Go Viral - NOFO - 2024.pdf

Department of State Consulate General of the United States in Almaty, Kazakhstan Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Program Office: Public Diplomacy Section, U.S. Consulate General Almaty Funding Opportunity Title: Go Viral Festival & Network Announcement Type: Cooperative Agreement Funding Opportunity Number: DOS-KAZ-ALM-AEECA-2024-002 Deadline for Applications: August 5, 2024 at 23:59 GMT +5 / 14:59 EST Assistance Listing Number: 19.900 - Assistance for Eastern Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia Total Amount Available: $637,499

CONTACT INFORMATION

• For questions relating to Grants.gov, please call the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800- 518-4726.

• For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact SGP- Kazakhstan@state.gov.

• To inquire about the process for obtaining a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) contact Donald Hunter at HunterDS@state.gov.

In order to be eligible to receive an award under this NOFO, 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 begin the registration processes immediately to ensure the registrations are completed well in advance of the submission deadline. The process can require several weeks for the registrations to be validated and confirmed. See Section D:

Submission Requirements for further details.

Due to the volume of applicants and inquiries, Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) does not accept letters of intent, concept papers, or requests for meetings or phone calls prior to application.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application package has been received in its entirety. Incomplete applications will be considered ineligible. Applicants are urged to begin the application process well before the submission deadline. No exceptions will be made for organizations that have not completed the necessary steps.

mailto:SGP-Kazakhstan@state.gov https://mcas-proxyweb.mcas.ms/certificate-checker?login=false&originalUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ftravel.state.gov.mcas.ms%2Fcontent%2Fpassports%2Fen%2Fcountry%2Fpakistan.html%3FMcasTsid%3D15600&McasCSRF=bf277c86d1b703d2824a744ebc6b4b1ecb2a191e1a5198a3752d961f91d8a07c http://www.sam.gov/

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Executive Summary:

The U.S. Department of State's Consulate General in Almaty, Kazakhstan announces an open competition to implement Go Viral, a program aiming to diversify Central Asia's economy by developing emerging talent in youth 18-35 in entrepreneurship, culture, technology, creative industries, and media. By establishing a comprehensive experiential curriculum and fostering an interactive educational environment with expert-led sessions, we envision the program will nurture regional talent, facilitate knowledge exchange, and foster regional interconnectivity.

Additionally, the program will organize at least one regional festival to showcase participants' achievements and maintain an extensive network of industry professionals to ensure ongoing collaboration and support. This effort seeks to drive economic diversification, enhance regional interconnectivity, and integrate U.S. expertise into Central Asia's development.

Background:

Past project activities:

Go Viral began in Almaty, Kazakhstan in 2017, inspired by the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, aiming to empower a new generation of voices and ideas in Central Asia. While Central Asia is home to thousands of energetic young innovators in business, media, culture, and technology, they lacked a platform to share their ideas, a mechanism to network with partners across the region, and an opportunity to engage with leading practitioners from the United States and Eastern Europe. Go Viral sought to address this need by creating, facilitating, and sustaining connections among regional influencers, innovators, and creative people to share ideas, help achieve their goals, and solve problems important to them and their communities.

In the past four years, the annual festival has grown and evolved, along with the network, strengthened by an increasing number of country-specific events throughout the year in all five Central Asian countries. The project brings together people who are influencers, entrepreneurs, tech experts, creative professionals, and media specialists to share their knowledge, come up with new ideas, and make important connections during the events. The festival's collaborative environment helps people from different fields learn about each other and work together, creating exciting partnerships across fields and countries.

Through workshops, seminars, and hands-on sessions, attendees learn about the latest trends and technologies with a focus on innovation that gives people in the region the skills they need to succeed in a fast-changing economy and information landscape. By supporting the growth of creative industries, the project has been helping create a more diversified and stronger economy for Central Asia.

Problem Statement: Although civil society is playing an increasing role in addressing local and regional challenges, connections between these individuals, and access to best practices, remain limited across Central Asia.

