Capacity Enhancement NOFO Final.pdf

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

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

Local Civil Society Capacity Building Initiative

Opportunity Number: SFOP0005123

Key Information:

Announcement Type: New

Date Opened: Tuesday, May 22, 2018 Deadline for Questions & Notification of Intent to Apply:

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Application Deadline: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 Expected Date of Notification: Friday, September 28, 2018 Federal Agency Contact: Shane Stryzinski

NEA-Grants@state.gov

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Funding Opportunity Synopsis:

The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), a program within the Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC), announces a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for projects designed to enhance and further develop the organizational capacity of local nascent and intermediate civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). NEA/AC will fund projects that work to identify and address the needs of nascent and intermediate-capacity local organizations and develop their capacity to potentially participate in the MEPI Local Grants Program. Funds will support projects that work with selected local CSOs to develop tailored training and mentorship programs to fit their needs (e.g. project management, strategic planning, financial management, etc.). Success will be measured by assessing the project’s ability to develop the capacity of nascent and intermediate-capacity civil society organizations to manage donor resources;

efficiently and effectively implement work plans; and prepare and implement long-term organizational planning.

Eligible Countries and Territories:

In this announcement, we seek to support projects with local CSOs based in all of the following countries/territories: Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen. Please note: Applications that focus on activities in countries and territories other than those listed will NOT be considered.

All applications must be submitted in English. Applicants may submit only one (1) application. Complete information on how applicants can submit proposals for this opportunity can be found in Section VI below.

Background Information about NEA/AC: The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) offers Economic Support Fund (ESF) assistance to groups and individuals striving to bring about positive change in the Middle East-North Africa region. The Assistance Coordination 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.

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Table of Contents

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROBLEM STATEMENT

B. ACHIEVABLE OBJECTIVES

C. PROJECT DESIGN

D. DEFINITIONS

II. MEASUREMENT OF RESULTS

III. AWARD INFORMATION

IV. SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT ............................................................................................................... - 11 - V. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION ................................................................................................................... - 11 -

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS ................................................................................................................................ - 11 - B. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................ - 13 - C. ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS .............................................................................................. - 14 -

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

VIII. APPLICATION REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

A. APPLICATION EVALUATION CRITERIA

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

IX. ADMINSTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

B. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

C. TRAVEL NOTIFICATIONS

D. APPLICANT VETTING AS A CONDITION OF AWARD

F. BRANDING AND MARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTEES

G. UEI NUMBER REQUIREMENT FOR SUB AWARDEES

H. SUB AWARDEE REPORTING REQUIREMENT

X. AGENCY CONTACTS

XI. DISCLAIMER

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APPENDICES (Posted with NOFO)

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

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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 further develop the organizational capacity of local civil society organizations (CSOs) in the MENA region. CSOs are flexible, dynamic, adaptive, localized, efficient, and innovative, making them complementary to governments and positioning them to execute a needs-based, demand-led approach. The common obstacles facing CSOs are linked to the difficulties in scaling-up and ensuring sustainability.

Research shows that by developing a vision, planning strategically, and building organizational and leadership capacity, CSOs become more adept at being self-reflective and effective.

Stemming from the knowledge that a mature, respected, and credible civil society is essential for encouraging participatory governance, NEA/AC asserts that CSOs can help increase governments’ legitimacy and channel citizens’ demands effectively.

A. PROBLEM STATEMENT

At least half of the MENA population trusts CSOs. In some countries, people are more likely to trust their governments (e.g. Algeria, Jordan, and Kuwait) than CSOs, and civil society remains far from being a “vibrant” agent of encouraging participatory governance and economic opportunities. A recent survey of civil society in the MENA region found that CSOs are improving their image and gaining greater public support. With greater access to resources (training, technical assistance, expanded coalitions, and information-sharing networks), the advocacy and responsiveness of CSOs to local needs have improved, but financial viability and organizational capacity continue to be limited. Many have vague goals, overly ambitious plans, and/or limited fundraising skills and knowledge in financial management. Numerous CSOs close or are shut down every year due to lack of funding, failing to comply with administrative laws, or not being able to meet country registration requirements.

