2023 TLU NOFO FINAL.pdf

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs

Office of Assistance Coordination Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 19.500

Tomorrow’s Leaders Undergraduate (TLU) Program Opportunity Number: SFOP0009645

Key Information:

Announcement Type: New

Date Opened: April 7, 2023

Deadline for Questions & Notification of Intent to Apply:

April 18, 2023

Application Deadline: June 12, 2023

Expected Date of Notification: July 7, 2023

Federal Agency Contact: NEA-Grants@state.gov

Funding Opportunity Synopsis

The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) announces a

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Tomorrow’s Leaders Undergraduate (TLU) program. TLU is a Leadership Development Program that provides scholarships for students in Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries with significant Muslim populations, to attend American, independent, not-for-profit, higher educational institutions, based in the MENA region, and accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-sanctioned regional institution. Eligible universities must have institutional accreditation and maintain this accreditation throughout the course of the project. Eligible universities must include in its annexes proof of accreditation.

TLU is an innovative leadership training opportunity that aims to build a cadre of professional leaders who are civic-minded, intellectually capable, and professionally skilled to become the community, business, and national leaders of the future. This project fulfills the Middle East Partnership Initiative’s (MEPI) strategic framework objectives to: a) provide socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals with opportunities to build leadership skills, effectively engage with civil society, the private sector, and/or government actors; and b) increase workforce employability and improve access to higher value opportunities through demand-driven professional training and targeted, localized job placement, primarily in the private sector. This project contributes to Bureau Goal 4 in the Joint Regional Strategy for the Middle East and North Africa: Advance accountable and responsive governance through strengthening democratic principles and fundamental freedoms.

All applications must be submitted in English. Complete information on how applicants can submit proposals for this opportunity can be found in Section VI below.

Applicants should read this NOFO in its entirety before writing their proposal and should refer to the full Evaluation Criteria provided in Section VII while drafting all materials.

Eligible Countries and Territories

In this announcement, we seek to support participants from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and West Bank and Gaza. Please note:

Applications that focus on activities in countries and territories other than those listed will NOT be considered.

Background Information about NEA/AC

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance

Coordination (NEA/AC) offers Federal assistance to groups and individuals striving to bring about positive change in the Middle East-North Africa region. The Office works in 20 countries and territories, partnering with governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), community leaders, youth and women activists and private sector groups to advance their efforts.

Competitively selected projects aim to foster participatory governance, economic reform, and educational advancement in response to local interest and needs. NEA/AC is committed to advancing equity and support for minority and marginalized populations, including in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, and West Bank and Gaza. NEA/AC is committed to advancing equity and support for minority and marginalized populations, including in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and West Bank and Gaza. All programs should consider strategies for expanding the pool of individuals/organizations/beneficiaries to afford opportunities for as diverse and inclusive a population as is feasible to bring perspectives based on religion, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, national origin, and age to implementation of the program.

Table of Contents

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROBLEM STATEMENT

B. ACHIEVABLE OBJECTIVES

C. PROJECT DESIGN

D. GENDER AND SOCIAL INCLUSION INTEGRATION

E. DEFINITIONS

II. MEASUREMENT OF RESULTS

III. AWARD INFORMATION

IV. SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT

V. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

B. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

C. ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS

VI. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

B. APPLICATION FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

C. SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

D. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

VII. FUNDING LIMITATIONS, RESTRICTIONS, AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

A. AWARDS TO COMMERCIAL FIRMS OR FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

B. AUDIT REQUIREMENTS

C. COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL FUNDING REGULATIONS AND DOS TERMS AND CONDITIONS ...30

VIII. APPLICATION REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

A. APPLICATION EVALUATION CRITERIA

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

IX. ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

B. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

C. TRAVEL NOTIFICATIONS

D. APPLICANT VETTING AS A CONDITION OF AWARD

E. BRANDING AND MARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTEES

F. UEI NUMBER REQUIREMENT FOR SUB AWARDEES

G. SUB AWARDEE REPORTING REQUIREMENT

X. AGENCY CONTACTS

XI. DISCLAIMER

APPENDICES (Posted with NOFO)

APPENDIX 1— Budget Sample Template and Budget Narrative Guidance APPENDIX 2— Logic Model Template APPENDIX 3— Application Guidance

APPENDIX 4— Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) APPENDIX 5— Results Monitoring Plan (RMP)

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) announces a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to enhance and expand leadership-training opportunities for students from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The

Tomorrow's Leaders Undergraduate (TLU) program is a leadership development program that provides scholarships for students in MENA countries with significant Muslim populations to attend American, not-for-profit, higher educational institutions based in the MENA region and accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-sanctioned regional institution.