Central Asia has traditionally been dependent on a limited range of industries, and there is a need to invest in creative or emerging industries to help diversify its economy, creating a more robust and varied economic landscape, requiring foreign investment, as well as cooperation among public and private sector professionals. Improving interconnectedness among Central Asian states is equally important for fostering regional stability and cooperation, which can drive collective economic growth and innovation. We aim to address these issues through this funding opportunity, providing the necessary resources and support to provide a platform through which creative, motivated, civic-minded individuals across Central Asia can collaborate, forming a durable, self-sustaining network of innovators to help promote the region’s economic and social development.

Project Audience(s):

Established Opinion Leaders

1. Social Media Macro- and Micro-Influencers

2. Entrepreneurs

3. Tech Experts

4. Creative Industry Professionals

5. Media Figures

Emerging Voices:

1. Young Entrepreneurs

2. Aspiring Tech Innovators

3. Creative Industry Students

4. Up-and-coming Media Professionals

5. New Influencers in Digital Platforms

6. Alumni of other USG programs

Beneficiaries:

1. Civil society organizations advocating on key issues, such as climate, education, women’s empowerment, etc.

2. Community leaders, including individual civic activists

3. Young professionals (ages 21-45)

Project Goal: Improve regional connectivity, promote diversified economic growth, and strengthen civil society in all five Central Asian countries by establishing and maintaining strong collaborations among a new generation of innovative Central Asian opinion leaders.

Project Objectives:

Objective 1: Develop a sense of shared responsibility and community among Central Asian emerging leaders and established opinion leaders through regional networking, training, and partnership opportunities, including a regional festival for around 75 Emerging Voices.

Objective 2: Equip a minimum of 75 Emerging Voices of the Go Viral network with essential skills, knowledge, and resources in entrepreneurship, technology, creative industries, and media sectors through structured hands-on training opportunities and engagement with Established Opinion Leaders in Central Asia, as well as U.S. and other international experts.

Objective 3: Facilitate knowledge sharing between Established Opinion Leaders and civic-minded youth and community organizations to develop innovative solutions and address key challenges across Central Asia.

Proposed Project Activities:

1. Recruitment of emerging voices: (Reference: Objective 2)

• Identify and recruit around 75 motivated Emerging Voices from the region, with at least 10 participants from each Central Asian country. Emerging Voices can be members of the existing Go Viral Network or new participants.

• Organize a series of comprehensive training sessions tailored to equip these emerging leaders with essential skills in entrepreneurship, technology, creative industries, and media.

2. Establish learning curriculum and environment: (Reference: Objective 2)

• Develop a robust curriculum in collaboration with international and regional experts from the fields of business, culture, technology, creative industries, and media.

• Create an engaging and interactive learning environment that facilitates knowledge transfer, practical application, and collaborative problem-solving.

• Hold Go Nights, which combine training and networking and provide members with a chance to connect with like-minded individuals and develop new skills. Go Nights can often be held at American Spaces free of charge, in coordination with the U.S.

Embassy. For reference, Previous implementers held Go Nights at least once every three months per country.

3. Engaging and mentoring civic-minded youth and community organizations (Reference:

Objective 3)

• Organize training and mentorship activities for civically engaged youth and community organizations to learn new skills, such as social media skills for nascent local organizations to expand their audiences.

4. Promote regional exchange and connections (Reference: Objectives 1-2)

• Design and implement travel opportunities that allow the recruited participants to engage with their peers across Central Asia for targeted learning opportunities.

• Promote cultural exchange, knowledge sharing, and the development of regional networks through these interactions.

5. Organize a regional festival (Reference: Objective 1)

• Plan and execute at least one regional festival to showcase the talents and projects of the participants. Depending on the concept, the festival may include one closed day for the 75+ Emerging Voices participants and an open day for the program beneficiaries, such as young professionals ages 21-45.

• Use the festival(s) as a platform to highlight the potential of the creative and technological industries in Central Asia, fostering greater regional cooperation, and attracting international attention and investment.

6. Maintain and manage the existing network of members:

• Maintain, manage, and update the existing network of influencers, entrepreneurs, tech experts, creatives, and media professionals.

• Facilitate continuous engagement through regular updates, virtual meetups, and Go Nights, ensuring sustained support and connection among members, as budget allows.

• Utilize social media appropriately to manage and maintain the existing network of members, creating regular content to maintain audience interest and increase attendance at open events or festivals. Grantees may consider utilizing a full-time social media expert on this project.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: 12 months Total project funding: $637,499 Award Ceiling: $637,499 Award Floor: $500,000 Type of Funding: Cooperative Agreement Anticipated program start date: October 1, 2024

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

The Department of State 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.

