1. Notice of Funding Opportunity_FY2016 Consortium_4 April_Final.docx

Notice of Funding Opportunity

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues

Executive Summary:

The Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI) at the U.S. Department of State announces the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a new initiative to advance the objectives committed to in the U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally (GBV), the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (NAP), and the U.S. Department of State Strategy for Women’s Economic Empowerment. Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Furthermore, the Government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received. S/GWI will award one cooperative agreement to a consortium of U.S.-based and international organizations with global reach, with one lead organization serving as the primary recipient/applicant. Consortium members must demonstrate strong ties to local NGOs across the globe who can serve as local partners as appropriate. Assistance provided through this program will complement, be informed by, and benefit from existing civil society networks and partnerships. Additionally, the consortium members should demonstrate expertise in the following areas:

· Capacity building for local organizations; particularly organizations led by women or focused on issues disproportionately impacting women

· Prevention of and response to violence, including survivor and victim centered care and approaches and/or experience with awareness campaigns

· Access to justice, rule of law, and legal reform of issues related to women’s rights

· Combatting violent extremism through community engagement

· Supporting women’s roles in peacebuilding, including mediation, in areas of conflict and transitioning societies

· Expanding economic opportunities for women, including but not limited to access to finance and technical assistance for women entrepreneurs

Eligibility for this NOFO is limited to: Educational and research institutions; U.S. not-for-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) subject to section 501 (c) (3) of the U.S. tax code; Foreign not-for-profits/NGOs/social enterprises. SGWI encourages an innovative consortium approach which brings in a diversity of organizations with various areas of expertise and backgrounds, including but not limited to: faith-based, humanitarian, democracy focused, and populations at risk.

One award in FY 2016 Economic Support Funds (ESF) will be issued as a cooperative agreement under this NOFO, and the Recipient will work closely with S/GWI to design and implement targeted sub-grants to third-party organizations charged with programming along the agreed-upon interventions. Additional funding may be available in future years based on the pilot consortium efforts.

Funding authority rests in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

All applicants should be familiar with OMB Circular 2 CFR Part 200.

Contact Person: Pamela Kuemmerle, S/GWI

Please read the entire NOFO package before submitting an application, and follow the steps immediately in order to submit before the deadline. Applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria and do not contain all of the required information will not be considered.

Program Description

A. FUDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

i. Background

The U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally (the GBV Strategy) is an interagency strategy to advance the Department of State’s efforts to address gender-based violence through policy, diplomacy and programs, underscoring the broader United States Government commitment to preventing and responding to gender-based violence (GBV). This approach seeks to empower women and girls through a gender equality framework, as GBV undermines not only the safety, dignity, and human rights of the millions of individuals who experience it, but also threatens broader public health, economic stability, and security. Understanding and addressing GBV is key to the development of stable democratic societies and vibrant, inclusive economies, not just in the United States, but globally. The GBV Strategy is informed by guiding principles (p.16) around prevention, protection, and accountability. Additionally, lessons learned (p.16), provide foundations from which future GBV programs can be built upon.

The U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (NAP) aims to promote peace and security for all by empowering women as full and equal partners in preventing conflict and building peace in countries affected by crisis, conflict, and transition, particularly to advance women’s inclusion in conflict resolution and response, such as peace processes, transitional justice, and recovery efforts. Although women play a range of formal and informal roles in support of peace negotiations and conflict prevention, they are significantly underrepresented as mediators. Women’s leadership and participation in influencing decision making about peace and security issues is nevertheless key to increasing the effectiveness of investments in conflict-affected societies. A growing evidence base demonstrates that women’s active participation in peacebuilding and decision-making enhances the prospects of long-term peace and stability—evidence that we cannot afford to ignore. Although women have driven post-conflict recovery, they have historically been left out of decision-making processes affecting the security of their communities and countries. Their exclusion limits access to opportunities to rebuild, promote justice and accountability, and lend broad perspectives to reforming laws and institutions, or support comprehensive efforts to address terrorism and violent extremism. Supporting women’s leadership in these areas hinges on the long-term capacity of women-focused organizations. Investing in capacity-building and sustainability strategies is essential to increasing the independence and effectiveness of women’s leadership in conflict resolution and prevention in the decades to come.