Through this solicitation, NEA/AC seeks to support a nine-year program supporting the selection and enrollment of up to four separate student cohorts, one cohort each year during the first four years of implementation. Each cohort cycle should include the first year for preparatory studies, if needed, and up to four academic years depending on the major of enrollment. Recruitment of students will be coordinated by a third-party implementer. Eligible students include individuals who represent the region's cultural, religious, ethnic, and geographic diversity. Participants should come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and have the qualifications to gain admission to an American-accredited university in the MENA region but are otherwise unable to afford four years of college.

A. PROBLEM STATEMENT

American-style higher education plays an important role in influencing and educating the next generation of leaders in the region, offering an alternative vision to extremist ideologies, strengthening democracy, and encouraging economic growth. Support for institutions offering such an education will allow greater numbers of students from the region to develop the necessary knowledge and skills for professional and national leadership and improve their prospects for meaningful employment in an academic environment that fosters critical thinking, tolerance of different opinions, an appreciation for cultural diversity, and a more expansive worldview. There is a need to harness that potential of talented yet financially disadvantaged youth, enabling them to gain skills necessary to create positive impact in their communities and become productive members of the workforce.

B. ACHIEVABLE OBJECTIVES

A successful project will result in:

1. Socioeconomically disadvantaged and geographically diverse students completing undergraduate level degrees from American-style, independent, not-for-profit, higher educational institutions based in the MENA region and accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-approved/accredited regional institution.

2. Participants receiving professional mentoring and completing internships with civil society organizations, research institutes, business, and/or non-governmental organizations.

3. Participants increasing their understanding of how to be effective civic and/or business leaders.

4. Undergraduates developing soft skills to help them compete in the workforce.

5. Academically qualified students completing a U.S.-based study abroad semester.

6. Students becoming engaged citizens who participate and lead civic engagement and social entrepreneurial activities.

7. Students increasing their awareness of gender issues in the MENA region.

C. PROJECT DESIGN

The TLU program builds a cadre of leaders who are civic-minded, intellectually capable, and professionally skilled to become the community, business, and national leaders of the future .

The program enables students from the MENA region who are academically qualified but are unable to afford American-style higher education to gain leadership skills and gender awareness and develop a spirit of civic engagement and volunteerism by enrolling in an

American-style university with regional U.S.-accreditation. Students must be registered on a full-time basis.

Applicants must address the following requirements in their application:

1. Eligibility, Recruitment, and Selection Processes

• The recruitment for the TLU program will be managed by a third-party implementer.

The applicant should outline ways in which it plans to assist and coordinate with the recruitment partner.

• For the first cohort, NEA/AC intends to recruit residents living in the following countries/territories: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, and West Bank and Gaza. Citizens or nationals who hold citizenship in participating countries and the United States are ineligible for this program. Similarly, asylum seekers in the U.S. and green card holders are not eligible. If there are changes to participating countries/territories for future cohorts, NEA/AC will notify the university in writing prior to the start of the following recruitment phase.

• The applicant should coordinate with the recruitment partner to ensure it admits students who meet the following minimum eligibility criteria:

o Be a citizen or resident of one of the participating countries or territories.

o Be a current high school senior or have graduated the year prior to the cohort start for applicants coming from conflict countries/territories.

▪ Current high school seniors must maintain their high academic achievement and pass their leaving exam.

o Demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English and meet university specific TOEFL iBT scores.

o Demonstrate financial need. Applicants should be underrepresented or economically deserving students and provide supporting financial documentation.

o Ability to travel and start their undergraduate program.

o Possess strong academic credentials.

o Demonstrate maturity, adaptability, and leadership potential.

• The applicant should provide a comprehensive methodology for the selection of short-listed candidates, including addressing gender balance and diversity needs during selection and implementation of the program.

2. Enrollment and Tuition

• The applicant must provide a list of majors that will be available to TL students as part of their application. The applicant must update the list of majors each year prior to the recruitment process and coordinate with NEA/AC and the recruitment partner.

• The applicant must ensure that the university will not channel scholarships to under-populated majors or majors that the university is trying to promote. It should also ensure that students are not asked to change majors during the selection process to meet the needs of the university.

