West Africa

Transparency Awards

Jubilee Transparency Awards

The Ford Foundation’s Jubilee Transparency Awards celebrate a time of great promise and transition in Nigeria.

The foundation announced on Nov. 21, 2011, that two outstanding organizations would be the recipients of the Jubilee Transparency Awards for their commitment and efforts to promote transparency and good governance in Nigeria. The winners—Environmental Rights Action/Friends of Earth Nigeria and Nigeria Popular Theatre Alliance/Theatre for Development Centre—were announced at a special event in Abuja, Nigeria.

Background

The foundation believes that strong democracies everywhere rely on transparency, citizen engagement and good governance at all levels, and it has long supported initiatives in Nigeria to promote these values.

The recent elections, as well as the spread of democratic values and accelerated social change across the subregion, signaled the potential for a new era of democratic growth for West Africa. We envision a future in which West Africans and their governments leverage the region’s extraordinary human and natural resources for common good—a future in which all people have both the right and the opportunity to achieve their potential.

We are working with visionary leaders in civil society and government who are expanding participation in the democratic process and accelerating the pace of change. In Nigeria, the foundation’s Jubilee Transparency Awards will showcase innovative organizations and projects with the potential to help chart this future.

Selection Process

The foundation will honor up to 10 awardees that will receive at least $100,000 each to enhance the scale and impact of their work. The winning organizations will be selected through an open call for nominations. A National Awards Committee composed of civic leaders from across Nigeria will screen and select the awardees. The committee will be supported by the Development Initiatives Network (DIN), a Ford grantee that will manage the application process.

The recipients of the Jubilee Transparency Awards will be announced in November 2011.

The call for nominations began on May 4. All nominations were required to submit online. The nomination process closed on June 10.

The National Awards Committee reviewed the full slate of nominees and on a rolling basis approved those eligible to be shortlisted.

Additional information will be requested from these shortlisted organizations and those that meet the committee’s criteria will advance to the verification stage. As a part of the verification process, organizations will be visited to assess their eligibility for the award. Visits will occur from May to July 2011. An independent verification committee chaired by Professor Bolaji Owasanoye of Human Development Initiatives, a Ford grantee, will oversee this part of the process.

As a part of the final screening process, the National Awards Committee will review reports from the verification committee. At the conclusion, the committee will recommend up to 10 organizations to be named awardees.

Nomination Process

The foundation will honor up to 10 awardees that will receive at least $100,000 each to enhance the scale and impact of their work. The winning organizations will be selected through an open call for nominations. A National Awards Committee composed of civic leaders from across Nigeria will screen and select the awardees. The committee will be supported by the Development Initiatives Network (DIN), a Ford grantee that will manage the application process.

The recipients of the Jubilee Transparency Awards will be announced in November 2011.

The call for nominations began on May 4. All nominations were required to submit online. The nomination process closed on June 10.

The National Awards Committee reviewed the full slate of nominees and on a rolling basis approved those eligible to be shortlisted.

Additional information will be requested from these shortlisted organizations and those that meet the committee’s criteria will advance to the verification stage. As a part of the verification process, organizations will be visited to assess their eligibility for the award. Visits will occur from May to July 2011. An independent verification committee chaired by Professor Bolaji Owasanoye of Human Development Initiatives, a Ford grantee, will oversee this part of the process.

As a part of the final screening process, the National Awards Committee will review reports from the verification committee. At the conclusion, the committee will recommend up to 10 organizations to be named awardees.

Nomination Process

Organizations Eligible for Nomination

• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), social enterprises, businesses and government organizations are eligible for nomination.
• A nominated project or program should be led by an organization that demonstrates a history of integrity, good governance and management.
• Individuals are not eligible for nomination and will not be considered.

Submitting a Nomination

• Nominations may be submitted by individuals and organizations familiar with the work of the nominee.
• Eligible organizations are welcome to nominate themselves.

Nomination Criteria

• Nominations may be for a specific program, product or service that has proven impact. It can be a portion of the implementing organization's work or represent its entire focus.
• Projects and programs should meet the following standards:
• proven effective at promoting transparency and accountability in any of the following: governance, justice, media, security services, financial management, education, health services or social services
• brought significant change in the community through its work
• been operational for at least one year
• Nominees should demonstrate that their initiative has the potential for growth or replication, including through partnership with other organizations.

Deadline

The call for nominations ended on June 10, 2011 at 5:00 pm WAT (West Central Africa Time).

Announcement of Award Winners

The Jubilee Transparency Awards selection process has concluded and the outstanding organizations that will receive grants to help further their government transparency and accountability work have been selected. The Ford Foundation will announce the award winners on Nov. 21. The grant awards will be made shortly thereafter, in adherence with the foundation’s grant-making policies.

Inquiries

For further inquiries about the Jubilee Transparency Awards, please send an e-mail to transparencyawards@fordfoundation.org