The U.S. Department of State Strategy for Women’s Economic Empowerment outlines policy objectives, guiding principles, and implementation tools to support women’s economic empowerment globally. Secure, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth cannot happen without the full participation of women and girls in all economic activities, including education, employment, entrepreneurship, transportation and infrastructure, and access to goods and services. In addition, increasing women’s economic participation strengthens benefits families, communities, and countries. The U.S. Strategy aims to increase women’s economic empowerment by enabling women’s access to capital and finance, training, and business opportunities and by promoting women’s entrepreneurship and women’s equal and safe access to employment and wages.

i. Program Goals

Summary

Goal: To proactively equip civil society and especially locally-based organizations with the capacity, knowledge, and skills to deepen their expertise and influence on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), economic empowerment, and/or gender-based violence prevention and response interventions globally. This will include a specific focus on funding:

· Capacity-building, including technical assistance and/or training programs for local, grassroots-led organizations;

· Innovative pilot programs on emerging issues to prevent and respond to GBV, promote WPS, and expand women’s economic opportunities

· Building the evidence base for existing and/or established programs to contribute to a body of global evidence on promising practices

S/GWI seeks a proposal from one lead organization to coordinate the activities of a larger group of consortium partners. Potential activities funded through such a consortium, could include the following:

1) A focus or experience with emerging, cross-sectoral GBV issues, such as GBV and economic empowerment, survivor-centered job training, GBV as a barrier to women’s political participation, promising practices on the prevention of GBV through engaging men and boys, including traditional and tribal leaders, preventing harmful practices against adolescent girls, research on community protection response tactics for types of GBV, such as Intimate Partner Violence, and assessing the scale and impact of GBV in digital and online spaces.

2) Promote women’s roles in peace and reconciliation processes, specifically as mediators, as outlined in the NAP. These efforts would invest in scaling women’s capacity to serve in local, national, and international mediation roles, and/or address research to advance gender-inclusive mediation.

3) Expand economic opportunities for women, including women’s labor force participation, leadership development, access to information and finance, tailored technical assistance, financial literacy, and strengthened networks and mentorship.

4) Provide capacity-building technical support and expertise to local organizations, including those working on women’s participation and decision-making in countries impacted by conflict and crisis, as well as locally-based organizations involved in GBV prevention and response efforts.

S/GWI will award one cooperative agreement to a consortium of international NGOs with global reach, with one lead organization serving as the primary recipient/applicant. A minimum of three total consortium members must demonstrate strong ties to local NGOs across the globe who can serve as local partners as appropriate. It is envisaged that assistance provided through this program will complement, be informed by, and benefit from existing civil society networks and partnerships.

The lead NGO will be required to develop a detailed program plan outlining the roles and responsibilities of the other international NGO partners in the consortium and review criteria for capacity building and small grants. The lead applicant should submit a letter of intent from each international partner organization in the consortium.

The primary applicant must be a non-profit organization registered in the U.S. and meet the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3) or a comparable organization headquartered outside the United States, or a public international organization. The primary applicant must have demonstrated experience, including case management experience in administering successful projects in various countries.

Proposals should allocate requested funding to provide as much direct assistance as possible and keep overhead costs to a minimum. The recipient shall obtain receipts and/or reimbursement documentation for all expenditures over $10,000 and for those under $10,000 to the fullest extent possible.

Organizational Expertise: The consortium should ensure that it has a solid reach in all geographic regions and can maintain, through a demonstrated track record, strong relationships with experienced, reliable, local partners. Strategies to develop stronger contacts to improve the administration of the program can be included, but associated costs must be reasonable and kept to a minimum. Applicants should include their plan for publicizing/raising awareness of this program in the Program Planning section of the proposal. Applicants must demonstrate expertise and ability to provide targeted rapid-response programming to address emerging needs in areas including the following:

· Capacity building for local organizations; particularly organizations led by women or focused on issues disproportionately impacting women

· Expertise in prevention and response to violence, including survivor and victim centered care and approaches and/or experience with awareness campaigns

· Access to justice, rule of law, and legal reform of issues related to women’s rights

· Combatting violent extremism through community engagement

· Supporting women’s roles in peacebuilding, including mediation, in areas of conflict and transitioning societies

· Expanding economic opportunities for women, including but not limited to access to finance and technical assistance for women entrepreneurs

Funding Process for Capacity Building Activities and Small Grants to Civil Society Groups: S/GWI will negotiate with the recipient the conditions and criteria under which these small grants will be awarded. Activities that may be considered for support include, but are not limited to: capacity building for small, locally-based NGOs to increase their long-term ability to address issues impacting women; gender-based violence prevention and response; increasing women’s leadership and ability to actively participate in peace processes and transitional justice activities, specifically in mediator roles; and expanding women’s economic empowerment opportunities.

