As the economic crisis in Lebanon persists, local authorities are struggling with diminished funds, impacting their ability to provide basic services in their communities. In order to increase the resources channeled towards local development in the communities it is assisting, the USAID-funded Community Support Program (CSP) launched a series of proposal writing trainings in 2021, targeting 36 of its local partners including municipalities, cooperatives, schools, and CSOs across Lebanon’s Beqaa, North and South regions.

The trainings allow local partners to diversify income sources, access new donors, improve service delivery, and ensure the sustainability of USAID interventions. CSP also supported four of its local partners to develop complete proposals and submit them to donors, including the Municipality of Tannoura in Rachaiya, Beqaa – which previously benefitted from a CSP-provided 250-KVA generator. The generator is being used to supply needed household back-up electricity to more than 1000 residents in the village and to power a network of 60 streetlights to enhance public safety.

To further enhance services in the community, the Tannoura Municipality wrote a proposal – with CSP support – to solicit contributions to install a solar farm to upgrade the town’s water pumping system. By May 2023, the municipality had collected $85,000 from community members to implement the project. The municipality has since started implementation, in parallel to increasing efforts to raise the remaining funds needed to ensure continuous supply of potable water to more than 1,150 residents.

“This comprehensive and meticulously crafted proposal significantly expedited the fundraising process. The community was deeply impressed by the project’s exemplary management and transparent approach. Moreover, it played a pivotal role in reestablishing trust between the community and local authorities,” said Ali Abou Zor, Mayor of Tannoura.