2024 NOFO American Studies.docx

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

U.S. EMBASSY LONDON

Notice of Funding Opportunity

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy to the United Kingdom’s Public Affairs Section (PAS) London invites eligible organizations to submit proposals to develop and implement a small grants program to foster American studies in the United Kingdom through exchanges, speaker programs, and conferences. Initiatives should be designed to promote a more accurate and positive image of the United States. Strictly subject to the availability of funds, PAS expects to select one program implementer for a grant award up to $200,000.

In this solicitation, the U.S. Embassy to the United Kingdom’s Public Affairs Section seeks proposals to develop and administer a small grants program to support the study of the United States in the United Kingdom in primary and secondary schools and universities. The grants program should:

· Encourage more demand for the pursuit of American studies as a specialized field of study.

· Recruit for and spread awareness of American studies as a field of study for primary and secondary school students, with a focus on diversity.

· Encourage work in the field of American studies across academic societies and within universities.

· Support program activities throughout the United Kingdom, particularly outside of London.

Proposals should outline how the program implementer will manage, administer, and evaluate projects through small grants up to $25,000 or its equivalent in pounds sterling. Proposals should also define an award selection process based on merit, geographic and thematic diversity, feasibility of proposed programs, impact to beneficiaries, monitoring and evaluation techniques, project sustainability, and cultivation of lasting and productive relationships between participants from the United States and the United Kingdom. Ideally, the most competitive proposal would dedicate the largest portion of the budget to the small grants segment.

Applicants must have the demonstrated experience and ability to provide guidance to and monitor projects that would focus on building a more accurate understanding of the United States to include:

· Faculty development and exchange.

· Non-partisan programming on the 2024 U.S. election.

· Curriculum development at all education levels, especially primary and secondary levels.

· Student exchanges.

· Speaker programs.

· Film or other arts programming; and

· Conferences.

The projects selected for funding and monitored by the successful applicant must support the mission strategic goals of the Embassy of the United States in London. More information can be found under the “Program Description” section of the following website: https://uk.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/london/ukpa/grants-programs/

In addition, the program implementer will:

· Consult with the grants staff of the Embassy of the United States in London on best practices in grant-making.

· Develop a small grants program taking into account the priorities outlined above.

· Develop an application process, publicize it widely in the United Kingdom, and offer information and coaching sessions on the application process to potential applicants.

· Convene a committee that reflects the diversity of the program, including higher education experts, to review proposals and select projects.

· Seek concurrence from the Embassy of the United States in London on selected projects.

· Solicit applications for projects up to $200,000 or its equivalent in pounds sterling. Lead a grant review panel to select and award applicants based on merit, feasibility of proposed collaboration, impact to beneficiaries, monitoring and evaluation techniques, and sustainability. Determine the most appropriate funding mechanism for each program and issue grants or payment to selected recipients.

· Manage small grant administration for selected projects and required reporting.

· Provide quarterly reporting with a budget update to the Embassy of the United States in London on program activities.

· Serve as the primary point of contact and source of information for American studies programs in the United Kingdom.

· Manage all logistical elements of the program, including facilitating Americans’ travel to the UK and British travel to the United States in accordance with U.S. government travel regulations, should proposals include such activities.

Selected small grant projects must take place in the United Kingdom, though they may include a U.S.-based component.

Program Objectives:

The U.S. Embassy to the United Kingdom’s Public Affairs Section expects the program to:

Inspire and enable young people to learn more about the government, culture, history, and people of the United States.

Identify, connect with, and encourage programs focused on the United States’ culture and history in communities that may not otherwise have the resources to sustain such programming.

Introduce and enhance participants’ knowledge of and interest in American studies as a specialized field of study.

Provide participants with an improved understanding of the United States and its government, society, history, and culture.

Give British participants cultural insights into the United States.

Participants and Audiences: Students of all ages (particularly those in schools with fewer resources to provide exposure to American studies), teachers, academics, scholars, and researchers of American studies.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Anticipated program start date: June 1, 2024

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Funding will be awarded through a cooperative agreement (CA). Cooperative agreements are different from grants in that embassy staff are more actively involved in the grant implementation.

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 18 months or less. The Embassy of the United States in London will entertain applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the initial budget period on a non-competitive basis subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in its best interest.