• A change of major is allowable under the program, through the end of the sophomore year of study, if (1) the student explicitly requests so, or (2) in cases of poor performance when a change of major may help the student salvage their enrollment and continue studies until graduation.

o A change of major is allowed between academic programs of similar or less duration of study (i.e., a student in a three-year program such as business cannot change their major to a four-year program duration like engineering; a change of major from a shorter duration to a longer one is not allowable). If the student is changing from a four-year program to a three-year major, then this is allowable, and as the revised expected graduation will be earlier than initially set.

o In the event of a change of major, the graduation date of the student should not be extended or delayed, unless approved by NEA/AC first. TL students must be enrolled in a full-time basis, part-time enrollment will not be allowed. Students are prohibited from withdrawing from courses if it puts them under a full-time courseload. Exceptional cases must be communicated with NEA/AC for approval.

• Universities are strongly encouraged to incorporate gender courses within the majors available for TL students and encourage students to sign up for at least one gender course. NEA/AC will consider covering tuition fees for gender classes that are not offered as part of the approved majors.

• For each cohort, the TL program offers students the opportunity to enroll in preparatory language training that covers intensive language training and/or remedial classes to improve students’ academic preparation prior to enrolling in their actual field of study.

Students who fail to successfully complete the requirements of the intensive language/remedial classes within their set duration (i.e., one or two semesters) will be dismissed from the program.

• The tuition rates for 2023–2024 will be applied to all future cohorts. Annual tuition increases are not allowable on the federal share and should count solely towards the cost-share.

• A 15% tuition reduction is strongly suggested for this project. In all cases, NEA/AC reserves the right to allocate the largest portion of funding during negotiation to the applicant that proposes the lowest average cost per student. The average cost per student is determined based on the total requested Federal funds divided by the expected number of students.

3. Travel, Visa, Residency Permits, and Bank Accounts

• It is the applicant’s responsibility to coordinate and book airline tickets for new students arriving on campus. NEA/AC has requested assistance from the recruitment partner to facilitate airline tickets for Yemeni students due to the difficulties in purchasing tickets in Yemen. The applicant should exclude airline tickets for Yemeni students. In addition, the applicant must coordinate the visa process with the host country and assist and facilitate residency permits for students who are not nationals of the host country. The applicant should ensure that fees related to travel, visas, and residency permits are included in the budget proposal and students are receiving reimbursement in a timely manner. The applicant must assist students in obtaining local bank accounts as soon as possible and no later than two months after matriculation, and the accounts should be compatible with withdrawing funds in U.S. Dollars. For the first semester, the applicant will ensure students are provided with a settling allowance of $100 USD within a week of arriving on campus. Any delays of issuance of stipends should be communicated to

NEA/AC.

4. Housing

• University housing must be offered to all international students and students with refugee status. On-campus housing is preferred; however, if this is not possible given the number of students, off-campus housing is an option if it is university-sponsored housing only and is subject to university supervision, policies, and security control.

Students already residing in Egypt and Lebanon will be considered for housing on a case -by-case basis.

5. Student Benefits

The applicant will provide the following benefits to TL students and should outline in its proposal how each benefit will be addressed and ensure these items are captured in the budget proposal.

• As stated under the “enrollment and tuition section” the applicant shall cover all enrollment and tuition fees.

• Each student will receive university medical insurance.

• Each student will receive a net of $600 in monthly stipends for living expenses (i.e., after subtracting bank and other fees). Stipends will be paid only during semesters when students are enrolled in classes. Applicant will ensure stipends are paid on time (first week of the month) and when delays occur in the issuance of stipends the applicant will communicate this to the NEA/AC team. Students completing their one required internship during the summer or winter months will receive stipends while participating in the internship opportunity. Additionally, students that are required to take summer classes for their major(s) will receive stipends for the months enrolled in classes and/or enrolled in TL-related activities. Students from conflict countries that are unable to return home or visit relatives in a third country will be provided stipends during the summer and/or winter semester if they are engaged in TL-related activities during that period.

• Applicant will ensure that students receive a $100 settling allowance for first time students within the first week of arriving on campus. Applicant should identify in its application how these funds will be paid out.

• Each student will be provided with the opportunity to complete a semester abroad at a host university in the United States. The applicant should take into consideration that to qualify students must have a cumulative average of 3.0 GPA or above, must not be on probation, must pass all classes the semester before departing for the U.S., must complete the Medical Health clearance form, and must complete the university application and selection process.

• The applicant should provide one laptop per student with the necessary associated software for the duration of the program.

