BHA Multi Year Annual Program Statement (BHA MYAPS) - 508 Compliant-S.pdf

Introduction Letter Issue Date: December 14, 2023

Closing Date: December 15, 2024

Closing Time: 11:00 pm ET Subject: Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: 720BHA23APS00002

Program Title: BHA Multi Year Annual Program Statement (BHA MYAPS)

Federal Assistance Listing Number: 98.001and 98.008

Interested Applicants:

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) is announcing the Multi-Year (MY) Annual Program Statement (APS) known hereafter as the MY APS.

Through this MY APS, BHA announces its intent to issue future amendments as ‘rounds of applications’ for particular geographic, programmatic, or technical areas where USAID is interested in funding multi-year awards. This MY APS is designed to support specific Agency and Bureau priorities and criteria for Early Recovery, Risk Reduction, and Resilience (ER4) -including sustained response - Resilience Food Security Activity, and Learning and Capacity Strengthening. BHA will issue requests for concept papers or applications via a round. For the purposes of the MY APS, a round of applications is defined as a specific program description that will be accepting applications or seeking concept papers. A round will be a specific program description that falls under the larger MY APS that will state a specific goal, purpose, and desired results. Interested organizations should read the entire MY APS, as well as applicable rounds, and follow the instructions for submitting a concept paper or application as they are stated in the round. Applicants should not submit concept papers or applications in response to this umbrella MY APS, but only to rounds published under the MY APS on Grants.gov. USAID reserves the right to make or not make awards resulting from applications received under the rounds to this MY APS.

Introduction Letter

Issue Date: December 14, 2023

Closing Date: December 15, 2024

Closing Time: I I :00 pm ET

Subject: Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: 720BHA23APS00002

Program Title: BHA Multi Year Annual Program Statement (BHA MYAPS)

Federal Assistance Listing Number: 98.00 I and 98.008

Interested Applicants:

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance

(BHA) is announcing the Multi-Year (MY ) Annual Program Statement (APS) known hereafter as the MY APS.

Through this MY APS, BHA announces its intent to issue future amendments as 'rounds of applications' for particular geographic, programmatic, or technical areas where USAID is interested in funding multi-year awards. This MY APS is designed to support specific Agency and

Bureau priorities and criteria for Early Recovery, Risk Reduction, and Resilience (ER4) -including sustained response - Resilience Food Security Activity, and Learning and Capacity

Strengthening. BHA will issue requests for concept papers or applications via a round. For the purposes of the MY APS, a round of applications is defined as a specific program description that will be accepting applications or seeking concept papers. A round will be a specific program description that falls under the larger MY APS that will state a specific goal, purpose, and desired results. Interested organizations should read the entire MY APS, as well as applicable rounds, and follow the instructions for submitting a concept paper or application as they are stated in the round. Applicants should not submit concept papers or applications in response to this umbrella MY APS, but only to rounds published under the MY APS on

Grants.gov. USAID reserves the right to make or not make awards resulting from applications received under the rounds to this MY APS.

https://Grants.gov

To be eligible for award, the applicant must provide all information as required in this MY APS and meet eligibility standards in Section C of this MY APS. This funding opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov, and may be amended. It is the responsibility of the applicant to regularly check the website to ensure they have the latest information pertaining to this notice of funding opportunity and to ensure that the MY APS has been received from the internet in its entirety.

USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion process. If you have difficulty registering on www.grants.gov or accessing the MY APS, please contact the Grants.gov Helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726 or via email at support@grants.gov for technical assistance.

USAID may not award to an applicant unless the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) requirements detailed in Section D.6.g. The registration process may take many weeks to complete. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to begin registration early in the process.

Please send any questions concerning the MY APS to the point(s) of contact identified in Section D and G. The deadline for questions is shown above. Responses to questions received prior to the deadline will be furnished to all potential applicants through a round to this notice posted to www.grants.gov.

Issuance of this notice of funding opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in preparation or submission of comments/suggestions or an application. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant’s expense.

Thank you for your interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, /s/ Matthew Nims Agreement Officer, Title II

/s/ Renee Newton Agreement Officer, International Disaster Assistance (IDA) and Community Development Funds (CDF)

To be eligible for award, the applicant must provide all information as required in this MY APS and meet eligibility standards in Section C of this MY APS. This funding opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov, and may be amended. It is the responsibility of the applicant to regularly check the website to ensure they have the latest information pertaining to this notice of funding opportunity and to ensure that the MY APS has been received from the internet in its entirety.

USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion process. If you have difficulty registering on www.grants.gov or accessing the MY APS, please contact the Grants.gov Helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726 or via email at support@�rants.�ov for technical assistance.

