Empowering Change Through Grants & Partnerships
Discover funding opportunities, eligibility criteria, and how to collaborate with FCS to drive sustainable impact in Tanzania.
Welcome to Our Grantmaking
Dear our esteemed partners thank you for visiting our grants page. In this page we are committed to providing you with summary guidance on our grants and partnership management processes and procedures.
FCS has made some drastic changes in its grant-making procedures. The changes have taken into account various commitments and observations including the lessons learned from the previous strategy, stakeholders’ views through an external evaluation of the FCS’ strategy 2016-2020 and commitments in the new strategy 2022-2026. FCS intends to ensure that Partner recruitment and engagement are conducted in a fair, transparent, efficient, and cost-effective manner to achieve Value-for-Money in all transactions and respond to the evolving needs of its partners both downstream and upstream and deal with emerging risks.
We, therefore, urge all partners to read carefully this summary and if need be, the entire FCS Partner Recruitment and Engagement Guide available on our publications – ‘other reports page’ to be able to understand fully the granting procedures. We wish to ensure that all partners understand our eligibility criteria, grant-making and partnership procedures before putting in any application to FCS. For the purpose of ensuring efficiency and transparency of our procedures.
All grant applications must be submitted online through our Partner Portal:
FCS Strategy 2022-2026: Approaches & Programmes
FCS has started the implementation of its new strategy which runs from 2022-to 2026. In this strategic plan, FCS has reoriented its programmes and approaches. The overall geographical focus will remain national i.e., Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar (Unguja and Pemba. However, priority geographical areas will be identified annually for each thematic area depending on national priorities, and national statistics and as determined from time to time by the changing context. The ultimate target group for FCS efforts is Tanzanian citizens with special attention to the poor (women and men), women, children, PWDs, youth and other vulnerable and marginalized groups in Tanzania.
Geographical Focus
Target Groups
Our Key Approaches
Grantmaking
FCS will continue providing grants to CSOs. However, the grants portfolio will be adaptive depending on the resources that will be mobilized on an annual basis. FCS will also work with resource partners (Technical organizations or private companies with expertise relevant to FCS thematic areas of focus). The resource partners will be linked with implementing partners to provide technical know-how based on relevant themes.
Grant Process & FAQs
Download our Grant Process & FAQ Brochure for more details
Direct Implementation
Direct Implementation is the modality whereby FCS assumes full responsibility for mobilizing and effectively applying the required inputs in order to reach the expected outputs. FCS will thus assume overall management responsibility and accountability for project implementation. FCS will engage in direct implementation through special projects. FCS invites donors who wish to partner with FCS through a non-basket funding modality to contact FCS for partnership discussions.
Partnerships
FCS welcomes both mainstream civil society and community groups to seek partnership with FCS for the purpose of co-creation of projects, sharing resources and creating a sense of ownership and sustainability. FCS will ensure that an appropriate partnership assessment is done before the partnership is effectively commenced.
Our Programmatic Focus (2022-2026)
Gender Equity, PWDs & Youth Inclusion
Under this programmatic focus, FCS envisions that by 2026 in areas where FCS works, those vulnerable groups at risk of exclusion gain the opportunities and resources necessary to participate in economic, social, political, and cultural life and to enjoy a higher quality of living in the society in which they live.
Sustainable Livelihoods
Under this programmatic focus, FCS envisions to attain two integrated outcomes by 2026 i) Youth, people with disabilities and women have increased capabilities to access productive resources, markets and jobs ii) Communities have increased resilience to climate change and more sustainable use of natural resources.
Governance
Under this programmatic focus, FCS envisions to attain two integrated outcomes by 2026: i) Local Government Authorities (LGAs) in areas where we work deliver improved quality services ii) citizens are actively participating in electoral processes that are more free, fair, and inclusive.
Peace & Social Cohesion
Under this programmatic focus, FCS envisions that by 2026 in areas where FCS works Communities are more effectively dealing with conflicts
How We Recruit Partners through Grantmaking
Annual Prioritization
On annual basis, FCS will identify both programmatic and geographic priorities based on context. This prioritization will be the basis for FCS’s focus on projects and programmes in various regions. For example, Focus on Gender-Based Violence projects will be in those regions with high prevalence etc.
Online Partner Registration
Online registration for organizations interested to work with FCS is officially Open. The online registration is a partner mapping portal that enables FCS to map its partners based on their thematic areas and region. For all Organizations interested to work with FCS make sure you have registered your organization in the portal to access calls for concepts and other funding opportunities from FCS.
Refer to the Partner Recruitment & Engagement Guide (PREG) for detailed instructions.
Please read the Partner Recruitment & Engagement Guide (PREG) carefully for more details on the online registration (Partner Mapping Portal). The interested CSOs will be required to register in the partner mapping portal by creating their profiles. The applicant shall provide the required information as guided by the partners’ mapping tool embedded in the system. The database will be open at all times such that, CSOs can register and update their credentials in the database at the time they deem fit.
FCS Funding Windows
The Foundation shall have three funding windows to provide funding to organizations in Tanzania.
Solicited Window
The solicited window will be the most substantial window for CSOs to access grants from FCS. The solicited window will be implemented through an open call approach. This will allow all CSOs that have registered accounts (Partner Mapping) in the grants management portal and meet the minimum criteria to have access to the application form and thus be able to complete their applications for grants.
Unsolicited & Rapid Response Window
One of the core values of FCS is adaptability and agility and considering that the context is constantly dynamic, FCS provides a window of opportunity for unsolicited and rapid response support. Under this window, FCS will provide rapid funding to organizations for addressing real-time activity/events whose nature needs immediate intervention or have an immediate positive outcome. Specifically, this type of support intends to respond to emerging issues which are unanticipated or are in such a way that their execution will have an immediate impact on FCS.
