2023 SOW - Ghana SPCPS Funds.docx

Scope of Work (SOW) (Draft until finalized) Red text indicates content the Applicant must enter or update.

U.S. Embassy Program Strategic Goals and Objectives

This program is in support of the U.S. Embassy in Accra’s Integrated Country Strategy Mission Goal 3: Bolster Peace and Security. This program will specifically address Mission Objective 3.1: Enable Citizens to Reinforce Peaceful Communities. Objective 3.1 is informed by and directly responds to the priorities outlined in the 2021 NSC Interim National Security Strategic Guidance; the State-USAID Joint Strategic Goal Framework; USAID's Policy for CVE through Development Assistance, the Global Fragility Act (GFA), the 2020 U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability, and USAID/Ghana’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS).

U.S. Embassy Program Background and Description

The U.S. Embassy in Accra, Ghana, through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out virtual and in-person peacebuilding and conflict resolution education programs in Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo. This program is in support of the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability, authorized by the Global Fragility Act. Overall, grant-making authority for this project is contained in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

On April 1, 2022, the White House announced the list of priority countries and regions under the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability. Priority countries include Haiti, Libya, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, and one region: coastal West Africa, including Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo.

The objectives of the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability specific to this program are:

(1) Strengthen social cohesion within and between at-risk communities by improving and increasing equitable access to livelihoods and economic opportunity; reducing community tensions and stigmatization between and among historically marginalized communities; and reducing instrumentalization of communal identities.

(2) Improve government responsiveness, inclusion, and accountability, to at-risk communities by strengthening inclusive, democratic political processes both locally and nationally; strengthening the environment for accountability and transparency; improving service delivery; and improving access to and trust in the justice sector.

This program will engage early and mid-career professionals by offering a menu of virtual courses in English and French that include information adaptable to the range of countries and contexts. Central topics will include social cohesion, conflict resolution, media literacy and misinformation, engaging government from local to national level, and inclusivity. The online/hybrid course on conflict resolution will include 500 young community leaders with at least half from Ghana and the remainder from the other four countries specified. Recruitment should target regions and communities most vulnerable to conflict and instability but may include geographically diverse participants.

The courses will be followed by interactive conversations via chat or social media platforms to form a network of similarly-minded individuals willing to develop activities or policies integrating course principles in their own institutions or communities. An in-person training and networking opportunity will then be offered to 60 participants to come together and discuss more deeply the topics of the courses. The material may include U.S. authored content and reflect the diversity of opinion in the United States and underscore U.S. fundamental values of democracy and freedom. Speakers and instructors may include U.S. citizens and experts who have experience in West Africa and the United States.

U.S. Embassy Policy Objective: Enable Citizens to Reinforce Peaceful Communities. Provide peacebuilding and conflict resolution training to a minimum of 500 youth, community leaders, and young professionals, such that at least one-quarter of participants launch their own peacebuilding small-scale projects within a 12-month time period following the training.

Enable Citizens to Reinforce Peaceful Communities. Provide peacebuilding and conflict resolution training to a minimum of 500 youth, community leaders, and young professionals, such that at least one-quarter of participants launch their own peacebuilding small-scale projects within a 12-month time period following the training.

Applicant Project Objective 1: XXX Objectives of the project should be SMART:

· Specific: Detailed and specifies what will be achieved

· Measurable: have associated metrics or measurements of success

· Attainable: appropriately challenging, objectives can be reasonably attained give the available resources

· Relevant: align with the policy/program goal and appropriate within the country or beneficiary audience

· Time-Bound: achievable within the timeframe of the program

Activities To achieve the goals and expected results, the project should include the following:

· Develop an appropriate, accessible, and regionally relevant training course for peacebuilding and conflict resolution for targeted audiences in French and English

· Promote the course in target communities, enrolling at least 500 participants from the target countries in Coastal West Africa

· Convene an in-person regional enrichment conference for up to 60 top-performing participants

· Conduct measurement and evaluation activities for all program elements.

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To achieve the goals and expected results, the project could include the following: insert activities/suggested actions here:

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Expected Results Specific results could include the following:

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Performance Indicators

· DR.3.1 DR.3.1-2 Number of groups trained in conflict mediation/resolution skills or consensus-building techniques with USG assistance

· Number of young people in target countries that receive training and education

· Number of young people that are willing to engage in their own communities to build peace and resolve conflicts

· Delivery of a full-fledged curriculum that is adapted to the local context and reusable by grantee and other organizations

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Inputs (resource and time requirements):

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Outputs (actions completed and/or items produced):

· 500 young people in targeted countries receive online/hybrid education and training in peacebuilding and conflict resolution

· 60 high-performing participants are selected for further in-person engagement, education, and practical training

· Grantee develops a full, reusable curriculum for online/hybrid learning about peacebuilding and conflict resolution for free use in the region

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Data should be disaggregated as follows:

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Targets (measurable; quarterly and/or other milestones):

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Outcomes (results or changes caused by these activities):

· XXX

Applicant Project Objective 2: XXX Objectives of the program should be SMART:

· Specific: Detailed and specifies what will be achieved

· Measurable: have associated metrics or measurements of success

· Attainable: appropriately challenging, objectives can be reasonably attained give the available resources

· Relevant: align with the policy/program goal and appropriate within the country or beneficiary audience

· Time-Bound: achievable within the timeframe of the program

Activities To achieve the goals and expected results, the project could include the following: insert activities/suggested actions here:

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Expected Results Specific results could include the following:

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Performance Indicators (all required F Indicators must be included in this section):

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Inputs (resource and time requirements):

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Outputs (actions completed and/or items produced):

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Data could be disaggregated as follows:

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Targets (measurable; quarterly and/or other milestones):

· XXX

· XXX

· XXX

Outcomes (results or changes caused by these activities):

· XXX

NOTE: To extent possible, the curriculum, course materials, and learning platform developed for this project may be made available to other organizations for re-use at no additional cost.

Participant contact information will be provided to relevant U.S. Embassies to allow for individual missions to develop relationships with course participants, including them in programming and potentially for future exchange program opportunities.