start and end date of the project and of each activity.
Budget. Complete the attached budget information.

3. Project Management (1 page)

Describe the major responsibilities of team members, and attach a short biography of the Project Director.

4. Monitoring and Evaluation (1 page)

Describe plans for monitoring the results of the project and measuring and evaluating progress during implementation.

The cover sheet and proposal should not exceed 8 single-sided pages. In addition, please include:

FINANCIAL / LEGAL ATTACHMENTS

Organizational information, including a brief history and the organization's governing structure and primary activities. (1 page)
Organization/agency's current operating budget. Complete the attached budget information.
Agency's most recent audited financial statement.
Evidence of eligibility to receive funds.
A list of Board Members, if applicable.

HOW TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS

Language requirement: Applicants must submit their proposals in one of the IDB's official languages: Spanish, English, Portuguese or French.

Deadline: The deadline for the first funding cycle is September 15, 1998. Proposals sent

by mail must be postmarked by September 15, 1998. Proposals transmitted by electronic

mail or fax must be received by September 15, 1998.

All inquiries and proposals should be directed to:

PROLEAD

Inter-American Development Bank

Stop W0502

1300 New York Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20577

Telephone: (202) 623.2249

Fax: (202) 623.1463

E-mail: prolead@iadb.org

Given the incompatability of some e-mail systems, proposals sent by e-mail must be followed by a hard copy.

You should fill out two copies of this budget sheet. One will have budget information for the proposed project, the other will have budget information for your organization.

If you already prepare organizational and project budgets that approximate this format, please feel free to submit them in their original forms. You may reproduce this form on your computer.

BUDGET INFORMATION

Budget for the period from: to:

EXPENSES		REVENUE
Salaries & wages*:	$	Government grants & contracts:	$
Honorarium & payroll taxes:	$	Foundations:	$
Consultants & professional fees:	$	Corporations:	$
Travel:	$	Earned income:	$
Equipment:	$	Fund-raising events & products:	$
Supplies , printing & copying:	$	Membership income:	$
Telephone, fax & e-mail:	$	In-kind support:	$
Postage & delivery:	$	Other (specify):	$
Rent & utilities:	$	TOTAL REVENUE:	$
In-kind expense:	$	TOTAL REVENUE:	$
Other (specify):	$	TOTAL EXPENSES:	$
TOTAL EXPENSES:	$	BALANCE:	$

*On a separate sheet supply breakdown by individual position and indicate full-time (FT) or part-time (PT)

Last updated: 01/16/07