2021 08 26 - Questions and Answers.pdf

Questions and Answers

August 26, 2021

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) AF-MOG-ARDF-FY20-01

Somalia Marginalized and Minority Fellows Program Pilot Cohort

Question 1 – Please help us if we can apply this since we are based [in]Somaliland. How can our organization apply and get benefits US mission funding programmes which are affecting our programs

Answer 1 – Per sections A and C.1. of the NOFO, the following organizations are eligible to apply:

• U.S. non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS

• Overseas-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations

• Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations

• U.S. and foreign educational institutions; Public and private educational institutions

• Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions

Technically eligible submissions are those which: 1) arrive electronically to www.Grants.gov by the designated deadline; 2) have heeded all instructions contained in the Notice of Funding

Opportunity (NOFO), including registrations and length and completeness of submission; and 3) do not violate any of the guidelines stated in the solicitation and this document.

For-profit and commercial firms are not eligible to apply in response to this NOFO. Please see 2

CFR 200.307 for regulations regarding program income.

Question 2 – I have questions about the application eligibility, can a local organization registered in Somalia request the fund, or can the local organization have an international partner registered in the USA with 501 and with IRS status or other International that is registered in Europe but present in the field, so we can prepare a joint project with an international partner if we cannot request as local organization based in Somalia.

Answer 2 – Per sections A and C.1. of the NOFO, the following organizations are eligible to apply:

• U.S. non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS

• Overseas-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations

• Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations

• U.S. and foreign educational institutions; Public and private educational institutions

• Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions

Technically eligible submissions are those which: 1) arrive electronically to www.Grants.gov by the designated deadline; 2) have heeded all instructions contained in the Notice of Funding

Opportunity (NOFO), including registrations and length and completeness of submission; and 3) do not violate any of the guidelines stated in the solicitation and this document.

For-profit and commercial firms are not eligible to apply in response to this NOFO. Please see 2

CFR 200.307 for regulations regarding program income.

Per Section C.3. of the NOFO, organizations may only submit one application per organization.

If more than one application is submitted by an organization, only the first application received will be reviewed for eligibility and funding.

Question 3 – Can you confirm whether item 13 on the list of required submission elements which states: CV or resume of key personnel (1 page) who are proposed for the program.

Does the (1 page) limit apply to each CV or to all the CVs as a set?

Answer 3 - Per Section D.2., item 13 refers to a one-page CV or resume for each key personnel to be considered.

Question 4 – It would be most helpful if you could confirm which of the following is the main target group of the NOFO as different terms are used interchangably or in particular ways in Somalia: A) minority communities as understood under the 4.5 formula, i.e.

Bantu, hunter gatherers, coastal groups descended from intermarriage (e.g. Bravanese) and occupational groups e.g. Mahdiban, but NOT members of any of the four major clans, even if they are marginalised because they are located in an area where their clan is not in control; [or] B) both minorities under the 4.5 formula AND members of one of the four major clans who are resident in an area where their clan does not have influence or power?

Answer 4 - Per Section A.1., Bantu and Rahanweyn are mentioned as examples of historically marginalized clans, but other groups like Somali youth are also mentioned as a target group of the NOFO. As noted in Section A.6., the awardee will collaborate with U.S. Embassy

Mogadishu’s Political-Economic Section on the design of recruitment criteria for fellows from marginalized and minority communities.