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

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

· Public and private educational institutions.

· Individuals.

· Public international organizations and governmental institutions.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Grantees are encouraged to consider cost sharing possibilities in order to increase community and stakeholder engagement in the project; however, cost sharing will not be a deciding factor. Cost sharing can take the form of both allowable direct and indirect costs. For accountability, the recipient must maintain records to support all costs claimed as part of the cost share agreement. Such records are subject to audit. Please refer to 2 CFR 200.306 Cost Sharing or Matching.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package

Application forms required below are available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/forms-repository.html.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible. Applications must include all of the information listed in the U.S. Embassy grant proposal template.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 17:00 GMT on February 15, 2024. The Embassy of the United States in London reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal configurations, budgets, and/or participant numbers in accordance with the needs of the program, the availability of funds, and concurrence of the applicant.

Content of Application Please ensure:

· The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity.

· All documents are in English.

· All budgets are in U.S. dollars.

· All pages are numbered.

· All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and

· All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

The following documents are required:

1. Mandatory application forms at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/forms-repository.html

· SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – Organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance – Individuals)

· SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)

· SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs)

2. Summary Page: Cover sheet stating the applicant’s name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.

3. Proposal: The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below.

· Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact.

· Introduction to the Organization or Individual Applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the Embassy of the United States in London and/or other U.S. government agencies.

· Problem Statement: Clear, concise, and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed.

· Program Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.

· Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

· Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate.

· Proposed Program Schedule and Timeline: The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.

· Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles, and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program?

· Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees.

· Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the timeframe of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant?

· Future Funding or Sustainability: Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable.

4. Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

5. Attachments:

· One-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program.

· Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner.

· If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file.

· Official permission letters, if required for program activities.

· Documentation of your organization’s non-profit status.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

Required Registrations:

All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards.

Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications.

The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number. Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a sub-grantee.

Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

· Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

· Organizations based outside of the United States and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS but do need a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

· Please note that as of November 2022 and February 2022 respectively, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code or CAGE code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove a CAGE or NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not wish to obtain a CAGE or NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO NOT plan to do business with the DoD should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the DoD in addition to Department of State should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE code by following the instructions on the NSPA NATO website linked below:

NCAGE Homepage:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx NCAGE Code Request Tool (NCRT):

Exemptions An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis if:

· An applicant’s identity must be protected due to potential endangerment of their mission, their organization’s status, their employees, or individuals being served by the applicant.

· For an applicant, if the Federal awarding agency makes a determination that there are exigent circumstances that prohibit the applicant from receiving a unique entity identifier and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a Federal award. In these instances, Federal awarding agencies must require the recipient to obtain a unique entity identifier and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the Federal award date.

Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

4. Submission Dates and Times

Applications are due no later than 17:00 GMT on February 15, 2024.

5. Funding Restrictions

None.

6. Other Submission Requirements

All application materials must be submitted by email to LondonGrants@state.gov.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria

Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below.

The Embassy Public Diplomacy Grants Committee will use the following criteria to evaluate proposals received in response to this funding opportunity:

Executive Summary: The executive summary must succinctly describe the need for the program with regards to location, the extent and nature of the program, and the audiences being selected for the program.

Strategic Objectives and Program Description: A clear overview of the program and its background, as well as goals and objectives of the program, should be indicated in the proposal. The Embassy Public Diplomacy Grants Committee will closely consider whether the overall objectives lead to the goals of the program. Applicants should describe what they propose to do and how they will do it. The proposed activities must directly relate to meeting the goals and objectives, and applicants should include information on how they will measure and evaluate program effectiveness. The Embassy Public Diplomacy Grants Committee will evaluate the activities planned in terms of their relevance to the program goals and objectives, the feasibility of the proposed activities and their timeline for completion, and the extent to which the impact of the program will continue beyond conclusion of the funding period.

Budget: Costs should be reasonable and realistic in relation to the program activities. Applicants are encouraged to provide as much detail as possible so that the committee may determine the extent to which the request represents an efficient use of U.S. government resources. The budget should be consistent with the narrative description of the program and should reflect the applicant’s understanding of the allowable cost principles established by Title 2 CFR 200.306 (Part 230) on cost principles for non-profit organizations. The Embassy will accept a 10% management fee unless an organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). Costs must be provided in U.S. dollars.

