AmplifyChange Opportunity Grant: Supporting Small Organizations

Small and medium-sized organizations are at the forefront in the advancement of social justice issues, especially on SRHR matters. The AmplifyChange Opportunity Grant will involve the provision of funds for such organizations to seize emerging opportunities, respond to challenges, and implement innovative projects that will bring much-desired change to their communities. It is a grant exclusively intended for organizations operating in AmplifyChange-eligible countries and is ideal for groups working on grassroots SRHR advocacy.

What Is the Opportunity Grant?

The Opportunity Grant is among the various grant types under AmplifyChange, a fund committed to enabling advocacy for SRHR across the globe. This grant looks at supporting small to medium-size organizations in taking advantage of immediate, short-term advocacy opportunities that will bring about considerable impact on SRHR issues in their communities. It provides funding of up to GBP 100,000 to organizations that are actively working for the realization of the SRHR through policy change, advocacy, or direct community action.

By supporting organizations that may not have the wherewithal or resources for long-term planning, the Opportunity Grant helps in assuring even the negligible groups can make a difference in the SRHR challenges in their regions.

Key Objectives of the Opportunity Grant

1. Address Emerging SRHR Issues: The Opportunity Grant can provide flexible funding in addressing emerging areas of challenges in SRHR, like the change of local laws or sudden public health issues.
2. Empower grassroots advocacy: In essence, the grant empowers the small to medium-sized organizations in ensuring the inclusion of local voices in SRHR advocacy.
3. Promote Gender Equality and Social Justice: By funding projects that advocate for the SRHR of marginalized communities, the Opportunity Grant supports broader goals of gender equality and social justice.
4. Building Local Capacity: Beyond investing in funds, AmplifyChange takes it to the next level by ensuring that applicant organizations strengthen their operational capacity, mostly unregistered groups needing assistance in dealing with Grant Funds or undertaking the formal processes of registration.

Eligibility Criteria for the Opportunity Grant

AmplifyChange has imposed certain eligibility criteria for the Opportunity Grant so that funds go to the beneficiaries who have maximum utilization potential. General and project-specific eligibility criteria for all applicants:

• Geographical Location: Your organization should be headquartered in and be working or implementing a project in an AmplifyChange-eligible country. This is usually low- or middle-income countries where SRHR issues are pressing and underfunded.
• Organizational size : Applicants should be small to medium scale organizations that have spent an average of less than GBP 200,000 per year over the past two years. For example, if your expenditure in 2021 was GBP 100,000 and in 2022 it was GBP 350,000, then the average would be GBP 225,000, which would be above the eligibility threshold.
• Annual Expenditure Evidence: Financial documentation to substantiate the applicant's annual expenditure shall include audited financial reports or profit and loss statements, as would be applicable. This would thus imply a level of transparency that would assist in assessing for AmplifyChange the financial viability of the applicant.
• Registered and Unregistered Organizations: The application is open to both registered and unregistered organizations. In a case where an unregistered organization wins the grant, AmplifyChange will help facilitate the registration process of the organization or find the organization a fiscal sponsor who can manage the grant money on behalf of the organization.

How to Apply for the Opportunity Grant

The Opportunity Grant application process is streamlined as much as possible so small organizations have access to funding without onerous administrative requirements barring their way. Here is the application process:

1. Visit The Grant Page: The applicant should visit the Opportunity Grant page on the website of AmplifyChange for details on eligibility, types of projects that can be funded, and the application process.
2. Prepare Financial Documents: Be prepared to provide documentation of your organization's yearly expense for the past two years based on an audited financial report or profit and loss statement.
3. Apply: The application is done online through the AmplifyChange portal. You will have to give information on the organization, the proposed project, and exactly how the funds will be expended to meet SRHR challenges. If unregistered, AmplifyChange will assist the applicant in either registering or partnering with a fiscal sponsor.
4. Review and Decision: Once submitted, your application will be reviewed by AmplifyChange’s grant committee. If approved, you can expect to receive the grant within a specified time frame, and project work must be completed within the grant’s timeline.

The Opportunity Grant is a short-term project to respond to immediate opportunities or challenges. If your application has been approved, your organization can use the grant for holding rapid mobilization and creating significant impacts on the SRHR issues of your community.

What AmplifyChange Looks for in Applications

While meeting the eligibility criteria, successful applications to the Opportunity Grant need to also describe how this proposed project will spur actual change. AmplifyChange looks for a variety of key factors in the review of applications, including:

1. Urgency of the Project: Your application should, therefore, outline how the project addresses an emerging issue or catalyzing event that requires immediate action.
2. Potential for Achieving Immediate Impact: The project should be strategic, having a plan with goals and timeline. AmplifyChange prioritizes projects whose positive outcomes can be achieved within the timeframe of a grant.
3. Focus on SRHR and Equity: Projects should explicitly address sexual and reproductive health and rights issues, particularly in marginalized communities. AmplifyChange looks for projects that promote equity, gender equality, and justice.
4. Community Leadership: It gives priority to projects that are led by the very population most affected by SRHR challenges, such as women, youth, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized groups.
5. Capability of Success: Even though the main target for the Opportunity Grant is small organizations, applicants must still show the capability for successfully handling the proposed project. This includes showing how the grant will strengthen the organization's capacity to engage in SRHR issues.

How Fluxx Supports Efficient Grant Management for AmplifyChange

There is a need for an efficient, transparent system that handles large numbers of grant applications, especially from small organizations. That's why Fluxx is here. As the grant management platform for AmplifyChange, Fluxx streamlines everything from application submission to project reporting for all grant makers who form a part of the partnership.

Key benefits of Fluxx for AmplifyChange include:

• Smarter Application Submission: With Fluxx, it's possible for organizations to submit their grant applications and monitor their statuses with unparalleled ease, streamlining the process on both the applicant and administrator sides.
• Real-time Communication: Fluxx allows AmplifyChange to communicate in real time with the grant applicants. It elicits any bottleneck in communication where any question that arises is answered.
• Performance Tracking: Fluxx helps organizations in tracking their project milestones upon awarding of grants, submission of progress reports, and documentation of results over time of the impacts that their work will have.

With Fluxx, AmplifyChange can ensure that administrative burdens do indeed not get in the way of its Opportunity Grant program and free organizations up to spend their time creating lasting change in their communities.

Empowering Grassroots SRHR Advocacy Through Opportunity

The Opportunity Grant from AmplifyChange is crucial for providing support to small and medium-sized organizations that work at the grassroots levels on sexual and reproductive health and rights issues within their communities. The grant gives flexible, short-term funding to enable grassroots organizations to seize critical opportunities for making the case for change, strengthening local leadership, and addressing urgent SRHR challenges.

If this is an area where your organization is ready to make an immediate impact in the area of SRHR, visit AmplifyChange to learn more about how to apply for the Opportunity Grant.