• The applicant will provide students two annual round-trip economy air tickets from their campus to home; or housing and living stipends for students who are approved to continue program activities on campus during breaks due to being unable to return home because of circumstances outside of their control. Universities may provide air ticket(s) for students to visit family in a third country instead of their home country in the case where students are displaced or otherwise unable to meet family at home due to circumstances outside of their control. Students are not permitted to return home if they must update their host institution country residency documentation or are in the process of obtaining a visa to study abroad. Return travel must be coordinated prior to the start of semester so students do not miss their courses. NEA/AC must be notified if students miss courses due to delayed travel logistics.

• All senior students that have a cumulative average of 3.0 GPA or above and are applying to graduate schools should receive a one-time compensation of up to $500 that can be solely used to cover graduate school applications and associated fees such as tests.

• The applicant must provide $600 per academic year for each student to buy academic-related books, with proof of purchase.

• Students can apply for a one-time opportunity for additional funds (up to $1,000) for a special opportunity (i.e., to attend a conference, pursue further research opportunities, participate in international debates, obtain seed funding for a capstone project or community service project, etc.). To apply, students, with the concurrence and guidance of the applicant, must complete the NEA/AC ad-hoc request form and submit it to NEA/AC for approval. To be eligible, students must be in good program standing, meet all requirements for full participation, and provide justification for the value of the activity, including how it will enable them to help others and their communities. NEA/AC will review and approve such requests on a case-by-case basis. Requests exceeding

$1,000 will be rejected.

6. Orientation and Integration

• Prior to students’ arrivals, host universities must provide students the following:

o Acceptance letters (accessible on university portal) .

o Pre-arrival information about their scholarship, visas, and important university or program dates.

o Vaccination requirement.

o Information regarding the TL specific orientation.

o University general orientation.

o Information on campus life and dorm life – Rules and regulation.

o Major choice counseling.

o Advising and class registration.

• The applicant will host a multi-day TL-specific orientation prior to the beginning of the academic year to supplement any university-wide orientation that is provided. The on-campus orientation should cover items such as program guidelines and requirements;

culture shock; health, safety, and security; university emergency residency requirements; etc. The applicant should provide a detailed plan for achieving this goal.

The applicant is encouraged to submit detailed orientation sessions/workshops as an appendix.

• The applicant will ensure each student signs the Student Agreement, authorization release form, and media release form. Any additions to this list will be communicated to the applicant in writing. The applicant should submit a detailed approach as to how they will ensure students are well integrated at the university to avoid discrimination against their socio-economic status or being negatively labeled for the duration of their studies.

The applicant is expected to present tools, resources, and interventions that will help in integration, including tools to help refugees, students that come from conflict countries, and struggling students adapt to campus life to prevent drop-out within 30 days of issuance of award.

• Incoming students must be assigned a TL peer mentor during their first semester in the program to help facilitate the transition to campus and program. The applicant should outline the structure of the mentorship program to include frequency of meetings, the process for matching students, and methodology to collect student feedback.

7. Academic Monitoring

The TL academic director/coordinator will be responsible for closely guiding and advising students in their course schedules, grades, and overall performance including following up with students when necessary.

• The academic director/coordinator should be in regular contact with the students and advise them throughout their years of study.

• The TL administration will work closely with students in their first semester to create an academic projection plan.

• The academic director/coordinator should be tracking students’ performance levels throughout the academic years by implementing the following:

o Coordinating with faculty members to report the scholars’ performance through progress reports. The reports should track their grades and attendance in their respective courses.

o Scheduling biweekly advising meetings with each student. These advising meetings must be in-person. If in person meetings cannot take place due to extenuating circumstances, the applicant will track and include this information in the quarterly report.

• Students must obtain a semester GPA of 3.0 to continue receiving a TLU scholarship, students whose semester GPA falls below 3.0 must be placed on probation by the applicant.

o When a student is placed on probation the applicant will develop and have students sign a written joint plan and agreement for the student's exit from academic probation. The plan will outline student commitments, assistance to be provided by the university, and the timing and frequency of related monitoring. Students will generally have one term of classes (Spring or Fall) to raise their GPA to at least 3.0. At the end of the academic probation semester, the applicant will make recommendations to NEA/AC as to whether the student should be given more time or terminated from the program by utilizing the NEA/AC reporting template.

• The applicant will submit at-risk student cases using the NEA/AC reporting template after each semester.