If air transportation is necessary, all U.S. government-financed international air transportation must be accomplished by U.S. flag air carriers or U.S. code sharing to the extent that service by those carriers is available.

The lodging should be single occupancy. Insurance should be included for all participants, meeting at least the following requirements: (1) medical benefits of at least $50,000 per accident or illness; (2) repatriation of remains in the amount of $7,500; (3) expenses associated with the medical evacuation to home country in the amount of $10,000; and (4) a deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness. Per diem based on specific city rate(s) should be included.

Cost Sharing: Grantees are encouraged to consider cost sharing possibilities in order to increase community and stakeholder engagement in the project; however, cost sharing will not be a deciding factor. Cost sharing can take the form of both allowable direct and indirect costs. For accountability, the recipient must maintain records to support all costs claimed as part of the cost share agreement. Such records are subject to audit. Please refer to Title 2 CFR 200.306 Cost Sharing or Matching.

Performance Indicators and Monitoring Plan: Proposals should have a clear monitoring and evaluation plan to ensure proper implementation of the program.

2. Review and Selection Process

A Grants Review Committee will evaluate all eligible applications. Successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing.

3. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov (formerly, FAPIIS) i The U.S. Embassy in London is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the U.S. government designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);

ii. An applicant, at its option, may review and comment on any information about itself in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM that a Federal awarding agency previously entered;

iii. The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notices

The grant award or cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the recipient for review and signature by email. The recipient may only start incurring program expenses beginning on the start date shown on the grant award document signed by the Grants Officer.

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Embassy of the United States in London has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the Embassy of the United States in London.

Issuance of this notice of funding opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Embassy of the United States in London, nor does it commit the Embassy of the United States in London to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the Embassy of the United States in London reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

Payment Method: The Embassy of the United States in London will provide payments to the successful applicant in periodic installments based on its prospective deadlines for the program. The Embassy of the United States in London reserves the right to amend the final amount to be disbursed.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Terms and Conditions: Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply. These include:

2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 600, Certifications and Assurances, and the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions, all of which are available at: https://www.statebuy.state.gov/fa/pages/home.aspx.

Note the U.S flag branding and marking requirements in the Standard Terms and Conditions.

In accordance with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Underserved Communities, proposals should demonstrate how the program advances equity with respect to race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. The proposal should also demonstrate how the program will further engagement in underserved communities and with individuals from underserved communities. Proposals should demonstrate how addressing racial equity and underserved communities will enhance the program’s goals and objectives, as well as the experience of participants.

The support of underserved communities will be part of the review criteria for this opportunity. Therefore, proposals should clearly demonstrate how the program will support and advance equity and engage underserved communities in program administration, design, and implementation.

3. Reporting

Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports. The award document will specify how often these reports must be submitted.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact LondonGrants@state.gov.

H. OTHER INFORMATION

Guidelines for Budget Justification Personnel and Fringe Benefits: Describe the wages, salaries, and benefits of temporary or permanent staff who will be working directly for the applicant on the program, and the percentage of their time that will be spent on the program.

Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this program, for program staff, consultants or speakers, and participants/beneficiaries. If the program involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel.

Equipment: Describe any machinery, furniture, or other personal property that is required for the program, which has a useful life of more than one year (or a life longer than the duration of the program), and costs at least $5,000 per unit.

Supplies: List and describe all the items and materials, including any computer devices, that are needed for the program. If an item costs more than $5,000 per unit, then put it in the budget under Equipment.

Contractual: Describe goods and services that the applicant plans to acquire through a contract with a vendor. Also describe any sub-awards to non-profit partners that will help carry out the program activities.

Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the program, which do not fit in the other categories. For example, shipping costs for materials and equipment or applicable taxes. All “Other” or “Miscellaneous” expenses must be itemized and explained.

Indirect Costs: These are costs that cannot be linked directly to the program activities, such as overhead costs needed to help keep the organization operating. If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, attach a copy of your latest NICRA. Organizations that have never had a NICRA may request indirect costs of 10% de minimums of the modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.68.

“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S. Embassy. It also includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time and donated venues.

Alcoholic Beverages: Please note that award funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages.