If your initiative meets the criteria above, we invite you to apply to the Ember call-out through this short online questionnaire. Applications will be open from Thursday 22nd of July to Thursday 26th of August 6pm BST. We recommend you prepare your application offline and then fill in the online form when you’re ready, as there is no way to save your progress as you go. You will receive an email from a member of the team within four weeks, letting you know whether you have progressed to the next round.

What is Ember’s application and selection process?

We know that applications can take up a huge amount of time, and this is particularly difficult for small teams. We have tried to make sure our application process is as straightforward and time-efficient for your team as possible. It is divided into three rounds.

Round 1 (July-August):

Applications will be open from Thursday 22nd of July to Tuesday 24th of August through this short online questionnaire. We recommend you prepare your application offline and then fill in the online form when you’re ready, as there is no way to save your progress as you go. You will receive an email from a member of the team within four weeks, letting you know whether you have progressed to the next round.

Round 2 (August-September):

If successful, we will contact you to organise a 30-minute interview via Zoom or phone. You will receive an email from a member of the team within four weeks, letting you know whether you have progressed to the next round.

Round 3 (October-November):

If successful, we will contact you to organise a longer interview, with other members of the team, to go into more detail about the work you do. You will then be placed on a short-list that will be submitted to our independent advisory group, the Ember Working Group, to make the final decision. If you are unsuccessful at this stage, you will receive detailed feedback on your application. The final selection decisions will be communicated in the first week of December.

When is the last day on which I can submit my application?

You can submit your application up until Tuesday 24th of August at 6pm BST.

How do I know if the country where my project is based is eligible?

Please check if the country where the project is based is in this list.

What kind of support does Ember provide?

The Ember team will work with the successful applicant to identify their strengths, challenges, and vision for the future. Then we work together to overcome those challenges, draw on those strengths and help your initiative progress on its journey, whether that means growing, developing a more sustainable business or operational model, transitioning from a volunteer organisation to a professional one, or replicating your work in a new setting. We don’t expect applicants to design new programmes or projects in order to apply to the Ember call-out. We are interested in knowing more about the work you do, your experiences in day-to-day life, and the story behind your initiative.

The support Ember provides is tailored to you and your needs. No two initiatives have the same Ember journey. Throughout remote work (especially via WhatsApp, emails, Zoom), Ember provides:

· A space for reflection, as well as personal and organisational growth.

· In-kind support to strengthen priority areas, such as fundraising, communications, impact evaluation and operations, by building key skills and assets.

· A platform to raise awareness about your work and build a network, through creative publications, events and networking opportunities.

· Opportunities to connect and exchange insights with other initiatives in Ember’s cohorts, past and present

· A backer, who will promote you and your work at every possible opportunity

· Wellbeing support for you and your team

· An unrestricted stipend of £5000 GBP for the year, split into two instalments

Take a look at our website to get a sense of what this looks like in practice: this page shows the initiatives we have partnered with in the past, and our online showcase shares some of what we worked on together and achieved.

If selected, how much time will I be asked to dedicate to the partnership with Ember?

Applicants need to be prepared to dedicate approximately 3 hours per week over 12 months. We look for partners who are committed to engaging with us openly, honestly and in a spirit of collaboration.

I am the only person in my team who speaks English and/or Spanish. Are we eligible?

Yes, you are eligible. We welcome opportunities to work with multiple people in the team, across different levels of their work, as we think this leads to particularly strong outcomes. However, we understand this isn’t always possible, so it should not be a barrier to applying.

If successful, will we be required to travel abroad and/or work in the Ember’s office?

No, we work remotely via tools like Whatsapp and Zoom. We spend an average of 1-2 hours per week working together directly through calls, online workshops, creative sessions etc

If possible, the Ember team will also make a one-week visit to each of our partners at some point during the year.

Does Ember provide funding?

At this stage of the partnership, Ember does not provide significant funding. Successful applicants will receive a stipend of £5,000 GBP for the year, as a contribution to the time committed to the process. Our work together will, however, include efforts to strengthen the financial position, including fundraising support, networking opportunities and recommendations to other funders. At the end of the 12 month partnership, there may be an opportunity to secure funding from Ember, though at this stage there is no guarantee this will be the case.

When would the partnership with Ember start and how long would it last?

Ember will make the final selection decisions in December 2021 and the partnerships will formally begin in January 2022. They will last a minimum of 12 months, with the possibility to be extended.

Is my organisation/project eligible for a partnership with Ember?

