Education Liberia Project #74872

10 Community-led Small Grants for Liberia

by Friends of Liberia Inc.

Project Report | Sep 21, 2026
October 2026 Small Grants Report

By Madison Collins | Director, Small Grants

Since June, the Small Grants program has continued to fund community-led projects and provide no cost capacity building for non-profits and community based organizations working in Liberia. In the second quarter of 2026 the Small Grants committee funded three projects, one of which is a second time grantee doing great work to rehabilitate schools in Lofa County. Read more about the Marvie Foundation's work below:

The Marvie Foundation has been awarded a second Small Grant from Friends of Liberia to continue their work across Lofa County rehabilitating rural schools. Their first grant “Education Empowerment at Rural Liberia by Building Improvement and Learning Materials” funded in November 2025, improved safety, infrastructure, and learning environments for the students and teachers of Bular Primary School. Critical renovations included repairing and replacing the damaged zinc roof, restoring the cracked walls, floors, and stairs, and securing the flagpole. Interior improvements were also made by replacing ceilings and filling in the cement floors. Additionally, the latrines were fully renovated, armchairs and other furniture were fabricated, and a well-stocked library was established with bookshelves and diverse educational materials.

In their final report the Marvie Foundation shared that the project has “strengthened community cohesion and instilled a sense of collective progress." The team continued to report "the improved school environment has become a symbol of hope and resilience, inspiring families to prioritize education and support their children’s learning journeys. Notably, the community has observed a resurgence of students returning to Bulor School, after some parents moved their children to nearby towns with better facilities. Today, Bulor is recognized for having the best library in the district.”

A community member shared: "This project has united our community. We now take ownership of the school’s success, actively participating in activities and decision-making. Bulor is no longer just a school; it’s a symbol of hope and progress for us all."

After receiving a donation of 1,266,467.40 LRD from Kitchen Table Charities Trust (KTCT) the Marvie Foundation did it again and renovated Yandisu Primary Public School in Lofa County in early 2026. This project included the rehabilitation of the school hand pump to ensure its proper functionality. Restoring this water source was critical for ensuring that students have reliable access to clean and safe drinking water which is essential for their health, hygiene and overall well-being. This initiative not only supported the educational environment by reducing water related challenges but also promoted good hygiene practices among students and their teachers and contributed to the sustainable development of the school.

Now, Marvie Foundation has been funded by Friends of Liberia again to renovate Kanela Public School in Lofa County through the “Rural School Enhancement Initiative”. By building on the success of previous projects, this new initiative will continue creating safer, more welcoming learning environments while strengthening the partnership between schools and their communities. We are proud to support the Marvie Foundation's continued commitment to ensuring that rural students have access to quality spaces where they can learn, grow, and thrive.

In other news, the Small Grants program has piloted a training series this year that will wrap up in late October. We are happy to share the series gained over 450 registrants and over 150 attendees. The session recordings will remain accessable by all on the FOL website. We look forward to hearing from the community of non-profit leaders in the Small Grants network regarding their feedback on this pilot and what they would like to see from this kind of support in the future.

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Jun 9, 2026
Sixth Month Reflection of 2026

By Madison Collins | Director, Small Grants

The Friends of Liberia Small Grants Program has continued to demonstrate strong demand for community-driven development support across Liberia in 2026. During the first quarter of the year, the program received 65 grant applications from organizations working in communities throughout the country. Following a competitive review process, two projects were selected for funding based on their alignment with the small grants criteria.

KEEP Liberia Reading

Project Theory of Change: If 50 teachers are trained in phonics and 1,500 age-appropriate books are distributed through mobile boxes. And if 300 caregivers are trained to reinforce reading at home twice a week. Then 70% of teachers will become effective instructors and 60% of students will reach decoding benchmark. Which will lead to 20 -word -per-minute there will be an increase in oral reading fluency within 12months. Ultimately resulting in 80% of school having self-sustaining literacy committee and long-term-level proficiency.

Project Goal: To improve foundational literacy outcomes for early grade learners through strengthened instruction, increased access to reading materials, and enhanced community engagement.

Project Objectives:

Improve reading proficiency among 250 early grade learners.
Strengthen the instructional capacity of 50 teachers in phonics and comprehension strategies.
Expand access to reading materials through community reading hubs and mobile reading boxes.
Increase parental involvement in children’s learning through training and home-based literacy activities.
Mobilize communities to champion literacy through reading days and volunteer programs.

Youth Action Lead Liberia's Agroecology for Resilient Livelihoods in Mining-Affected Communities project

The communities of David Dean Town and Yowee, and surrounding areas in Bong County are trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and environmental decline driven by a dual crisis: destructive mining and climate change. While Liberia's mining sector has historically been viewed as an engine for economic growth, for local communities in Bong County, it has largely resulted in "poverty in the midst of plenty" (SDI Liberia, n.d.).

Project Goal: The overall goal of this project is to improve food security, environmental resilience, and economic self-reliance for 60 farming households in two mining-affected communities (Dean
Town and Yowee) of Bong County by establishing a community-led agroecological farming and enterprise model.

Project Objectives:

To establish two 1-acre community-managed agroecological demonstration and production sites on rehabilitated land, featuring integrated soil and water conservation structures, by Month 4 of the project.
To train 60 farmers (at least 50% women) from the two affected communities in climate-smart agroecological practices, including composting, crop rotation, intercropping, and natural pest management, resulting in a 75% adoption rate of at least three new techniques by project end.
To facilitate the production and harvest of at least three varieties of high-value, nutritious vegetable crops (e.g., okra, peppers, leafy greens) at the two sites, with 50% of the harvest consumed by participating households to improve nutrition and 50% sold collectively.
To equip all 60 participating farmers with fundamental agro-entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills through targeted workshops, enabling them to collectively manage sales, reinvest profits, and increase average household income from produce by at least 25% by project end.

In addition to the regular grant cycle, Friends of Liberia provided funding for an ad hoc grant in support of a SHE-CAN candidate. This investment reflects the organization’s commitment to expanding educational and leadership opportunities for young women and supporting emerging leaders who are positioned to contribute to Liberia’s future development.

The primary purpose of her project, The Legacy of Life, is to establish a self-sustaining system of water safety and environmental stewardship in Duazon. This project would aim to eliminate the health risks associated with contaminated open wells and plastic pollution by providing the community with immediate technical solutions, specifically, a sealed mechanical hand pump and a low-cost water filtration system which uses the blueprint of my original water filter that was my entry for the 2025 European Union Rise and Recycle Competition (turning Waste into Wonders). Beyond infrastructure, its purpose is to cultivate a new generation of leaders by training my community study class students to become the primary technicians and "Literacy & Legacy Ambassadors" for these systems.

Beyond direct grantmaking, the small grants program has expanded its capacity-building efforts through the launch of the 2026 Training Series. The series has generated significant interest, with hundreds of nonprofit leaders and practitioners working in Liberia registering to participate. These sessions are designed to strengthen organizational capacity, share practical knowledge, and foster connections among organizations working to address community needs across the country.

Together, the small grants program and training series continue to advance Friends of Liberia’s mission of supporting locally led development and strengthening civil society in Liberia. The high level of engagement seen in both grant applications and training registrations is encouraging!

Links:

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