ATTACHMENT_J.14_2_BALADI_Project_Background_Information.pdf

U.S. Agency for International Development September 2017 http://www.usaid.gov/lebanon

Attachment J.14.2

Building Alliance for Local Advancement, Development, and Investment (BALADI) Project Background Information

Due to financial and human resources constraints, municipalities throughout Lebanon face serious challenges in providing public services and improving the lives of Lebanese citizens. This challenge has gradually worsened with additional significant social and economic burdens being placed on Lebanese communities and municipalities as a result of the influx of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. With the objective of improving the capability of municipalities to work inclusively with citizens and accomplish needed local development activities and public service delivery, USAID through the $29,856,291 BALADI project (September 2012 – September 2018) is assisting municipalities implement needed community development activities especially those that are most responsive to Lebanese host community needs.

In 2013 and 2015, the BALADI project announced two calls for municipal-led local development activities and selected 56 municipal-led local development and public service activities engaging more than 130 municipalities (around 11% of total number of municipalities in Lebanon) in 23 districts. These municipal-led local development activities meet the needs of communities in several sectors including:

electricity generation through solar power, irrigation, access to potable water, income generation through rural tourism, agro-processing, entrepreneurship, and skills training, equipment for public schools and community health clinics, and community social and sports centers.

These activities will benefit more than 100,000 persons by September 2018. The third round of solicitations to municipalities was launched in July 2017 for assisting municipalities in quick implementation of local development activities that meet the needs of host communities. USAID BALADI project support in that respect would mainly involve the provision of equipment and technical assistance.

By August 2017, the BALADI Project received 125 applications from 155 municipalities in 21 districts (which is around 14% of the total number of municipalities in Lebanon). By the end of October 2017, the BALADI Project will select 11-20 new activities under the third round of solicitations for support in 2018.

The BALADI program is implemented by two prime local non-governmental organizations: Caritas Lebanon and Rene Moawad Foundation located in 10 offices across the country.

U.S. Agency for International Development September 2017 http://www.usaid.gov/lebanon

For more information, visit the following website: www.baladi-lebanon.org.