Open Call: Microgrants for WASH Activities (Ethiopia)

The Ethiopia Climate Resilient Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (CR-WASH) Activity is a five-year USAID-funded project (2023-2028) aimed at expanding access to improved water supply and sanitation services and promoting safe hygiene practices in lowland woredas of Afar, Oromia, Somali, and South Ethiopia Regions.

Focus Areas

• The activity focuses on four Intermediate Results (IRs):
  • Professionalize and expand quality climate-resilient water services.
  • Increase sustainable access to and use of sanitation and hygiene products and services, including Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH).
  • Improve gender power dynamics.
  • Strengthen the enabling environment for climate-resilient water and sanitation services.

Funding Information

• The maximum amount for micro-grants is between Ethiopian 500,000 – 1,000,000.

Eligible Activities

• Technical training and mentorships for youth, women, communities, and MSMEs.
• In-kind equipment costs for operations and maintenance (O&M) toolkits and related training. (providing in-kind quick spare parts like a one-stop center for spare parts needed for boreholes well-supported water schemes at the zone woreda level)
• In-kind equipment and materials for modified Community Led Total Sanitation and Hygiene (CLTSH) promoters and MSMEs.
• Skills development and training for latrine slab manufacturing and toilet pre-fabs.
• Micro grants for promising innovators and enterprises in the WASH sector.
• Technical support and training for newly established women-led networks and business associations.
• CBOs engaged in strengthening women agency or empowerment.
• Events planning and celebrations for International Women’s Day, World Water Day, Menstrual Hygiene and Health (MHH) Day, World Toilet Day, Environment Earth Day, etc.
• Raising awareness and changing negative attitudes towards MHH.
• Establishing menstrual health products or dignity kits labs at schools or other community platforms.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be registered and formally constituted with the GoE at the national or regional Zonal and Woreda level.
• Minimum 2 individuals in MSME (at least one female).
• No history of gender-based violence or legal penalties for such actions.
• Only one application per prime organization under this APS.
• Demonstrated presence or experience in the Ethiopia lowland regions.
• Not on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons List.
• Any falsification of application information may result in rejection cancellation of the award.

For more information, visit USAID.