All final decisions are made by S/GWI and all recipients will comply with the same standards, laws, and regulations with which other DOS grantees/recipients comply.

Activities that typically are not considered competitive include:

· The provision of large amounts of humanitarian assistance;

· English language instruction;

· Purely academic exchanges or fellowships;

· External exchanges or fellowships lasting longer than six months;

· Off-shore activities that are not clearly linked to in-country initiatives and impact or are not necessary for security concerns;

· Micro-loans or similar small business development initiatives;

· Initiatives directed towards a diaspora community rather than current residents of targeted countries.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

i. Available Funding and Legislative Authority

The source of this funding is Economic Support Funds.

ii. Summary of Award Information

iii. Deadline

iv. Substantial Involvement

S/GWI anticipates awarding a cooperative agreement based on the needs and risk factors of the program. The final determination on mechanism will be made by the Grants Officer. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, S/GWI expects to be substantially involved during its implementation. Examples of substantial involvement can include:

1) Approval of the Recipient’s annual work plans, including: planned activities for the following year, travel plans, planned expenditures, event planning, and changes to any activity to be carried out under the cooperative agreement;

2) Coordination on a selection of potential focus countries for the consortium’s activities;

3) Approval of sub-award recipients, concurrence on the substantive provisions of the sub-awards, and coordination with other cooperating agencies;

4) Approval of any notice of funding opportunities and selection of recipients;

5) Approval of the monitoring and evaluation plan for the Recipient and sub-award recipients; and

6) Other approvals that will be included in the award agreement.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

i. Eligible Applicant

S/GWI welcomes applications from educational and research institutions, U.S.-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations (NGO) subject to section 501 (c) (3) of the U.S. tax code, and foreign-based not-for-profits/NGOs/social enterprises. If multiple proposals are received from the same applicant, all submissions will be declared ineligible and receive no further consideration in the review process.

For-profit entities should be aware that its applications may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State generally prohibits profit under its assistance awards to for-profit or commercial organizations. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures. Project income earned by the recipient must be deducted from the total project allowable cost in determining the net allowable costs on which the federal share of costs is based.

ii. Cost Sharing or Matching

Providing cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility requirement for this NOFO. However, if there is the possibility of matching funds may be provided by other donors. Please outline in the budget and proposal, how the additional funds, if committed, could be used to further the program objectives.

iii. Other

The Applicant must have existing active partnerships with thematic (GBV, WPS, economic empowerment) or in-country partners, entities and relevant stakeholders, including private sector partners and NGOs, and have demonstrable experience in administering successful projects. S/GWI encourages applications that involve foreign-based NGOs headquartered in the geographic regions/countries relevant to this NOFO.

S/GWI is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its projects and activities. S/GWI welcomes applications irrespective of an applicant’s race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status. S/GWI encourages applications that include work with the most at risk and vulnerable communities, including women, youth, persons with disabilities, members of ethnic or religious minority groups, and LGBTI persons.

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System in the System for Award Management (SAM)(www.sam.gov) is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR,1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR,1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.” Additionally no entity listed on the Excluded Parties List System in SAM can participate in any activities under an award. All organizations are strongly encouraged to review the Excluded Parties List System in SAM to ensure that no ineligible entity is included.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

i. Address to Request Application Package

Please contact the S/GWI point of contact listed in section G if requesting reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or for security reasons. Please note: reasonable accommodations do not include deadline extensions

The applicant can find application forms, kits, or other materials needed to apply on Grants.gov under the announcement title “Global Programming Consortium to Advance the Status of Women and Girls”

ii. Key Registrations

The U.S. Department of State requires that all applicants complete the following registrations:

· Register for a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

· Obtain necessary codes: for non-U.S. organizations, an NCAGE code at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx; if based in the U.S or pay employees within the U.S., an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code.