Such events or incidences only pass through this window because FCS considers that if the support will come through the normal grant-making procedure it may take too long to meet the urgency. FCS may approve up to TZS 50,000,000 per intervention.
Non-basket and Special Projects
From time to time FCS manages funds from various non-basket donors. In most cases, these are projects targeting specific areas of intervention.
The requirements of such projects may be different from those of basket fund donors. FCS will therefore provide grants to organizations depending on how FCS and the specific donor agreed. Therefore, FCS also invites donors who would wish to use its funding infrastructure and may not necessarily wish to join the basket, to contact FCS and agree on a funding modality.
Types of Grants & Duration
FCS will provide three (3) types of grants. The types will differ according to the size and nature of the organizations to be funded. The following are the types of grants to be provided:
Strategic Grant
This is the largest grant that FCS will be providing and targets well established Civil Society networks, umbrella organizations and Civil Society Organizations working at the National level with a strong track record in the management of funds and demonstrable national impact. Organizations of this nature will be supported as “cluster leaders” that is, for example – leaders in Public Expenditure Tracking or Social Accountability Monitoring.
Organizations to be supported under this window are those that design their programmes in a manner that they will be able to work with local CSOs working on their theme and use the lessons/evidence learnt from the local level to influence national-level advocacy while using lessons from the national level to impact local level interventions.
Medium Grants
Medium Grants will carry the bulk work of the Foundation’s grantmaking interventions. This type of grant targets organizations that have requested support within the budget lines as categorized in the call for concept notes and have passed assessments and have demonstrated capacity in both project and financial management.
Small Grants
This window gives an avenue for smaller and relatively new and nascent organizations with outstanding ideas to solve challenges in their localities to access grants from FCS. This support shall not only benefit CSOs but also Community groups, individuals and newly formed organizations.
Targets organizations with not more than 2 years in operations and who necessarily do not have institutional audit reports but authorized financial statements.
Things to Know
General Principles Project Selection
The overriding principle governing the selection of any project for funding by the Foundation is that the project planned interventions must result in demonstrable (direct or indirect) benefits to citizens of the selected regions in the country. Other, more specific, principles which will guide the project selection process include;
Organizations to be supported under this window are those that design their programmes in a manner that they will be able to work with local CSOs working on their theme and use the lessons/evidence learnt from the local level to influence national-level advocacy while using lessons from the national level to impact local level interventions.
Organizations with sound governance structures and good financial management systems.
The extent to which the proposed project activities are in line with FCS Strategic Plan and priorities.
The extent to which the proposed project interventions are measurable and will contribute to achieving the expected outcome.
Social soundness (e.g. representation, degree of community involvement and project activities identification, development and implementation).
The extent to which the project is addressing the problem in a local context with supporting data/ evidence.
The Adherence to all necessary requirements as indicated in the application form and in the relevant call for applications.
Selection and Approval Criteria
Together with the general criteria set above the specific bodies for selection and approval shall consider the following important criteria in the selection and approval processes:
Foundation’s annual plan targets and also its commitment to the donors. The number of anticipated implementing partners per year, per location and per theme according to the annual plan.
Merit-based on the screening process results and pre-award assessment. Those who scored high grades are considered first.
The physical location of the applications by considering both regions and districts where they are located. Organizations based in particular target regions and districts where the project is implemented are given priority. For example, If advocacy against child abuse targets the Mara region, then organizations based in the Mara region and in specific districts shall be given priority as opposed to organizations that have their offices in other places such as Dar es salaam. The aim is to serve resources and sustain impact.
The selection and approval authorities may have discretion on cut off points depending on the scores per year. However, generally, FCS will only work with partners falling under low and medium risks.
Recruitment of other Partners
In its 2022-2026 strategy, FCS has committed to working with broader civil society including community groups as well as individuals that are seen as relevant to the context and results targeted. Some of the groups may include:
Women groups.
Faith-Based Groups such as inter-religious/ interfaith groups promote good deeds in the community including peace building.
Traditional Leaders Groups.
Youth groups – both formal and informal such as bodaboda groups.
Individuals with the capacity to bring change – i.e., social influencers, media gurus and innovators.
Newly registered CSO/NGO with no experience.
Please read the Partner Recruitment & Engagement Guide (PREG) for more details on the recruitment of other partners.
Important Note to all Prospective Applicants and Partners
Together with the general criteria set above the specific bodies for selection and approval shall consider the following important criteria in the selection and approval processes:
We ask that CSOs not just send random applications, but instead follow the stipulated procedure to secure a partnership with FCS.
All applicants will be informed of the outcome of each process in their applicant dashboard and registered email notification.
In the event an organization has misinformed the system either in its attachments or other information and is discovered in any subsequent stages, the organization will immediately be removed from the recruitment process thus barring it from proceeding with further processes. FCS also reserves the right to remove from the recruitment process any applicant in the event FCS receives and confirms the information on matters relating to lack of integrity, misusing other funders’ grants or general fraud. In the event that the organization has been removed from the process, FCS will notify the respective organization of its decision and the reasons leading to the decision made.
We hope the narrative has provided enough information on our new grant-making roadmap. However, if you would like to get more clarity about our granting services and procedures based on our new strategy.
Please reach out to
Our Expertise & Projects
FCS is evolving its approach to civil society support, shifting from traditional capacity building to a more dynamic and impactful capacity-strengthening model.
Dynamic Development Facilitator
Capacity development is a core practice that FCS applies to advance its vision and enhance the impact of its outreach programmes.
Grant Making
We are committed to providing you with summary guidance on our grants and partnership management processes and procedures.
Strategic Programmes
FCS partners with CSOs, community groups, and development actors to enhance citizen engagement in development processes.