A ZP client and the ZP Public Office have joined forces to launch a long-term grant focused on programs to strengthen the economic potential of women in Lebanon, unleashing their power to transform our country.

We are honored to be commissioned to design and administer a unique grant for civil society organizations in Lebanon working hard to ensure the economic empowerment of women. Launched on March 8, 2021, on the occasion of the International Day of Women, our grant is currently in its prototyping stage, with our third cycle launched and activated. Based on the strong practices of strategic philanthropy, systems change, and socio-economic asset development, this social investing engine is a serious effort to deliver multi-level impact in Lebanon from the ground up.

Our accountability and delivery models are constituent- and community-centered. A paradigm shift away from traditional monitoring and evaluation (M&E), our grant is investing in a research-led learning and empowerment (L&E) framework to make sure projects are enabled, albeit the significant challenges facing NGOs and communities in Lebanon today.

To do this in a high relevance and time critical manner, we are hosting a calendar of dialogue sessions for every grant cycle based on the project timelines and needs of our awarded community of practice. It is an opportunity for awarded grantees to learn from one another how they are progressing in their projects, where they are finding challenges, and how are they seizing opportunities. This safe space is a peer-based consultative arena, giving every participant a chance to ask questions, consult, and share recommendations. Our grantees can also sound the alarm should they find it extremely important to host an emergency session together. These sessions are further supported with specific data requests, site visits, and focus group discussions.

Our investment is both in funding and capacity-building non-for-profit organizations and the broader civil society ecosystem. We commit to sharing our policies and protocols to encourage international donors and aid agencies to sustainably support the country.