Impact Lebanon
/OVERVIEW: The Impact Lebanon supports the Lebanese community through initiatives related to activism, volunteerism and diverse programming.
IP TAKE: This funder is very collaborative and will partner with groups outside of Lebanon, but supported organizations must serve Lebanese citizens living within the country. Applicants will want to make sure their program aligns with Impact Lebanon’s mission. Political parties or groups with political agendas will want to look elsewhere.
Initiatives roll over every so often and are replaced by new programs, so grantseekers will want to check the website frequently for updates and new opportunities. This funder can be bureaucratic, but it is approachable and responsive, so reach out with questions.
PROFILE: Established in 2019, Impact Lebanon is a charitable organization that is based in London, United Kingdom and pursues initiatives that impact Lebanon. The organization has multiple founders and directors from diverse backgrounds who are involved with activism and volunteering efforts to aid the Lebanese diaspora. Impact Lebanon aims to “bring together the Lebanese community to promote a shared set of values, advocate for evidence-based measures and support viable initiatives of change in Lebanon.” Past and current initiatives include civic engagement, capacity building, sustainability, disaster relief and crowdfunding. Impact Lebanon has also shown interest in tutoring, mentorship, history and culture, emerging Lebanese talent, the environment, COVID-19, food waste, charity clothes drives and panel discussions to build awareness.
Grants for Global Development, Disaster Relief, Lebanese Culture and the Environment
Impact Lebanon does not maintain a static list of grantmaking programs; instead, it hosts several limited initiatives that rotate in and out based on what is most pressing. For example, The Disaster Relief after Explosion in Beirut and Coronavirus Relief Fund are both short-term, completed initiatives that have become inactive. Current initiatives include EduPact - Tutoring, which supports “disadvantaged children based in Lebanon to ensure that they do not miss out on their education, fail exams or drop out of school.” The Mentorship Program is another education adjacent initiative that seeks to help secondary school students with their university applications and recent college graduates with their CVs, cover letters and job applications, and with other aspects of their job search.
Both Sawti - your voice, your vote and Wijhet Nazar are civic engagement initiatives designed to maintain a politically literate citizenry and to encourage and facilitate high voter turnout in Lebanese elections, for both locals and expatriates. The TarbiLeb - History & Culture initiative works to “to build a coherent narrative for [Lebanese] history, culture and civics, to raise awareness of [Lebanon’s] past, and to build a better future through […] youth and civil society, for a united Lebanon.”
The Dikkéni initiative supports emerging Lebanese artists, artisans and designers “by showcasing the impeccable craftsmanship and talent of Lebanese [creatives] to a new market.” Finally, the Environment Academy works in partnership with the American University of Beirut’s Nature Conservation Center and “Sar el Wa2et,” a weekly political talk show. The environmental initiative seeks to create “sustainable solutions for local environmental problems including solid waste mismanagement, water pollution, air pollution, and the loss of green spaces.”
Important Grant Details:
The board of directors determines which groups and programs receive support from Impact Lebanon. Much of Impact Lebanon’s support focuses on capacity building, but it is unclear how much of that support is financial and how much of it takes other forms.
Impact Lebanon does not appear to accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding. Submissions for initiatives such as the recently completed Coronavirus Relief Fund or the Care for our Carers Fundraiser, which supported first responders during the pandemic, were by invitation only.
Those seeking to partner with the organization should look over the FAQs on Impact Lebanon’s How We Work page for more information.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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