· Register for an individual account for your organization with SAM: https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/

· Register on Grants.gov. The Grants.gov registration process can take 10 business days or longer, even if all registration steps are completed in a timely manner.

Once the above steps are complete, you will be able to submit your application per the instructions in this Notice of Funding Opportunity and systems websites.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that it has an active registration in grants.gov. Applicants are required to document that the application has been received in its entirety by Grants.gov. S/GWI bears no responsibility for disqualification that result from applicants not being registered before the due date, for system errors in Grants.gov, or other errors in the application process.

Organizations must continue to maintain active SAM registration with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or application under consideration by a Federal award agency. SAM requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure it has an active registration in SAM and to maintain that active registration. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time S/GWI is ready to make an award, the applicant may be deemed unqualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

A complete proposal with attachments must be submitted via Grants.gov and emailed to SGWIProjectProposals@state.gov

It is the responsibility of all applicants to ensure that proposals have been submitted in their entirety to www.grants.gov and sent via email. S/GWI bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

iii. Content and Form of Application Submission

For all application documents, please ensure:

1) All documents are in English and all costs are in U.S. dollars. If an original document within the application is in another language, an English translation must be provided (please note: the Department of State, as indicated in 2 CFR 200.111, requires that English is the official language of all award documents. If any documents are provided in both English and a foreign language, the English language version is the controlling version);

2) All pages are numbered, including budgets and attachments;

3) All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper; and,

4) All documents are single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins. Captions and footnotes may be 10 point Times New Roman font. Font sizes in charts and tables, including the budget, can be reformatted to fit within 1 page width.

iv. Application Requirements

Complete applications must include the following. Please combine core documents: Cover Page; Executive Summary; Table of Contents; Proposal Narrative; Line-item Budget; Budget Narrative; Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative and Performance Indicator Table; and Timeline in a single Word Document or PDF:

1. Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B forms.

2. If the organization engages in lobbying the U.S. government or Congress, or pays for another entity to lobby on your behalf, the SF-LLL “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” form is also required.

3. Cover Page (not to exceed one [1] page, preferably in Microsoft Word) that includes a table with the project title, project synopsis, project cost and duration, and name and contact information for the application’s main point of contact. Please see the enclosed recommended template (which accounts for the Cover Page, Executive Summary, Table of Contents, and Narrative in one file, up to ten [10] pages total).

4. Executive Summary (not to exceed one [1] page, preferably in Microsoft Word) that outlines project goals, objectives, and proposed activities.

5. Table of Contents (not to exceed one [1] page, preferably in Microsoft Word) listing all documents and attachments, with page numbers.

6. Proposal Narrative (not to exceed seven [7] pages, preferably in Microsoft Word). Please note the seven page limit does not include the Cover Page, Executive Summary, or Table of Contents. The detailed Line-item Budget, corresponding Budget Narrative, M&E Narrative and Indicator Table, Implementation Timeline, and Attachments are also separate, as detailed below.

7. Line-item Budget (preferably as an Excel workbook) that includes three [3] columns containing the request to S/GWI, any cost sharing contribution, and the total budget. A summary budget should also be included using the OMB-approved budget categories (see SF-424A as a sample) in a separate tab. Costs must be in U.S. dollars. Detailed line-item budgets for subgrantees should be included in additional tabs within the Excel workbook (if available at the time of submission). Please see the recommended, though not required, line-item budget template enclosed.

8. Budget Narrative (preferably as a Word Document) that includes substantive explanations and justifications for each line-item in the detailed budget spreadsheet, as well as the source and a description of all cost-share offered. Please see the recommended, though not required, budget narrative template enclosed.

9. Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative (not to exceed two [2] pages) and Monitoring and Evaluation Performance Indicator Table (not to exceed four [4] pages in Microsoft Word). Please see the recommended, though not required, M&E template enclosed.

10. Timeline (not to exceed one [1] page): The timeline of the overall proposal should include activities, evaluation efforts, and program closeout. Please see the recommended, though not required, timeline template enclosed.

Applications must also include the following required Attachments:

11. Your organization’s most recent A-133 audit (if applicable), F Audit, or standard audit.

12. Risk Analysis (not to exceed one [1] page, preferably in Microsoft Word). Please see the recommended risk analysis template enclosed.

13. Key Personnel Experience Summary (not to exceed one [1] page, preferably as a Word Document): Please include short bios that demonstrate relevant professional experience. Please also attached a CV for each key personnel.

