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This was revealed by Bolaji Cecilia Dada, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, during her keynote speech at the 2024 Capacity Building Session for Women-Focused NGOs, which was hosted at the Women Development Center in Agege, Lagos.
During her talk, “Writing of Proposal for Grants-in-Aid: What Every Women-Focused NGO Should Know,” Hon. Dada emphasized the critical role that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play in promoting women’s welfare, combating poverty, and bringing about significant cultural change.
Dada stated that the ability to write strong grant proposals has become essential for obtaining funds and maintaining developmental projects in light of the current economic difficulties. He was represented by Mrs. Oluyemi Kalesanwo, the Permanent Secretary.
The Commissioner outlined important areas of agreement for NGOs working with the Ministry, such as addressing gender-based violence, empowering women economically, expanding access to empowerment programs, and enhancing women’s health outcomes.
She advised NGOs to take advantage of the funding opportunities offered by multinational donors, government agencies, corporate organizations, private foundations, and philanthropists.
Dada went on to say that writing a successful grant requires more than just submitting proposals; it also involves establishing rapport with funders and demonstrating the quantifiable results of their efforts.
The Ministry has continuously provided grants to effective and active NGOs, especially in 2021 and 2022, to help them tackle the increasing issues that women face.
This year’s session was designed to give NGOs the tools and skills they need to successfully navigate the competitive funding landscape, in recognition of the need for additional funding.
The Ministry’s commitment to empowering women and reducing poverty through long-term collaborations and funding opportunities was also reiterated by Dada. In order to promote constructive change in their communities, she urged all NGOs that focus on women to apply the knowledge they learned from the session.
“Together, through strong grant proposals and meaningful partnerships, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of women across Lagos State,” she stated.
