Self Development of People Application Guidelines and Form

Basic Criteria 

1. A proposal must state the human self-development needs which the proposal is designed to address. The proposal must address the long-term correction of conditions and not merely provide short-term emergency assistance. The need(s) addressed must be that or those which have been identified by those persons or communities who are in need themselves.

2. A proposal must be initiated by and from within a community of need. Teh proposals must identify by name and historical background those person originating the proposals, and those persons must be recognizable as persons in need of self-development assistance.

3. A proposal must be only for projects which involve true self-development and not for support of institutions which advocate use of violence as an instrument of policy. Since all development and change involves some conflict, some proposals will probably involve supportive action for victims of violence and oppression.

4. A proposal must describe in detail the goals and objectives sought and the methods to be used to achieve them. To be valid, a proposal must seek to effect real changes fo the benefit of a presently deprived and disadvantaged community and involve the community method by which the disadvantaged persons and communities will be involved in all stages of the process of change must be provided.

5. A proposal must fully describe the resources known to be available to support the proposal. Included here should be a description of the human talents available within or to the community from which the proposal has emerged, and also the in-kind and other financial resources available, sought or to be sought. Such resources should be reviewed by the Committee on Self-Development to insure that there is a likelihood of success for the proposal.

6. A proposal must contain a financial plan showing required expenditures and income at stated intervals over the life of the proposal. This financial plan must be reviewed by the Committee on Self-Development to determine the adequacy of the funding requested and the viability of the plan.

7. Proposals must specify how progress towards stated goals, objectives will be measured by the community and at what intervals these measurements will be made. In order to make clear the accountability of the project to the community in need, it should also be indicated in the proposal how the appraisal and criticism of the community itself will be measured and reported.

General Guidelines

1. Proposals should be favored which build a relationship between the community of need and its surrounding economic, political and social institutions through actions of such communities themselves.

2. Where the objective of a proposal is to increase the power of sub-community for self-determination, an analysis of power sources within the larger community should be included in the proposal.

3. Proposals which aim toward increasing community self-sufficiencey will be favored.

4. Proposals which can attract other resources are encouraged, provided they do not tend to perpetuate conditions of dependency.

5. Where proposals are otherwise acceptable, the Committee on Self-Development should seek substantive ways to assist communities to marshal needed resources through the provision of technical assistance.

6. Proposals should be considered for funding for a period which is realistic from the standpoint of the self-development process and not in order to fit the limits of the calendar or fiscal year.

7. Proposals which do not duplicate available services or opportunities should be favored for validation.

Click here for application form