B. ACHIEVABLE OBJECTIVES

A successful project will result in:

1. Local civil society organizations (CSOs) increasing their capacity to be effective and operational.

2. CSOs being able to leverage established relationships with private and public actors to increase their access to resources and opportunities.

3. CSO projects demonstrating results and measureable impact of the projects they implement.

C. PROJECT DESIGN

NEA/AC seeks proposals that will enhance the organizational and leadership capacity of existing local CSOs in the MENA region that have the potential to execute projects in their local communities. The key objective of this project is to develop the capacity of local CSOs to effectively manage assistance funding. These organizations may be at the nascent or intermediate level of organizational development. Please see the definitions section below for more details on eligible CSOs. The applicant will work with CSOs to identify needs, strategize and develop capacity, apply to relevant funding opportunities – including the forthcoming 2019 MEPI Local

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Grants Program – and successfully implement, manage, and evaluate projects. Participating CSOs will be selected in consultation with NEA/AC’s Regional Offices and U.S. Embassies from countries/territories in the region, including: Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen.

Organizations at each level may seek professional development and assistance in project management, official registrations, evaluation, compliance, translation, and clear organizational goals and objectives.

Successful proposals will provide training, support, and assistance through the following phases:

PHASE 1:

1) Initiate and Train

The applicant will design an innovative selection process and coordinate with NEA Regional Offices and Embassies/Consulates to identify approximately 3-5 CSOs per country eligible to participate in this initiative. The applicant will work with the selected organizations to conduct a needs assessment of each of the participating CSOs and train them in the following areas:

Organizational management: strategic planning, policies and procedures, recruitment and staffing, forecasting

Project management: strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, developing result frameworks and logic models, performance evaluation

Financial management: internal controls, fundraising, soliciting and managing funding, grants-writing, budgetary planning, financial auditing

Marketing and outreach: developing promotional content, social media presence, group dynamics, leadership training, brand awareness and management

Applicants must identify and provide examples of curriculum as a part of their application to adapt and implement. Materials may also be adapted from MEPI’s Maktabat library. No funds can be used to develop new training materials. A syllabus or outline and examples of training materials should be submitted as a part of the application.

2) Set-up

The applicant will work with the selected CSOs and guide participating organizations in the following:

Completing official and any other required registrations Designing strategic, organizational, and business plans Developing innovative management plans to maintain the best organizational performance Designing appropriate fundraising strategies vis-à-vis different types of donors http://maktabatmepi.org/

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Developing successful frameworks of project management and grant proposals

3) Application Process and Business Development

Donor requirements are often difficult for local CSOs to understand and comply with for funding opportunities. Applicants must propose projects that include training and support specifically addressing these elements. Using the MEPI Local Grants Program as a model for this project, the applicant will provide the participating CSOs with technical assistance support to apply for this funding opportunity. The MEPI Local Grants Program is highly competitive and grants to CSOs participating in this project are not guaranteed. Proposals should provide training and support to include other locally available funding opportunities.

The applicant will support participating CSOs by providing:

Translation services of all MEPI local grants opportunities Technical assistance with registration and management of administrative requirements for the sub-award program

Applicants to this NOFO must propose a sub-award competition component to support projects with a minimum of $250,000 budgeted in order to provide management and capacity development experience to CSOs that have participated in this project. The sub-award selection should encompass a competitive process that would simulate the stringent conditions of available funding opportunities.

CSOs participating in this project that apply for the MEPI Local Grants Program or other locally available funding opportunities but which are not selected for funding will be eligible to compete for sub-awards from the prime applicant. Funding in the form of a sub-award is not guaranteed.

CSOs must be selected through the proposed sub-award competition based on the merits of their project. If awarded, CSOs will continue to work with the prime applicant to implement projects and report directly to the prime applicant.

CSOs that apply for and are selected for the MEPI Local Grants Program will move on to implement projects and report directly with NEA/AC Regional Offices.