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative agreement.

Cooperative agreements are different from grants in that bureau/embassy staff are more actively involved in the grant implementation.

Roles and responsibilities of the parties:

Department of State responsibilities include:

• The Grants Officer (GO) and Grants Officer Representative (GOR), in coordination with representatives from the five Public Diplomacy Sections in Central Asia, will work closely with the grantee on a variety of aspects of the project, including format, timing, language of delivery, and location of events and regional festival(s), transfer of intellectual property from the previous grantee, and development and strengthening of the network. The GOR will communicate at least weekly with the project manager and provide guidance and clearance as appropriate on major decisions.

• Sharing technical knowledge that would benefit the Recipient’s successful accomplishment of stated program objectives.

• Coordinate on and provide prior approval for 75 Emerging Voices participants of the Go Viral Network

• Keeping the Recipient updated of any political or security related matters that may affect program delivery.

• Providing prior approval of requests coming from the Recipient regarding event speakers, selection of venues, dates of major events, and other significant matters in relation to the planning of key/milestone activities.

• Clear on relevant documents, press announcements, and other publications as needed.

• Take part in the selection process of the applicants for the in-depth training.

• Attend and speak at events as required.

Recipient responsibilities include:

• Requesting Department of State concurrence on selection of sub recipients and work plan for subcontracts related to the Go Viral Festival and Network.

• Coordinating closely with Embassy colleagues in each of the five countries to select the 75 Emerging Voices participants

• Requesting Department of State approval for proposed replacements to key personnel, including project lead and Country Ambassadors funded through the agreement.

• Requesting prior approval on requests for all speakers at the Go Viral Festival(s), selection of venues, dates of major events, and other significant matters in relation to the planning of key/milestone activities.

• In consultation with PDS Almaty and with input from other U.S. Missions in Central Asia, creating a slate of potential speakers and thematic priorities for the Festival and associated events in order to develop an appropriate recruitment plan for each speaker to ensure invitations are sent at an appropriate level.

• Providing a draft calendar/schedule of events that are planned in all five countries in advance, in coordination with Consulate Almaty and other U.S. Missions in Central Asia.

• Communicating all significant changes to the programming to the GO/GOR in a timely manner

• Notifying the GO/GOR about any fundraising and sponsorship activities related to this award to ensure concurrence with DoS standards and award terms and conditions.

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 months or less.

Support for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA): All programs should consider strategies for expanding the pool of individuals/organizations/beneficiaries to afford opportunities for as diverse and inclusive population as is feasible to bring diverse perspectives based on religion, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, national origin, and age to implementation of the program.

The Public Diplomacy Section reserves the right to award less or more than the funds described under circumstances deemed to be in the best interest of the U.S. government, pending the availability of funds and approval of the designated grants officer.

C. ELIGIBILTY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• Not-for-profit organizations

• For-profit organizations

• Civil society/non-governmental organizations

2. Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one, non-profit, non-governmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal.

3. Cost sharing or matching is not required for this funding opportunity.

4. Pre-award costs are not an allowable expense for this funding opportunity.

5. 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 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

6. This opportunity will not support:

• Projects relating to partisan political activity;

• Charitable or development activities;

• Construction projects;

• Projects that support specific religious activities;

• Fund-raising campaigns;

• Lobbying for specific legislation or programs

• Scientific research or surveys;

• Commercial projects;

• Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization;

• Projects that duplicate existing projects; or

• Illegal activities

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

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.

Applicants must ensure:

• Proposal clearly addresses the goals, audiences, and objectives of this notice.

• All documents are in English.

• All budgets are in U.S. dollars.

• All pages are numbered.

• All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper.

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

• All applicant authorized signatures are provided where indicated on the various, required forms.

Special Characters in Submissions: Grants.gov does not accept all UTF-8 special characters in file attachment names. Applicants are able to enter all special characters from the UTF-8 character set when submitting applications and information to Grants.gov. However, if the grantor's system is not yet compatible with these special characters, the grantor system may produce garbled or missing text in the application. As a result, the application may be rejected.

