CARSI_NoFo_FAQS_May 2017.pdf

1 | P a g e

Frequently Asked Questions:

CARSI-ESF Notice of Funding Opportunity – U.S. Embassy Panama May 26, 2017

Part 1: Before writing you grant proposal:

General Questions:

Q: Is there an e-mail or phone number for further questions?

A: Yes - for questions related specifically to the Notice of funding opportunity, you can send questions to panamagrants@state.gov. For questions related to setting up your account on www.grants.gov, you can email support@grants.gov or call them in the US at 1 800 518 4726.

Q: Do grant recipients change from year to year?

A: The applicant selected for this funding opportunity will be expected to complete the program in the 24-36 months specified in the NOFO, but we do not select the same grant recipients every year. Each application and NOFO is treated differently.

Q: Is it possible to get feedback on past applications?

A: We try to avoid providing comments on specific applications; however, feel free to send an email to PanamaGrants@state.gov and we can try and provide as much feedback as possible. Please note that this year's solicitation is significantly different from last year’s, thus previous projects may no longer fit within the target objective.

Q: What is the average amount of the awarded grants?

A: The answer depends on the number of proposals awarded and the funding amounts requested. The total amount of funding available for this NoFo is $1.5M - we expect to fund minimum 6 and no more than 10. But on average between $200,000 and $400,000.

Q: Is the total funding for all projects $1.5M for all projects combined, or per project?

A: The $1.5 million represents our total budget, for all grants this round. The minimum grant award for this round is $100,000, and we're planning on having no less than 6 grantees and no more than 10.

Q: What is the minimum execution time for the project, 18 or 24 months?

The minimum period of performance is 18 months, and the maximum is 36 months.

Q: Are there any priority geographic areas for the execution of the project which should be considered when preparing the proposal?

A: We are soliciting responses throughout the entire country. I will note, however, that sub-objective 2 under civil society and transparency is particularly focused on proposals that seek to develop models for sustainable urban community development, which includes underserved areas in Panama and Colon Provinces, as well as areas with poor economic links to the capital.

Q: Is there a specific preference regarding project location i.e Panama City, Colon?

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.grants.gov%2F&h=ATOO2OlFHRrsPwH29LuO2XaLA4KK1l6Qbt-Opn8lr5X-bET0gJFcKqhZncgvdTjE9iHnD6YQ5_gP4d3xMHEj-uh06FaMhs81G4vjFGB1O1AMTqITbIwNyXR47A2J9qi4RuIsSGw mailto:PanamaGrants@state.gov

2 | P a g e

A: We will accept projects that conform to the objectives outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity regardless of geographic focus. Objective Three notes a particular focus on Panama City and Colon;

however, there are many viable focus areas for projects.

Q: Is there a list with the names of the programs and/or agencies that have been awarded CARSI funds in the past?

A: Yes! The full list of Department of State grants issued in Panama is available on USASpending.gov.

The process to posting data to that site sometimes takes a while, but it’s a good resource to see what the U.S. is spending here in Panama. Please note that the site has all grants the embassy writes, not just the grants we fund under CARSI.

Q: Can an applicant apply with 2 completely different projects?

A: The panel will only fund one project at a time for any one organization at the time an application is submitted for review. Submitting two proposals is up to your organization, however, you may want to consider whether it is efficient for your organization to draft two proposals, rather than expend the organization’s efforts on developing one strong proposal, as other organizations will also be competing for funding.

Eligibility Requirements:

Q: What does an organization need to be eligible?

A: To answer your question, organizations eligible to apply for funding under this NoFo must be one of the following: 1) U.S. non-profit or NGOs that have a 501(c)(3) status; 2) overseas-based non profit organizations/NGOs; 3) institutions of higher education; and/or 4) public international organizations. For your reference, this information can be found on the coversheet of the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Q: Which institutions can apply for funding under this notice of funding opportunity?

A: The eligibility category is located on the coversheet of the Nofo, and includes the list of eligible institutions – for this NoFo, this includes: U.S. non-profit and NGOs with a 501(c)(3) status; overseas – based non-profit organizations; institutions of higher education; and public international organizations.

Q: Is it possible to submit a proposal if we are from El Salvador?

A: Yes, you can apply for this grant. U.S. NGO's having 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, overseas-based nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and public international organizations are eligible to apply.