USAID may not award to an applicant unless the applicant has complied with all applicable uni�ue entity identifier and System for Award Mana�ement (SAM) re�uirements detailed in

Section D.6.g. The registration process may take many weeks to complete. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to begin registration early in the process.

Please send any questions concerning the MY APS to the point(s) of contact identified in

Section D and G. The deadline for questions is shown above. Responses to questions received prior to the deadline will be furnished to all potential applicants through a round to this notice posted to www.grants.gov.

Issuance of this notice of funding opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in preparation or submission of comments/suggestions or an application. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense.

Thank you for your interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, Matthew Nims

Agreement Officer, Title II

Renee Newton

Agreement Officer, International Disaster Assistance (IDA) and

Community Development Funds (CDF) http://www.grants.gov mailto:support@grants.gov www.grants.gov https://Grants.gov www.grants.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION A - PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

SECTION B - FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

SECTION C - ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

SECTION D - APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

SECTION E - APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

SECTION F - FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION

SECTION G - FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

SECTION H - OTHER INFORMATION

ANNEXES

ANNEX 1 - STANDARD PROVISIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION A - PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

SECTION B - FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

SECTION C - ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

SECTION D - APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

SECTION E - APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

SECTION F - FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION

SECTION G - FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CON TACTS

SECTION H - OTHER INFORMATION

ANNEXES

ANNEX I - STANDARD PROVISIONS

SECTION A: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Background

1.1. Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) Mission

BHA’s mission is to save lives, alleviate human suffering, and reduce the impact of disasters by helping people in need become more resilient to humanitarian crises. BHA also implements USAID’s mandate as the lead U.S. Government coordinator for international disaster assistance.

1.2. Background and Context

BHA’s humanitarian assistance consists of two major conceptual areas, which are frequently interlinked.

The first area is humanitarian response pursuant to a Declaration of Humanitarian Need (DHN).

Humanitarian response is characterized by urgent action, including quick assessment of needs, logistical support to local and national actors, rapid provision of funding to partners to meet critical needs, and deployment of teams of disaster response experts. The second conceptual area which this MY APS covers, encompasses early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience (ER4) programs and activities.

The goal of BHA’s ER4 programming, as described in BHA Strategic Framework for ER4, is to improve the well-being of people who are vulnerable—from the individual to country level—by strengthening their capacities to manage risk; to anticipate, withstand, recover from, and adapt to shocks and stresses;

and to support positive, transformative change. While BHA considers its ER4 programming to be a form of humanitarian assistance, activities in this area typically focus on longer-term outcomes related to recovery, reducing the need for ongoing and recurrent humanitarian assistance, and promoting resilience and enabling people to take ownership of their own humanitarian and development outcomes.

The MY APS is intended to promote competition to foster new ideas and encourage new partnerships with BHA. As a result of these challenges and to meet the demands arising from protracted crises and complex emergencies globally, the MY APS was designed to do the following:

● Increase BHA’s opportunities to support multi-year early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience programming, including sustained response;

● Improve quality and effectiveness of multi-year programs requiring a 2-5 year timeframe;

● Increase efficiency in soliciting applications for multi-year programming;

● To complement, but not replace or change, the EAGs; and

● Increase competition in BHA procurements.

BHA’s ER4 activities often represent an initial step towards longer-term development programming.

These activities link to and coordinate with broader development efforts, including those led by USAID Missions and offices, where possible. BHA both integrates ER4 programming with DHN humanitarian response programming where appropriate and feasible, and provides support to stand-alone ER4

SECTION A: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

I. Background

I. I. Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) Mission

BHA's mission is to save lives, alleviate human suffering, and reduce the impact of disasters by helping people in need become more resilient to humanitarian crises. BHA also implements USAID's mandate as the lead U.S. Government coordinator for international disaster assistance.

1.2. Background and Context

BHA's humanitarian assistance consists of two major conceptual areas, which are frequently interlinked.

The first area is humanitarian response pursuant to a Declaration of Humanitarian Need (DHN).

Humanitarian response is characterized by urgent action, including quick assessment of needs, logistical support to local and national actors, rapid provision of funding to partners to meet critical needs, and deployment of teams of disaster response experts. The second conceptual area which this MY APS covers, encompasses early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience (ER4) programs and activities.

The goal of BHA's ER4 programming, as described in BHA Strategic Framework for ER4, is to improve the well-being of people who are vulnerable-from the individual to country level-by strengthening their capacities to manage risk; to anticipate, withstand, recover from, and adapt to shocks and stresses;

and to support positive, transformative change. While BHA considers its ER4 programming to be a form of humanitarian assistance, activities in this area typically focus on longer-term outcomes related to recovery, reducing the need for ongoing and recurrent humanitarian assistance, and promoting resilience and enabling people to take ownership of their own humanitarian and development outcomes.

