INTRODUCTION
PROJECT CATEGORIES
Research
Involving in-depth, systematic, analytical and/or empirical studies in the democracy and human rights fields;
Conferences
Engaging experts and other interested parties in forums, seminars, or workshops, discussing issues related to democracy and human rights;
Publications
Advancing democracy and human rights through print or visual media, for example, through books, articles, films, and documentaries;
Educational programs
Enhancing knowledge of democratic and human rights systems, such as through capacity-building and training programs.
EVALUATION
The proposals will enter a review process in which independent reviewers with relevant expertise will look over the proposals. The amount awarded to each project will be determined upon successful review of complete proposals.
The following key points are borne in mind when reviewing applications:
● The relation of the proposed project to the mission and goals of the Foundation;
● The likelihood of successful execution of the proposed project, judging from such factors as the feasibility of the proposal, the soundness of its methodology, and the experience of the project's executors;
● The significance and innovativeness of the proposed topic(s) and subject(s) of the project, and the project's anticipated results;
● The reasonableness and clarity of the budget, and appropriateness of the requested funding in line with the project’s goals;
● The integrity of the documents submitted for review.
FUNDING RULES
The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) is the first national democracy assistance foundation to be established in Asia, and is devoted to strengthening democracy and human rights in Taiwan and abroad.
The Foundation's primary concerns are to further consolidate Taiwan's democratic system, to promote democracy in Asia, and to participate actively in the global democratic network. The Foundation is committed to the vision of working together with like-minded organizations and individuals, building on Taiwan's experience to advance a new wave of democratization worldwide.
The TFD's international grants program is designed to assist organizations based outside of Taiwan to carry out projects to promote democracy and human rights. International non-governmental organizations, academic institutions or think tanks, and other related organizations are eligible to apply. Geographically, the program places a priority on support for projects that address the Asian region, but projects in other regions occasionally receive funding.
The Foundation's primary concerns are to further consolidate Taiwan's democratic system, to promote democracy in Asia, and to participate actively in the global democratic network. The Foundation is committed to the vision of working together with like-minded organizations and individuals, building on Taiwan's experience to advance a new wave of democratization worldwide.
The TFD's international grants program is designed to assist organizations based outside of Taiwan to carry out projects to promote democracy and human rights. International non-governmental organizations, academic institutions or think tanks, and other related organizations are eligible to apply. Geographically, the program places a priority on support for projects that address the Asian region, but projects in other regions occasionally receive funding.
PROJECT CATEGORIES
The Foundation focuses on providing grants for projects largely falling into the following categories:
Advocacy projects
Promoting democracy and human rights through developing effective, cooperative domestic and international networks at the civil society-level;
Advocacy projects
Promoting democracy and human rights through developing effective, cooperative domestic and international networks at the civil society-level;
Involving in-depth, systematic, analytical and/or empirical studies in the democracy and human rights fields;
Conferences
Engaging experts and other interested parties in forums, seminars, or workshops, discussing issues related to democracy and human rights;
Publications
Advancing democracy and human rights through print or visual media, for example, through books, articles, films, and documentaries;
Educational programs
Enhancing knowledge of democratic and human rights systems, such as through capacity-building and training programs.
EVALUATION
The proposals will enter a review process in which independent reviewers with relevant expertise will look over the proposals. The amount awarded to each project will be determined upon successful review of complete proposals.
The following key points are borne in mind when reviewing applications:
● The relation of the proposed project to the mission and goals of the Foundation;
● The likelihood of successful execution of the proposed project, judging from such factors as the feasibility of the proposal, the soundness of its methodology, and the experience of the project's executors;
● The significance and innovativeness of the proposed topic(s) and subject(s) of the project, and the project's anticipated results;
● The reasonableness and clarity of the budget, and appropriateness of the requested funding in line with the project’s goals;
● The integrity of the documents submitted for review.
FUNDING RULES
Since the Foundation normally does not provide full funding for any particular project, other sources of funding should also be sought, and these should be indicated on the application form. In terms of scale, the Foundation's guidelines do not permit grants to be awarded exceeding US$100,000. The majority of grants awarded by the Foundation fall within a range between US$3,000 and US$20,000, and the average grant size is approximately US$10,000.
The Foundation's accounting rules also do not permit funding for certain types of budget items, notably capital expenditures (i.e. purchases of equipment, etc.) and salaries for permanent staff.
Finally, please note that all projects must be completed within a single calendar year (which is also the Foundation's fiscal year). The Foundation may not undertake multi-year funding commitments, although a portion of a multi-year project may be considered.
After a grant has been approved, a contract between the Foundation and the Grantee will be signed, stipulating final conditions and mutual obligations.
AFTER PROJECT COMPLETION
Submitting a Final Report:
The TFD will review the progress or results of all sponsored projects at the end of each accounting year. Future funding may be denied to those organizations whose projects are incomplete (for example, if required supporting documents are missing), or whose results are found to be unsatisfactory.
Accounting:
An approved organization should submit their final accounting report two months after the project's completion, and in any case no later than 1 December. The following documents are necessary:
● Final financial statements of the project, including a balance sheet that detail the project's expenses and transactions;
● Original receipts of expenditures organized by categories, accompanied by a list of the receipts;
● Copies of the original application forms, including supporting documents.
HOW AND WHEN TO APPLY
Organizations interested in applying for funding should complete the International Grant Application Form
. Separate detailed project plans and a separate budget statement must be included in addition to the complete application form. Please re-read the Project Categories and Funding Rules for TFD grants as described above before applying. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Applications may be posted or e-mailed.
The application should be submitted at least three months before the applicant plans to begin the proposed project, as the review process takes time. Applications submitted with less than two months left before commencement of the project shall not receive consideration.
AFTER PROJECT COMPLETION
Submitting a Final Report:
An approved organization should submit periodic reports and a final project report stating the results within two months after the project's conclusion, subject to the terms and conditions set out in the agreement between the Foundation and the organization.
The TFD will review the progress or results of all sponsored projects at the end of each accounting year. Future funding may be denied to those organizations whose projects are incomplete (for example, if required supporting documents are missing), or whose results are found to be unsatisfactory.
Accounting:
An approved organization should submit their final accounting report two months after the project's completion, and in any case no later than 1 December. The following documents are necessary:
● Final financial statements of the project, including a balance sheet that detail the project's expenses and transactions;
● Original receipts of expenditures organized by categories, accompanied by a list of the receipts;
● Copies of the original application forms, including supporting documents.
HOW AND WHEN TO APPLY
Organizations interested in applying for funding should complete the International Grant Application Form
. Separate detailed project plans and a separate budget statement must be included in addition to the complete application form. Please re-read the Project Categories and Funding Rules for TFD grants as described above before applying. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Applications may be posted or e-mailed.The application should be submitted at least three months before the applicant plans to begin the proposed project, as the review process takes time. Applications submitted with less than two months left before commencement of the project shall not receive consideration.