14. Individual Letters of Support and/or Memorandum of Understanding: Letters of support and MOUs must be specific to the project implementation (e.g. from proposed partners or sub-award recipients) and should be submitted as relevant. For applicants without letters of support, please submit one will not count towards the page limit.

15. A list of previous U.S. Government awards (for organizations who have received prior U.S. government funding) or Articles of Incorporation and current bylaws (for organizations who have not received prior U.S. government funding).

v. Additional Information Requested

If successful, the applicant must submit after notification of intent to make a Federal award, but prior to issuance of a Federal award:

· A PDF of the organization’s NICRA, if applicable and if NICRA charges are included in the budget.

· Written responses and revised application documents addressing conditions and recommendations from the S/GWI Review Panel;

· Completion of the Department’s Financial Management Survey, if receiving S/GWI funding for the first time;

· Submission of required documents to register in the Payment Management System managed by the Department of Health and Human Services, if receiving S/GWI funding for the first time (unless an exemption is provided); and

· Other requested information or documents included in the notification of intent to make a Federal award or subsequent communications prior to issuance of a Federal award.

vi. Instructions for Proposal Preparation:

· Proposal Narrative: Applicants must submit a proposal narrative (not to exceed seven [7] pages). Please see the enclosed recommended narrative template, please note this template is recommended but not required. A proposal narrative should:

· Outline the problem that describes what this project seeks to address

· Give a clear description of assumptions, short-term and long-term project goal(s), objective(s), activities, outputs and intended results linked to your project; provide matching indicators and a plan to demonstrate a baseline at project inception that measures the current status of conditions that the project seeks to affect.

· Describe how your organization would incorporate the proposed program into its already existing programming, and opportunities you see for growth and expansion of the program.

· Provide a description of the results of the project and how they are sustainable or will be sustained by an appropriate entity.

· Describe organizational expertise, competency, and past performance, including the organization’s mission and the type of programs it has.

· Line-Item Budget (in U.S. dollars): Please see the enclosed recommend line-item budget narrative template. The line-item budget can be submitted in MS Excel format and should show the organization’s technical and labor cost categories as it relates to the proposed project. The line-item budget must be submitted in US dollars (USD) and include three [3] columns outlining the request to S/GWI, any cost sharing contribution, and total budget. It should include detailed information on personnel and consultants with proposed salary and salary history. In the case of a consortium, applicants must clearly indicate by which partner organization each staff member or consultant is employed. In the case of sub-grantee partner organizations, a detailed line-item budget for each sub-grantee should also be included. Costs should be identified in each of the budget categories listed below, and should detail estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar points.

A. Personnel – In general, employees receiving benefits from the applicant organization are considered staff. Consultants hired to assist with the program who do not receive benefits should be included under Contractual. Identify staffing requirements by each position title and brief description of duties. Each staff member’s salary calculation should include the annual/base salary of each position, percentage of time and number of months devoted to the project. (e.g., Administrative Director: $30,000/year x 25% x 8.5 months; calculation: $30,000/12 = $2,500 x 25% x 8.5 months = $5,312.). This can be in the budget narrative if the organization prefers.

B. Fringe Benefits – State benefit costs separately from salary costs and explain how benefits are computed for each category of employee (specify type and rate).

C. Travel – Staff and any participant travel: International airfare, In-country travel overseas, Domestic travel in the United States, if any Per diem/maintenance: includes lodging, meals and incidentals for both participant and staff travel. Rates of maximum allowances for U.S. and foreign travel are available from the following website: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287. Per diem rates may not exceed the published U.S. government allowance rates; however, institutions may use per diem rates lower than official government rates. Please explain differences in fares among travelers on the same routes (e.g., project staff member traveling for three weeks whose fare is higher than that of staff member traveling for four months). Please note that all travel, where applicable, must be in compliance with the Fly America Act. For more information see http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/103191.

D. Equipment – Equipment is defined as having a per unit cost of $5,000 and a service life of more than one year. If the item meets these criteria than all federal procurement policies and procedures must be followed. If an item does not meet these criteria it is considered a supply. Please provide justification for any equipment purchase/rental.