Q: Can mental health agencies with affiliations to academic institutions apply?

A: If your institution qualifies under one of the following categories, we welcome your application: U.S.

Nonprofit/nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, overseas-based (e.g. Panama) nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and public international organizations..

Q: Are there any specific institutions with whom the embassy would like applicants to partner up with?

3 | P a g e

A: We encourage you to develop the local partnerships that make the most sense and are most helpful to your proposed project.

Q: How does the embassy define public international organizations?

A: The www.grants.gov website provides complete information regarding eligibility which you can find here: http://www.grants.gov/.../learn.../grant-eligibility.html

PART 2: Submitting Your Grant Proposal

Technical Questions:

Q. Can I create an account in grants.gov without registering in SAM?

A: No. The system will not permit you to create an account in grants.gov until you have already registered in SAM.

Q: I have a DUNS number, which I entered in grants.gov and created a new username, however, I don't have a role and can't create a workspace. How can I assign myself the role of AOR?

A: Any specific questions you have about the www.grants.gov website can be sent via email to support@grants.gov, or you can call them in the U.S. at 1 800 518 4726.

Q: Is the information that appears on the upper right corner of the NOFO the “Funding Opportunity Numbers”, and the title which must be placed in item number 12 of the SF424?

A: Yes, you should put the information in the header: NOFO Number: S-PM070-16-GR-500 Promoting Security and Accountability in Panama.

Q: How do you get the "Competition Identification Number"? Do you need to add something other than the name of the project in item 13 on the SF424?

A: This number should already be in the electronic submission form on grants.gov.

Q: What should we enter in "Congressional District of:" if we are not in the US?

A: Please enter N/A if you are not in the United States.

Q: What is the difference between the “Federal” and the “b. Applicant” in items 18a and 18b in the SF424? What should we enter in those categories?

A: 18a is the Federal amount (i.e., what the applicant will be asking the grant to pay for), and 18b is the cost share (i.e., what the applicant's organization will commit to paying for). Cost-share is not required, but you can include it if you are anticipating providing cost-share. Please note that you are bound to provide the cost-share amount you put in 18b.

Q. Are the font requirements specified in Section IV of the application actually requirements?

A: Yes. Section IV outlines the submission instructions, and under the heading “Technical Format Requirements” provides that all Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font. The technical format requirements must be strictly adhered to in order for the proposal to be eligible for review.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.grants.gov%2F&h=ATPrVmBYXRC_CgY1amLFlS2aUENtrfttnnDPxWlDokuADSpl7RtXzbTguLQWqiRYK97NtEdVNvOUnBKr6Pj7NTvfFVdsVzj0El6op_9AJSybU_99VY6wRd0JMP7AkGR1qfRrDGE

4 | P a g e

Programmatic Questions:

Q: What is the expected role of government institutions in the execution of the project?

A: Organizations who are eligible as the prime recipient may partner with government institutions. The nature of this partnership and the government’s involvement should be clearly stated in the proposal.

The applicant is responsible for defining the role the partner organization will play in their project proposal.

Q: I am interested in whether there are existing inter-agency collaborations between large government-driven programming and (from the other end) police or security-driven strategies. This is where we have seen our greatest successes in the area of prevention of crime and juvenile diversion.

What is a recommended source of information regarding existing efforts? We have had a good experience connecting these levels of government down to through a continuity of care model.

A: We agree that programs that compliment government-driven programming often have the biggest impact. In Panama, the Ministry of Public Security will have much of the information on the government's crime prevention and juvenile priorities and programs. Other useful sources may be local civil society organizations, the Ministry of Government, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of the Presidency.

Q: My question is regarding the Oficina de Seguridad Integral (OSEGI). Is there an information source regarding this institution's current and forthcoming policies, priorities and operations, such that any project submitted to them might seamlessly fit their agenda, while offering some innovation.

A: Great question, and one that underscores the importance of looking at other local programs in Panama to get the greatest value out of your program. We would direct you to the individual ministries or agencies managing the projects you think might be relevant for the latest information.

Q: I'd like to ask a question on recidivism data. Is there information on the quality of corrections data, or at least a process evaluation on how that data has been tracked in the past? Is it traditionally under- or over-estimated? And is there a sense of the amount of crime un- or under-reported? One of our current problems is a disconnect with the non-recidivism rate and the crime rate. This might not be an issue there though.

