External Relations

Overseas Aid Committee

The Overseas Aid Committee of the Council of Ministers is the Isle of Man Government body responsible for the funding of development aid projects in the world's less developed countries. The Committee is also responsible for providing donations to international emergency/disaster appeals.

Formed in 1985 as the Voluntary Service Overseas Committee to fund the overseas postings of Isle of Man VSO volunteers, the Committee changed its name the following year when it was given responsibility for the funding of all overseas development aid projects. Responsibility for donations to disaster appeals was given to the Committee in 2000.

The overall purpose of the Committee is to implement the Council of Ministers’ Policy on Overseas Aid by ensuring: -

that aid is targeted effectively,
that appropriate mechanisms are in place for granting aid, in accordance with best practice elsewhere,
that the Island’s voluntary sector is properly engaged in the process, and
that the people of the Isle of Man continue to be encouraged to support the alleviation of World poverty.

The Committee consists of five members (three from Tynwald and two lay members) who are appointed by the Council of Ministers (see below).

Grant Schemes

General Information

Projects or programmes covered by the all of the Committee’s schemes must seek to address the Millennium Development Goals, which are:-

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

Goal 5: Improve maternal health

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

In addition, priority, but not exclusivity, is given to projects or programmes in Countries classified as “Low Development” on the United Nations’ Human Development Index.

Aid mechanisms

Four main funding mechanisms will be adopted as follows –

A Small Grants Scheme for one-off projects, which gives priority to Isle of Man based charities and has a proportion reserved for volunteering projects and technical co-operation
An Emergency Aid budget reserved for emergency appeals
A Multi-Year Grants Scheme for projects of up to 3 years duration
Partnership Programme Agreements with Isle of Man or United Kingdom charities

Application timetable

Submissions for funding for the 2009/10 financial year are as follows –

Small Grants Scheme – Applications for funding of Small Grants will be accepted from Monday 2nd November 2009 until 5pm Friday 12th February 2010. For further details please refer to the Small Grants Funding Round 2010/2011 document and the application form/criteria in the downloadable documents below
Emergency Aid – applications may be made at any time
Multi-Year Grants – Funding round now closed
Partnership Programme Agreements – (date to be advised) *

* The administrative and legal structures which are to underpin the Partnership Programme Agreements are currently under development, and it is anticipated that these will be opened for tender/competition in the first quarter of the new financial year. If you wish to receive further detailed information when it becomes available, please register your interest with the Secretary.

Donation to DEC Haiti Appeal

January 2010: The Isle of Man Overseas Aid Committee has responded to an urgent appeal from the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) for the crisis in Haiti by making a donation of £60,000. To read news release please click here

Annual Report

The Overseas Aid Committee produces an Annual Report, which is laid before Tynwald each year. The Report summarises all of the projects funded by the Committee during the previous year. Copies of recent reports can be found either below or on their dedicated archive page. Alternatively hardcopies may be obtained, on request, from the Secretary.

Membership

Mr G H Waft MLC (Chairman)

Hon PA Gawne MHK

Mr J Watterson MHK

Mr J H Green MBE

Ms A Burden

Officer support: Mrs Shelley Syme, External Relations Officer; Miss Kayleigh Parkinson, Acting Secretary to the Committee.

Further information

Detailed information is provided in the following documents which can be downloaded below –

The Policy and Funding of Overseas Aid
Overseas Aid Committee Guidance notes
Application forms
Previous Annual reports

If you have any further queries please contact: Mrs Shelley Syme, External Relations Officer or Miss Kayleigh Parkinson, Acting Secretary to the Committee.