E. Supplies – List items separately using unit costs (and the percentage of each unit cost being charged to the grant) for photocopying, postage, telephone/fax, printing, and office supplies (for example, Telephone: $50/month x 50% = $25/month x 12 months).

F. Contractual –

· Subgrants – For each subgrant/contract please provide a detailed line item breakdown explaining specific services. In the subgrant budgets, provide the same level of detail for personnel, travel, supplies, equipment, direct costs, and fringe benefits required of the direct applicant. If indirect is charged on a subgrant please include a NICRA. Please note that a subgrantee who receives equal to or more than $25,000 is required to have a DUNS number. Please visit www.fsrs.gov for more information. Please Note: it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that proposed sub-awardees are eligible for U.S. government funding.

· Consultant Fees – For example lecture fees, honoraria, travel, and per diem for outside speakers or external evaluators: list number of people and rates per day (for example, 2 x $150/day x 2 days).

G. Construction – Due to the nature of S/GWI programs, construction costs are generally not allowable or applicable.

H. Other Direct Costs – these will vary depending on the nature of the project. The inclusion of each should be justified in the budget narrative. A-133 audit costs can be included if they are not part of the indirect pool and only the portion of the cost associated with this program.

I. Indirect Charges – An organization with a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) from a cognizant federal government agency other than the U.S. Department of State should include a copy of the cost-rate agreement. Applicants should indicate in the proposal budget how the rate is applied and if any of the rate will be cost-shared. S/GWI generally does not pay indirect costs against participant expenses, but each case may vary. Organizations claiming indirect costs should have an established NICRA. If subgrantees are claiming indirect costs, they should have an established NICRA that is also submitted with the proposal package. If your organization does not have a NICRA, the proposal budget should not have a line item for indirect cost charges. Rather, any costs that may be considered as indirect costs should be included in specific budget line items as direct costs.

J. Cost Share – This project does not require cost sharing, however, applications that include additional in-kind and/or cash contributions from third party sources will reflect increased commitment to the overall project and demonstrates greater cost effectiveness. If the proposed project is a component of a larger program, identify other funding sources for the proposal and indicate the specific funding amount to be provided by those sources. In addition, it is recommended that the budget narrative address the overall cost-effectiveness of the proposal, including leveraging of institutional or other resources. The recipient is required to maintain written records to support all allowable costs that are claimed as its contribution to cost-share, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. In the event the recipient does not meet the minimum amount of cost-sharing as stipulated in the recipient’s budget, the Bureau’s contribution may be reduced in proportion to the recipient’s contribution.

· Budget Narrative (in U.S. dollars): The budget narrative should provide additional information that might not be readily apparent in the detailed-line item budget, not simply repeat what is represented numerically in the budget, i.e. salaries are for salaries or travel is for travel. The budget narrative should briefly explain each line item to sufficiently justify each identified cost. It should include a justification for how the cost in each category is derived.

· Personnel - Identify staffing requirements by each position title with a brief description of duties, including work locations, and other justifications for these costs as they relate to the project.

· Fringe Benefits - Provide an explanation of fringe costs and how they are calculated.

· Travel - Provide a description of travel costs, including the purpose of the travel and how the travel relates to the project.

· Equipment - Provide justification for any equipment purchase/rental, including computers and related hardware, and their planned use for the project.

· Supplies - Specifically describe general categories of supplies and their direct use for the project.

· Contractual - Describe each contractual or consultant cost, and outline the necessity of each for the project.

· Other Direct Costs - Provide a narrative description and a justification for each cost under this category and describe how the costs specifically relate to this project.

· Indirect Costs - Provide approved NICRA for any indirect costs requested for the project.

The Department of State must determine that the costs paid for this award are reasonable, allowable, and allocable to the proposed project activities. This will consist of a review of the line-item and narrative budgets to determine if the overall costs are realistic for the work to be performed. Costs shall be evaluated for realism, control practices, and efficiency. Emphasis will be placed on the cost-effectiveness of the proposal. The overhead and administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and fringe benefits, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be necessary and appropriate. Cost-sharing is strongly encouraged, but not required. Please see Section vii for information on funding restrictions. Applicants must also disclose any funding they are receiving or planning to receive from other entities [or] [including] other agencies of the U.S government or other Department of State offices.

Applicants may be subject to a pre-award financial and capacity survey by the Department of State. Before grants are awarded, S/GWI reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs the initiative and availability of funds.