The following documents and components are required and must be included in the applicant’s submission:

Section 1. Mandatory application forms

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations)

• SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)

• SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) (note: the SF-424B is only required for individuals and for organizations not registered in SAM.gov)

All submissions must include the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance and the SF-424A Budget Information—Non-Construction. These forms and the instructions for completing them are available at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html under the heading “SF-424 Family.” NOTE: The SF-424B is required only for those applicants who have not registered in SAM.gov. An authorized signature by the applicant must be provided on this form.

Section 2. Technical Proposal (10 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 program, including program objectives and anticipated impact.

• Organizational Description and Capacity: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies as well as experience with and expertise in areas related to those described in the NOFO. You may use the attached Applicant Organization Information Survey form to provide this information (Attachment 5).

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html

• Program Methods, Design, Activities, and Deliverables: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

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

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

• Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees, if applicable.

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

• Support of Equity and Underserved Communities: A description of how the applicant plans on incorporating principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) and engaging underserved communities in their program’s administration, design, and implementation. For more information, please reference section F. Federal Award Administration Information.

• Monitoring & Evaluation: Proposals must include a draft Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP). The M&E PMP should show how applicants intend to measure and demonstrate progress towards the project’s objectives and goals. Attachment 3 of this funding opportunity contains a template that may be used to fulfill this requirement. While the grantee is free to create their own template, completing Attachment 3 will ensure a thorough PMP.

The key components to the PMP are as follows:

a. Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative: In narrative form, applicants should describe how they intend to monitor and evaluate the activities of their award and collect data that tracks award performance. In addition, the applicant should describe any M&E processes, including key personnel, management structure (where M&E fits into the overall program’s staff structure), technology, and as well provide a brief budget narrative explaining any line-item expenditures for M&E listed in the program’s budget.

Submission should demonstrate an ability to adjust project activities based on new information. If the proposal is from a prior grantee, the proposal discusses how the grantee has adapted, improved or otherwise modified their approach based on learning from previous experience. This narrative is limited to two pages.

b. Theory of Change Diagram: Applicants will be expected to submit either a Theory of

Change diagram or an If-Then Statement that illustrates how project activities will lead to intended outcomes. Attachment 3 includes a suggested format for these requirements.

c. Monitoring and Evaluation Datasheet: The applicant must include their proposed activities and their expected outputs and outcomes as well as the goals and objectives as written in the NOFO. The datasheet’s purpose is to explicitly illustrate how a project’s activities lead to tangible results (such as increased beneficiary skills, knowledge, or attitudes) that ultimately address a PDS objective. For more information, please see Attachment 3.1: Instructions.

The selected applicant’s M&E PMP is subject to review and approval before any award will be issued under this NOFO. The selected applicant will be required to work with PDS Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist to ensure the applicant’s M&E PMP achieves an expected level of expertise and meets PDS objectives.

Expenses directly associated with monitoring and evaluation are considered allowable. The suggested template includes a space to list the portion of the total budget amount directly associated with monitoring and evaluation activities.

Section 3. — Detailed Budget and Budget Narrative:

• Detailed Budget - Applicants must submit a detailed line-item budget. Applicants are encouraged to utilize the template provided with the funding opportunity but are not required to do so (Attachment 4). Line-item expenditures should be listed in the greatest possible detail. The budget must identify the total amount of funding requested, with a breakdown of amounts to be spent in the following budget categories: personnel; fringe benefits; travel; equipment; supplies;

consultants/contracts; other direct costs; and indirect costs. See Annex Section I for a description of the types of costs that should be included in each category. Personnel salaries should include the level of effort and the rate of pay, which should cover the percentage of time each staff member will dedicate to grant-based activities. If an organization is charging an indirect cost rate without a NICRA, it must apply it to the modified total budget costs (MTDC), refer to 2CFR§200.68. Budgets shall be submitted in U.S. dollars and final grant agreements will be conducted in U.S. dollars.

• Budget Justification Narrative – Applicants must submit a budget justification narrative to accompany the detailed line-item budget. The purpose of the budget justification narrative is to supplement the information provided in the detailed budget spreadsheet by justifying how the budget cost elements are necessary to implement project objectives and accomplish the project goals. The budget justification narrative is a tool to help PDS staff fully understand the budgetary needs of the applicant and is an opportunity to provide descriptive information about the requested costs beyond the constraints of the budget template. Together, the detailed budget spreadsheet, the budget justification narrative, and the SF-424A should provide a complete financial and qualitative description that supports the proposed project plan and should be directly relatable to the specific project components described in the applicant’s proposal.

Additional Budget Notes:

• Audit Requirements: Please note the audit requirements for Department of State awards in the Standard Terms and Conditions https://www.state.gov/m/a/ope/index.htm and 2CFR200, Subpart F – Audit Requirements. The cost of the required audits may be charged either as an allowable direct cost to the award OR included in the organization’s established indirect costs in the award’s detailed budget.

• Visa Fees: Include all visa application and related fees in your budget as applicable. Please note DS-2019s for post-funded programs must be submitted directly by the award recipient. If you anticipate your program will include the DS-2019 visa processing, your organization must be a registered Designated Sponsoring Organization. For more information go to:

https://j1visa.state.gov/sponsors/become-a-sponsor/

Section 4. - Required Attachments:

• Key Personnel Resumes: A résumé, not to exceed one page in length, must be included for the proposed key staff persons, such as the Project Director and Finance Officer, as well as any speakers or trainers (if applicable). If an individual for this type of position has not been identified, the applicant may submit a 1-page position description, identifying the qualifications and skills required for that position, in lieu of a résumé.

• Letters of support from program partners: Letters of support should be included for sub-recipients or other partners. The letters must identify the type of relationship to be entered into (formal or informal), the roles and responsibilities of each partner in relation to the proposed project activities, and the expected result of the partnership. The individual letters cannot exceed 1 page in length.

• Indirect Costs: If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

(NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included in the application submission.

• Proof of Non-profit Status: Documentation to demonstrate the applicant’s non-profit status (e.g., U.S.-based organizations should submit a copy of their 501(c)(3) Internal Revenue Service determination letter, and non-U.S. organizations should provide evidence of non-profit status issued by a government entity).

• Proof of Registration: A copy of the organization’s registration should be provided with the proposal application. U.S.-based organizations should submit a copy of their IRS determination letter. Kazakhstan-based organizations should submit a copy of their certificate of registration from the appropriate government organization.

https://www.state.gov/m/a/ope/index.htm%20and%202CFR200 https://j1visa.state.gov/sponsors/become-a-sponsor/

Other items NOT required/requested with the application submission, but which may be requested if your application is approved to move forward in the review process include:

a. Copies of an organization or program audit within the last two (2) years

b. Copies of relevant human resources, financial, or procurement policies

c. Copies of other relevant organizational policies or documentation that would help the

Department determine your organization’s capacity to manage a federal grant award overseas.

d. Information to determine what financial controls and standard operating procedures an organization uses to procure goods and services, hire staff and track time and attendance, pay for grant-related travel, and identify other financial transactions that may be necessary to undertake the project activities

e. The Embassy reserves the right to request any additional programmatic and/or financial information regarding the proposal.

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

Required Registration: All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain a SAM.gov registration as well as a Unique Entity Identifier Number (UEI). Registration through www.SAM.gov is free of charge.

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 its 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.

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 submitting an application, the application could be deemed ineligible. All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations, the latter are free of charge.

http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://login.gov/

Please note: 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.”

7. Submission Dates and Times

All application materials must be submitted by email to SGP-Kazakhstan@state.gov (or:

Applications may be submitted electronically through www.Grants.gov or by email to SGP- Kazakhstan@state.gov.)

OR

Application Submission Process: There are two application submissions methods available to applicants. Applicants may submit their application using Submission Method A or Submission Method B outlined below.

• Submission Method A: Submitting all application materials directly to the following email address: SGP-Kazakhstan@state.gov. Applicants opting to submit applications via email to SGP-Kazakhstan@state.gov must include the Funding Opportunity Title and Funding Opportunity Number in the subject line of the email.

• Submission Method B: Submitting all application materials through Grants.gov. For those opting to apply through Grants.gov, thorough instructions on the application process are available at http://www.grants.gov. For questions relating to Grants.gov, please call the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or go to https://www.grants.gov/support.html. Please note that SGP-Kazakhstan@state.gov is unable to assist with technical questions or problems applicants experience with Grants.gov.

