Grants Program FAQs

The Abraham Path Initiative (API) is a partner-focused, catalytic, non-governmental organization based in the United States that raises funds for grantees and partners who will implement projects along walking trails and with local communities in the Middle East. 

Our work is inspired by the travels of the legendary Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic and Turkish, Braham in Kurdish), who is believed to have walked through Mesopotamia and the Eastern Mediterranean, sharing hospitality and showing kindness to strangers. These traditions hold strong in the region. API uses the power of storytelling and experiences to advance our mission, introducing global audiences to the people, places, and diverse cultures of Southwest Asia that continue practicing hospitality as a way of life.

Since 2007 API has worked in distinct Middle Eastern geographies, co-creating trails with the people that live there. We invested time, talent, and funding to train guides and homestay hosts. Results show economic benefits among locals and transformative experiences for international walkers. In each country you’ll find trails unique to its landscape, flora, fauna, and culture. The trails are managed for the long-term by local entities. 

The Abraham Path is the concept that launched these trails that follow the approximate route of the legendary journey of Abraham. To date these trails are:

• The Jordan Trail (~675km)

• The Palestinian Heritage Trail (~500km)

• Abraham's Path Turkey (known locally as Ibrahim Yolu)

• The Sinai Trail (~550 km)

• The Zagros Mountain Trail (~215km) 

You may also enjoy the Lebanon Mountain Trail (~470km) that developed independently of API investment.

The goal of the Grants Program is to encourage projects that nurture economic growth, cross-cultural communication, and/or heritage preservation in the Middle East. Grant recipients will deploy the Path in ways that engage new audiences with the Abraham Path Initiative, drawing attention to its mission and vision. 

API is issuing a call for original project ideas that amplify our mission in creative ways. Through their work, grant recipients will shed light on the people, cultures, and extraordinary hospitality of the region, in ways that are seldom seen in mainstream media and bus-friendly tours. Examples of projects recipients could engage in include storytelling in an array of media, the arts, environmental cleanup or renewable energy, innovative approaches to job creation, and rural tourism efforts that relate to the Middle East. 

Projects aimed to explore, promote, study, develop, and support the Path are encouraged and will be prioritized. API will strive to award 20% of allocated funds to grantees who are residents of the region.

API offers two categories of grants at this time: Junior Fellows and Senior Fellows. All applicants must be 18 years or older at the time of submission. All grant recipients are responsible for securing their own visas if required - API is unable to assist in applications for tourist, work, or student visas. 

The eligibility requirements of each category are below: 

Junior Fellows: Junior Fellows are enthusiastic, innovative individuals from diverse backgrounds looking to implement projects that further the understanding of the Path. 

• Previous work experience or formal higher education is not required

• Intermediate-level communication skills in English (written and spoken) OR a reliable translator to manage communications to API in English

• Time management and organizational skills

• Knowledge of basic financial principles and grant reporting practices 

• Basic computer skills
  

Senior Fellows: Senior Fellows are established professionals or academics with significant experience in their field(s), proposing creative projects embodying the mission of API. Applicants are encouraged to contact API directly before completing a grant application.

• 3+ years of experience in the field(s) relevant to the proposed project 

• Communication skills in English (written and spoken) 

• Public speaking/presentation skills in English 

• Knowledge of basic financial principles and grant reporting practices

The maximum amount of funding available depends on the category of grant applied to. 

• Junior Fellow applicants may request up to $2,500 USD.

• Senior Fellow applicants may request up to $8,000.

At the conclusion of the grant, the recipient will report their accomplishment to API. This could be in the form of photographs with captions, a book, video, map, or art installation, and materials for publication. The end products of the projects are expected within the agreed upon timeline. API will help promote the product, which will be shared with API in perpetuity.

To apply, please complete the online application form and upload the required documents.

• A completed application form: either submitted electronically via Google Forms or emailed as a PDF 

• CV, resume, or organizational profile (including links to professional social media profiles & previous work if applicable)

• Detailed proposal including: 

  • Purpose and goal of the grant (must be mission-oriented, vision framing, human-focused) 

  • Timeline for completion 

  • Travel Itinerary (if applicable)

  • Deliverables (requires a media component [examples include: blog posts, social media posts, digital programming])

  • Check-in process during grant implementation period 

• Budget (line-by-line; must clarify whether requesting full or partial funding)

Applicants can submit 1 proposal per cycle but there is no limit on how many cycles an applicant can submit for. Projects may span multiple cycles (ex: a two-year project is eligible for consideration).

There are two calls for proposals annually - one in the winter/spring and one in the summer/fall. Applicants who are unable to apply during one of these periods should contact API via email to inquire about other opportunities.

No. API cannot assist with visa applications or processes (including but not limited to tourist visas, student visas, work visas, or residency visas). Grantees are responsible for obtaining any necessary visas independently. 

API will accept recommendations for individuals or groups deserving of consideration through the Grant Recommendation Form. Applications will be reviewed by the Grant Review Committee, and API will contact recommendations deemed of interest to request proposals.