47. Enable MEPPA Small Grants

The Middle East Partnership for Peace Act has injected much-needed funding into the Israeli-Palestinian peacebuilding community and economic cooperation space, but the grants have so far gone to larger organizations with established histories, the extensive capacities to meet strict compliance, and already large budgets from sustainable donor-bases. This leaves many worthy organizations without the ability to take advantage of this important program. USAID should set aside a portion of the MEPPA funds for grants of $500,000 or less (including some money earmarked for grants of $100,000 or less) without compromising the legal or vetting requirements that will go to smaller and less established organizations, helping to create more capacity on the ground and building an extensive people-to-people infrastructure.