MERCY CORPS NIGERIA
REQUEST FOR APPLICATION RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACTIVITY (USAID COMMUNITY INITIATIVE FOR PROMOTING PEACE)

Mercy Corps, an International Non- Governmental Humanitarian Organization that works in 40 countries around the world to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. Since 2012, Mercy Corps has worked to tackle Nigeria’s complex and evolving needs through a range of dynamic, multi-sector programs. In Nigeria, Mercy Corps is addressing the immediate humanitarian needs of vulnerable communities; enabling conflict-affected populations to transform from relief to resilience using market- driven approaches; and supporting community-led peace building efforts.

The USAID funded Community Initiatives to promote Peace (CIPP) Program is pleased to announce the release of a request for applications (RFA) for funding provided to support the implementation of activities under CIPP. The Program, working with local partners will mitigate and manage conflict, resist rising religious intolerance and violent extremism, and proactively address root causes of conflict in Nigeria’s North West and North-Central regions. The Program, awarded in May 2019, is empowering local stakeholders and their government, private sector, and development partners at the local, state and federal government levels to prevent the outbreak of violence (through trust-building events, dialogues, policy advocacy, and linkages to sectoral programs), and to respond in a timely, effective way to mitigate and de-escalate violence when it does erupt (e.g., through mediation, dialogues, and EWER mechanisms). Prevention and response activities are grounded in the local community (e.g., dispute resolution, community-based dialogues, trust-building events) or act upon the wider cultural and policy environment (e.g., media outreach, policy advocacy) to catalyze systemic change. This RFA is issued as a public notice to ensure that all interested, qualified, and eligible actors have a fair opportunity to submit applications for funding.