2015 Award Announcement

Post date: Aug 26, 2015 11:34:32 AM

2015 NextWorldNow Grant Applicants:

This is to update you on NextWorldNow Community Investment’s 2015 grant award. As presented in our last update, we had fielded inquiries from 113 organizations located in 38 different countries. From these inquiries, we subsequently received and reviewed 81 completed project applications. From a very strong pool of applicants, we selected five finalists and conducted skype calls with the project leader(s) to review the project and address outstanding questions.

Having completed this process, we are pleased to announce the selection of Ndola Nutrition Organisation of Zambia as our 2015 awardee. This project will build four outreach health clinics to serve the needs of pregnant women and children in the copper belt region of rural Zambia. The project includes a 50% match by the sponsoring organizations, Ndola Nutrition Organization and Hosanna Mapalo. Health services at these outreach clinics will be provided by both trained community health workers and health professionals currently providing mobile services.

As we stated in our last update, we recognize that the application process required time and effort on behalf of your community project. While we were not able to provide NWN funds for your project at this time, we hope that your effort will nevertheless serve your organization in subsequent grant applications including the NWN 2016 grant opportunity. Having completed over 80 reviews, we again state that we were humbly impressed by the vision and thoughtfulness of the project plans designed to improve the quality of life in your communities. We wish that we could directly fund more projects and will work to increase the pool of available grant funds for subsequent years.

Some organizations have asked what the criteria selection included. The projects were reviewed using the following criteria:

  1. Feasibility – how realistic is the scope of the project and how well thought is the plan to meet the goals with the budgeted funds?

  2. Impact – how many people within a community benefit from the project and how significant is the benefit for an individual?

  3. Sustainability – are there other resources to keep the project going after an initial grant or loan?

  4. Relevance – how important is the problem that the project is designed to solve in the community?

  5. Fiscal Accountability – how the project funds would be spent with appropriate level of details to demonstrate careful planning?

  6. Creativity – how original and inspiring is the solution proposed for the stated needs of the particular community?

  7. Outcomes – how will success be measured and are the proposed measures realistic?

  8. Strength – what is the level of commitment by the leaders to make this project work?

  9. Community Engagement – how involved is the community in determining the project focus, the proposed solution, and the project plan?

Following this 2015 award announcement we also intend to promote additional top submissions for funding consideration by other sources. These organizations and projects will be listed on our website, www.NextWorldNow.org and we will actively advocate with other potential investors on behalf of these projects. Upon request, we will forward completed NWN applications and contact information to potential funders.

Our 2016 funding cycle will begin to accept applications starting January 1, 2016. Meanwhile, we wish success for your organization.

Healthy Regards

Marty Waters

NWN