Selavip is a private foundation that supports housing projects for very poor families. Our focus is on “extreme social emergency”, that is, people who dwell in very precarious and unsafe conditions, on lands easily flooded, on steep and dangerous slopes. In order to find a place to dwell, they may be forced to occupy urban land, suffering with danger of being evicted. Other poor households we would like to help to attain a minimal space of their own are those with no other alternative than to live as “unwelcome guests” in the homes of relatives and neighbors, in crowded conditions and lacking the minimal privacy needed to survive as families. Under such harsh conditions, these urban poor can not even dream of meeting the requirements to participate in conventional housing programs, in spite of their efforts to do so. Selavip wants to open realistic alternatives to these poor urban families that do not “fit” into any existing housing programs, public or private. We want to involve more groups and countries of the developing world in the task of seeking realistic alternatives to shelter the poor. Our funds should open for communities, NGOs and local governments new opportunities to work in this area, acquire experience and be able to move on to bigger projects in the future. Innovative proposals that address acute housing problems can enter our selection process and eventually receive a grant to cover a one-year implementation.
Eligible projects
Projects funded by Selavip can address different aspects of the complex reality of homelessness in developing regions, from direct housing production to promoting community based processes aimed at securing shelter. If the project is centered on housing production we will evaluate its potential to start or strengthen sustainable urban and housing processes. These projects should imply innovative ways of addressing the housing problems of the poorest at a minimal cost in order to reach as much families as possible and hopefully contribute to initiate community-driven processes towards better homes in the future. Therefore, projects that propose to build housing units that cost more than US$ 1.000 will not be included in our selection process. While revising proposals that can be labeled as "process oriented" we will be looking for clear and measurable results in terms of housing and/or impacts on policies to facilitate access to shelter for the poorest of poor in a participative way. Priority will be given to initiatives that help poor families to organize and start fighting for land and housing rather than to those seeking to improve shelter that has already reached some physical or legal consolidation. Maximum amount granted per project: US$ 60.000.
We invite groups working in developing countries to prepare creative and audacious projects and send them by mail before August 15. You can visit www.selavip.org or contact selavip@vtr.net if you have any questions or require more information. Maximum size of attachments is 2 Mb, so if you plan to include photos or drawings please reduce their size and/or send in separate messages.
Selection process
We will pre- select among proposals received from all over the developing world those that comply with our central focus to finally decide the projects that will be supported in 2010. Final results will be available on our website after our Board meeting in November. Each year more and more groups and communities are presenting initiatives that respond to a diversity of needs and priorities of the urban poor in cities of the developing world, and it is difficult to select the best among so many good projects. But those that are finally not funded should not be discouraged for they may have a good chance to apply successfully in the future.
Remember
– Maximum amount: US$ 60.000 per project.
– Basic and cheap shelter for very vulnerable urban households: no more than US$ 1.000 per family.
– Projects should be completed in 2010
– We do not finance operational costs of projects.
– Matching funds from public/private/ community/ international sources are welcome to increase the impact of the project; these funds should be clearly mentioned in the application.
– Application form attached; additional information can be annexed.
– Only projects submitted by e-mail before August 15 will be included in the selection process.
To see the guidelines for the Selavip project presentation, please click here.
If you have any doubts as to this outline or the application process, please consult our website www.selavip.org/cycle or write to selavip@vtr.net – selavip@selavip.org.
Joan Mac Donald
Lidia Lazcano
SELAVIP
June 2009