8. Student Development and Support

The applicant must present its approach to helping students become active members of their community, nurture their leadership, and improve their interpersonal skills. The applicant must present its approach to provide the following at a minimum:

• Extra-curricular activities for students to participate in throughout their journey at the university.

• Proposing activities geared towards developing leadership and civic engagement skills in students.

• Community service projects in home or host countries, including project design and management workshops covering proposal writing, budgeting, and community assessment approaches. Students may apply for up to $1,000 as seed funding through the one-time ad hoc request. For the first cohort, NEA/AC will give funding priority to projects that advance gender equality and equity, address climate challenges, and empower young women in STEM. The applicant is encouraged to provide examples of community service projects or organizations as an appendix.

• Placing and supporting students, beginning in the first academic year through graduation, to actively engage in volunteer activities with vetted humanitarian organizations and agencies serving vulnerable populations in Lebanon, Egypt, and/or the scholars’ home countries. Each student will be expected to complete at least 120 hours of service prior to their graduation.

• Arranging and tracking mentoring and internship opportunities with local civil society, businesses, and non-governmental organizations. In addition to internships, MEPI welcomes new and creative approaches to developing civic-minded leaders. To be approved, new approaches must include proposed costs and programmatic and budget justifications.

• Plans to develop students' soft skills over the course of the award. Such skills may include but are not limited to interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, personal accountability and finances, collaboration and teamwork, conflict resolution, adaptability and flexibility, and communication, both verbal and written.

• Propose a capstone approach that starts training in the first or second year of enrollment. Capstone projects allow students to research and investigate an existing issue or problem in their communities, as well as formulate and propose policy solutions based on their experiences, from both academic and leadership perspectives. Students, guided by their respective capstone supervisors, will design and present the capstone as a project proposal, whose main components include: 1) an executive summary; 2) a need statement (covering the description of a specific problem, previous actions undertaken to deal with the need, supportive data information that verifies the identified need, and stated benefits of project implementation); 3) the objectives of the project (including: development and immediate objectives); 4) the plan of operation (covering proposed solutions to the identified need, project design, and the action plan);

5) success indicators; 6) capacity to implement (including student skill, learning, and experience gained through their TLU journey that equips them to implement the project); 7) budget proposal; and 8) conclusion (i.e. a restatement of the need and expected benefits of the project). Students will begin working on their projects in the second term of their junior year and will present them before a jury towards the end of the second term of their senior year. For the first cohort, NEA/AC encourages capstone projects that advance gender equality and equity, address climate challenges, and empower young women in STEM fields.

9. Student Safety and Wellbeing

• Within 60 days of the award issuance, the applicant must develop crisis response processes in line with the TL program guidelines to address topics including, but not limited to: arrest or impending arrest; multiple injuries that require hospitalization;

death; disasters; threats to public welfare; bomb threats; protests or riots; hostage situations; individual violence; violent crimes; community health issues; infectious disease outbreaks; terrorist threats or the possibility of war in the proximity of a university; Title IX cases; cases of absconding; etc.

• The applicant must ensure students have access to a 24-hour emergency hotline and are familiar with university emergency resources and emergency contact information. The applicant must notify NEA/AC immediately when incidents occur and follow up with a written incident report within no more than two business days. Sub-awardees must similarly notify the Prime Grantee immediately when incidents occur and follow up with a written incident report within no more than two business days. NEA/AC will provide the applicant with a copy of the incident report. The applicant is required to comply with the Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) policy enclosed in appendix 4.

• The applicant should have a dedicated welfare officer to assist in supporting TL students navigate any physical or psychosocial challenges. The applicant shall include policies and procedures to address the needs of students displaced by violent conflict (e.g., Syrian and Yemeni students who might not be able to return to their home countries). Plans should demonstrate knowledge and capacity to collaborate with host governme nts where applicable and to identify and address legal and other constraints.

10. Gender Integration, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

The applicant must provide a detailed methodology of how they will address gender, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility matters during implementation, mainly:

• The applicant must submit its plans for integrating gender issues within the curriculum of the undergraduate program.

• How gender balance will be achieved, including during the selection and enrollment process for leadership and extracurricular activities.

• How gender stereotypes will be addressed during the program dissemination and orientation phases to overcome existing perceptions that certain majors are reserved for a particular sex.

• How gender stereotypes and cultural norms will be mitigated to ensure scholars select diverse majors, not just ones that are culturally acceptable, such as engineering for males or education for females.