The MY APS is intended to promote competition to foster new ideas and encourage new partnerships with BHA. As a result of these challenges and to meet the demands arising from protracted crises and complex emergencies globally, the MY APS was designed to do the following:

• Increase BHA's opportunities to support multi-year early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience programming, including sustained response;

• Improve quality and effectiveness of multi-year programs requiring a 2-5 year timeframe;

• Increase efficiency in soliciting applications for multi-year programming;

• To complement, but not replace or change, the EAGs; and

• Increase competition in BHA procurements.

BHA's ER4 activities often represent an initial step towards longer-term development programming.

These activities link to and coordinate with broader development efforts, including those led by USAID

Missions and offices, where possible. BHA both integrates ER4 programming with DHN humanitarian response programming where appropriate and feasible, and provides support to stand-alone ER4 https://www.usaid.gov/humanitarian-assistance/document/strategic-framework-early-recovery-risk-reduction-and-resilience activities that typically happen prior to and outside of the context of urgent humanitarian response to a

DHN.

1.3. USAID Policies and Strategies

1.3.1 Automated Directives System (ADS)

Applicants should be familiar with the ADS, specifically ADS Chapter 303, which contains internal guidance, policy directives, required procedures, and standards for the award and administration of USAID grants and cooperative agreements. ADS Chapter 303 incorporates Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Guidance and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) requirements into Agency policy and sets forth Standard Provisions which the Agency must include in awards to recipients. Applicants should also familiarize themselves with the mandatory Standard Provisions (ADS Reference 303maa and ADS Reference 303mab) accompanying ADS Chapter 303.

Note: Whereas ADS 303 applies to NGOs, ADS 308 is specific to PIOs. ADS 308 highlights that while competition is not required, it is encouraged. In cases when a PIO applies competitively, ADS 308 still applies. Unless otherwise specified in the MY APS, any reference to the Code of Federal Regulations or the ADS applies to NGOs only.

1.3.2 Agency Level Policy

The following USAID policies apply to rounds under this MY APS.

● USAID’s 2022-2030 Climate Strategy

● USAID Resilience Strategy

● USAID Private Sector Engagement Policy

● Local Capacity Strengthening Policy

● Local Systems: A Framework for Supporting Sustained Development

● Global Food Security Strategy

● Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy

● 2023 Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy

● Policy on Promoting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

● Youth in Development Policy

● Disability Policy Paper

● USAID’s Equity Action Plan

● LGBT Vision for Action

● USAID Digital Strategy

● U.S. Government Open Data Policy

● USAID Global Water Strategy 2022-2027 activities that typically happen prior to and outside of the context of urgent humanitarian response to a

DHN.

1.1. USAID Policies and Strategies

1.3. I Automated Directives System (ADS)

Applicants should be familiar with the ADS, specifically ADS Chapter 303, which contains internal guidance, policy directives, required procedures, and standards for the award and administration of USAID grants and cooperative agreements. ADS Chapter 303 incorporates

Office of Management and Budget (0MB) Uniform Guidance and Code of Federal Regulations

(CFR) requirements into Agency policy and sets forth Standard Provisions which the Agency must include in awards to recipients. Applicants should also familiarize themselves with the mandatory Standard Provisions (ADS Reference 303maa and ADS Reference 303mab) accompanying ADS Chapter 303.

Note: Whereas ADS 303 applies to NGOs, ADS 308 is specific to PIOs. ADS 308 highlights that while competition is not required, it is encouraged. In cases when a PIO applies competitively, ADS

308 still applies. Unless otherwise specified in the MY APS, any reference to the Code of Federal

Regulations or the ADS applies to NGOs only.

1.3.2 Agency Level Policy

The following USAID policies apply to rounds under this MY APS.

• USAID's 2022-2030 Climate Strategy

• USAID Resilience Strategy

• USAID Private Sector Engagement Policy

• Local Capacity Strengthening Policy

• Local Systems: A Framework for Supporting Sustained Development

• Global Food Security Strategy

• Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy

• 2023 Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Policy

• Policy on Promoting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

• Youth in Development Policy

• Disability Policy Paper

• USAID's Equity Action Plan

• LGBT Vision for Action

• USAID Digital Strategy

• U.S. Government Open Data Policy

• USAID Global Water Strategy 2022-2027 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303maa https://www.usaid.gov/about-us/agency-policy/series-300/references-chapter/303mab https://www.usaid.gov/policy/climate-strategy https://www.usaid.gov/policy/resilience https://www.usaid.gov/work-usaid/private-sector-engagement/policy https://www.usaid.gov/local-capacity-strengthening-policy?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery https://www.usaid.gov/policy/local-systems-framework https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/agriculture-and-food-security/us-government-global-food-security-strategy https://www.usaid.gov/nutrition-strategy https://www.usaid.gov/document/2023-gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment-policy https://www.usaid.gov/indigenous-peoples/usaid-policy-on-indigenous-peoples https://www.usaid.gov/policy/youth https://www.usaid.gov/inclusivedevelopment/disability-rights/disability https://www.usaid.gov/equity/equity-action-plan https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/LGBT_Vision.pdf https://www.usaid.gov/usaid-digital-strategy https://www.usaid.gov/about-us/agency-policy/series-500/579 https://www.globalwaters.org/2022-global-water-strategy?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

2. Programming Areas

BHA will issue separate rounds to this MY APS. Rounds will request applications for the following types of programming:

● Early Recovery, Risk Reduction, and Resilience (ER4). The goal of early recovery programs is to help people and communities recover from a shock or stress, reduce or avoid dependence on humanitarian relief, and transition to self-reliance. Early recovery builds on humanitarian response and aligns with development principles to establish the initial foundations of long-term recovery. Disaster risk is expressed as the potential loss of life, injury, or destruction or damage to assets that could occur to a system, society, or community in a specific period of time. It is expressed as a function of hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and capacity. Risk reduction is the prevention of new disaster risk, reduction of existing risk, and management of residual risk, all of which contribute to strengthening resilience and to the achievement of sustainable development. Resilience is the ability of people, households, communities, countries, and systems to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from shocks and stresses in a manner that reduces chronic vulnerability and facilitates inclusive growth. Sustained response programming addresses the continuing needs of affected communities from a sustained crisis or chronic hazards.

● Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA). BHA’s RFSA programming strengthens capacities of populations to combat malnutrition, reduce morbidity and mortality, promote economic growth, minimize disaster risks, improve food security, and adapt to climate change.

BHA uses a multi sectoral, integrated activity design that sustainably improves outcomes and strengthens the adaptive, absorptive, and transformative capacities of communities.

● Learning and Capacity Strengthening. BHA funds learning and capacity strengthening activities that improve humanitarian assistance by informing design and implementation, contributing to the global humanitarian evidence base through research and other forms of analysis, advancing thought leadership, or strengthening capacity that benefits the larger humanitarian community.

Rounds may also further specify a geographic or sectoral focus. Rounds with a geographic focus may have global, regional (multiple countries), country-specific, subnational purposes.

2.1. Sectors

BHA may fund the following sectors under this MY APS:

● Agriculture

● Disaster Risk Reduction Policy and Practice

● Economic Recovery and Market Systems

● Food Assistance

● Health

2. Programming Areas

BHA will issue separate rounds to this MY APS. Rounds will request applications for the following types of programming:

• Early Recovery, Risk Reduction, and Resilience (ER4). The goal of early recovery programs is to help people and communities recover from a shock or stress, reduce or avoid dependence on humanitarian relief, and transition to self-reliance. Early recovery builds on humanitarian response and aligns with development principles to establish the initial foundations of long-term recovery. Disaster risk is expressed as the potential loss of life, injury, or destruction or damage to assets that could occur to a system, society, or community in a specific period of time. It is expressed as a function of hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and capacity. Risk reduction is the prevention of new disaster risk, reduction of existing risk, and management of residual risk, all of which contribute to strengthening resilience and to the achievement of sustainable development. Resilience is the ability of people, households, communities, countries, and systems to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from shocks and stresses in a manner that reduces chronic vulnerability and facilitates inclusive growth. Sustained response programming addresses the continuing needs of affected communities from a sustained crisis or chronic hazards.

• Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA). BHA's RFSA programming strengthens capacities of populations to combat malnutrition, reduce morbidity and mortality, promote economic growth, minimize disaster risks, improve food security, and adapt to climate change.

BHA uses a multi sectoral, integrated activity design that sustainably improves outcomes and strengthens the adaptive, absorptive, and transformative capacities of communities.

• Learning and Capacity Strengthening. BHA funds learning and capacity strengthening activities that improve humanitarian assistance by informing design and implementation, contributing to the global humanitarian evidence base through research and other forms of analysis, advancing thought leadership, or strengthening capacity that benefits the larger humanitarian community.

Rounds may also further specify a geographic or sectoral focus. Rounds with a geographic focus may have global, regional (multiple countries), country-specific, subnational purposes.

2.1. Sectors

BHA may fund the following sectors under this MY APS:

• Agriculture

• Disaster Risk Reduction Policy and Practice

• Economic Recovery and Market Systems

• Food Assistance

• Health

● Humanitarian Coordination, Information Management, and Assessments

● Humanitarian Policy, Studies, Analysis, or Applications

● Logistics Support

● Monitoring and Evaluation

● Multipurpose Cash Assistance

● Natural Hazards and Technological Risks

● Nutrition

● Protection

● Shelter and Settlements

● Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

BHA may issue rounds that focus on a single sector (e.g. a WASH-only activity) or multiple sectors.

For applications for ER4 and Learning and Capacity Strengthening rounds, applicants must group sectors by purpose, break out sectors into keywords; geographic areas; and sector, commodity, modality tables as applicable which are pre-defined categories of interventions under each sector. The EAG Sector Requirements contains detailed technical guidance for each BHA sector including applicable indicators at the purpose, sector and keyword levels.

Rounds for RFSAs will provide specific guidance on the applicable technical areas.

3. Programming Principles

BHA is committed to taking actions that uphold and are consistent with the four humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. For further details, see the background paper on humanitarian principles produced by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

(OCHA).

3.1. Design for People-Centered Approaches

BHA is committed to keeping the interests and voices of the people who are most vulnerable at the center of its work, and to funding activities based on the strengths, priorities, risks, and needs of the target population. Integrating diverse voices into program design requires intentional stakeholder engagement and meaningful partnerships to understand community resources and capacities, as well as the broader systems that support them through formal and informal institutions and social dynamics.

People-centered approaches address shocks and stressors that may undermine opportunities for positive change and provide linkages to newly emerging or previously out-of-reach resources, services, and catalysts for change.

Applicants are expected to:

● Integrate contextual, and social-identity-related factors (such as gender, age, ability, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status) throughout their application;

• Humanitarian Coordination, Information Management, and Assessments

• Humanitarian Policy, Studies, Analysis, or Applications

• Logistics Support

• Monitoring and Evaluation

• Multipurpose Cash Assistance

• Natural Hazards and Technological Risks

• Nutrition

• Protection

• Shelter and Settlements

• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

BHA may issue rounds that focus on a single sector (e.g. a WASH-only activity) or multiple sectors.

For applications for ER4 and Learning and Capacity Strengthening rounds, applicants must group sectors by purpose, break out sectors into keywords; geographic areas; and sector, commodity, modality tables as applicable which are pre-defined categories of interventions under each sector. T he EAG Sector

Requirements contains detailed technical guidance for each BHA sector including applicable indicators at the purpose, sector and keyword levels.

Rounds for RFSAs will provide specific guidance on the applicable technical areas.

3. Programming Principles

BHA is committed to taking actions that uphold and are consistent with the four humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. For further details, see the background paper on humanitarian principles produced by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

(OCHA).

1.1. Design for People-Centered Approaches

BHA is committed to keeping the interests and voices of the people who are most vulnerable at the center of its work, and to funding activities based on the strengths, priorities, risks, and needs of the target population. Integrating diverse voices into program design requires intentional stakeholder engagement and meaningful partnerships to understand community resources and capacities, as well as the broader systems that support them through formal and informal institutions and social dynamics.

People-centered approaches address shocks and stressors that may undermine opportunities for positive change and provide linkages to newly emerging or previously out-of-reach resources, services, and catalysts for change.

Applicants are expected to:

• Integrate contextual, and social-identity-related factors (such as gender, age, ability, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status) throughout their application;

https://www.usaid.gov/humanitarian-assistance/partner-with-us/bha-emergency-guidelines https://www.usaid.gov/humanitarian-assistance/partner-with-us/bha-emergency-guidelines https://www.unocha.org/sites/unocha/files/OOM_Humanitarian%20Principles_Eng.pdf https://www.unocha.org/sites/unocha/files/OOM_Humanitarian%20Principles_Eng.pdf https://www.unocha.org/sites/unocha/files/OOM_Humanitarian%20Principles_Eng.pdf

● Consider how they will reach, ensure equitable protection and inclusion of, and integrate the needs of groups that may face intersectional vulnerabilities (such as those related to age, disability, SOGIESC1, religion, ethnicity, etc.) in assessment, programming, implementation, and reporting;

● Propose activities that strengthen equal participation and feedback and do not exacerbate existing inequalities; and

● Include examples from their earlier activities that demonstrate their experience integrating intersectionality and inclusion.

3.2 Localization

BHA is committed to locally led, inclusive, and equitable approaches to humanitarian assistance. To the greatest extent possible, humanitarian actions should be guided by the leadership and experience of communities and diverse local actors, including women, persons living with disabilities, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and other individuals who have been marginalized and underrepresented.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to incorporate local capacity strengthening in all areas of the proposed activity. Local capacity strengthening invests in local partners’ capacity to achieve inclusive and locally-led humanitarian assistance and engagement. It includes funding local actors through direct awards or through sub-awards, sub-contracts, or similar partnership arrangements including but not limited to research, studies or direct implementation under an assistance award. Local capacity strengthening activities are designed to build on the existing strengths of local civil society and the private sector, such as NGOs, cooperatives, universities, academia, and private companies, among other entities. Local capacity strengthening can be a combination of any of these approaches. Integration of local capacity strengthening must be context-appropriate, reflected at every phase of the activity, and expected to increase over the course of the award. As applicable and appropriate, BHA encourages applicants to partner with local organizations and have local organizations directly manage resources to the extent they have the technical and financial management capacity.

Applicants are also strongly encouraged to work within local systems in order to strengthen human and institutional actors. Left unaddressed, social and gender norms, power dynamics, levels of inclusion, and nature of participation within local systems have the potential to undermine development impacts. Or conversely, when addressed appropriately, they can be engines of positive change when enhanced in ways that increase motivation, equity, social cohesion, and transparent socially accountable service delivery.

3.3 Prioritization and Focus

In low resource environments, needs and opportunities can easily exceed an activity’s capacity to respond comprehensively and effectively. There are also limits to the level of change in knowledge, attitudes, and practices that individuals, households, and communities can absorb. BHA encourages applicants to prioritize the needs of individuals, households and communities and focus resources to

1 Sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.

• Consider how they will reach, ensure equitable protection and inclusion of, and integrate the needs of groups that may face intersectional vulnerabilities (such as those related to age, disability, SOGIESC 1

, religion, ethnicity, etc.) in assessment, programming, implementation, and reporting;

• Propose activities that strengthen equal participation and feedback and do not exacerbate existing inequalities; and

• Include examples from their earlier activities that demonstrate their experience integrating intersectionality and inclusion.

J.2 Localization

BHA is committed to locally led, inclusive, and equitable approaches to humanitarian assistance. To the greatest extent possible, humanitarian actions should be guided by the leadership and experience of communities and diverse local actors, including women, persons living with disabilities, youth, Indigenous

Peoples, and other individuals who have been marginalized and underrepresented.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to incorporate local capacity strengthening in all areas of the proposed activity. Local capacity strengthening invests in local partners' capacity to achieve inclusive and locally-led humanitarian assistance and engagement. It includes funding local actors through direct awards or through sub-awards, sub-contracts, or similar partnership arrangements including but not limited to research, studies or direct implementation under an assistance award. Local capacity strengthening activities are designed to build on the existing strengths of local civil society and the private sector, such as NGOs, cooperatives, universities, academia, and private companies, among other entities. Local capacity strengthening can be a combination of any of these approaches. Integration of local capacity strengthening must be context-appropriate, reflected at every phase of the activity, and expected to increase over the course of the award. As applicable and appropriate, BHA encourages applicants to partner with local organizations and have local organizations directly manage resources to the extent they have the technical and financial management capacity.

Applicants are also strongly encouraged to work within local systems in order to strengthen human and institutional actors. Left unaddressed, social and gender norms, power dynamics, levels of inclusion, and nature of participation within local systems have the potential to undermine development impacts. Or conversely, when addressed appropriately, they can be engines of positive change when enhanced in ways that increase motivation, equity, social cohesion, and transparent socially accountable service delivery.

J.J Prioritization and Focus

In low resource environments, needs and opportunities can easily exceed an activity's capacity to respond comprehensively and effectively. T here are also limits to the level of change in knowledge, attitudes, and practices that individuals, households, and communities can absorb. BHA encourages applicants to prioritize the needs of individuals, households and communities and focus resources to

1 Sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.

achieve maximum impact. Effective programming identifies leverage points and factors that address key drivers of need and prioritize and sequence a limited number of interventions.

3.4 Strive for Sustainability

BHA is committed to supporting long-term and self-perpetuating change and the continued well-being of populations who are vulnerable. Therefore, activities proposed under this MY APS need to demonstrate understanding of the operating environment, including existing or residual conflict dynamics and to strengthen formal and informal local systems to increase the potential for sustained motivation, capacity, resources, and linkages in support of continued humanitarian impacts.

3.5 Sequencing, Layering, and Integration

Applicants are encouraged to utilize sequencing, layering and integration in their activity designs, both across BHA programs and other USAID activities as well as programs funded by government and donors across the Humanitarian Development Peace (HDP) nexus, to maximize the impact and sustainability of interventions and create potential for longer-term success.

Sequencing is the intentional organization of phased program interventions to maximize program impact. Appropriate sequencing facilitates utilization of services provided and skills and capacities strengthened. The sequencing of interventions should consider when it is optimal to engage participants in a particular activity or to provide a specific kind of support.

Layering is the strategic coordination of overlapping interventions across stakeholders, sectors, funding streams, and humanitarian and development programs in the same area. BHA supports activities that collaborate strategically and operationally with national and local government policies and systems, and other actors and programs working to address the drivers of chronic vulnerability. This requires coordination and joint planning with a broad set of stakeholders to support complementarity and coherence, collective impacts and sustainability, and the intentional pursuit of sequencing, layering, and integrating activities and interventions across relevant programs.

