The Asia Foundation Announces Call for Proposals for the South Asia Small Grants Program

Colombo, March 15, 2020 — The deadline for applications for the South Asia Small Grants Program (SASGP) has been extended from April 15, 2020 to April 29, 2020. All applications must be submitted by 5.00 pm local time on the new closing date.

The Asia Foundation announces a call for proposals for the South Asia Small Grants Program (SASGP). The SASGP will provide small grants to eligible civil society organizations (CSOs) in five South Asian countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Designed as a flexible mechanism to respond to existing contexts and emerging opportunities, the open grant window will support CSOs to work on critical governance challenges around four core themes:

  • Increasing public sector accountability and transparency;
  • Strengthening the rule of law;
  • Promoting civil society participation and media in these efforts; and
  • Strengthening democratic insitutions and practices.

Driven by the broader goal of creating a free and open South Asian region, SASGP will strive to increase CSO-led policy reforms, constructive engagements, and social accountability in core areas of governance; enlarge the space for civil society to engage with and influence key democratic institutions in the region; and increase the capacity of CSOs to effectively pursue longer-term reform in the governance sector. This involves helping to build the capacity of civil society actors to respond to governance and capacity challenges and providing expertise, mentoring and concrete tools to sub-grantees to apply in promoting good governance and developing their organizations.

The call for proposals opens on March 15, 2020 and will close on April 15, 2020.

Information on the eligibility criteria, application process and grant selection process, and application document downloads.

For more information and queries on the South Asia Small Grants Program, email the relevant country office:

The Asia Foundation is a longstanding partner to both government and civil society in South Asia, supporting initiatives to build more effective and responsive governance that expands justice, accelerates social and economic development, and promotes peace and security.

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia. Informed by six decades of experience and deep local expertise, our work across the region addresses five overarching goals—strengthen governance, empower women, expand economic opportunity, increase environmental resilience, and promote regional cooperation.

Read more about the Foundation’s work.

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Media contact

Eelynn Sim, Director, Strategy and Programs
[email protected]

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