Barbados Government Launches $5M Grant for Faith-Based Youth Initiatives

Jordan also stressed accountability requirements, noting that joint applications between organisations must be supported by a memorandum of understanding outlining roles and responsibilities.

“We’ve also included the provision that if more than one faith-based organisation wants to come together to execute a programme, there ought to be a memorandum of understanding because we need accountability and to know who is responsible for what.”

Eligible programmes will include training sessions, workshops, seminars, conferences and broader capacity-building initiatives. But Jordan said individual scholarships, sponsorships and one-off public events will not qualify for funding.

The minister added that all programmes must be non-discriminatory and open to participants regardless of faith, while allowing for targeted interventions where justified by programme design, such as programmes specifically geared towards young men or young women.

Jordan said the government intends to roll out four funding calls per year, with the first expected at the beginning of June.

“We came into office in February and we see this as an important programme — important for individual young people, important for faith-based organisations, and important for society. That is why, so soon after coming into office, we have set the administrative framework in place and are about to start the process of advertising so that organisations can submit their proposals.”

Applications will be assessed based on operational capacity, relevance, effectiveness, sustainability, scalability and budget realism, he said.

Jordan added that the government will also provide assistance to help faith-based organisations prepare proposals, acknowledging that not all groups have experience in formal proposal writing.

He said a seven-member evaluation and monitoring committee will oversee the process. The committee will be chaired by the permanent secretary for religious affairs and will include community development experts, social workers, youth representatives and faith-based organisation representatives.

The committee will also oversee monitoring, reporting and payment schedules, with both mid-term and final reports required from successful applicants.

Jordan said the programme is intended to strengthen long-term youth development while helping faith-based organisations build their institutional capacity and expand the work they are already doing within communities.

(LG)