Small Grants 2026 Training Series
As part of our commitment to supporting local leadership and strengthening community-based organizations, the Friends of Liberia Small Grants Program has launched a practical, relevant and free training series designed to equip grantees, applicants, and other local non-profit stakeholders with the foundational skills needed to plan, implement, and sustain high-quality community development projects.
Objectives of the Training Series
At the end of this training series participants will be able to:
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Apply practical skills they asked for to strengthen their daily work, using tools and approaches that fit their organizational context.
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Design and manage stronger community projects by planning activities clearly, tracking progress, and reporting results in ways that meet donor and community expectations.
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Strengthen their organizations by improving basic systems such as budgeting, financial tracking, documentation, and team coordination.
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Use information to learn and improve by reflecting on what is working, adjusting, and using data to support accountability.
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Lead with greater confidence by applying new skills independently, sharing knowledge with colleagues, and supporting others through collaboration and mentorship.
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Center communities in their work by designing and implementing projects that build on local knowledge, community strengths, and participatory decision-making.
For more information on this series and ways to register please reach out to SmallGrants@fol.org
Community-Led Project Design: From Needs to Solutions
March 28th, 2026 5:00pm GMT
This session introduces practical, community-led approaches to designing strong and effective projects. Participants will learn how to identify and define community problems by working with community members, using asset-based community development principles to recognize existing strengths, resources, and leadership. The session will also cover simple, low-resource needs assessment tools that help organizations understand priorities, engage stakeholders, and design projects that are locally grounded, realistic, and responsive to community needs.
Participants will be able to:
- Center communities in their work by designing projects that reflect local priorities and build on community knowledge, strengths, and participatory decision-making.
- Apply practical skills such as asset-based tools and simple needs assessment methods to strengthen project identification, planning and implementation in low-resource settings.
From Ideas to Action: Planning Projects for Results
April 25th, 2026 5:00pm GMT
This session focuses on turning project ideas into clear, actionable plans. Participants will learn how to develop a simple project work plan that outlines strategy, key activities, timelines, and responsibilities, and how to write clear goals and objectives that guide implementation and measure success. The session emphasizes practical tools and examples that can be easily applied in low-resource settings to support effective project planning and stronger results for community organizations working in Liberia.
Participants will be able to:
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Design and manage stronger community projects by developing clear work plans, writing realistic goals and objectives, and aligning project activities with intended results.
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Apply practical planning skills and simple tools to support day-to-day project implementation, coordination, and tracking in low-resource settings.
Showing Results: Tracking Progress and Impact
June 13th, 2026 @ 5:00pm GMT
This session introduces practical, low-resource approaches to building simple impact frameworks and tracking project progress and results. Participants will learn how to develop meaningful, easy-to-measure indicators; design simple data collection tools and document project activities and outcomes in a clear, consistent, and organized way. The session emphasizes realistic methods that support learning, accountability to communities and donors, and continuous improvement in community-based projects.
Participants will be able to
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Design and manage stronger community projects by developing simple indicators and tracking progress in ways that clearly show results to donors and community members.
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Document and report project activities and outcomes using clear, organized, and accessible formats that support accountability, learning, and transparency.
Learning and Accountability: Translating Data into Insights
August 8th, 2026 @ 5:00pm GMT
This session focuses on using project data and experiences to strengthen learning, accountability, and decision-making. Participants will explore practical ways to reflect on project progress, document challenges and lessons learned through simple after-action reviews, and adapt activities based on what the data shows. The session will also cover how to write clear narrative activity reports and summarize results and achievements in ways that are meaningful for different audiences, including community members, donors, and partners.
Participants will be able to:
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Use project data and reflection to identify challenges, document lessons learned, and adapt activities to improve project quality and effectiveness.
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Communicate project progress, results, and learning clearly through narrative reports and summaries tailored to different audiences, including communities and donors.
Making Every Dollar Count: Financial Skills for Strong Non-Profits
September 19th, 2026 @ 5:00pm GMT
This session focuses on building practical financial skills to support transparent and responsible project management. Participants will learn how to create a simple, realistic project budget, track
Participants will be able to:
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Strengthen their organizations by creating simple budgets, tracking expenses accurately, and maintaining basic financial records that support transparent reporting.
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Manage project resources responsibly and plan beyond a single grant by aligning spending with budgets and using financial information to support organizational sustainability.
Growing Your Organization: Leadership, Visibility, and Impact
October 24th, 2026 @ 5:00pm GMT
This session focuses on strengthening organizational visibility and leadership by sharing your work clearly, ethically, and effectively. Participants will learn how to take and organize photos responsibly, obtain consent, and document activities in ways that respect dignity and safety. The session will also explore how to use storytelling to highlight impact, communicate community-led change, and attract donors and partners through clear, authentic messages that reflect their organization’s values and results.
Participants will be able to:
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Lead with greater confidence by applying documentation, communication, and storytelling skills independently and sharing knowledge within their organizations.
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Strengthen organizational visibility and leadership by communicating impact clearly, while engaging with peers through collaboration, mentorship, and shared problem-solving to support continued growth.
