Taiwan Foundation for Democracy - International Grants

The Taiwan Foundation for Democracy is a national democracy assistance foundation established in Asia and devoted to strengthening democracy and human rights in Taiwan and abroad. Its primary concerns are consolidating Taiwan's democratic system, promoting democracy in Asia, and participating actively in the global democratic network. The Foundation seeks to work with like-minded organizations and individuals and to draw on Taiwan's democratic experience to advance democratization internationally. Its International Grants Program is specifically designed to assist nonprofit organizations based outside Taiwan with projects that promote democracy and human rights. The International Grants Program prioritizes projects that leverage Taiwan's experience in democracy and human rights development, address challenges to democracy and human rights raised by China internally or externally, or strengthen democracy and human rights in East Asia, including Northeast and Southeast Asia. Supported project categories include advocacy projects that develop effective and cooperative civil-society networks; in-depth, systematic, analytical, or empirical research; conferences, forums, seminars, and workshops; publications using print or visual media such as books, articles, and films; and educational programs such as capacity-building and training activities. The Foundation normally does not provide full funding for a particular project, and applicants are expected to seek other sources of funding and indicate those sources on the application form. The Foundation is not permitted to award grants exceeding US$100,000. Most grants fall between US$3,000 and US$20,000, while the average grant is approximately US$5,000. Funding may be spent only on direct project costs rather than institutional support. Generally acceptable costs include project-related transportation using direct and cost-effective routing, accommodation, meals, printing, equipment rental, and venue rental. Original receipts from service providers or vendors must be provided for expenses covered by Foundation funding. Costs that are not acceptable include capital expenditures such as equipment purchases, salaries, other personnel payments including honorariums and trainers' fees, first- or business-class airfare, gasoline or petrol, individual daily allowances or per diems, communication fees including telephone and internet expenses, stationery or office supplies, and administrative fees or overhead charges. Projects must be completed within a single calendar year, which is also the Foundation's fiscal year. The Foundation cannot undertake multi-year funding commitments, although it may consider a portion of a multi-year project if the portion supported by the Foundation will be completed within the applicable calendar year. Eligible applicants include international non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, think tanks, and other related organizations, provided they are based outside Taiwan. The supplied materials do not identify a named program contact, email address, telephone number, pre-application requirement, application opening date, application questions, evaluation scoring criteria, or an explicit PDF URL. After a grant is approved, the Foundation and grantee sign a contract establishing final conditions and mutual obligations. For 2027 projects, the Foundation provides three application rounds. The first-round deadline was August 15, 2026, with notification in November 2026 and an earliest project start date of January 1, 2027. The second-round deadline is December 15, 2026, with notification in March 2027 and an earliest project start date of April 1, 2027. The third-round deadline is April 15, 2027, with notification in July 2027 and an earliest project start date of August 1, 2027. The schedule therefore provides multiple application opportunities for 2027 projects, while each Foundation-funded project must still be completed within a single calendar year.

Align the project with TFD's democracy and human rights priorities, particularly Taiwan's experience, challenges raised by China, or democracy and human rights in East Asia. Request only eligible direct project costs, exclude prohibited capital, personnel, overhead, communication, office-supply, per diem, gasoline, and premium-airfare costs, retain original receipts for funded expenses, identify other funding sources, and ensure the TFD-funded portion can be completed within one calendar year.