PHASE 2:

1) Project Implementation (through duration of project, approximately nine to eighteen months)

The applicant will provide direct implementation assistance for CSOs selected by the MEPI Local Grants Program, a sub-award, or other locally available funding opportunity. The applicant will:

Coach CSOs in implementing their project using sound financial management practices and program management techniques https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=299178

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Coach CSOs in preparing programmatic and financial reports as well as success stories Assist CSOs with navigating social media platforms to promote their projects Provide networking opportunities for participating CSOs to expand their connectivity with potential donors and partners, especially private sector partners Assist CSOs in executing business development plans to apply for other awards Assist CSOs is marketing activities and raising brand awareness

2) Project Monitoring (through the duration of project and approximately three to six months after project completion)

The applicant will provide direct monitoring assistance for CSOs selected by the MEPI Local Grants Program, a sub-award, or other locally available funding opportunity. The applicant will develop the capacity of CSOs implementing projects to monitor and evaluate their projects by:

Assisting CSOs in designing and executing an internal system to measure performance Matching participating CSOs with emerging CSOs working in a similar or complementary field and coaching participating CSOs through the mentorship process (once the CSOs have met an agreed-upon threshold of capacity)

Coach CSOs in conducting project evaluation activities and impact assessments

3) Measurement of CSO Capacity (three to six months after project completion)

The applicant will be responsible for measuring the capacity of all organizations participating in the project. Applicants should utilize an organizational capacity assessment tool both at the beginning and at the end of the project to determine if (and how much) the capacity of an organization that participated in this initiative was built. The applicant should include in their application what tool(s) will be utilized to assess and measure organization capacity.

Note: 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.

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

Exchange activities with other countries or territories;

Development of new training or curriculum materials;

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 (if not necessary as part of a larger project);

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;

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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. DEFINITIONS

The following are definitions of key terms accepted under this announcement:

Capacity Building:

Areas of capacity building may include but are not limited to: technical expertise (e.g. human rights, legal reform); CSO self-regulation (e.g. establishing CSO Codes of Conduct);

organizational capacity (e.g. strategic planning, financial management and accountability, public relations, issue management, outreach, revenue generation, accountable fundraising); and targeted advocacy training and technical assistance.

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs):

CSOs include, but are not limited to: human rights organizations, women’s groups, labor unions, business and professional associations, youth movements, religious organizations, indigenous organizations, think tanks, and organizations representing vulnerable populations.

Nascent CSOs:

For the purpose of this Funding Opportunity, a nascent organization is defined by organizational experience. Applicants are considered nascent if they meet any of the following criteria:

Established for less than 2 years prior to participation;

Managed 0-2 projects with a value of $25,000 USD or less per project;

Lacking valid and current in-country organizational registrations; and Has not established organizational documentation and management structures, including but not limited to, where applicable:

o Organizational documents;

o Bi-laws and other governance materials;

o Policies and procedures; and/or o Financial management systems

Intermediate CSOs:

For the purpose of this Funding Opportunity, an intermediate organization is defined by previous organizational experience. Applicants are considered intermediate if they meet any of the following criteria:

Established for at least 2 consecutive years prior to participation;

Demonstrated history of organizational capacity to properly staff and administer projects;

Managed 3 or more projects or initiatives with a value of $50,000-$100,000 USD or more per project;

Maintains current and valid local organizational registrations and other required registrations; and Has established organizational documentation and management structures, including but

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o Organizational documents;

o Bi-laws and other governance materials;

o Policies and procedures; and/or o Financial management systems

MEASUREMENT OF RESULTS

Applicants shall provide a logic model to demonstrate how the proposed project (including activities, the project design, and the surrounding context) will achieve the stated objectives. The logic model statements can be generated using the template in Appendix II.

Successful applicants will work with the MEPI program and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) teams to create a plan based on the proposed logic model 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.

AWARD INFORMATION

Funding Mechanism Type: Cooperative Agreement

Estimated Number of Awards: 1

Estimated Total Program Funding: $2,000,000

Estimated Award Ceiling: $2,000,000

Estimated Award Floor: $1,500,000

Cost-Sharing or Matching: Encouraged; NOT Required

Estimated Length of Project Period: 24 – 36 months

Contingent on the availability of funds, approximately $2,000,000 in Economic Support Funds for approximately 1 (one) award will be awarded through this announcement. If selected to receive an award, an applicant will be awarded funds for up to 3 years, depending on the activities and countries proposed. The estimated start date for this project is October 1, 2018.