· Detailed Instructions on M&E Plan Submission Applications must contain a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan that provides sufficient detail as to how project objectives will be achieved and how the project will further the intended goals. This document should clearly identify the project goal(s), objective(s), and activities, as well as the output and outcome indicators that will be used to measure progress towards planned results and overall effectiveness. Baselines and targets for indicators should also be specified, along with a plan to complete a baseline assessment at project inception that measures the current status of conditions that the project seeks to affect as well as prior to completion of the project to assess impact of the project since inception. Output indicators should measure the products and services delivered directly by the program activities described. Outcome or result indicators should measure transformation and higher-level results of each activity. A recommended S/GWI monitoring and evaluation plan template is included.

· Timeline: Based on the activities included in the project proposal, please provide a project implementation plan timeline, indicating which month(s) the project activities are to be implemented. Please include reference to a monitoring and evaluation schedule that the will be implemented to ensure that the project is effectively meeting its milestones. A recommended timeline template is included.

· Risk Analysis Risks are unavoidable – all programs inherently contain both internal and external risks. However, with proper identification and management, risks can be prepared for, minimized or mitigated. The purpose of a risk analysis is to identify the internal and external risks associated with the proposed program in the application, rate the likelihood of the risks, rate the potential impact of the risks on the program, and identify actions that could help mitigate the risks. A risk analysis should not be considered a one-time exercise or a static document. S/GWI defers to organizations to conduct adequate risk analysis and remediation for all of its operations and advises that risk analysis and remediation occur throughout the life of a program and should result in revisions to risk analysis documents and processes as necessary. Applicants should include all assumptions and external factors in the risk analysis. Applicants should rate the likelihood of a risk and potential impact of the risk as “High,” “Medium,” or “Low.” A recommended S/GWI format for a risk analysis is included.

· Audits: The recipient is required to maintain books, records, documents, and other evidence, in accordance with the recipient’s usual accounting procedures to sufficiently substantiate charges to the award. The recipient confirms that its program will be subject to an independent audit in accordance with the recipient’s usual auditing procedures, and agrees to furnish copies of these audit reports to U.S. Department of State along with other related information, as may be reasonably requested by U.S. Department of State with respect to questions or findings arising from the audit report.

a) The recipient agrees to furnish the U.S. Department of State with a final report on activities carried out under the award, including accounting for award funds in sufficient detail to enable US Department of State to liquidate the award. The report must be submitted to the address specified in the award.

b) It is understood that financial records, including documentation to support entries on accounting records and to substantiate charges against the award, will be maintained in accordance with the recipient’s usual accounting procedures, which must follow generally accepted accounting practices. The recipient must maintain such financial records for at least three years after the recipient’s final disbursement of funds under the award. The recipient agrees to make available to the U.S. Department of State all records and documents that support expenditures made under its program.

vii. Funding Restrictions:

The Recipient is reminded that funds provided under this agreement must be used in a manner fully consistent with U.S. law. These grants will be funded from money appropriated under the “Economic Support Fund” (ESF) heading in the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2014 (P.L. 113-76, Division K)(SFOAA). ESF is available for foreign assistance supporting economic or political stability. Under Section 531(e) of the Foreign Assistance Act, as amended (FAA), ESF may not be used for military or paramilitary purposes. Given restrictions under Section 660 of the FAA, assistance may be provided to police and law enforcement forces only under certain circumstances. Note that activities focused on security sector training will be subject to vetting to ensure compliance with Section 620M of the FAA (“Leahy Vetting”).

The recipient agrees that none of the funds provided by this award shall be used to lobby for or against abortion. The recipient agrees that none of the funds provided by this award shall be used to pay for the performance of abortion as a method of family planning or to motivate or coerce any person to practice abortions.

Please note the following guidance concerning use of Program Income:

· Program income earned during the project period shall be retained by the recipient and, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the award, shall be used in one or more of the ways listed in the following:

1) Added to funds committed to the project by the Department and recipient and used to further eligible project or program objectives.

2) Used to finance the non-Federal share of the project or program.

3) Deducted from the total project or program allowable cost in determining the net allowable costs on which the Federal share of costs is based.

· It is emphasized, however, that the above three alternatives are applicable only when the grantee is a non-profit entity. Any grant to a commercial firm must state that the first of the alternatives is not available for program income earned by the grantee.

