The theme for the Civil Society Fund 2011 (CSF 2011) is "Gender and Demographic Transition in Sri Lanka".

Applications are sought for projects that promote public awareness on the social relations between men and women (discriminatory against women's participation in the economy) that would need to be addressed for Sri Lanka to manage the demographic transition effectively.

A press release from the World Bank Sri Lankan said demographic transition is not merely about the aging population; policies and programs need to focus on providing the skills and jobs to the youth, in a way that they can be economically productive in the changing socio-economic context.

"Given the lower participation of women in the labor-force, there is a gender dimension in this regard. We need to promote women to acquire appropriate skills and be more active in the economy, which would also improve their financial security in their old age," the release noted.

Grants of up to US$10,000 will be awarded this year, for each successful project proposal. The deadline for submission of applications is May 7, 2011.

Projects will be assessed by their;

• Innovation: novelty of proposed ideas.

• Sustainability: of the organization in the community. ability to demonstrate sustainability of proposed activities through collaborations with other public/private sector organizations.

• Effectiveness and Significance: Ability of the project to make a difference to the community it proposes to support and a clear mechanism to report expected results.

• Feasibility: show a practical approach with a realistic timeline and budget.

• Organizational Capacity: indicate the skills and capability of the organization's staff and any previous experience of handling similar project(s).

• Credibility: reputation

To receive copies of the application form by e-mail and for more information on the CSF, send an email to infosrilanka@worldbank.org or click on the link below to download all application material from this website in all three languages.