The African Development Foundation (ADF) is the principal agency of the U. S. Government that supports community-based, self-help initiatives to alleviate poverty and to promote sustainable development in Africa. ADF is a public corporation and federal agency established by Congress in 1980, beginning field operations in 1984. Since its inception, the Foundation has been an innovator and pioneer of participatory development. It promotes African leadership and ownership of the development process and helps strengthen non-governmental African institutions and local capacity. ADF offers a helping hand, not a handout. Because of its community-based approach to development, ADF assistance directly affects people's lives.

The Foundation has a unique mandate and role within the U.S. Government's larger economic assistance policy and strategy towards Africa. ADF's overall mission, as articulated by Congress in the African Development Foundation Act, is: "Supporting grassroots development in Africa ... thus enabling the poor to participate in the process of development, to solve their development problems, develop their potential, fulfill their aspirations, and enjoy better, more productive lives."

ADF's efforts complement larger, government-to-government assistance programs by tackling problems "from the ground up" and developing new models of participatory development that can be replicated on a larger scale by the private sector and other development assistance agencies. Given the dramatic changes in Africa and the development community, the mission of the African Development Foundation is even more important and compelling today than when it was established.
 

2. How is ADF different?

ADF's grassroots approach is unique within the development community in Africa. Its philosophy and operations operate in sharp contrast to virtually all other bilateral and multilateral donor agencies.


Most Donor Agencies:

1.    Provide large grants, primarily to host government agencies
2.    Support projects that are centrally generated and often depend heavily on foreign expertise
       to design and implement
3.    Award grants premised on contributions from government budgets with little
       community input
4.    Make grants designed to strengthen government institutions and public sector
       service delivery
5.    Rely on foreign expertise in conducting "external" evaluations
6.    Conduct overseas operations based on large staffs, with expatriates serving as
       principal officers

        The African Development Foundation (ADF), by comparison:

1.    Provides small grants directly to community groups; none is channeled to or via
       governments
2.    Ensures that all activities are locally conceived and implemented; technical
       assistance is provided at low cost by African specialists and institutions
3.    Makes grants premised on community self-help and fosters empowerment and
       self-reliance
4.    Builds the capacity of community-based and non-governmental intermediary
       organizations
5.    Ensures that participatory evaluation is wholly African-run
6.    Provides support and technical assistance to build the capacity of indigenous,
       national nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), with the aim that these
       NGOs will become premier, self-sustaining community development agencies
       in Africa

 

3. Why is it important for the United States to support grassroots community development initiatives in Africa? How is ADF making a difference in this regard?

U.S. foreign assistance to Africa is critical from a global security, economic, and humanitarian perspective. Supporting local self-reliance initiatives among the poor in Africa is critical to promoting the growth of stable democracies in the region, and decreasing the likelihood of conflict and political instability. Strengthening local economies through the growth of small- and medium sized enterprises stimulates national economic growth and enhances foreign trade linkages. Likewise, pursuing sustainable strategies to improve the conditions and prospects of Africa's poor is in keeping with American humanitarian values and efforts to strengthen existing ties between the U.S. and African nations.

For its part, ADF is making important and distinct contributions to advancing U.S. foreign policy priorities and national interests in sub-Saharan Africa. By stimulating grassroots trade and investment, ADF is demonstrating how small African enterprises can become participants in the global economy. By empowering Africa's poor to increase their incomes and productivity in sustainable way and by fostering strong self-reliance and self-governance, ADF is promoting greater prosperity and political stability. By building local institutions, ADF is strengthening civil society and laying a foundation for democracy. And, by fostering innovative, local solutions to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS and mitigate its impact, the Foundation is directly contributing to the U.S. policy priority to combat the pandemic in Africa.
 

4. What countries does ADF operate in and how are these selected?

ADF currently has active programs in 15 sub-Saharan Africa countries: Benin, Botswana, Cape Verde, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. ADF utilizes a set of criteria for determining whether to open a new country program or to close an existing program. Prior to initiating a new country program, ADF conducts an assessment of the overall development environment and the opportunities for ADF to make a significant and sustainable impact. ADF assesses the degree of poverty, the potential for grassroots development, economic policies, the political environment, governance and democratic institutions and practices, the state of the non-governmental community, infrastructure (communications, banking and transportation), and other donor assistance. ADF's Board of Directors authorizes program openings and closures.
 

5. What kind of organizational structures does ADF have overseas?

In the past two years, ADF has established two new mechanisms for field operations: the Partner Organization and the Country Representative.

In most countries where it operates, ADF has an objective to "build self-supporting, sustainable, local development agencies that provide technical assistance and support to grassroots groups." Through an open, competitive grant process, ADF selected a local non-governmental organization to serve as the Partner Organization. The Partner Organizations assist grassroots groups with all aspects of project development and implementation. For example, they help prospective grantees in developing proposals for funding, including conducting rigorous financial analyses to ensure the viability and sustainability of the proposed projects. After ADF awards project grants, the Partner Organizations provide training in financial management and participatory evaluation to grantees, routinely visit them to monitor progress and assist in rectifying implementation problems, and advise them on preparing quarterly financial and performance reports.

The Country Representative reports to ADF and is independent of the in-country Partner Organization that ADF supports. While the Partner Organization supports grantees, the Country Representative carries out functions that support ADF and, hence, are overhead in nature. Their principal duties include ensuring compliance with U.S. government regulations and ADF policies, screening of proposals, assessing the financial management capacity of new grantees, reviewing their use of funds throughout the life of the grant, monitoring project implementation and remediation, and assessing project and program impact.
 

6. What level of support does ADF provide to grassroots projects in Africa?

In 2002, ADF provided support totaling $15.3 million to 90 grassroots projects and community-based initiatives in Africa. In addition, ADF disbursed $20.103 million to 183 projects that were awarded grants in prior years.
 

7. What types of projects does the Foundation support?

ADF provides unsolicited grant support towards projects focused on the development of micro- and small enterprises, export trade and investment activities of small and medium-scale enterprises, and participatory community development projects. ADF may from time to time issue a Request for Applications (RFAs) for other activities. Most of ADF's grants are between $50,000 and $200,000 and are provided in local currency. ADF rarely provides a grant larger than $250,000. Grants larger than that amount require ADF Board approval.

ADF can provide assistance directly to a wide range of African-based, African-run, non-governmental organizations (NGO) including, but not limited to, legally registered cooperatives, economic interest groups, producer associations, micro- and small businesses, and community development organizations. ADF also provides funding to intermediary organizations that work with low-income people and groups, such as micro-finance institutions and credit cooperatives. ADF does not provide funding to government agencies, political parties, or organizations that are not based in Africa. ADF does not provide support to individually owned or family-owned enterprises. ADF does not fund scholarships.

ADF only provides funding to organizations based in African countries where it works and has offices. Presently, ADF works in: Benin, Botswana, Cape Verde, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

For further information on grant guidelines and application procedures, click here.