Submission Deadline: All applications must be received by August 5, 2024 at 23:59 Almaty time / 14:59 U.S. Eastern Time . For the purposes of determining if an award is submitted on time, PDS will utilize the timestamp provided by Grants.gov. This deadline is firm and is not a rolling deadline. If organizations fail to meet the deadline noted above their application will be considered ineligible and will not be considered for funding.

8. Funding Restrictions:

Pre-award costs are not an allowable expense for this funding opportunity.

9. Other Submission Requirements mailto:SGP-Kazakhstan@state.gov mailto:SGP-Kazakhstan@state.gov mailto:SGP-Kazakhstan@state.gov http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/support.html

Applicants must acquire all required registrations and rights in the United States and Kazakhstan. All intellectual property considerations and rights must be fully met in the United States and Kazakhstan.

Any sub-recipient organization must also meet all the U.S. and Kazakhstan requirements described above.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria: Each application submitted under this announcement will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the criteria enumerated below. The criteria are designed to assess the quality of the proposed project, and to determine the likelihood of its success.

• Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – 25 points: The program idea should be innovative and well developed, with sufficient detail about how project activities will be carried out. The proposals should demonstrate originality and outline clear, achievable objectives. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. The project scope is appropriate and clearly defined. Proposals should also demonstrate how the program will support diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) principles and engage underserved communities in all five Central Asian countries in their program’s administration, design, and implementation.

• Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 25 points:

o The project proposal demonstrates that the organization has sufficient expertise, skills, and human resources to implement the project in all five Central Asian countries o The organization demonstrates that it has a clear understanding of the underlying issue that the project will address.

o The organization demonstrates capacity for successful planning and responsible fiscal management. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.

o Applicants who have received grant funds previously have been compliant with applicable rules and regulations.

o Where partners are described, the applicant details each partner’s respective role and provides curriculum vitae (CVs) for persons responsible for the project and financial administration. Proposed personnel, institutional resources, and partners are adequate and appropriate

• Project Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 20 points: The project plan is well developed, with sufficient detail about how activities will be carried out. The proposal specifies target audiences, participant recruitment, and geographic areas of implementation. The proposal outlines clear, achievable objectives. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. The project scope is appropriate and clearly defined.

• Budget – 10 points: The budget and narrative justification are sufficiently detailed. The budget demonstrates that the organization has devoted time to accurately determine expenses associated with the project instead of providing rough estimates. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The results and proposed outcomes justify the total cost of the project. Budget items are reasonable, allowable, and allocable.

• Monitoring and Evaluation - 10 points: There is a complete and thorough draft submission of a M&E Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP). This will include a list of proposed project activities, corresponding milestone, output, and outcome indicators, a description of data collection methods, and a timeline for collecting such information.

The proposal presents a clear theory of change on how the program will address that problem. Further, if the project requires selecting participants, or beneficiaries, the proposal should articulate how the selection will be done in an equitable way. Use of the suggested template (Attachments 3 & 3.1) will satisfy these requirements. Funded projects will have their plans finalized during the negotiation phase, and monitoring plans may be subject to periodic updates throughout the life of the project.

• Sustainability – 10 points: The project proposal describes clearly the approach that will be used to ensure maximum sustainability or advancement of project goals after the end of project activity.

2. Review and Selection Process

a) Acknowledgement of receipt. Applicants will receive acknowledgment of receipt of their proposal.

b) Review. All submissions are screened for technical eligibility. If a submission is missing any required forms/documents listed above in Section D, it will be considered ineligible and will not be reviewed by the grants review committee. A technical review panel will review eligible proposals based upon the criteria noted in this NOFO.

c) Follow up notification. Applicants will generally be notified within 120 days after the NOFO deadline regarding the results of the review panel.

3. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov (formerly, Federal Awardee Performance & Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)

a) 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);

b) 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;

c) 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 §200.206 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

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.

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 Department of State.