Integration is the intentional layering and sequencing of multisectoral interventions and the coordination of actors in order to prevent or reduce the drivers and effects of shocks and stresses that undermine the program and the long-term well-being of the target populations. Strategic integration can address both emergency needs and longer-term development issues at the same time in places where shocks recur frequently. HDP coherence involves linking efforts across the spectrum of programming from short term relief to long term peace and development. HDP coherence is best considered at the design stage and achieved at the operational level, where the differences and overlap of scope and objectives across the three pillars of assistance can be identified. Such efforts inspire effective partner approaches and should align with the respective mandates and comparative advantages of different actors, and strive to contribute to national-level collective outcomes, if available.

achieve maximum impact. Effective programming identifies leverage points and factors that address key drivers of need and prioritize and sequence a limited number of interventions.

J.4 Strive for Sustainability

BHA is committed to supporting long-term and self-perpetuating change and the continued well-being of populations who are vulnerable. Therefore, activities proposed under this MY APS need to demonstrate understanding of the operating environment, including existing or residual conflict dynamics and to strengthen formal and informal local systems to increase the potential for sustained motivation, capacity, resources, and linkages in support of continued humanitarian impacts.

J.S Sequencing, Layering, and Integration

Applicants are encouraged to utilize sequencing, layering and integration in their activity designs, both across BHA programs and other USAID activities as well as programs funded by government and donors across the Humanitarian Development Peace (HDP) nexus, to maximize the impact and sustainability of interventions and create potential for longer-term success.

Sequencing is the intentional organization of phased program interventions to maximize program impact. Appropriate sequencing facilitates utilization of services provided and skills and capacities strengthened. The sequencing of interventions should consider when it is optimal to engage participants in a particular activity or to provide a specific kind of support.

Layering is the strategic coordination of overlapping interventions across stakeholders, sectors, funding streams, and humanitarian and development programs in the same area. BHA supports activities that collaborate strategically and operationally with national and local government policies and systems, and other actors and programs working to address the drivers of chronic vulnerability. This requires coordination and joint planning with a broad set of stakeholders to support complementarity and coherence, collective impacts and sustainability, and the intentional pursuit of sequencing, layering, and integrating activities and interventions across relevant programs.

Integration is the intentional layering and sequencing of multisectoral interventions and the coordination of actors in order to prevent or reduce the drivers and effects of shocks and stresses that undermine the program and the long-term well-being of the target populations. Strategic integration can address both emergency needs and longer-term development issues at the same time in places where shocks recur frequently. HDP coherence involves linking efforts across the spectrum of programming from short term relief to long term peace and development. HDP coherence is best considered at the design stage and achieved at the operational level, where the differences and overlap of scope and objectives across the three pillars of assistance can be identified. Such efforts inspire effective partner approaches and should align with the respective mandates and comparative advantages of different actors, and strive to contribute to national-level collective outcomes, if available.

USAID’s Programming Considerations for Humanitarian-Development-Peace Coherence: A Note for USAID Implementing Partners, identifies seven core principles:

● Uphold and respect humanitarian principles to ensure humanitarian assistance remains unhindered and effective;

● Plan jointly and seek a common agenda;

● Strengthen communication, coordination, and learning platforms across HDP pillars;

● Strategically sequence, layer, and integrate across HDP assistance, where appropriate;

● Promote shock-responsive programming and data-driven adaptive management;

● Champion conflict integration and enable or build peace where possible; and

● Ensure programming with, by, and through local partners and systems.

3.6 Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction

Climate change will increase frequency and intensity of disasters and food insecurity, increasing the need for humanitarian assistance as well as leading to social disruption, displacement, political instability and exacerbating fragility, conflict and violent extremism. DRR lays the foundation for resilience and adaptation by reducing the impact of recurrent disasters, which enables communities and countries to invest resources for development and bounce back from crises without consequential losses.

BHA supports activities in countries that are highly vulnerable to disasters, climate change and complex emergencies to reduce impacts. DRR interventions can address multiple technical areas, adopt a multi-hazard approach, and applicants can implement them in either non-conflict or conflict settings with a wide variety of goals. Applicants should propose interventions that address the underlying causes of disasters to strengthen local capacities to anticipate, prepare for, and reduce risks, and recover rapidly from shocks. Applicants should consider approaches that integrate flexibility and adaptability to anticipate and respond quickly to the impact of shocks when responding to applicable rounds.

Applicants are encouraged to take into account the risk from future climate and other natural hazards and not exacerbate risks further or create inequities among the population (see Section 18.2 Climate in the BHA EAG Sector Requirements for more information).

