Grant Funding & Support

Over the long term, the Chiswen Foundation plans to offer grant funding and in-kind support to:

• local authorities for well-designed infrastructure projects, 

• community organizations for innovative self-help initiatives, and

• forward-thinking individuals for start-up enterprises with good growth and job creation prospects. 

Applicants for support will be given the possibility of requesting an injection of funds for specified purposes; access to specific kinds of equipment, training materials, and expertise; and financial and volunteer staff support to run their own fundraising campaigns. 

During the first three years of operation, we will focus on our infrastructure program, moving on gradually to other types of support as attractive opportunities arise. For the remainder of 2023, we plan to:

• complete the registration process for the Chiswen Foundation,

• approve work plans, budget, and accounting framework for the first year of operation,

• open a local office and a foreign currency bank account,

• solicit core funding from a variety of sources, including individual donations, corporate partnerships, and grant funds,

• create an in-country Chiswen Advisory Committee comprised of recognized Malawian experts in community infrastructure investment,

• develop evaluation criteria and application forms for grant proposals,  

• Share the evaluation criteria and application forms with Parliamentarians for circulation within their constituencies and request them to return prioritized lists of recommended proposals to the Chiswen Office before the end of the year,

• select a portfolio of community infrasstructure projects for Foundation support in 2024,

• order equipment and supplies for distribution to approved projects, and

• recruit paid staff and volunteers as required to provide operational support during 2024 and beyond.