The Federal government is not obligated to make any Federal award as a result of the announcement. 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. The U.S. government also reserves the right to make an award in excess of the award ceiling.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Terms and Conditions:

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

These include:

• 2 CFR 25 - UNIVERSAL IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

• 2 CFR 170 - REPORTING SUBAWARD AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION INFORMATION

• 2 CFR 175 - AWARD TERM FOR TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

• 2 CFR 182 - GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE

(FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE)

• 2 CFR 183 - NEVER CONTRACT WITH THE ENEMY

• 2 CFR 600 – DEPARTMENT OF STATE REQUIREMENTS

• U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-170 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-175 https://www.grants.gov/?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.182&rgn=div5 https://www.grants.gov/?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.182&rgn=div5 https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/worldwide-caution.html?SID=81a5f41de81c46a9844617d93a9db081&mc=true&node=pt2.1.183&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-600 https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/

In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department of State will review and consider applications for funding, as applicable to specific programs, pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity in accordance with the following: NOTE:

• Guidance for Grants and Agreements in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2

CFR), as updated in the Federal Register’s 85 FR 49506 on August 13, 2020, particularly on:

o Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR part 200.205), o Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 115—232) (2 CFR part 200.216), o Promoting the freedom of speech and religious liberty in alignment with Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (E.O. 13798) and Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities (E.O.

13864) (§§ 200.300, 200.303, 200.339, and 200.341), o Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States (2 CFR part 200.322), and o Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest extent authorized by law, if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR part 200.340).

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility The Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) prioritizes inclusive and integrated programs that address barriers to access for individuals and groups based on their religion, gender, disabilities, ethnicity, or sexual orientation and gender identity. In accordance with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Underserved Communities, proposals should demonstrate how the program will advance principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) related to race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, and/or disability.

Proposals should demonstrate how addressing racial equity and/or the status of underserved communities will enhance the program’s goals and objectives, as well as the experience of participants.

The support of underserved communities will be part of the review criteria for this opportunity.

Therefore, proposals should clearly demonstrate how the program will support and advance equity and engage underserved communities in the program’s administration, design, and implementation phases.

Definitions:

Diversity:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/

The term “diversity” means the practice of including the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, cultures, and beliefs of a community.

Equity:

The term “equity” means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as ethnic minorities, and indigenous persons, members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

Inclusion:

The term “inclusion” means the recognition, appreciation, and use of the talents and skills of persons of all backgrounds.

Accessibility:

The term “accessibility” means the design, construction, development, and maintenance of facilities, information and communication technology, programs, and services so that all people, including people with disabilities, can fully and independently use them.

Underserved communities:

The term “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list in the preceding definition of “equity.”

Reporting Recipients are required to submit quarterly program progress and financial reports throughout the project period. The quarterly progress report should include an up-to-date copy of the PMP datasheet. Progress and financial reports are due 30 days after the reporting period. Final certified programmatic and financial reports are due 120 days after the close of the project period.

All reports are to be submitted electronically.

Awardees that are deemed to be high risk may be required to submit more extensive and frequent reports until their high-risk designation has been removed.

The Awardee must also provide the Embassy on an annual basis an inventory of all the U.S.

government provided equipment using the SF428 form.

Applicants should be aware of the post award reporting requirements reflected in 2 CFR 200 Appendix XII—Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

Foreign Assistance Data Review https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/appendix-Appendix%20XII%20to%20Part%20200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/appendix-Appendix%20XII%20to%20Part%20200

As required by Congress, the Department of State must make progress in its efforts to improve tracking and reporting of foreign assistance data through the Foreign Assistance Data Review (FADR). The FADR requires tracking of foreign assistance activity data from budgeting, planning, and allocation through obligation and disbursement. Successful applicants will be required to report and draw down federal funding based on the appropriate FADR Data Elements, indicated within their award documentation. In cases of more than one FADR Data Element, typically program or sector and/or regions or country, the successful applicant will be required to maintain separate accounting records.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about this funding opportunity or the grant application process, please contact: SGP-Kazakhstan@state.gov.

Question Deadline: For questions on this solicitation, please contact SGP-Kazakhstan@state.gov. Questions must be received on or before July 31, 2024, at 23:59 Almaty time / 14:59 p.m., U.S. Eastern Time. Questions received before the deadline will be answered in a question-and-answer document and posted at http://www.grants.gov under the solicitation number (DOS-KAZ-ALM-AEECA-2024-002)

H. OTHER INFORMATION

Guidelines for Budget Justification

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

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

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

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

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

Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the program, which do not fit in the other categories.