“If we truly want to make aid inclusive, local voices need to be at the center of everything we do.” –USAID Administrator Samantha Power
In November 2021, Administrator Samantha Power announced the launch of Centroamérica Local, a five-year $300-million initiative to promote locally-led and locally-owned development in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. This was conceived as a critical step to address the root causes of irregular migration to the United States.
In the context of this initiative, and subject to the availability of funds, USAID seeks to invest in empowering local organizations to become effective partners in tackling key development challenges in areas such as democracy and governance, education, economic growth, gender equality and health.
At its core, Centroamérica Local aims to increase the share of USAID funding that is directed to local organizations and the number of USAID programs that incorporate good practices of locally-led development, such as direct engagement with communities, co-creation of initiatives with partners, and the leverage of local expertise.
The principles and practices promoted by Centroamérica Local are not restricted to programs and direct funding, though. They seek to integrate locally-led development in all aspects of USAID’s work, including dialogue, consultations, policy reform advocacy and communications.
Locally-led Development in Honduras
USAID/Honduras’s Country Development and Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) 2020-2025 promotes a facilitative approach to development, which involves the active participation of local actors in USAID’s programs as co-creators and co-implementers. The CDCS integrates strategic guidelines to work with and through local actors to pursue Development Objectives and to contribute to reduce irregular migration.
In alignment with the CDCS, and in response to the Centroamerica Local initiative, USAID/Honduras is intensifying efforts to increase the number and the capacity of our local partners. As of June 2024, the Mission’s portfolio includes ten awards to local organizations with a combined estimated cost of $60.9 million.
By late 2024, through ongoing solicitation processes, USAID plans to make about eight new direct awards to local organizations in Honduras, with a total combined estimated value of $19.8 million. Most of these competitively selected organizations are expected to receive an USAID award for the first time. USAID is also working in new solicitation processes that will be open to local organizations in the near future.
USAID’s ongoing partnerships with local actors are generating substantial development results in Honduras. Through various programs, USAID’s local partners are helping to facilitate sustainable economic inclusion and violence prevention services for vulnerable populations, particularly youth; to strengthen the ability of local organizations to prevent and fight corruption; to promote research in topics such as migration and public management; to boost capacities and awareness of human rights in civil society; to increase the productivity, resilience and income of coffee farmers; and to advance solid waste management and local economic opportunities in the Lake Yojoa basin and in northern Honduras.
USAID’s direct assistance to the Government of Honduras (GOH) is also empowering local actors to spearhead the improvement of their communities. In partnership with Fondo Hondureño de Inversión Social (FHIS), USAID has achieved significant success through the promotion of the “projects executed by the community” (PEC) model for the development and refurbishing of small-scale infrastructure. In this model, USAID-funded infrastructure projects are identified, prioritized, managed and overseen by local committees in the benefiting communities.
The Localization Annual Program Statement (APS)
In May 2022, USAID/Honduras launched the annual program statement (APS) “Expanding Partnerships and Advancing Localization” (EPAL). An APS is a type of notice of funding opportunity whereby USAID announces general funding objectives and then progressively issues calls for concept notes or applications through specific “addenda”. The EPAL APS is one of the Mission’s key instruments to advance locally-led development through direct funding to local organizations.
The EPAL-APS has an estimated ceiling of $49.5 million and by early 2024 has issued four calls for concept notes to award a combined estimated amount of $28 million. Through these calls, USAID has sought to partner with local organizations to increase children’s access to high-quality pre-primary education and promote young parents’ employability; to boost youth participation in legislative processes; to promote services to prevent and mitigate gender-based violence (GBV); and to strengthen the role of independent media to foster the protection of human rights. Further calls for concept notes are expected in the future.
GET ENGAGED!
Centroamerica Local
Learn about the principles that underpin USAID’s efforts to promote locally-led development
Co-creating with USAID
Learn about USAID’s commitment to increase the capacity of local partners
Funding opportunities
Learn about open opportunities for local organizations in Honduras
How to apply to USAID funding
Learn how you can prepare competitive applications
Resources
Review useful how-to guides and videos that will help you prepare your applications