Since its establishment in 1986, USIP's grantmaking has sought to seed and develop the field of international conflict resolution. The Institute has supported research, education, and training projects undertaken by scholars and peacebuilding practitioners working at academic institutions, nongovernmental organizations and other nonprofit agencies both in the United States and around the world. USIP grants have advanced understanding of and promoted impactful projects on themes that span the full life cycle of conflict—from early warning and conflict prevention, to negotiation, mediation and conflict management, to transitional justice, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), and post-conflict peacebuilding.

USIP grantees have produced groundbreaking work in a variety of fields and disciplines, generating seminal research and incisive policy-oriented solutions, innovative educational and training initiatives, and award winning radio and documentary film programs. These programs have informed policy and touched the lives of both victims of violent conflict and those seeking to end it in conflict zones around the world. USIP grants have also leveraged millions of dollars in funding from other donors.

After almost 30 years, with the study and practice of peacebuilding more fully established, USIP is reexamining its grantmaking role as part of a larger institute-wide strategic planning process.  Given the relatively modest level of its grantmaking resources, the Institute must determine how best to have maximum impact in its efforts to reduce and mitigate violent conflict and meet the needs of the evolving peacebuilding field. The Institute will announce a more fully defined grantmaking concept and process by Spring 2014.

In the interim, if you have comments or thoughts that you wish to share with USIP, please feel free to submit them by email to grants@usip.org.  Although the Institute may not be able to respond to each email, it very much values input from the community and will take such input into consideration.

Afghanistan

Grantmaking in Afghanistan will support projects designed to promote public understanding of peaceful alternatives to the violent resolution of conflict, the rule of law, transitional justice, and to improve local capacities for dialogue and peacebuilding.

Priorities include:

• Improving public understanding of the costs of conflict and peaceful alternatives to the violent resolution of conflict;
• Reducing strife and insecurity through religious and inter-communal dialogue by supporting traditional approaches to non-violent conflict management;
• Promoting education and discussion about conflict resolution, rule of law and transitional justice;
• Improving the capacity of the Afghan civil society for dialogue and conflict resolution.

Other proposals on Afghanistan that respond to the broader mandate of USIP are also welcomed. Priority will be given to applications submitted by Afghan civil society organizations on the topics listed above.
USIP Staff Contact: Barmak Pazhwak, scagrants@usip.org. Applications will be accepted only in English.

Pakistan

Grantmaking in Pakistan will strengthen civil society capacities for conflict prevention and promote greater understanding of issues related to identity, tolerance, diversity, and sectarian extremism in Pakistan through education, training, research, and the media.

Priorities include:

• Promoting dialogue on and a deepened understanding of Pakistan’s diversity across key religious, cultural, and regional divides among relevant stakeholders, including clerics, civilian and military policy practitioners, and opinion shapers;
• Strengthening the capacity of Pakistani civil society for nonviolent conflict prevention and resolution;
• Encouraging the inclusion of marginalized populations in Pakistani civil society, including women, ethnic and religious minorities, the displaced and people with disability, in efforts to prevent and reduce conflict.

Other proposals on Pakistan that respond to the broader mandate of USIP are also welcomed. Priority will be given to applications submitted by Pakistani civil society organizations on the topics above.

USIP Staff Contact: Barmak Pazhwak, scagrants@usip.org. Applications will be accepted only in English.