• How messaging during the recruitment phase, both via the recruitment partner and post-enrollment support services, will mitigate gender sensitivities and help accommodate students who might face stress and disorientation due to moving to a less conservative country.

• How people with disabilities will be provided a fair opportunity not only to compete for the scholarship but to engage in all its aspects post-enrollment.

• How will the TL website, program and promotional materials be compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508-compliant.

11. Study Abroad Semester

TL students will be provided with the opportunity to complete a semester abroad at a host university in the United States. The applicant should provide a list of U.S. host institutions that they currently have MOUs with, specific to the TL program, as an appendix. All MOUs with U.S.

host universities should include the following TL requirements as a clause:

• U.S. Host Institutions shall designate a campus coordinator to provide student support and serve as primary liaison between the host institution and the TL Study Abroad implementor, as outlined in the U.S. University Partner Reference.

• U.S. Host Institutions shall endeavor to ensure student enrollment in transferable courses applicable to each student’s program of study at their Home Institution in the

MENA region.

• U.S. Host Institutions shall provide on-campus housing options that support TL student integration into the U.S. campus community and placement with American roommates, whenever possible.

• U.S. Host Institutions shall establish a direct billing process with the Home Institution for tuition and fees, including the purchasing of books and materials by the students, whenever possible.

• The applicant will work closely with the TL Study Abroad implementor to identify new

U.S. host universities that meet the program requirements. The Study Abroad semester will be managed by a third-party implementor, and the applicant is expected to coordinate closely with the study abroad partner on all matters related to students’ pre -departure orientation, arrival, and orientation in the U.S., as well as the follow-up and monitoring of students while on their semester abroad.

o The applicant is also expected to facilitate and coordinate the visa process with their respective U.S. Embassy and ensure students have travel funds available prior to departing the MENA region. For budgetary purposes, the applicant should allocate the following funds to the budget proposal:

o Tuition o Health insurance o Meal plan o Other university fees (e.g., book fees) o In transit allowance for departure only ($75) o Transportation costs from airport to U.S. host university

• The applicant will share with the study abroad partner all the relevant student’s information and forms and arrange for the placement of TLU students in U.S. host institutions. The applicant should take into consideration that students must have a cumulative average of 3.0 GPA or above, must not be on probation, must pass all classes the semester before departing for the U.S., must complete the medical health clearance form, and must complete the university application and selection process.

• The applicant will work closely with TLU students to enroll in university health insurance plan, meal plan, courses that transfer to the home institution university, double-occupancy room, and do not request to live with another TL student while in the United

States. The applicant should prioritize evenly distributing the cohort to make certain that not all the students are at one university with the preference for no more than six students at any one U.S. university. The applicant will ensure TLU students do not participate in the TLP program or other activities/internships while in the U.S.

12. Student Academic Monitoring Plans

• Students must be registered on a full-time basis. Applications must describe how the applicant will monitor and measure student academic and extracurricular progress and well-being, including but not limited to each of the activities listed above. Students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average. The applicant is responsible for keeping the NEA/AC student tracker up update, a copy of this tracker will be provided upon issuance of the award. The applicant should submit a sample of the academic tracking as an appendix.

• Having timely access to information on students’ demographics, academic statuses, current location, etc., is key to successfully implementing the TL program. The applicant will develop a student database containing this information within the first year of the award issuance, in close coordination with the NEA/AC team. The applicant must demonstrate how data capture and visualization, to include infographics, can help provide a comprehensive view of student information in order to enable NEA/AC to carry out evidence-based decision-making regarding project programming. Data capture processes should include survey development, data quality control, analysis, and development of dashboards, all utilizing cutting edge technology that is cost effective.

The applicant should be able to provide real-time information on students’ academic statuses so that NEA/AC can adapt programming activities. The successful applicant will also be required to respond promptly and comprehensively to data calls from NEA/AC, which will be requested at least monthly.

13. Remaining Balances, Drop-outs and Replacements

• The applicant must describe how remaining balances (cost-savings on both the Federal share and cost-share) will be regularly identified and communicated to NEA/AC on a periodic basis, at least every six months as per reporting requirements.

14. Internships

• The applicant will outline how they will support students identify one internship during their time in the program, and in addition, how they will track internship requirements, vet organizations, and validate students’ participation. The applicant will ensure that each student completes one internship comprising at least 120 hours of service, in advance of their approved graduation date and not in the final semester of study.

