The U.S. government focuses MEPI programs on one core goal: investing in the capacity of the region’s individuals and organizations to improve the partnership between themselves and their governments to support participatory governance, economic, and education advancement. How governments and their citizens solve problems is the foundation of stability and prosperity in their countries.

MEPI has a diverse set of interventions, ranging from small local grants to multi-million dollar awards. This mix is important to identify and capitalize on local opportunities in a region grappling with its political, economic and social future.

MEPI works in partnership with civil society organizations, the private sector, and governments in the MENA region on a wide variety of issues. Through grants and cooperative agreements, MEPI provides these actors financial support for activities in education, advocacy, civic engagement, technical training and organizational development. MEPI programs provide direct support to the work of local partners, and helps them to network with like-minded colleagues region-wide. MEPI’s programs also bring US and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), universities, businesses, and other partners together with their colleagues from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to pursue joint endeavors.

MEPI utilizes three types of mechanisms:

• Single-country DC grants: awarded primarily to experienced U.S. and international organizations to empower partnerships between citizens, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and government institutions to promote shared solutions for the people of the Middle East and North Africa.
• Local Grants: Serve as a toolkit to develop and promote innovative, locally driven solutions to locally identified problems, build and expand inclusive local networks, help civil society organizations to represent the needs of their citizens through collective action.
• Targeted regional projects: Regional projects are aimed at two needs: 1) building networks across sectors, such as exchanges among MEPI’s thousands of alumni, who are an important asset and outcome of 14 years of the MEPI program; and 2) developing functional expertise across the MENA region in areas such as public relations and financial planning.

The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is a strategically important tool for the department and for our embassies across the Middle East and North Africa. MEPI is one of the many tools that advance U.S. foreign policy by responding to the changing dynamics in the  region, which are expected to last for years.

Through focusing on investing in the capacity of the region’s individuals and organizations to improve the partnership between themselves and their governments, MEPI supports participatory governance, economic and education advancement.

MEPI works with governments in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to empower partnerships between citizens and governments to resolve common challenges and promote common interests in the areas of participatory governance and economic reform. MEPI has funded a variety of programs that partner with governments in the region to support host-country efforts that advance government transparency, constitutional reform, participatory local governance and responsive and accountable government institutions. MEPI has also funded programs that support private sector growth and promote financial stability and access.

MEPI works with NGOs, the private sector, and academic and government institutions, both in the US and abroad, to empower partnerships and promote common shared solutions for the people of the Middle East and North Africa.

MEPI’s mission is to empower partnerships between citizens, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and government institutions to promote common shared solutions for the people of the Middle East and North Africa.

MEPI’s projects support the citizens of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in their efforts at political, social, and economic empowerment. The MENA region faces unique socio-economic challenges, including an unprecedented rising generation of young people with aspirations to contribute to and improve their communities in their own ways. By helping inform, energize and mobilize active citizens, MEPI supports people in the region transform common interests into actions that serve the common good.

American citizens benefit from increasing people-to-people engagement through civil society partnerships advancing global human development, improving mutual understanding, and building a supportive framework for international cooperation on a host of shared goals.

Please visit our “Funding Opportunities” section to find out more about opportunities to apply for support from MEPI.

Please visit our “Where We Work” section to find out more about where MEPI works.

This information can be found at www.usaspending.gov.  This searchable website, established and managed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and mandated by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) of 2006, provides publicly accessible information about Federal awards, including those made by MEPI.  Information on the website includes the award name, entity receiving the award, amount of the award, transaction type, funding agency, location of the entity receiving the award, and unique identifier of the entity receiving the award.