Advancing stability and prosperity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is critical to the achievement of the United States’ foreign policy.

There are many challenges, however, which hinder efforts to improve transparent governance, provide inclusive economic opportunities,

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and encourage civic engagement.

Two thirds of the population feel that economic hardship and corruption plague their countries, with trust in government decreasing since 201 5. The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Local Grants Program’s mission is to sustain the United States’ commitment to strengthen direct partnerships with local actors to promote prosperity and participatory governance.

Its objectives are to support civil society organizations in (1) developing, promoting, and implementing locally-designed solutions to self-identified environmental, economic, or social problems through civic engagement or economic participation; (2) fostering inclusive economic growth that reaches marginalized communities, youth, and women; (3) advancing participatory governance through promoting citizens’ engagement and decision-makers’ willingness to work with citizen groups and civil society organizations (CSOs); (4) improving civil society’s representation of the needs of citizens through collective action on the local level; (5) working towards gender parity in economics and/or politics; (6) increasing youth engagement in meaningful economic and civic activities; and (7) fostering innovative approaches to solving social, economic, or political issues.