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.

Non-Competing Continuation

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Continuation grants funded under these awards, beyond the initial budget period, will be contingent upon the availability of funds; 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; and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the Department of State.

Pending successful implementation of this project for the initial estimated length of time as indicated above, and pending the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, NEA/AC may extend this grant for additional time, not to exceed a 6-year total project period. Please note that this NOFO requires that applicants submit additional budget materials to plan for potential out-years per non-competing continuation. See Section VI Application and Submission Information for more details.

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 Examples of NEA/AC responsibilities for a cooperative agreement may include:

Participation in identification and selection process of participant CSOs;

Participation in sub-award selection process;

Approval of tailored training plans; and Coordination with NEA/AC Regional Offices and Embassies for the Local Grants

Program

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:

U.S. or foreign o non-profit organizations;

o For-profit organizations;

o Private institutions of higher education;

o Public or state institutions of higher education;

o Public international organizations; and o Small businesses with functional and regional experience in the areas of:

Non-profit management, organizational capacity development, management consulting, and entrepreneurship in the MENA region.

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NEA/AC strongly encourages applications from organizations headquartered in the Middle East and North Africa region. International non-governmental organizations with principal bases of operations outside the Middle East and North Africa are also encouraged to apply, but the percentage of total budget actually spent in the region through local partners will be among the elements of evaluation for this competition.

NEA/AC is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its programs and activities.

NEA/AC welcomes applications irrespective of an applicants’ race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. We encourage applications from organizations working with underserved communities, including women, people with disabilities, and youth.

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 in organizational capacity development.

Meet ALL of the registration requirements listed in Section B below.

Meet any requirements listed as MANDATORY in Section C, Additional Eligibility

Considerations, below.

A.2. Local Partners Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit projects that include partnerships with local organizations that would work together on specific programmatic objectives or priorities and that utilize local expertise. In particular, NEA/AC strongly encourages applicants not based in the MENA region to partner with local organizations in all countries outlined in this notice of funding opportunity.

A partnership is defined as a negotiated arrangement among organizations or individuals that defines substantive, collaborative roles for each of the partners in planning and implementing a project. IF proposing partners, applicants must provide the following in their submission:

Describe how the partner(s) will contribute to the objectives of the project;

Detail how the partner(s) has been involved in the project design at the proposal stage;

Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the partner(s) in the implementation of the project, project evaluation, and project sustainability relative to the lead applicant;

Provide a description of the organization (including a link to its website) as well as specific examples of its experience working in the proposed content area(s);

Explain how the applicant organization will provide programmatic oversight and support to the partner(s); and, Provide a letter of intent or letter of agreement from the prospective partner(s) detailing how they will collaborate with the applicant organization on the proposed project.

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In addition, applicants who propose working with sub-grant(s) must describe in both the program and budget narratives how the sub-grant(s) will be managed, monitored, and evaluated to ensure compliance with project objectives and Federal regulations.

B. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

To apply for NEA/AC (Federal) funding, organizations, whether based in or outside the U.S., must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, currently referred to as a DUNS number, and an active account with the System for Award Management (SAM). This applies to BOTH prime applicants and any local partners receiving federally funded sub-awards. Applicants who do not meet all registration requirements are NOT eligible for funding under the opportunity.

UEI Number The UEI number is a nine-digit number established and assigned by Dun and Bradstreet, Inc.

(D&B) to uniquely identify business entities.

All applicants must have a UEI number. To obtain a UEI number, please follow the steps below:

Go to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/pages/CCRSearch.jsp.

Select the country or territory where your organization is physically located. Complete and submit the form. Organizations will need to provide basic information, including physical and mailing addresses, name and title of the chief executive, primary Standard Industrial Code (SIC), and annual revenue.

For technical difficulties in obtaining this number, please contact D&B at: govt@dnb.com.

System for Award Management (SAM) SAM is a U.S. government wide registry of vendors doing business with the Federal government and requires annual renewal. The system centralizes information about grant applicants/recipients, and provides a central location for grant applicants/recipients to change organizational information.