To be eligible in this process, applicants must:

• Work in the field of mental health. We take a broad definition of what it means to work in this field – we’re not only looking for those who explicitly provide mental health services, because we know that mental health is linked to almost every dimension of life. Our previous cohort included a diverse range of approaches and areas of focus. We are particularly interested in, but not limited to, organisations that are working on mental health in relation to: the impact of Covid-19; HIV/AIDS; childhood, adolescence and youth; and gender equality.

• Engage directly with communities. We are looking for projects that are close to the communities they serve and deeply rooted in their settings, with local leadership. We are less likely to partner with advocacy organisations, political organisations, government services or think-tanks.

• Be based in a low- or middle- income country (check this list if unsure).

• Not discriminate on the basis of religion, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, race or ability. However, faith-based organisations may apply.

• Be locally led.

• Have a team of more than one person. This can include volunteers.

• Have at least one English or Spanish speaker in the team

If I have applied before, can I apply again?

Yes, you can. Please make sure to mark ‘yes’ in the questionnaire when asked if you have applied before. We would also recommend that you consider whether and how the situation of your initiative has changed or developed since you last applied. If it is the same situation as your previous application you may wish to reconsider applying. If there have been changes or developments, please mention these in your application.

What kinds of organisations does Ember support?

Ember supports community-based mental health initiatives working in low- and middle-income countries.

What does Ember mean by ‘community-based initiatives’?

We take a wide definition of this term. By ‘community-based’ we mean initiatives that are created and implemented by and/or with members of the community they serve; have deep engagement with the people in those communities; and have local leadership teams.

What does Ember mean by ‘mental health initiative’?

By ‘mental health initiative’ we mean any initiative that contributes to the mental and emotional wellbeing of the people they serve, whether they are defined as beneficiaries, participants, service users or members. We take a broad definition of what it means to work in this field – we’re not only looking for those who explicitly provide mental health services, because we know that mental health intersects with many dimensions of life. Our previous cohorts have included a diverse range of approaches to and definitions of mental health.

We are particularly interested in, but not limited to, organisations that are working on mental health in relation to: the impact of Covid-19; HIV/AIDS; childhood, adolescence and youth; and gender equality.

Can I be involved in Ember’s work if I don’t apply to the call-out or my initiative is not eligible?

Only initiatives who meet our selection criteria above and are selected through the application process can join our cohort. However, we are always looking to expand our network and love connecting with like-minded organisations. Please get in touch if you would like to connect: info@embermentalhealth.org

Can I join the Ember team?

We currently do not have open positions in our team at present. However, we are always happy to meet people with different expertise interested in becoming part of our network. Please get in touch if you would like to connect: info@embermentalhealth.org

Do you accept applications from governmental bodies?

No, we do not accept applications from governmental bodies.

I have applied through the questionnaire. When will I receive feedback?

If you have successfully submitted your application, you should have seen this page:

In that case, you will receive feedback from the Ember team in a maximum of 4 weeks. Please regularly check the inbox for the email address that you provided, including spam folders, to ensure you don’t miss an email from us.

If you have not seen the page above, your application has not been submitted. Please submit again.

I can’t submit my application through the online questionnaire.

Please, check if you have properly filled all the answers, especially those marked with an asterisk and that the email address and telephone number are in the correct format. If you have properly filled everything and still can’t submit your application, please contact us at the email address: calloutsupport@embermentalhealth.org

I have applied but I haven’t received any confirmation. Did my submission go through?

If you have successfully submitted your application, you should have seen this page:

In that case, you will receive feedback from the Ember team in 4 weeks.

Please, check if you have properly filled all the answers, especially those marked with an asterisk and that the email address and telephone number are in the correct format. If you have properly filled everything and still can’t submit your application, please contact us at the email address: calloutsupport@embermentalhealth.org

Is the support provided in other languages than English?

Yes, support is also provided in Spanish. If you are interested to apply in Spanish, please fill out this questionnaire.

The Ember team collectively speaks 14 languages, including Arabic, Hindi, French, Italian, Isizulu and Setswana. However, our model of involving multiple people from our team in each partnership limits the number of languages we can work directly with innovators in to English and Spanish. We are hoping to expand the number of languages we can conduct partnerships in as we grow.

What languages can I submit my application in?

We accept applications in either English or Spanish.

When is the next Ember call-out going to be?

The next call-out date is not fixed. To be the first to hear about any future call-outs, follow Ember on Twitter or Instagram or sign up to our mailing list.