The following cost elements will not be reimbursed and are not allowable in this program:

· Construction projects.

· Direct support or the appearance of direct support for individual or single party electoral campaigns.

· Direct support or the appearance of direct support for any religious organization, to include repair or building of structures used for religious purposes.

· Military assistance of any kind, including weapons buy back or rewards programs.

· Purchase of firearms, ammunition, or removal of unexploded ordnances.

· Para-police (i.e., militias, neighborhood watch, security guards) and prison-related projects. This restriction includes no funding of any secondary need in a law-enforcement organization.

· Payments for any partner government, military or civilian government employee salary or pension.

· Duplication of services immediately available through municipal, provincial, or national government.

· Vehicle purchases to include motorcycles. (However, farm equipment, such as small tractors, and transportation costs will be considered.)

· Medical and psychological research or clinical studies.

· Funds for market research, advertising (unless public service related to grant program) or other promotional expenses.

· Entertainment, social activities, alcohol, ceremonials, hospitality and activities relating hereto. Meal costs associated with an overall project are allowable (i.e., working meal). Food or refreshment expenses are limited to 10% of the total budget.

· Expenses listed as miscellaneous.

· Expenses made prior to the approval of a proposal or unreasonable expenditures will not be reimbursed.

viii. Submission Dates and Times

The application is due no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), on June 5, 2017 on Grants.gov under the announcement title “Global Programming Consortium to Advance the Status of Women and Girls” and submitted in full by email to SGWIProjectProposals@state.gov with “[Organization Name] Global Programming Consortium to Advance the Status of Women and Girls Proposal Submission” in the Subject of the email.

Please refer to the Grants.gov website for the definitions of various “application statuses” and the difference between a submission receipt and a submission validation. Applicants will receive a validation email from Grants.gov upon successful submission of an application. Validation of an electronic submission via Grants.gov can take up to two business days. Additionally you must save a screenshot of the checklist showing all documents submitted in case any document fails to upload successfully.

Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered unless the S/GWI point of contact listed in Section G of the NOFO is contacted prior to the deadline and is provided with evidence of system errors caused by Grants.gov that is outside of the applicants’ control and is the sole reason for late submission.

The applicant should not expect a notification upon S/GWI receiving their application.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

i. Proposal Review Criteria

The Panel will evaluate the application against the following criteria, listed below in order of importance. Please use the below criteria as a reference but do not structure your application according to the sub-sections.

Quality of Project Idea Applications should be responsive to the program framework and policy objectives identified in the solicitation, appropriate in the country/regional context of proposed activities, and should exhibit originality, substance, precision, and relevance to S/GWI’s mission of advancing the rights of women and girls. Projects should have the potential to have an immediate impact leading to long-term sustainable reforms, S/GWI prefers new approaches that do not duplicate efforts by other entities. This does not exclude from consideration projects that improve upon or expand existing successful projects in a new and complementary way. In countries where similar activities are already taking place, an explanation should be provided as to how new activities will not duplicate or merely add to existing activities and how these efforts will be coordinated. Proposals that promote creative approaches to recognized ongoing challenges are highly encouraged.

Project Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives A strong application will include a clear articulation of how the proposed project activities contribute to the overall project objectives, and each activity will be clearly developed and detailed. A comprehensive monthly work plan should demonstrate substantive undertakings and the logistical capacity of the organization. Objectives should be ambitious, yet measurable, results-focused and achievable in a reasonable time frame. Project activities should have a clear and direct impact on its proposed objectives. Applications should address how the project will engage relevant stakeholders and should identify local partners as appropriate.

If partners have been identified, S/GWI strongly encourages applicants to submit comprehensive letters of support from proposed international and in-country partners. Additionally, applicants should describe the division of labor among the direct applicant and any partners. If applicable, applications should identify target areas for activities, target participant groups or selection criteria for participants, and the specific roles of sub-awardees, among other pertinent details.

S/GWI recognizes that all programs have some level of risk due to internal/external variables that have the potential to adversely affect a program. Risk management should address how the program design incorporates the identification, assessment, and management of key risk factors. S/GWI will review the risk analysis based on the organization’s ability to identify risks that could have an impact on the overall program as well as how the organization will manage these risks.

Institution’s Record and Capacity S/GWI will consider the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants.