National Coalition Grants

The National Coalition funding stream supports advancement of the CRPD at national levels through lobbying for ratification of the CRPD/Optional Protocol or other international or regional human rights treaties protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. The stream also supports lobbying for national-level legislative, policy, and budgetary changes to advance the CRPD; monitoring and reporting on implementation of the CRPD or other international human rights mechanisms as they relate to persons with disabilities; or following up on recommendations made by UN human rights mechanisms to States in regard to implementation of the rights of persons with disabilities. In addition, this funding stream supports national-level coalitions to advocate that national development programs, policies, plans, and budgets aiming to implement the SDGs are inclusive of persons with disabilities and use the CRPD as a guideline, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This stream is intended for organizations that are prominent in the disability movement at the national level.  Because of the importance of joint advocacy at this level, only coalitions of three or more organizations will be funded. Applicant organizations leading coalitions must be OPDs, while partner organizations can be either OPDs or other civil society organizations active in the promotion of human rights.

Grants for National Coalitions are disbursed to one lead OPD, which is responsible for coordinating the Coalition and managing the grant. Coalitions led by umbrella organizations or federations may include member OPDs as partners, but must also include at least one outside organization to be eligible. Both the applicant organization and the application aim must have national scope.

National Coalition grants range from USD 30,000 – 50,000 per year (USD 60,000 – 100,000 over two years). Grants will support activities to be implemented over the course of two years, however grants are given one year at a time. A second-year grant will be awarded only with satisfactory completion of the first year.

National Coalition Grants Priority Areas

To be considered for funding, applications must address one of the priority areas detailed below:

PRIORITY AREAS RELEVANT TO ALL FUNDING STREAMS

1. Promoting gender equality and SOGIESC diversity

2. Advancing achievement of Global Disability Summit 2018 (GDS18) commitments and advocating for Global Disability Summit 2022 (GDS22) commitments

3. Ratification of the CRPD and/or the Optional Protocol (where not ratified), or of other international or regional human rights treaties relevant to the rights of persons with disabilities

PRIORITY AREAS SPECIFIC TO NATIONAL COALITION GRANTSNational Coalition grants should be aimed at one of the following priority areas (or an area relevant to all funding streams):

1. Passage or amendment of specific national legislation and policies to accord with the CRPD (including those related to COVID 19)

2. Advocacy for budgetary measures as well as regulations to implement new or amended legislation and policy promoting the rights of persons with disabilities (including those related to COVID 19)

3. Production of and/or follow up to Alternative Reports to the CRPD Committee and other human rights treaty bodies or reports to the Human Rights Council for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

4. Engagement with national government SDGs focal point, civil society SDGs platforms, and National Statistics Offices to ensure national action plans, programs, monitoring frameworks and data collection methods for implementing and monitoring the SDGs are inclusive of persons with disabilities and use the CRPD as a guideline

5. Advocacy to ensure inclusion of a disability perspective in national governmental implementation and/or monitoring of the CRPD

Applicant Documents