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News — 27 June, 2020

Applications Open for Facebook Community Impact Microgrants

HOT has opened the application period for Facebook Community Impact Microgrants, with a special focus on projects that engage women and girls in mapping. Apply today!

Update: Applications closed Sunday 30th August 2020. We were thrilled to announce five organizations that were selected to receive Facebook Community Impact Microgrants.

Are you a mapping community that is looking for funding to expand your mapping activities? Do you have ideas about how to engage more people and train your community in how to use OpenStreetMap? If so, you can apply for a HOT Community Impact Microgrant.

Today, the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) is launching the Community Impact Microgrant Program, which is kindly supported by Facebook.

Each microgrant offers $1500 for training workshops and community engagement activities.

This funding is available to anyone, anywhere in the world, with priority given to projects based in low- and middle-income countries. Priority will also be given to projects that include an approach that engages women and girls in mapping activities.

The funds can be used to purchase devices, host events, and facilitate trainings to provide the tools and resources needed to operate and engage in mapping activities.

Successful projects will:

  • have a lifespan of one to three months.
  • demonstrate collaboration with a local data user.
  • include a logical project plan, budget breakdown, and gender strategy.

Applications will close on Sunday 30th August 2020.

Projects do not need to be currently affiliated with HOT, but they must broadly contribute to the HOT mission of contributing to open map data for humanitarian response and socio-economic development.

To apply, we ask you to submit a short, 3-5 minute video pitch in which you describe your project and why you should get the grants. In your pitch you must answer the following questions:

  1. What is your name, where are you from, and are you applying as an individual or a community? (1 minute)
  2. What is the challenge that your project addresses? (1.5 minutes)
  3. What activities will this Community Impact Grant enable you to complete? (1.5 minutes)
  4. How will your project impact your community? (1 minute)

Here are two examples of successful video pitches:

Video pitches will then be shortlisted and reviewed by HOT staff, Facebook staff, and HOT voting members.

We will be hosting a ‘Creating a Great Video Pitch’ webinar on Monday, July 6th, 2020 at 12pm UTC. During the webinar we will explain what HOT expects you to include in your pitch, how to develop your project plan, advice for your budget and gender strategy, and how to evolve relationships with local data users.

Sign up to the webinar here.

Update: Applications are now closed.

Please note that HOT staff members and board members are not eligible to apply.