FY24 - PAS Brussels Annual Program Statement.docx

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

U.S. EMBASSY BRUSSELS, PUBLIC DIPLOMACY SECTION (PDS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Funding Opportunity Title: U.S. Embassy Brussels PAS Annual Program Statement

(APS)

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy Brussels Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Grants Program. This Annual Program Statement outlines our funding priorities, strategic themes, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding. Applications for programs are accepted on a rolling basis until the deadline of July 31, 2024. Each quarter, a grant review committee reviews the outstanding applications. The deadline is necessary to provide sufficient time to process and award programs in advance of the end of our fiscal year on September 30, 2024. Please carefully follow all instructions below.

Purpose of Grants:

PDS Brussels invites proposals for projects that strengthen ties between the United States and Belgium by highlighting shared values and promoting bilateral cooperation. Grant proposals must convey an American cultural element, support a priority program area (see below), or include a connection with American expert(s), organization(s), or institution(s) in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.

Examples of projects include, but are not limited to:

· Academic and professional lectures, seminars, and speaker programs;

· Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions;

· Youth leadership programs;

· Professional and academic exchanges and projects;

· Entrepreneurship and innovation in technological or other fields; and

· Sports-related programming.

Priority Program Areas:

· Programs that promote active partnership between the United States and Belgium to address new and evolving security challenges, including disinformation;

· Programs that counter the influences of radicalization and violent extremism, including political extremism;

· Programs that offer youth leaders the opportunity to strengthen their leadership skills;

· Programs that build capacity in organizations seeking to strengthen social cohesion through promotion of diversity principles; and/or

· Programs that enable engagement with youth audiences on the enduring relevance of U.S.-Belgium historical bonds.

Priority Participants and Audiences:

· Youth, particularly those from underserved communities;

· Women, particularly entrepreneurs and/or those from underserved communities;

· Underserved/Minority/Refugee communities; and

· Civil society organizations and academic institutions.

The following types of projects are not eligible for funding:

· Projects relating to partisan political activity;

· Charitable or development activities;

· Construction projects;

· Projects that support specific religious activities;

· Fundraising campaigns;

· Lobbying for specific legislation or projects;

· Scientific research; or

· Projects that duplicate existing projects.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: Three to twenty-four months Number of awards anticipated: Amount pending funds availability Award amounts: Up to $50,000 Total available funding: Amount pending funds availability Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2024 Public Diplomacy Funding Anticipated project start date: After January 1, 2024

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Grant, Fixed Amount Award, or Cooperative Agreement. Cooperative Agreements are different from grants in that PDS staff members are more actively involved in the grant implementation.

Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should ideally be planned for a period of 12 months but can be longer depending on the nature of the program. PDS will entertain applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the initial budget period on a non-competitive basis subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Eligible Applicants

The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from the United States and Belgium:

· Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience;

· Individuals; or

· Non-profit or governmental educational institutions.

For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

Cost Sharing or Matching Cost sharing is not required.

Other Eligibility Requirements Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per individual or organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.

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

Please note that the Embassy cannot assist with SAM.gov registration.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Address to Request Application Package Application forms must be submitted through Workspace, the online platform available at https://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.

Content and Form of Application Submission Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

Content of Application Please ensure:

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

· All documents are in English;

· All budgets are in U.S. dollars;

· All pages are numbered;

· All documents are formatted to 8.5 x 11 paper; and

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

The following documents are required:

I. Mandatory application forms

· SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance --individuals) at www.grants.gov.

· SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at www.grants.gov.

· SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at www.grants.gov.

II. Summary Coversheet: Cover sheet stating the applicant’s name and organization, proposal date, project title, start and end date of the proposed period of performance, and brief purpose of the project.

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

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

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

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

· Project Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the project is intended to achieve. What aspect of the relationship between the U.S. and Belgium will be improved? The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.

· Project Activities: Describe the project activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

· Program Methods and Design: A description of how the project is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal.

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

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

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

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

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

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

V. Attachments:

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

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

· Official permission letters, if required for project activities with program partners, for instance.

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

Required Registrations:

All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations. All are free of charge:

· www.SAM.gov registration which will generate a UEI

· NCAGE/CAGE code

Any applicant with an exclusion in the System for Award Management (SAM) is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.”

