A program backed by the Vietnam Red Cross Society and Aviva Vietnam Life Insurance Co is offering financial support worth up to US$5,000 to local community projects.

The Aviva Community Fund 2019 (ACF) began accepting submissions on May 2 for applicants hoping to be one of the 50 winning projects to be awarded  a piece of its total funding, valued at VND3 billion ($129,000).

Winners will be selected from three categories: environment, education and community health.

Those who make it past the submission process will be put through a three-round selection process aimed at selecting where performance will dictate whether applicants receive $1,500, $3,000, or $5,000, ACF 2019 said in a press release.

The program funded VND1.5 billion ($65,000) for 33 winning projects in 2018. Such a success encouraged Aviva to double the fund this year, the company said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the AFC 2019 kick-off ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on May 6, Luong Thi Hong Thuy, director of investment and resource development from the Vietnam Red Cross Society, said her team is cooperating closely with Aviva to evaluate the results of the projects it funded in 2018.

“All the projects are in their final stages now and we have already transferred 85 percent of our investment for the first phase,” she told Tuoi Tre News.

“Due to Aviva Community Fund’s policies, we do not give away 100 percent of the funding at once. This helps ensure the winning-projects maintain their commitments.”

Teams only receive the remaining 15 percent of their promised grants once they submit review reports of their projects.

Discussing AFC’s mission, Paul George Nguyen, CEO of Aviva Vietnam, stressed that the dedication of individuals towards their own community is what makes real impacts on society.

“That is what the Aviva Community Fund is all about - helping communities make a big difference through small changes,” he underlined.

AFC 2019 accepts applications from all Vietnamese citizens over 18-years-old.

Submission is open from May 2 to June 18, followed by a July 4 - August 1 voting process and the panel judgment round held from August 30 to September 25.

The winners will be announced on September 26.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!