Civil society organizations - including community groups, faith groups, human rights defenders, journalists and others - are critical for community development and conflict mitigation in the West Bank and Gaza. USAID provides capacity building and grants to civil society organizations to implement social and community development projects and improve government’s responsiveness to citizen needs. USAID also supports training and peer-to-peer learning opportunities in civil society organizations to increase the organizations’ effectiveness and advocacy.
USAID is currently doing this through the following activities:
Democratic Leadership Activity
$15 million • Implemented by CEPPS • 2023-2026
The Democratic Leadership Activity promotes democratic culture and expands the space for political discourse and meaningful participation among Palestinians, particularly for youth, women, and other marginalized groups. The activity focuses on increasing civic awareness and political engagement among a diversity of stakeholders, improving the ability of emerging and existing leaders to represent citizen interests, and promoting inclusive political and electoral reforms.
Active Citizenry Activity
$28.78 million • Implemented by Global Communities • 2022-2027
The Active Citizenry Activity increases citizen’s civic participation and supports their efforts to advocate for positive changes, foster equitable social and political advancement, and improve overall living conditions, prosperity, and inclusion particularly for women and youth. The Activity supports the civil society sector, Palestinian citizens, media organizations, and other relevant stakeholders to become more active in decision-making and advocacy for citizens’ rights and demands. Through this Activity, USAID will enhance civil society organizations’ (CSOs) institutional capacity. This, in turn, will enable CSOs to effectively respond to constituents’ needs, including those in marginalized communities, advocate for their issues, and raise citizens' awareness and engagement.
Note: These represent current awards administered by USAID/West Bank and Gaza. The dollar amounts are the technical estimated costs of the award over the full period of performance and outyear funding is subject to availability of funding.
