June 26, 2026 - BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: In less than two weeks over 4200 community organisations, civil society groups, government agencies, development practitioners and other entities from 102 countries have signed up to take an innovative free Grant Proposal  Development in the Caribbean Context online training course.

The course, which was funded by Canada’s Local Engagement and Action Fund (LEAF) in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) enables these organisations  and individuals to quickly develop strong, competitive proposals to mobilise resources. 

Building on the success of CDB's Community Engagement Online Course, this innovative e-learning opportunity aims to strengthen regional capacity to design, develop and implement high-quality, results-oriented projects that respond to community needs and align with donor funding requirements.

The course has been specifically developed for the Caribbean context and seeks to equip participants with practical skills to transform community development ideas into compelling, funder-ready proposals.

“Building the capacity of organisations, practitioners, and community leaders to develop strong, results‑driven proposals is essential to improving access to funding and advancing resilient and locally led development across the Caribbean. Canada is proud to partner with the CDB and CDEMA to advance this collaborative effort across the region,” said Abebech Assefa, Head of Cooperation for Canada in the Eastern Caribbean.

The self-paced course follows the complete grant life cycle, guiding participants through four key stages: generating a clear project idea, identifying suitable funding opportunities, developing a strong proposal; and successfully submitting proposals to potential funders. It also has a built-in funders database where participants can access potential funders for their proposals.

Hosted on e-learning platforms provided by CDB and CDEMA, the course comprises five interactive modules featuring practical exercises, Caribbean case studies, videos, templates and step-by-step guidance from experienced grant writers, funders and development practitioners. 

A key feature of the course is its focus on Caribbean realities and development challenges. It was developed from a 2023 Assessment done by the BNTF which showed that 94 per cent of community groups, civil society organisations and similar organisations had little or no proposal writing skills. Through the course, participants will learn through regional examples and community-focused case studies that demonstrate how grant funding can be leveraged to address local development priorities.

“This course is not simply about writing proposals. It is about unlocking opportunities. It is about helping organisations access resources, strengthen their operations, deepen their impact, and better serve the communities that depend on them,” said Dr. Martin Baptiste, Division Chief of the Social Sector Division at the CDB in his remarks at the launch of the course.

The course is certified by the University of Wolverhampton and offers 20 Continuing Professional Development Credits. It is expected to benefit a wide range of stakeholders, including community-based organisations (CBOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs), community liaison officers (CLOs), implementing agencies (IAs), youth and community leaders, government ministries and development agencies, disaster management organisations, and development practitioners across the Caribbean. 

“Resilience is strengthened when communities have both the vision to identify solutions and the capacity to mobilise the resources needed to implement them. Through this partnership, we are equipping communities and institutions with the skills needed to turn local ideas into tangible actions that strengthen resilience and support sustainable development across the Caribbean,” said Lt. Col Kester Craig, Deputy Executive Director of CDEMA.

The initiative reflects the shared commitment of CDB, CDEMA, Canada and their partners to strengthening local capacity, improving access to development financing and supporting sustainable, community-driven development throughout the Caribbean.