Further, applicants must maintain an active account, with current information, while its application is under consideration for funding. To keep an active SAM.gov account, applicants must renew it at least once each year. If an organizations account expires, the organization cannot submit a grant application until it is renewed.

To create a new account, please follow the steps below:

Go to http://www.sam.gov.

Select Create User Account, and then select Create an Account on the left-hand side of the screen under Individual Account Details. Organizations must have a UEI number and a CAGE number (US Domestic Organizations) or a NCAGE number (Foreign Organizations), to create an account.

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/pages/CCRSearch.jsp http://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/sic_manual.html mailto:govt@dnb.com http://www.sam.gov/

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Complete and submit the online form. If the applying organization already has the necessary information on hand (see the SAM User Guide), the online form takes approximately one hour to complete, depending upon the size and complexity of the applying entity. Because of the different steps in the process, it might take anywhere from three to fourteen business days to complete the process of creating an account with the system.

For help with SAM.gov, please visit their support page at https://www.fsd.gov or contact them at: 001-334-206-7828.

C. ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS

C.1. Cost-Sharing or Matching There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this competition. However, NEA/AC encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.

Cost-sharing or matching is NOT an evaluation criteria of this NOFO.

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

All applications must include the application components detailed below. All application documents must be submitted in English. Applicants may submit only one (1) application.

Please refer to Section B below for additional submissions guidance and requirements.

NOTE: Applications that do not include all the required documentation described in Section 1 below will not advance past the Technical Eligibility Review state. Further, applications that exceed the allowable page limits will not be reviewed by the review panel.

Applicants may not add any materials to an application once it has been submitted and the competition deadline has passed.

A.1. Required Documents

Federal Assistance Application Forms (SF-424, SF424a, and SF-424b):

Applicants must complete all three forms online to be considered for funding. Guidance on how to complete the SF-424 and SF424a is provided in Appendix 3. NOTE: In addition to following all guidance outlines below regarding application materials, applicants are strongly encourage to review the Application Evaluation Criteria section of this NOFO closely as they prepare their proposal. The Evaluation Criteria section is the rubric by which each application will be scored.

Executive Summary:

The Executive Summary provides a clear overview and outlines how the applicant will meet the goals of this announcement. This section may not exceed 1 page.

https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/SAM_User_Guide_v_1.8.pdf https://www.fsd.gov/

Project Narrative:

The Project Narrative describes the efforts the applicant will undertake to address the priorities and goals of this announcement. It may be no longer than 12 pages. More details on preparing the Project Narrative are provided in Appendix 3. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review Appendix 3 before preparing their Narrative.

Budget & Budget Narrative Submission:

Applicants must provide the following three elements as part of their budget submission:

Summary Budget Detailed Line Item Budget Budget Narrative

*A detailed budget for the initial proposed project period is requried, as well as a notional budget for up to three out years, for up to a total of six years proposed.

There is no page limit for this section of an application. A sample fillable template can be found in Appendix 1. This template includes three tabs: The first tab includes written guidance on preparing the Budget Narrative. Applicants are strongly encouraged to create their Budget Narrative in Word and submit as either a Word Doc or PDF file. Please note that the Budget Narrative should include designations of who is considered Key Personnel for this project. The second tab has the template for the Summary Budget. This tab will auto-fill as you complete the Detailed Line Item Budget, which can be found on the third tab. The third tab is where you can fill in the template for the Detailed Line Item Budget as stated above. NOTE:

Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the same format as provided in the template, and to submit summary and detailed line item budgets in Excel form, and the Budget Narrative as either a PDF or Word file. If the applicant does not use the template, the applicant must ensure that their submission includes all elements outlined in the sample. The template, which includes more detailed instruction, can be found in Appendix 1. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review Appendix 1 before preparing their budget.

Logic Model:

Applicants shall provide a logic model to demonstrate how the proposed project (including activities, the project design, and the surrounding context) will achieve the stated objectives. The logic model statements can be generated using the template in Appendix 2. NOTE: Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the same format as found in the sample. If the applicant does not use the template, the applicant must ensure that their submission includes all elements outlined in the sample. This section may be no longer than 3 pages.

