WHAT WE SUPPORT   

In an effort to promote peace and respect for diversity, the Foundation provides grants to publicly funded, non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations and equivalent foreign organizations for project support, organizational operating costs and capacity building.  The duration of most grants is one year, but occasionally the Foundation gives grants for two or more years.

Applying

An online portal will become available here early in 2015 for grants for the 2016 grant cycle.  All grant giving is done through the annual application process.  El-Hibri Foundation does not award discretionary or interim grants.  Read through to learn more and access the link to the form.

Grant Focal Areas

The Foundation seeks strategic advancement of peace and respect for diversity.  More specifically, we prioritize peace education and interreligious cooperation.

Peace Education Objectives:

• Engage youth in peace education;
• Build the capacity and elevate the importance of peace education initiatives;
• Demonstrate the effectiveness of peace education. 

Respect for Diversity Objectives:

• Build capacity for inter-religious dialogue and action;
• Increase networking and communication among thought leaders;
• Promote understanding of how Islam advances peace and respect for diversity.

Defining Peace Education 

We define peace education broadly.  In our view, it encompasses a range of activities undertaken in a variety of settings designed to build peaceful communities:

• In formal school settings, peace education addresses how teachers teach and what they teach.  Peace education curricula focus on conflict analysis, conflict transformation, peacebuilding and skills associated with the non-violent resolution of conflict.  It considers how violent conflict begins and ends and how it affects individuals, social groups and societies.  Peace education advances a vision of wellbeing based on respect for human dignity, human differences and human rights. 

• In informal (non-school) community settings, peace education raises awareness about the causes of conflict, identifies appropriate interventions and builds practical skills relating to the management, resolution or transformation of conflict.  Some approaches to community peacebuilding are based on models of reconciliation, social reconstruction or social justice.  Peace education strives to make the non-violent resolution of conflict and the appreciation of difference cultural norms that are widely embraced by communities.

Defining Interreligious Cooperation

We define interreligious cooperation broadly, as well.  In our view, it encompasses a range of activities undertaken in a variety of settings designed to build understanding and respect among people of diverse religious and non-religious identities.  It starts from the premise that diversity is an asset, not a problem.

In both formal and informal settings, interreligious cooperation can involve shared dialogue, action and even advocacy.  Whether it is led by grassroots activists or by high level leaders, policymakers and public intellectuals, it is advanced through people creating relationships, fostering positive and credible media images and messages, engaging in cultural arts and exchanges, developing and sharing educational resources, and solving problems together for the common good.

Priority Consideration

The Foundation gives priority consideration to applications whose funded activities advance the Foundation's mission and address the following goals:

• Demonstrate, through careful assessment, the effectiveness or impact of programs or activities that promote peace and respect for diversity;
• Raise public awareness about the positive impact of activities and programs that advance peace and respect for diversity by using social media and other innovative methods;
• Encourage the wide adoption or integration of activities focused on peace and respect for diversity by schools and community organizations by working with policymakers and other decision makers.

Priority consideration will be given to applications from non-profit organizations in the United States.

Impact

The Foundation funds projects that include thoughtful plans to assess impact based on qualitative and quantitative measures.  Foundation staff members also conduct visits to grantee sites to evaluate outcomes.

Types of Support

Applicants may apply for three different types of grant support:

• Project or Program Support: To finance the implementation of a specific project, program or activity.
• Operating Support: To cover basic organizational and operational costs, such as staff salaries, rent, telephone, etc.
• Capacity Building:  To build the capacity of the applicant organization to achieve its mission through improved strategic planning, communications, fundraising or program evaluation.

Application Process

A Letter of Intent application form will become available online here early in a given calendar year for consideration of grant awards for the following calendar year.  A select group of applicants will be invited to submit full proposals online.  From this select pool each year's grant awardees will be chosen. Notice will be given prior to the close of the calendar year for the following year's grant awardees.