NUCFDCs and FGHR Sign Grant Renewal Agreement to Support Forest-Dependent Communities in Liberia.

The National Union of Community Forestry Development Committees (NUCFDCs) and the Funds for Global Human Rights (FGHR) through its Legal Empowerment Funds on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 signed a Grant Renewal Agreement (GRA) for support of the NUCFDCs activities in advocating for the rights of forest-dependent communities. 

The FGHR stated in the grant agreement “The purpose of the grant is for general support of this organization, whose activities include supporting the network of Community Forestry Development Committees and advocating for the rights of communities affected by forest concessions (General Support).

The grant has nine key conditions and safeguarding principles that the NUCFDCs must at all-time abide by it.   

“Use of Grant Funds

In order for us to make payment of these funds, we require formal acceptance of the terms that follow.

1. The grant must be used solely for charitable and educational purposes and to support activities outside the United States. Funds not so used must be returned to the Fund for Global Human Rights.

1. National Union of Community Forestry Development Committees (NUCFDCs) affirms that it is not the subject or target of U.S. Sanctions1, and that no individual or entity that owns or controls National Union of Community Forestry Development Committees (NUCFDCs) is subject to such sanctions.

1. In the event that as a result of any change in U.S. Sanctions, the Fund for Global Human Rights concludes that it is no longer lawful for it to provide Grant Funds to National Union of Community Forestry Development Committees (NUCFDCs) you agree to return any Grant Funds not yet expended, and the Fund shall not make any further payments of Grant Funds under this Agreement. The Fund will take such other actions with respect to the grant agreement as it concludes are required in order to comply with U.S. law.

1. No funds will be used directly or indirectly in any manner in support of activities prohibited by U.S. laws, regulations and orders relating to anti-terrorism, economic trade sanctions, financial trade sanctions or export control laws.

• No funds will be relayed to any entity or individual outside of National Union of Community Forestry Development Committees (NUCFDCs)

• No grant funds may be used to intervene in an election in support of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.

• No grant funds may be used to organize or finance a particular trade union or to engage in collective bargaining through a trade union or union representatives.

• None of the funds provided by the Fund may be used for lobbying purposes, i.e., to seek the adoption, modification, or repeal of legislation.

1. National Union of Community Forestry Development Committees (NUCFDCs) agrees to comply with the anti-corruption and anti-bribery regulations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)2, which prohibits a U.S. entity such as the Fund for Global Human Rights from engaging with a foreign entity such as National Union of Community Forestry Development Committees (NUCFDCs) if that entity engages in corrupt practices as defined by the FCPA, including bribery, to achieve its purposes.

In 2022, the NUCFDCs participated in the application processes of the first call for proposal for Cohort one of the Legal Empowerment Fund, launched by the Fund for Global Human Rights. At that time, and after a thorough review of applications, this was what the FHHR said:

“We’re excited to announce the first cohort of 49 Legal Empowerment Fund grantees!

Around the world, more than 5 billion people lack meaningful access to justice. The Legal Empowerment Fund (LEF) is the first initiative dedicated solely to closing the global justice gap by investing in locally driven solutions and bringing community-level strategies to scale.

In January 2022, the LEF initiated its inaugural funding cycle with a month-long open call for proposals. We invited grassroots activists and organizations doing legal empowerment work anywhere in the world to apply for flexible funding.

The response was staggering. We received more than 4,800 applications from 153 countries. In all, groups requested more than $233 million in funding—a true testament to the overwhelming need for greater investment at the grassroots level.

To the NUCFDCs, this was what they said “We are pleased to inform you that your application to the Legal Empowerment Fund, a program of the Fund for Global Human Rights, has been successful and that on 10 June 2022, the Fund for Global Human Rights authorized a grant to National Union of Community Forestry Development Committees. We are delighted to have you in the network of grantees, advisors, Board members, donors, and friends of the Fund for Global Human Rights. We look forward to working with you to defend and promote human rights.

Speaking shortly after co-signing the grant renewal agreement, Abu Kamara, who is the grant focal person for the NUCFDCs expressed his deepest thanks and appreciation for the grant. He further stated that it is good that the Fund for Global Human Rights continue to repost confidence in the NUCFDCs for the work they are doing for the communities in Liberia. He recounted that the first grant was provided to the NUCFDCs in 2022, with 2^nd one provided in 2023, and now this is 3^rd grant, which is a sign of good working relationship, collaboration and networking between the NUCFDCs and the Fund.

Mr. Kamara pointed out that aside from these grants, the LEF/FGHR have provided several other support for the NUCFDCs including the learning exchange which carried Abu and other participants to Nigeria in 2023, the support that carry Mr. Andrew Zelemen, the head of Secretariat to Dubai to participate in COP28, and other training opportunities that have been provided as well as several networks that the NUCFDCs have been connected to as a result of the FGHR support.

He promised that the NUCFDCs remain committed to the grant rules and will always use the fund for it intended purpose. The total grant provided to be used within 12 months is United Stated Dollars twenty thousand (US$20,000.00).

Meanwhile, Mr. Kamara is calling on likewise development partners to join FGHR in providing more support to the NUCFDCs as they work to support less fortunate rural communities in advocating, providing training and supporting them customary land acquisition processes, climate smart agriculture practices, carbon market awareness, and sustainable forest management.