Project Timeline:

Applicants must provide an overall breakdown of the order and timeframe in which all project activities will take place. This item should provide a macro snapshot of what will take place from beginning to end of the project. Applicants must ensure that the timeline of activities/events corresponds with details provided in the Project Narrative and Logic Model. This section may not exceed 2 pages.

Job Descriptions / Biographical Info for Key Personnel Positions:

For each position designated as key personnel for this project, applicants must provide the following:

1. If the position is already filled: Provide brief biographical information summarizing the person’s qualifications, as well as a brief description of the roles or responsibilities pertaining to this project.

OR

2. If the person to fill a key position has not yet been hired: Provide a brief summary of the job description, which should include a description of the roles and responsibilities pertaining to this project, as well as a description of qualifications of eligible candidates.

NOTE: If an applicant is proposing sub grant partner(s) as part of their project design, Key Personnel/Positions of the sub grantee must also be included. This section of the application may not exceed 5 pages.

Curriculum:

Applicants must submit examples of previously developed curriculum and training materials that have been utilized effectively and may be tailored to meet the individual needs of participating organizations. Applicants should submit an outline or syllabus of the proposed materials. This section may not exceed 15 pages.

Security, Risk Mitigation, & Contingency Planning Summary:

This item should provide detail regarding the applicant’s intended due diligence to assess and mitigate risks, and put in place adequate security measures to ensure the safety and well-being of project staff, participants, and partners, if applicable. This should include specific actions by the applicant to ensure risks are adequately and routinely assessed, and that security measures are commensurate with operational concerns specific to the locale. The applicant should also include a contingency plan that highlights potential challenges and limitations to project implementation in the operating environment and propose contingency plans should program activities be impacted.

Please note that this section should not be limited to physical security and risk but should cover any applicable factors relevant to the given operating environment. This section may not exceed five (5) pages.

A.2. Optional Documents Applicants may submit additional documents for consideration with their application.

These documents are not required and there is a 10 page limit for this section of the application. Below are examples of some additional documents an applicant may wish to submit.

1. Organizational Chart: The organizational chart outlines the clear lines of responsibility and authority in the applicant organization to include budgeted level of effort listed by each person.

2. Letters of Agreement or Letters of Intent: NOTE: This item is required only IF applicable. Applicants proposing partner organizations and/or government bodies should include Letters of Intent or Letters of Agreement from their proposed partners.

3. Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement: Applicants proposing indirect costs in the budget greater than the 10% de minimis must provide a copy of their Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). This item will not be counted toward any page limits.

NOTE: Applicants must adhere to all maximum allowed page counts. Applications that exceed any of the allowable page limits will not advance past the Technical Eligibility Review stage.

B. APPLICATION FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

The required font is 12-point, Times New Roman. All application documents must be single spaced, with all margins (left, right, top, and bottom) of at least one inch each. Also, applicants should ensure all pages in the application package are numbered consecutively and meet the page limit requirements outlined in Section A.1 and A.2 above. The Standard Forms 424 (SF-424, SF-424a, and SF-424b) are excluded from the page numbering.

It is strongly recommended that applicants submit grant applications using Microsoft Office. If applicants do not have access to Microsoft Office products, Adobe PDF files may be submitted.

C. SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

Applicants must submit their application electronically using either Grants.gov OR SAMS Domestic. Both systems require that the applying organization have an account with the system and both require a UEI number and SAM.gov account as detailed in B.3 above. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure they have an active account and will be able to submit its application. Applicants must select one of these systems to submit their application; do not submit an application through both systems. NEA/AC is not in a position to grant exceptions to these requirements.

The application process is not complete until the applicant receives notification that its application has been validated and forwarded to the granting agency (NEA/AC). Please allow sufficient time for entering the application into these systems. It is the responsibility of the applicant to monitor its application to ensure that it is successfully received and validated.

C.1. Grants.gov Grants.gov is a single portal for applicants to find and apply to U.S. government funding opportunities. Creating an account with this system is a five-step process: 1) obtain a UEI number; 2) create an account with the System for Award Management; 3) create a profile, including username and password; 4) obtain Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) authorization; and 5) track AOR status. This process can take 10 business days or longer, even if all the steps are completed in a timely manner. To create an account, go to www.grants.gov and click on the “Register” link, located at the top, right-hand side of the page.