A: The Ministry of Government in Panama manages the national corrections system. One starting point may be with international organizations, including UNODC. We'll be happy to discuss via email at PanamaGrants@state.gov. Thanks for joining us today! http://www.unodc.org/.../implementing-prison-reform-in...

Q: What is the scope of the grant regarding reach? We have been working with vulnerable populations for some time, and outcomes in terms of reintegration with the formal economy are measurable, but the time/effort necessary to elicit this, is large per person. Given the grant floor and ceiling, what is the general range of clients you expect to reach?

A: We have intentionally not defined an anticipated reach for project proposals. We would expect that projects with higher budgetary requirements would have greater reach than smaller projects. However, we will evaluate each project on its merits in accordance with the objectives as described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity and the broader CARSI objectives.

5 | P a g e

Q: Our organization is interested in applying for Objective 3 sub section 1, provide vocational training to at risk youth, my question is are organizations providing this service and if so, how many youth have they trained and what is their training cost per student A: It's important to look at other local programs in Panama to get the greatest value out of your program. We would direct you to the individual ministries or agencies managing the projects you think might be relevant for the latest information.

Q: Under Objective 2, the solicitation says that the recipient cannot benefit members of Panamanian law enforcement. Does it means that the program cannot train judges and prosecutors?

A: Training provided to any civilian, non-police is permitted under the objectives included in this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Thus, the judicial system (judges and prosecutors) would not be included within the definition of law enforcement.

Q: How do we account for measuring change in crime rates when the project proposal only covers two years?

Q: What do we do if there is no true “baseline” data for parts of our project? (Our organization has been in Panama for six years, but we did not begin collecting data until much later).

Proposal Writing - Content Related Questions:

Q: In addition to an introduction of the organization, description of the project objectives, and a needs statement, what else does the Embassy require in a proposal narrative?

A: Regarding the proposal narrative, the specific information required is detailed in the Notice of funding opportunity. However, in general, a proposal narrative should be – a clear and detailed description of what your project is; what steps and activities it will undertake; and what results you expect from those activities.

Q: Do you base impact on the number of people reached or impact with regards to the changes in behavior observed in a person?

A: Impact is definitely based on the number of people reached, but a comprehensive description of the impact would also include an assessment showing changes in the behavior of the people reached.

Q: Is the embassy interested in seeing “agreement” letters? In other words, is it necessary to provide proof that the programs will be working with, for example, MEDUCA A: You may submit whatever attachments you feel are needed to support your proposal, although agreement letters are not required.

Q: How detailed should the activities section be? Can some broad categories be defined or most activities be described? for example: training as a broad category in case there are various training/workshops on different topics, or should there be one activity per training?

A: In the proposal, you should provide enough detail to describe the purpose and types of activities that will be included in the training/ workshops. The level of detail will depend on the proposed activity, but what is important is that the detail or description clearly describes what activities the project will undertake and what results you expect from those activities.

6 | P a g e

Q: How should the applicant develop indicators and baselines?

A: On indicators and baselines, it really depends on your program. In our NoFo, we put out a couple of examples on pages 9-12, of what indicators might look like, but each proposal should have project-specific “SMART” goals – the acronym stands for – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound goals.

There are number of ways to get baseline data – it could be publicly available data, pre-project surveys, etc. But you should design your own baselines and indicators that make sense for your particular program.

I would like to note that if you plan to submit a proposal under Objective 1, Civil Society and Transparency, Sub-objective 1.2, you must include the example provided on page 9 as one of the measurable outcome indicators.

Q: Can you clarify what you mean by “Project expansion”?

A: As provided beginning on page 8 of the NoFo, the project expansion section pertains to the option to expand a selected project to cover a broader sector of the country, or to other countries, subject to the availability of future funding. While not required, you may submit a brief section in your project proposal explaining how you would expand your project should more funding become available.

Q: With respect to the budget, are there any specific things that should not go on the program budget?

