World Learning leads in the use of grantmaking as a development tool. We believe that even small grants can make a big difference all over the world. Grants support emerging leaders as they launch projects to improve their communities. They strengthen institutions striving to meet new goals and serve more people. But grants are more than funding—they’re real-world learning opportunities.

We have extensive experience in managing grants under USAID and other donor-funded programs. We work with individual NGOs, networks, and intermediary organizations in development sectors ranging from health and education to democracy and enterprise development. Our grants programs have total funds as large as $79 million; individual grants range from as little as $500 to as much as $3.5 million. Regardless of the level of funding provided, each successful grant was the result of World Learning’s localized, participatory, and partnership-focused approach to working with local organizations.

In that approach, we work hands-on with our partners through all stages of the process. We have developed mechanisms to select grantee organizations, and we provide them with targeted technical assistance, training, and mentoring to ensure they will be able to carry out their proposed community project. To help our partners improve their services, we also offer our custom Participatory Institutional Analysis (PIA) tool, which helps them assess their performance and develop a plan for change. Even once the grant has ended, our grantee organizations can continue to use the PIA for continuous improvement.

Through our grants management approach, our partners learn how to serve their communities by actually serving their communities. They’re learning by doing—and they continue this work on their own longer after we’re gone to become stronger and better equipped to transform their communities.

Learn more about how grants management enriches our work across our six program areas.

PROGRAM AREAS

People-to-People Exchanges: World Learning offers dozens of exchange programs each year, promoting tolerance, empathy, and respect among people from more than 150 countries at all points in their careers and academic lives through professional development, academic, and youth exchanges. Read more.
Global Education: World Learning believes everyone has the right to a high-quality education. We help make that vision a reality through our cutting-edge global education programming tailored to each country and context—including Basic Education and Higher Education. Read more.
Capacity Strengthening: Institutions work best when they fulfill their missions strategically, connect with key allies, and expand to serve a broader constituency. We work beside our partner organizations to help them shift their organizational culture toward one of continuous improvement. Read more.
Youth Workforce and Entrepreneurship: Societies and economies are stronger when each person contributes to community prosperity. World Learning helps youth and adults find a pathway into the workforce through career center development, STEM education, English for the workplace, civic engagement, and more. Read more.
Civic Engagement: People are their own greatest champions. World Learning believes society is stronger when people can influence the life of their communities, stand up for their rights, and hold their government accountable. Our programs seek to foster strong systems of civic engagement everywhere. Read more.
TESOL | English Teacher Training: English is increasingly vital to success in higher education and the 21st-century workplace. Our TESOL teacher training—which includes customized courses, leadership building, and more—helps position teachers around the world to motivate and empower their students in their language learning. Read more.