The Sabanci Foundation Continues to Support Civil Society to Enable Social Development

- The Chairman of the Sabanci Foundation Board of Trustees, Ms. Guler Sabanci:“Our Dream is a more Participatory and Equal Society for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. We Seek NGO’s Who Shares This Dream.”

The Sabanci Foundation’s “Social Development Grant Program” proceeds with the grant support for NGO’s that implement projects geared for women, youth and persons with disabilities. The Foundation will allocate 1,2 million TL for the projects to be selected in 2012, for which applications will be accepted between January 16- February 24, 2012. Since 2009 nearly 4,4 million TL has been allocated to  20 projects.

“We can talk about social development only as long as women, youth and persons with disabilities are empowered to participate in society.”

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sabanci Foundation, Ms. Guler Sabanci, stated that the 20 projects supported within the program have made a difference in the lives of more than 60.000 people in 71 provinces. “We cannot measure the level of social development solely on the basis of economic indicators. We can talk about social development only as long as women, youth and persons with disabilities are empowered to participate in society. As such, our dream is a more participatory and equal society, and we seek NGO’s that share our dream”, said Ms. Sabanci. Comparing social development work to sowing seeds, Sabanci added, “Through the grant programs, we have been supporting civil society for the last three years and funding projects that will bring about change in the lives of women, youth, and persons with disabilities. We deeply value NGO’s and cooperation throughout this process and each year we continue to fertilize these seeds to grow our social development garden by way of new projects.

That is because we know that attaining plentiful harvest seasons in our country requires more effort and more time for sowing seeds.”

Social Development Grant Program Application Criteria

NGO’s interested in the Social Development Grant Program apply via the online application system on the Sabanci Foundation web site (www.sabancivakfi.org) from January 16 until February 24, 2012. All Associations, Foundations, Cooperatives and Universities that are founded in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Turkey and operating in Turkey are eligible to apply.

During the selection process, the Sabanci Foundation prioritizes projects that generate suggestions for comprehensive solutions to create lasting impact for the problems of the groups at a double disadvantage, that is, women, youth or youth with disabilities who are subject to double discrimination.

Application Evaluation Process

The Project Application Guide on the Sabanci Foundation web site shall guide the applicants of the grant program during the preparation phase of the projects. Upon completion of the application process, the projects will initially be assessed by the Sabanci Foundation Programs team and external experts, and then by an independent Evaluation Committee of experts.

Equality of Opportunity for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities

The Sabanci Foundation Social Development Grant Program particularly supports projects that are geared towards women, youth, and persons with disabilities. The projects should help to promote equal opportunity, social inclusion and active participation in all aspects of society.

PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY THE SABANCI FOUNDATION SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROGRAM (2009-Present) “*”indicates projects ongoing as of January 2012