A: This is a great question! Yes, there are a few items that should not be in the budget. As noted on page 26 of the NoFo under “Budget Conditions and Restrictions” there is a list of items that the embassy will not pay for – you can review page 26 for a full lies of the items, but just to name a few – they include

1) expenses incurred before or after the specified dates of the award period of performance – unless prior written approval is received; 2) alcoholic beverages; and 3) construction.

Q. If the proposal will include grants to sub-grantees, what has to be included in the project narrative regarding the sub-awards?

A: Proposals that will include sub-awards should include a description in the project narrative that explains the purpose of the sub-award and how it will meet the project goals. Please note, as indicated in Section IV of the NoFo, proposal narratives must not exceed ten (10) pages in Microsoft Word.

Q. If the proposal will include grants to sub-grantees, do the specific budget line items of sub-awards need to be included in the application?

A: The proposed budget submitted by the prime recipient should include itemized costs for the project, which would include the overall costs for any proposed sub-grants.

PART 3: After Grant Application Period Ends:

Q: How long after the closing date does the embassy expect to send out either award or denial letters?

A: We expect to finish signing agreements with the selected grant recipients by September 30. Denial letters will go out shortly after that.

7 | P a g e

Q. If my organization submits a proposal for a project period of 24 months for X value and the project is awarded funding, but to only finance 20% of the project, what is the expectation?

A: A proposal is reviewed in its entirety, and as such, the Budget, as submitted will be reviewed in its entirety. However, the panel that reviews the budget proposal will view it based on the known market value line items and the reasonableness of the budgeted costs included.

Q. Can proposals be approved for different amounts or are they only approved in their entirety?

A: If the review panel seeks to fund the Project based on the technical narrative submitted, but has questions regarding the budget expenses, the panel can request that adjustments be made to the budget in order to receive final approval.

Q: Can a proposal be awarded a lower amount that the one requested?

So in mid-June we'll do have a formal review of all the grant applications. Depending on the number we receive, the number of grants we want to fund, and the total amount requested, yes, it maybe the case that we only partially fund part of a project. But generally we try and fund the project in its entirety.

If your grant proposal is accepted in principal, then there's a back and forth conversation that happens with us where all the final details are negotiated before the final award is signed.

After Grant Has Been Awarded:

Q: If we are selected as a grantee, how does the U.S. Embassy plan to measure/evaluate our project?

A: The grant recipient is responsible for measuring and evaluating their own project, and reporting these results to the Embassy on a quarterly, and as-needed basis. The Embassy reviews these reports, conducts periodic site visits (announced and unannounced), and is in frequent contact with the grant recipients.

Q: Just to get an idea of the competitiveness related to this NOFO, on average, how many applications does the embassy receive?

A: The number of applications we receive varies from year to year, but generally we receive about 20 applications, of which 15 meet all the eligibility requirements and go on to a full panel review.

Q: How does the embassy go about auditing, monitoring and evaluating awarded program?

A: This is a good question – and the answer is, it depends project to project. But there are a few basic things we do with all of our projects. For most grants, we will do periodic site visits to see the program and progress first hand; these site visits may include discussions of both the program and the finances.

We also require quarterly reporting and generally seek an accounting of financial activity when organizations request additional disbursements.

Q. Who is responsible for providing the financial and program reports to the Embassy – both the prime recipient and the sub-grantee?

A: The prime recipient of the project is responsible for complying with the financial and program reporting requirements of the award. The sub-grantee will be responsible for providing its financial and program reports to the prime recipient, per the terms of the sub-award.

Q. How often do grantees report?

A: Grantees are required to submit quarterly financial and program reports.

8 | P a g e

Q. Can we include our own template reporting formats?

A: For program reports (SF-PPR), yes - as long as your templates include the information required to be reported quarterly per the terms of the agreement, however you must also submit the signed PPR cover page with your quarterly reports. For financial reports, no – all financial reporting will need to be completed on the SF-425, additional financial back-up can be provided as an amendment.

Q. Auditing? When does it need to be done?

A: Program recipients, who expended $750,000 or more of U.S. federal funds annually, must comply with the audit reporting requirements provided under 2 CFR 200 Subpart F “Audit Requirements.”

Most, if not all of the CARSI grants will not fall under this reporting requirement. As such, audits can be conducted towards the conclusion of the award. If your local office is part of a larger US-based NGO that receives a lot of funding from State Department or USAID, it’s likely that they’re already fulfilling this requirement.