Ambassador's Special Self-Help Program - SSH Fund

The U.S. Department of State, through the U.S. Embassy in Harare, announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a small, community-based development program. Please follow all instructions below:

Priority Region: Zimbabwe (all 10 provinces)

Program Objectives:

The Ambassador’s Special Self-Help (SSH) Program awards grants to registered non-governmental, non-profit, community-based organizations to implement short-term (12-month), small-scale (between $8,000 and $15,000) development projects that include significant community involvement.

Priority consideration is given to income generating projects that improve basic economic or social conditions at the village level. 

Project activities and spending should be completed within 12 months with an anticipated start date between September 1 and September 30, 2023, depending on when funding is made available.

The SSH Program receives hundreds of applications for funding each year. All submissions are reviewed in a competitive and transparent manner. However, given the limited funding available through the SSH Program, we can only fund a small number of projects each year.  

BACKGROUND 

Started in 1964 in Togo, the SSH Program spread across Africa as a grassroots program that allows U.S. embassies to respond quickly to local requests for small, community-based development projects that have an immediate impact. In 1980, the Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program started in Zimbabwe. 

SPECIFIC PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

The SSH Program in Zimbabwe has several funding sources, each with a specific mandate. When applying for funding, clearly identify which fund you are applying to.

1. Ambassador’s Special Self-Help (SSH) Fund

The Ambassador’s SSH Fund focuses on community-initiated income generating projects. These projects can support access to healthy food, natural resource management, wildlife conservation, water/sanitation initiatives, and other community projects.

• Examples of previous projects: Grinding mills, carpentry, weaving, boreholes, drip irrigation, water storage, fish farming, chicken rearing, and market gardens.

Miscellaneous

• Other