C.2. SAMS Domestic SAMS Domestic is a comprehensive grants management system that allows applicants to apply https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=299178 http://mygrants.service-now.com/ http://mygrants.service-now.com/ http://www.grants.gov/ for, manage, and report on the use of U.S. government funds for multiple programs, accessed online at mygrants.service-now.com.

To create an account, go to http://mygrants.service-now.com, and click the “create an account” hyperlink, located above the user name prompt. Users will be directed to a page entitled “User Registration Request;” complete the online form and click the “Submit” button.

Users will receive an activation email entitled “Verify Your Grants Account Registration;” click the activation link within the email to receive a username and password.

SAMS Domestic has Quick Tours available to educate users about the system. These documents can be found on the Support tab upon logging into the system.

D. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

Applications must be time stamped before 17:00:00 eastern time (ET) on July 17, 2018 .

There will be no grace period, and any application not received by the application deadline will be deemed ineligible and will not advance to be reviewed. Applicants are encouraged to submit an application far enough in advance of the deadline so it can alert NEA/AC (nea-grants@state.gov) of any technical difficulties and allow sufficient time to resolve difficulties before the deadline. Although NEA/AC will work with applicants to resolve technical issues, it is not in a position to grant exceptions to the submission requirements outlined in this announcement.

FUNDING LIMITATIONS, RESTRICTIONS, AND OTHER

CONSIDERATIONS

1. Awards to Commercial Firms or For-Profit Organizations The Department of State prohibits profit under its assistance awards to commercial organizations. No funds will be paid as profit to any recipient that is a commercial organization.

Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR Part 31. Program income earned by the recipient may be:

added to the total of the amount of this award, including the required cost sharing or matching, and use it to further eligible project objectives;

used to meet the Recipient’s cost sharing or matching requirement;

OR deducted from the total project or program allowable cost in determining the net allowable costs on which the federal share of costs is based.

2. Audit Requirements Domestic and foreign organizations that expend $750,000 or more in a fiscal year in federal assistance must perform an independent, recipient-contracted Single Audit or Program Specific Audit. (Program-specific Audit means an audit of one Federal award program. Single Audit means an audit which includes both the entity’s financial statements and the Federal Awards to be conducted in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS). The audits must be independently and professionally executed in accordance with GAGAS either prescribed by a government’s Supreme Audit Institution with auditing standards http://mygrants.service-now.com/ http://mygrants.service-now.com/ mailto:nea-grants@state.gov approved by the Comptroller General of the United States, or the host country’s laws or adopted by the host country’s public accountants or associations of public accountants, together with generally accepted international auditing standards. However, foreign entity audits consistent with International Standards for Auditing or other auditing standards are acceptable with the Grants Officer’s approval. More information can be found at http://gao.gov/assets/590/587281.pdf

For sub-non-Federal entities expending $750,000 or more in Department of State award funding during their fiscal year, Department of State standard audit provisions require that Prime non- Federal entities certify that audits of sub-non-Federal entities are performed annually and according to the standards described above. The cost of audits required under this policy may be charged either as an allowable direct cost to the award, OR included in the organizations established indirect costs in the award’s detailed budget.

3. Compliance with Applicable Federal Funding Regulations and DOS Terms and Conditions Payment of funds awarded under this Notice of Funding Opportunity will not be disbursed until the DOS has been assured that the Recipient’s financial management system will provide effective control over and accountability for all Federal funds in accordance with 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 600 as applicable. Awards issued under this NOFO are subject to the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions and 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 600 as applicable.

APPLICATION REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

A. APPLICATION EVALUATION CRITERIA

Achievable Objectives (15 points) Each of the project objectives listed above (in Section I) are clearly addressed.

Impact and Effectiveness: The applicant describes the project’s potential contribution to solving the problem addressed in the problem statement and achieving results.

Timeframe: The applicant describes realistic results to be accomplished within the timeframe of the proposed award.

Beneficiaries: The applicant clearly identifies the anticipated beneficiaries and explains how the project’s objectives will positively affect them.

Milestones: The applicant provides realistic milestones to indicate progress toward goals and objectives as described in the program announcement.