Internships can be aligned with a student’s area of study or more broadly focused on civic engagement. The internship should take place in the student’s home country unless not feasible due to conflict, etc. Students cannot delay graduation or stay in the country of study past graduation to complete internship requirements. Students are eligible to receive monthly stipend to complete up to one internship. The application will develop a plan to obtain student feedback.

15. Civic Engagement and Volunteering

• The applicant should outline plans in how students will participate in volunteer and community service activities. Students are required to participate in civic engagement activities during their time in the TL program. The applicant will outline how they will track activities, vet organizations, and confirm students’ participation. The applicant will develop a plan to obtain student feedback.

16. Career Development

• The applicant should outline workshops and plans to develop employability skills and career development plans of students.

17. Alumni Tracking

• The applicant will coordinate closely with MEPI’s Alumni Connection project implementer and provide alumni data for graduating students. In addition, the applicant should submit its approach on how to enhance and build better connections with the alumni. The applicant must demonstrate how it will leverage the alumni chapter, or other tools, to monitor the post-graduation status of all previous TL graduates across all phases and cohorts.

18. Capstone

• The applicant should propose a capstone approach that begins training in the first or second year of enrollment. Students should pursue independent research on a social problem, engage with the scholarly debates in the relevant disciplines, and, with the guidance of a faculty mentor, produce a substantial paper or a project that reflects a deep understanding of the topic and have practical application to solving a local problem.

19. Program Promotion and Social Media

• The applicant should submit a compressive outreach plan within 60 days of issuance of the award to ensure that all social media activities feed content into, or tag, existing MEPI social media platforms, and plans on how to increase public interaction with the program, collect data, analyze feedback, communicate key messages, and leverage success stories to targeted audiences. The applicant will collect success stories in accordance with the MEPI guidelines. The applicant will draft and submit for approval an annual communication and outreach plan.

20. Key Personnel

• NEA/AC intends to designate the following positions as key personnel:

o TL Executive Director at 80-100% LOE total across active Tomorrow’s Leaders awards.

o TL Academic Director o TL Program Assistant Director/Program Manager at 80-100% LOE total across active

Tomorrow’s Leaders or TLU awards.

• In line with previous years the program supports the following positions:

o M&E specialist o Gender coordinator o TL Welfare Officer(s) o Program Coordinator(s) o Leadership Coordinator o Internship Coordinator o Communications and Outreach Officer o Program assistant(s)

21. Management Meeting

• MEPI plans to host an annual management meeting with TL implementing institutions, as well as implementing organizations for study abroad, and recruitment. Applicants should budget for eight participants to attend this event for three days.

The following activities and costs are NOT ALLOWED under this announcement:

• Exchange activities with other countries or territories.

• Social welfare projects.

• Paying to complete activities begun with other funds.

• Activities that appear partisan or that support individual or party electoral campaigns.

• Academic or analytical research in lieu of regular academic studies.

• One-time events, such as stand-alone conferences and one-off round tables.

• Medical and psychological research and clinical studies.

• Projects of a commercial or profit-making nature.

• Cultural presentations, cultural research, cultural clubs, or festivals, etc.

• Entertainment costs (e.g., receptions, social activities, ceremonies, alcoholic beverages, guided tours).

NOTE: Applications that include any of these activities or costs above may be eliminated at the Technical Eligibility Review stage and will not advance to the Merit Review Panel.

D. GENDER AND SOCIAL INCLUSION INTEGRATION

NEA/AC requires that all activities fully address intersectional1 gender and inclusion considerations, ensuring that individuals of all genders and diverse backgrounds 2 benefit from support where applicable, and that gender and inclusion awareness is a built-in component of project activities. This should be documented through gender and social inclusion analysis in the project narrative that identifies any relevant gender and inclusion gaps and ways the proposed activities will address those gaps. Proposals should demonstrate how addressing relevant gender and inclusion gaps will enhance the project’s goals and objectives. Applicants who are unfamiliar with integrating gender and inclusivity in foreign assistance programing should view the training video located here:

https://encompassworld.com/elearningfiles/DOS/DOS_Gender_Integration_E- Course/story_html5.html

E. DEFINITIONS

Diversity:

The term “diversity” means the practice of including the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, cultures, and beliefs of a community.

Inclusion:

The term “inclusion” means the recognition, appreciation, and use of the talents and skills of persons of all backgrounds.

Equity:

The term “equity” means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as ethnic minorities, and indigenous persons, members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

Underserved communities:

The term “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list in the preceding definition of “equity”.

