The British High Commission provides funding to Jamaican organisations to help them deliver their goals and objectives.

Funds available from the British High Commission

Several UK Government Departments provide funds for use in Jamaica. These include:

• The Department for International Development (DFID)
• The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)
• The Ministry of Defence (MOD).

Funds are provided to achieve the following objectives;

1. To support Jamaica's efforts to establish and sustain the rule of law and an effective judicial system within a human rights framework.
2. To reduce the negative impact of drugs and international crime on the UK and help promote Jamaican development.
3. To work with Jamaica in reducing poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Working with local and international partners, both in the public and private sectors is key in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Funds are offered in different forms and are used in a variety of ways. But the overall aim is for the funds to have a positive impact on Jamaica and the region:

• Regional support to the Caribbean - The FCO and Metropolitan Police Service provided support to define the security needs of the nine host countries of the Cricket World Cup;
  
• Regional and national programmes that make effective use of joint funding  available from a range of British Government Departments - Officials from correctional facilities in the English-speaking Caribbean attended a regional training programme;
  
• Financial support to the Government of Jamaica for specific programmes - DFID has financially contributed towards the Government of Jamaica's public sector reform programme;
  
• Technical support to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) - The British Government has provided support to the JCF narcotics division to increase drug detection capacity in Jamaican airports; supported JCF employment of international police officers and offered support and advice for "Operation Kingfish";
  
• Direct support for a specific project run by a non-governmental organisation - The FCO has supported a project focussing on interventions to prevent violence against children;
  
• Chevening Scholarship - Offers potential leaders, decision-makers and opinion formers the opportunity to live in the UK for one year whilst they study a postgraduate course. At the end of their course, the Scholars will return to Jamaica and implement the skills they have learnt to benefit Jamaica.  In the autumn of 2008, 5 Scholars will leave Jamaica for the UK to study a range of courses.

Applying for project funding from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office accepts bids from non-governmental organisations, community groups and other organisations for specific initiatives. Our budgets are small, and are therefore targeted at certain focal areas, which are reviewed annually.

Our themes for the for financial year April 2009 to March 2010 are:

Security and Justice

• Support for Jamaican efforts to reform correctional services including use of restorative justice and training of prison staff;
• Supporting reintegration of former prisoners, including deportees from the UK and rehabilitation through provision of practical training programmes;
• Support to strengthen the Jamaican judicial system in line with recommendations from the Government of Jamaica.

Sustainable Development (All funds are now committed for the current financial year)

Bids must be submitted on our standard application form.

• Prevention of violence against women and children.
• Advocacy and education about human rights.
• Reform of the justice system.
• Sustainable development of Non-Governmental Organisations.

A Projects Officer will review all applications against a set of criteria.

Projects will be selected that meet our stated objectives, offer value for money (i.e. significant impact against the time and money required to achieve the project aims), and are designed to be sustainable in the longer-term. We are unable to consider bids from individuals or for projects that involve provision of infrastructure.

Selected proposals will be further reviewed by our programme team in London against applications from other countries and regions.

If your project meets our criteria but we are unable to offer funding, our Projects Officer will suggest other sources of support known to the High Commission that may be suitable.

Please see the appraisal criteria used by the High Commission for selecting projects.

We aim to acknowledge all applications within two weeks of receipt.

Should you have any queries about our programme support, please contact us by e-mail.