Guatemala 2021

Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)

Strengthening Democracy Through Entrepreneurial Ecosystems & Citizen Engagement

$342,839

To stimulate a democratic culture based on citizen engagement and youth entrepreneurship. The Center and its local partner will implement a new phase of an innovative project, engaging young entrepreneurs from rural Guatemala on the issues of democracy, citizenship, and entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on the creative industries. The Center will work with the local partner to address root causes of migration by strengthening entrepreneurial and civil leadership among youth entrepreneurs and engage a consortium of entrepreneur and community leaders to improve stakeholder support of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Center will also support the local partner to capture lessons learned and develop plans for programmatic and financial sustainability of this innovative entrepreneurship program.

 

International Republican Institute (IRI)

Juntos Desarrollamos–Building Capacity, Opportunity and Oversight for Coordinated Regional Economic Development Planning

$400,000

To support more integrated, citizen-responsive, sustainable and accountable economic development planning among key stakeholders at the regional level in Guatemala, the Institute will increase capacity and opportunity for coordinated economic development planning, implementation and oversight among national, department and local government, civil society, academic and private sector actors from departments in the Southwest region. The program will help create space for national actors to develop mutual understanding on economic development needs from sub-national actors, and for civil society to hold them more accountable for following through on development commitments.

 

Laboratorio de Medios

Expanding Media Oversight of Local Spending

$91468

To play a watchdog role and report on municipal transparency and government spending at a comprehensive, national level. The media outlet will produce weekly and monthly reports on municipal spending on the pandemic in 2021 and on economic recovery and social programs in 2022. The outlet will also begin a podcast series on local spending and accountability and hold virtual information sessions for the public about municipal government spending and channels for learning more.

 

Fundacion Myrna Mack

Correlating Root Causes of Migration and Illicit Network Activity

$45000

The aim of this project is to further analysis on corrupt, illicit networks and their impact on various socioeconomic factors. The grantee will update its political mapping of illegal networks, including national and local public officials, businesses, and illicit actors, and overlay its analysis with established socioeconomic data. Using a rigorous academic method, the grantee will produce and disseminate a final report that reveals correlations between the operations of illegal networks and the socioeconomic factors linked to migration.

 

Familiares y Amigos contra la Delincuencia y el Secuestro

Citizen Participation in Electing Judicial, Fiscal, and Human Rights Officials

$80000

To promote and support transparency and citizen participation in the selection process for magistrates, the attorney general, and other public officials at the national level who will be elected by the legislature in 2022. The organization will conduct an awareness-raising campaign to include discussion groups in the capital and five outlying departments, publication of bulletins, monthly reports, and informational guides about the mechanisms for electing officials.

 

Guatemala Visible

Civil Society Oversight for a More Accountable Judicial Sector

$55000

To foster judicial independence and integrity in the selection of high-level judicial officials. The grantee will monitor and audit the selection of members of the committee that will choose the next Attorney General, provide the committee with technical evaluation tools for AG candidates, and send citizens real time updates. The grantee will also carry out trainings for university students and the public on the selection process and its importance, then assess the performance of the new AG once in office.

 

Accion Ciudadana

Promoting Transparency of Public and Private Investments in Guatemala

$67000

To promote transparency in government spending in response to the pandemic. The grantee will establish a monitoring and analysis process, disseminate a monthly bulletin with its principal findings on public spending, and follow up with legislative reforms to support accountable, transparent economic revitalization after the pandemic. The grantee will conduct a training and mentoring program to equip other CSOs and journalists to audit public spending and will facilitate public dialogue on best practices for anti-corruption efforts in the private sector.

 

Asociacion Civil Red Ciudadana

Transparency and Citizen Engagement on Electoral and Political Party Systems

$100000

To advocate for transparency in the electoral and political party systems through innovation and collaboration. The grantee will provide trainings on transparency themes to political parties and electoral officials, organize events for civil society and a public audience on the importance of protecting and defending transparency in the electoral and political realm, and develop and launch an online portal to compile public information on levels of transparency within the political and electoral system.

 

No Ficcion GT, ONG

Multi-Media Journalism for an Informed Citizenry

$120000

To produce creative media content on threats to democracy and democratic backsliding. The outlet will produce a weekly in-depth article reporting and explaining the context and events of a particular story related to corruption, power structures, legislative or judicial issues, rule of law setbacks, or other key issues. The analysis will be complemented by podcasts, infographics, live videos, and audiovisual content tailored to the outlet’s multiple social media accounts.