M&E: The applicant explains how monitoring and evaluation activities will be carried out throughout the award’s period of performance and who will be responsible for them.

The applicant includes tool(s) that will be utilized to assess and measure organization capacity.

Project Design (35 points) The applicant clearly describes how each proposed project activity will address each of the objectives outlined in the requested priority area above (Section I).

Responsiveness to NOFO: Explain how the proposed activities respond to the objectives listed in the NOFO.

Rationale: Justify how the proposed activities will achieve the above objectives in this context.

http://gao.gov/assets/590/587281.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=69f0738c44f722bba1c963a29d0087ba&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2tab_02.tpl https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=69f0738c44f722bba1c963a29d0087ba&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfrv1_02.tpl#600 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/271865.pdf http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/271865.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=69f0738c44f722bba1c963a29d0087ba&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2tab_02.tpl https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=69f0738c44f722bba1c963a29d0087ba&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfrv1_02.tpl#600

Project Management: Clearly describe how the project will be managed in terms of initiation, planning, implementation, and closing.

Partnerships and Buy-ins: The applicant addresses how the project will engage or obtain support from relevant stakeholders and identifies local partners.

Feasibility: The applicant proposes activities that are feasible, practical, and/or experiential in nature to encourage innovation.

Selection Criteria and Process: The applicant explains how local civil society organizations (CSOs) will be selected (e.g., criteria for selection, selection process).

Duplication: The applicant acknowledges if activities similar to those proposed are already taking or have taken place previously, and provides an explanation as to how proposed new activities will not duplicate or merely add to existing/recent activities.

Division of Labor: The application describes the division of labor among the applicant and any partners, if applicable.

Curriculum: The applicant identifies and proposes training materials to effectively address needs of participating organizations.

Innovation: The applicant proposes an innovative project design, including an innovative selection process for CSO participants.

Organizational Capacity (35 points) The applicant demonstrates experience (e.g., has previously worked and/or has established contacts/partners) in the proposed country/territory/region.

The applicant demonstrates an institutional record of successful programs in the content area proposed (e.g., local CSO organizational capacity development).

The applicant demonstrates capacity for responsible fiscal management of donor funding

(e.g., successful management of a previous sub-award or grant).

The applicant demonstrates the ability to meet monitoring and evaluation requirements.

The applicant has adequate staffing and demonstrates the capacity to manage the proposed project.

The applicant includes letters of intent/commitment/agreement from proposed partners, if applicable.

Staff and Position Specifications (15 points)

Pre-identified key staff members, including volunteers, demonstrate experience working in the country/territory/region proposed and with participants from that area (e.g., language skills, cultural understanding).

A description of the roles of each person or position on the project, whether staff, partner, consultant, or volunteer demonstrates that the project will be adequately but efficiently staffed, avoiding redundancy or duplication of effort.

A job description, including hiring criteria, is provided for each open key position.

Pre-identified key staff members, including volunteers, demonstrate experience and knowledge in the proposed content area.

Applicant and/or partner staff has relevant language competencies.

Budget & Budget Narrative (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)

The costs proposed are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results, which are clearly explained in the budget narrative.

The budget provides details of calculations, including estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to be duplicated.

The preponderance of the budget is spent on supporting the project participants/activities in country.

The budget includes costs dedicated to management, monitoring, and evaluation.

Adequate sub-award and travel costs are proposed.

The budget accounts for subaward and monitoring and evaluation costs.

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

NEA/AC is committed to ensuring a competitive and standardized process for awarding funding.

Applications will be screened initially in a Technical Eligibility Review stage to determine whether applicants meet the eligibility requirements outlined in Part V and have submitted all required documents outlined in Part VI. Applications that do not meet these requirements will not advance beyond the Technical Eligibility Review stage and will be deemed ineligible for funding under this NOFO.

NEA/AC reserves the right to have all applications deemed to be eligible undergo a Subject Matter Expert (SME) review prior to the Merit Review Panel. Applications that do not pass SME review will not proceed to the Merit Review Panel.

All applications that proceed to the Merit Review Panel will be evaluated by U.S. government and non-governmental subject matter and/or country-specific experts and will be rated on a 100-point scale.