3.7 Use of Evidence and Learning for High Quality and Adaptive Management

BHA activities should leverage the learning from past and ongoing programming to improve program quality and apply evidence-based approaches to support communities who are in highly vulnerable conditions on a path towards sustainable change and out of extreme poverty and chronic vulnerability.

Building upon and applying knowledge from past emergency and development activities in order to gain a more holistic understanding of the context-specific, social, political, economic, cultural, and climatic factors that affect vulnerability, stability, resilience, and growth will allow for adaptive management and influence the outcomes. Effective learning approaches work to anticipate and mitigate context-specific shocks and stressors and potential unintended consequences of interventions through data utilization, experiential learning, and adaptive management. BHA encourages innovative approaches that actively and

USAID’s Programming Considerations for Humanitarian-Development-Peace Coherence: A Note for USAID Implementing Partners, identifies seven core principles:

● Uphold and respect humanitarian principles to ensure humanitarian assistance remains unhindered and effective;

● Plan jointly and seek a common agenda;

● Strengthen communication, coordination, and learning platforms across HDP pillars;

● Strategically sequence, layer, and integrate across HDP assistance, where appropriate;

● Promote shock-responsive programming and data-driven adaptive management;

● Champion conflict integration and enable or build peace where possible; and

● Ensure programming with, by, and through local partners and systems.

3.6 Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction

Climate change will increase frequency and intensity of disasters and food insecurity, increasing the need for humanitarian assistance as well as leading to social disruption, displacement, political instability and exacerbating fragility, conflict and violent extremism. DRR lays the foundation for resilience and adaptation by reducing the impact of recurrent disasters, which enables communities and countries to invest resources for development and bounce back from crises without consequential losses.

BHA supports activities in countries that are highly vulnerable to disasters, climate change and complex emergencies to reduce impacts. DRR interventions can address multiple technical areas, adopt a multi-hazard approach, and applicants can implement them in either non-conflict or conflict settings with a wide variety of goals. Applicants should propose interventions that address the underlying causes of disasters to strengthen local capacities to anticipate, prepare for, and reduce risks, and recover rapidly from shocks. Applicants should consider approaches that integrate flexibility and adaptability to anticipate and respond quickly to the impact of shocks when responding to applicable rounds.

Applicants are encouraged to take into account the risk from future climate and other natural hazards and not exacerbate risks further or create inequities among the population (see Section 18.2 Climate in the BHA EAG Sector Requirements for more information).

3.7 Use of Evidence and Learning for High Quality and Adaptive Management

BHA activities should leverage the learning from past and ongoing programming to improve program quality and apply evidence-based approaches to support communities who are in highly vulnerable conditions on a path towards sustainable change and out of extreme poverty and chronic vulnerability.

Building upon and applying knowledge from past emergency and development activities in order to gain a more holistic understanding of the context-specific, social, political, economic, cultural, and climatic factors that affect vulnerability, stability, resilience, and growth will allow for adaptive management and influence the outcomes. Effective learning approaches work to anticipate and mitigate context-specific shocks and stressors and potential unintended consequences of interventions through data utilization, experiential learning, and adaptive management. BHA encourages innovative approaches that actively and

USAID 's Programming Considerations for Humanitarian-Development-Peace Coherence: A Note for

USAID Implementing Partners, identifies seven core principles:

• Uphold and respect humanitarian principles to ensure humanitarian assistance remains unhindered and effective;

• Plan jointly and seek a common agenda;

• Strengthen communication, coordination, and learning platforms across HDP pillars;

• Strategically sequence, layer, and integrate across HDP assistance, where appropriate;

• Promote shock-responsive programming and data-driven adaptive management;

• Champion conflict integration and enable or build peace where possible; and

• Ensure programming with, by, and through local partners and systems.

1.6 Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction

Climate change will increase frequency and intensity of disasters and food insecurity, increasing the need for humanitarian assistance as well as leading to social disruption, displacement, political instability and exacerbating fragility, conflict and violent extremism. DRR lays the foundation for resilience and adaptation by reducing the impact of recurrent disasters, which enables communities and countries to invest resources for development and bounce back from crises without consequential losses.

BHA supports activities in countries that are highly vulnerable to disasters, climate change and complex emergencies to reduce impacts. DRR interventions can address multiple technical areas, adopt a multi-hazard approach, and applicants can implement them in either non-conflict or conflict settings with a wide variety of goals. Applicants should propose interventions that address the underlying causes of disasters to strengthen local capacities to anticipate, prepare for, and reduce risks, and recover rapidly from shocks. Applicants should consider approaches that integrate flexibility and adaptability to anticipate and respond quickly to the impact of shocks when responding to applicable rounds.

Applicants…