II. MEASUREMENT OF RESULTS

1 Intersectionality describes the ways in which systems of inequality based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, class, and other forms of discrimination “intersect” to create unique dynamics and effects.

2 Consideration of diversity of race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.

Applicants shall provide a Logic Model and a Theory of Change to demonstrate how the proposed project (including activities, the project design, and the surrounding context) will achieve the stated objectives. The logic model and theory of change statements can be generated using the template in Appendix II. Applicants shall also provide an illustrative Results Monitoring Plan (RMP) to describe how the proposed project will capture and measure data that demonstrates progress toward achieving the specific objectives of the proposed project.

This includes any disaggregation of indicators relevant to the specific sub-populations you intend to serve. The RMP may also include project-specific sub-objectives. Please see Appendix V for the RMP template. Please see Section VI below for more information.

Successful applicants will work with the NEA/AC program and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) teams to create a plan based on the proposed logic model/theory of change to measure qualitative and quantitative indicators as part of the award negotiations process . The successful applicants will be responsible for collecting data against these indicators, which will be monitored throughout the period of performance of the award to gauge necessary modifications to the project’s design and assess the results of the project’s success in meeting expected outcomes.

III. AWARD INFORMATION

Funding Mechanism Type: Cooperative Agreement Cooperative Agreement

Estimated Number of Awards: 1-3

Estimated Total Program Funding: $46,800,000

Estimated Award Ceiling: 3,900,000

Estimated Award Floor: $500,000

Cost-Sharing or Matching: Encouraged; NOT Required

Estimated Length of Project Period: 9 Years

Contingent on the availability of funds, approximately $46,800,000 in Economic Support Funds for approximately 1-3 awards will be awarded through this announcement. If selected to receive an award, an applicant will be awarded funds for up to five years depending on the activities and countries proposed. The estimated start date for this project is August 1, 2023.

NEA/AC reserves the right to award more or less than the estimated program funding and reserves the right to award funding under this announcement for a period of up to two years after the announcement’s close date.

This request for full applications does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of the U.S. government to make any awards, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application.

Competing Continuation

Requests for funding to extend beyond the initial budget period will be entertained on the basis of a competing continuation award. NEA/AC will review each grantee’s progress in meeting grant requirements, including timely submission of required reports, and compliance with all terms and conditions of the award; timely submission of a request for additional funding; the availability of funds; and that continued funding would be in the best interest of the Department of State.

IV. SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT

NEA/AC shall be involved in the program and management performance of these cooperative agreements through consultation and technical collaboration on specified program activities.

NEA/AC Responsibilities

• Collaboration in establishing annual program objectives and approval of an annual work plan.

• Collaboration and approval of establishing a crisis protocol.

• Collaboration in assessing progress and identifying issues that might affect the success of the program.

• Collaboration in determining selection criteria for beneficiaries.

• Collaboration in determining corrective actions, when necessary.

• Approval of key personnel and any subsequent changes in the positions during the life of the award.

• Collaboration in the creation of any training materials.

• Ensuring consistency in key personnel’s qualifications and job description across all universities and approving universities’ selection.

• Approval of annual program eligibility requirements.

• Approval over student selections and dismissals.

• Approval of security, risk mitigation, & contingency plans.

• Approval of study abroad institutions and plans, for any awards involving study abroad.

• Facilitation and coordination with the U.S. Embassies as needed.

V. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

All applicants will be screened by NEA/AC to determine whether they meet all of the program eligibility requirements detailed below.

NOTE: Applications that do not demonstrate that they meet all of the eligibility requirements in Section A and Section B will not advance past the Technical Eligibility Review stage and may be deemed ineligible for funding under this announcement. Nothing can be added to an application once the competition deadline has passed.

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Eligible applicants include only those organizations that received an invitation to apply to this announcement. Any organization that did not receive an invitation to apply will be deemed ineligible and will not advance past the Technical Eligibility Review stage.

A.1. Prime Applicant

To be considered for funding under this opportunity, applicants SHALL:

• Have demonstrable previous experience working in the MENA region. This should be addressed within the project narrative section of your application.

• Have demonstrable previous experience working with inclusive and diverse populations.

This should be addressed within the project narrative section of your application.

• Demonstrate the ability to advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) through a project team inclusive of nationals or individuals from the MENA region with previous experience managing higher education programming in the region reflected at all levels of project management.

• Meet ALL of the registration requirements listed in Part B below.

• Meet any requirements listed as MANDATORY in Part C, Additional Eligibility Considerations, below.

B. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

To apply for NEA/AC…