You get a grant! You get a grant! EVERYBODY GETS A GRANT! Oh boy do I wish there was some kind of Oprah show where grants were given out like cars... I am in the middle of four different grant applications and starting to feel a bit bogged down. Since Peace Corps does not provide any funding to its volunteers to complete projects, we must apply for grants. I have been given all of the tools and resources to apply for them, it is just a tedious process. Especially if the application is in Spanish. Grants are a necessary evil if you wish to complete pretty much any type of project in your service.
Some of the grants get filled out in English and some in Spanish. I feel very competent when I am able to write a grant in Spanish. (Don't worry they are definitely getting proofread by my boss.) I mentioned before that I am trying to complete what seems like a million projects. So that equates to a million grants. Some of the projects actually involve applying for one grant and if that gets approved applying for a second grant which is where the money will actually come from. But you have to be approved for the first one before you can get the second one. Oy.
Another obstacle that I have come across is how inconvenient it is to actually submit everything. First you have to write up the grant. Then I send it to my bosses to make sure there are no typos and that I am not missing important parts. Once I get the go ahead I take a bus to town to get it printed. Next I get it signed by everyone that is involved or supporting the project. After that is back into town to get it scanned and e-mailed off the the correct sources.
I cannot even tell you how grateful I am that I live fairly close to my pueblo. For some volunteers it is a day long trek to get into town and back to their communities.
Like I said in a previous post I am still working on completing several projects before my service ends (IN 8 MONTHS!!). I am hopeful that I will have the funds and can start the fuel efficient stove project within the next month or so.
More updates to come soon!