The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. SAM.gov is the Federal government's primary database for complying with FFATA reporting requirements. OMB designated SAM.gov as the central repository to facilitate applicant and recipient use of a single public website that consolidates data on all federal financial assistance. Under the law, it is mandatory to register in SAM.gov.

Starting April 2022, the UEI will be assigned when an organization registers or renews it’s registration in SAM.gov at www.SAM.gov. To access SAM.gov an organization is required to have a Login.gov account. Organization can create an account at https://login.gov/. As a reminder, organizations need to renew its sam.gov registration annually.

US-based organizations: A CAGE code will be automatically assigned when the U.S. organizations registers in www.sam.gov. CAGE must be renewed every 5 years. Site for CAGE: https://cage.dla.mil/Home/UsageAgree. Grantees may be asked for more information to finalized and must comply.

Foreign-based organizations: Must apply for a NCAGE code before registering in SAM.gov. Go to: https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/CageTool/home to apply for a NCAGE code. NCAGE codes must be renewed every 5 years.

It is in the organization’s best interest to check if their CAGE/or NCAGE codes are active. Organizations are required to register/or renew their CAGE or NCAGE codes prior to registering or renewing www.sam.gov . Both registration and renewals for both CAGE and NCAGE can take up to 10 days. Organization’s legal address in NCAGE/CAGE must mirror www. sam.gov.

www.sam.gov requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM.gov. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure it has an active registration in SAM.gov.

If an organization plans to issue a sub-contract or sub-award, those sub-awardees must also have a unique entity identifier (UEI number). Those entities can register for a UEI only at SAM.gov.

If an organization does not have an active registration in SAM.gov prior to applying, the application will be deemed ineligible. All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations, the latter are free of charge.

Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required.

SAM registration must be renewed annually.

Submission Dates and Times Applications may be submitted for consideration at any time before the closing date of July 31, 2024. No applications will be accepted after that date.

Funding Restrictions Award funds cannot be used for construction projects, vehicle purchases, real estate purchases, or other similar purposes.

Other Submission Requirements All application materials must be submitted by email, and applicants must send all inquiries about the status of their application to USGrantsBE@state.gov.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Criteria Each application will be evaluated and rated by a review panel composed of members from relevant sections across the mission based on the evaluation criteria outlined below. The criteria listed are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application.

· Organizational capacity and record on previous grants: The organization has expertise in its stated field and PAS is confident of its ability to undertake the project. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.

· Quality and feasibility of the program idea: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how project activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.

· Goals and objectives: Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and the project approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

· Embassy priorities: Applicant has clearly described how stated goals are related to and support U.S. Embassy Brussels’ priority areas or target audiences.

· Budget: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities.

· Monitoring and evaluation plan: Applicant demonstrates it can measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The project includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.

· Sustainability: Project activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the project. This can include building institutional partnerships during the grant program.

Review and Selection Process A Grants Review Committee will evaluate all eligible applications.

FAPIIS

For any Federal award under a notice of funding opportunity, if the Federal awarding agency anticipates that the total Federal share will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold on any Federal award under a notice of funding opportunity may include, over the period of performance (see §200.88 Simplified Acquisition Threshold), this section must also inform applicants:

I. That the Federal awarding agency, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);

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

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

IV. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates: Announcement and federal award dates will be announced on a rolling basis throughout the year and no later than September 30, 2024.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

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

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the U.S. Department of State.

Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

Payment Method: Payments will be made as needed to carry out the project activities.

Organizations whose applications will not be funded will also be notified via email.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements Terms and Conditions: Before applying, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications, which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply. These include:

2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 600, Certifications and Assurances, and the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions, all of which are available at: https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/

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

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

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact PAS at: USGrantsBE@state.gov.

Note: We do not provide any pre-consultation for application-related questions that are addressed in the NOFO. Once an application has been submitted, U.S. State Department officials and staff — both in the Department and at embassies overseas — may not discuss this competition with applicants until the entire proposal review process is completed.

H. OTHER INFORMATION

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

Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this project. If the project involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel.

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

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

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

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

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

“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S. Embassy. It also includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time and donated venues. Cost sharing does not apply to Fixed Amount Awards.

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