VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (Ceps) has called for a revision in the grants procedures and allocation rules of the organisation to ensure a more transparent and inclusive process. At a meeting held on Friday at Ceps’ headquarters, members of the Grants Committee agreed that the procedures need to be simplified and that the committee would be seen to be inclusive and reflective of the country’s diversity. The discussion was part of the Civil Society Support Grant Programme (CSSGP), which was developed to provide financial support to civil society organisations working on a range of social and environmental issues.
According to Ceps CEO Laurence, the aim of the various proposals is to ensure greater transparency, inclusion, and collaboration that benefits all civil society actors. ‘The aim of the various proposals is to ensure a more transparent process and one that includes and benefits everyone. The procedures need to be simplified, and the committee would be seen to be inclusive and reflective of the country’s diversity,’ she said. The meeting was attended by representatives of civil society organisations from across Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue, who raised concerns about the difficulty of proper data collection that can benefit reporting and the evaluation of the impact of the grants.
The organisation also took the opportunity to discuss the possibility of increasing the validity of the charity certificate granted to civil society organisations, a measure that would provide greater stability for organisations and allow them to plan their activities more effectively. Ceps noted that, while the grants programme has been broadly successful, the procedures for obtaining and renewing the certificate remain a significant hurdle for many small organisations. The committee agreed to continue discussions on the proposed changes, and to consult with the membership before any final decisions are taken.
