LocationsCall for Proposals: Small Grants Programme for Civil Society Organizations
August 10, 2026
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Uzbekistan announces a Call for Proposals under the Small Grants Programme implemented through the regional project "Challenging Harmful Attitudes and Norms for Gender Equality (CHANGE)." The project is funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by UNDP, UNFPA, and UN Women across Central Asia.
The Programme supports civil society initiatives that expand sustainable economic opportunities for vulnerable women in Uzbekistan. It contributes to the prevention of gender-based violence by improving women's access to employment, income-generating opportunities, and livelihoods.
Priority Areas
Project proposals should address one or more of the following areas:
Labour Rights and Public Awareness
Projects should raise awareness of the right to decent work and favourable working conditions, including the rights of domestic workers. Activities may also focus on increasing awareness among women working in the informal sector of their labour rights and available social protection mechanisms, promoting the benefits of formal employment, and addressing social norms related to domestic and unpaid care work.
Skills Development
Projects should provide practical vocational, technical, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and digital skills training aligned with labour market needs. Activities may include value chain development, digital literacy, e-commerce, social media marketing, freelancing, financial management, and business planning to improve women's access to employment and income-generating opportunities.
Certification, Employment and Entrepreneurship
Projects may include certification of acquired skills, job placement support, employer engagement, job fairs, and advisory services for women starting or expanding businesses. Business support may cover planning, registration, access to finance, and market access.
Supporting women's innovation, leadership, and community-based economic initiatives.
Supporting women to become agents of economic and social change through innovation, leadership development, and community-driven initiatives. Grants may support women-led business incubators, cooperatives, social enterprises, and innovative projects that address local economic and social challenges while creating employment opportunities for other women.
Who Can Apply?
Applications are invited from non-governmental non-profit organizations legally registered in the Republic of Uzbekistan that:
- have at least five years of experience implementing women's economic empowerment initiatives;
- work in areas relevant to the objectives of the Programme; and
- have the institutional and operational capacity to implement the proposed project.
Priority will be given to projects supporting:
- women living in rural and remote areas;
- women with disabilities;
- women from low-income households;
- women in vulnerable situations; and
- survivors of gender-based violence.
Commercial organizations, political parties, trade unions, religious organizations, consumer cooperatives, homeowners' associations, and citizens' self-government bodies are not eligible to apply.
How to Apply
- Review the contest concept and guidelines.
- To participate in the contest, you must submit a project proposal and an administrative form.
- The project proposal must be prepared in Uzbek or English and must not contain information identifying the applicant organization.
- Completed applications should be sent electronically to: gulnoza.akhmedova@undp.org
Application Deadline is set for 31 August 2026 23:59, Tashkent time. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
For questions related to the Small Grants Programme, please contact the UNDP project team at gulnoza.akhmedova@undp.org.