KOL - Be Cybersmart.docx

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Consulate of the United States in Kolkata, India Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Title: Be Cybersmart: Supporting Young Women Leaders from High Schools and Colleges of Kolkata and Surrounding Underserved Communities Funding Opportunity Number: K-NOFO-23-101 Deadline for Applications: July 20, 2023 [11:59 pm midnight Washington DC] Assistance Listing Number: 19.441 Tentative Amount Available: $50,000 Mission Goal:

ICS Goal 4: Promote shared democratic values and create new opportunities for our governments and peoples to uphold democratic principles and safeguard the rules-based international system.

(U) Mission Objective 4.1:

· Increase bilateral partnership between India and the United States, including at the people-to-people-level, to uphold democratic norms regionally and globally.

(U) Mission Objective 4.2:

· Grow U.S.-India multilateral and like-minded strategic cooperation to safeguard a stable, rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.PDIP Goal - Human Rights and Democracy

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Public Diplomacy Section of U.S. Consulate General Kolkata announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to empower young women leaders from Bengali vernacular high schools and colleges to become cyber-smart to combat digital media misinformation. Please follow all instructions below.

Priority Region: West Bengal

Background:

Cyberspace and its underlying infrastructure are vulnerable to a wide range of risks. Sophisticated cyber actors and some nation-states exploit vulnerabilities to steal information and money, and are developing capabilities to disrupt, destroy, and threaten the delivery of essential services.

The Biden-Harris Administration has brought a focus to improving U.S. cyber defenses, by building a comprehensive approach to “lock our digital doors” and take aggressive action to strengthen and safeguard digital infrastructure.

The United States is not working alone on this effort, and is engaged with key partners in the Quad, including India. The White House released the “Quad Joint Statement on Cooperation to Promote Responsible Cyber Habits” which said: “We the Quad partners of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States have launched a public campaign to improve cyber security across our nations: the Quad Cyber Challenge.” It invited Internet users across the Indo-Pacific and beyond to join the Challenge and pledge to practice safe and responsible cyber habits. The Challenge reflects continuing Quad efforts to strengthen individual and community cyber security awareness and action, as well as to foster a more secure and resilient cyber ecosystem to benefit economies and users everywhere.

The United States also established the International Counter-Ransomware Initiative (CRI), bringing together partners from around the globe to address the scourge of ransomware. This group has raised collective resilience, engaged the private sector, and disrupted criminal actors and their infrastructure. The United States has made it harder for criminals to move illicit money, by sanctioning a series of cryptocurrency mixers used regularly by ransomware actors to collect and “clean” their illicit earnings. Several cyber criminals have also been successfully extradited to the United States to face justice for their crimes.

India is home to over 400 million young people. More than 250 million of these young individuals receive some type of formal education.[endnoteRef:2] Online education brought a plethora of opportunities but also exposed these learners to cyber-risks and threats. While students have returned to in-person classrooms, their access to online resources has increased significantly. One in three adolescents reported going through negative experiences on the Internet. These included instances of cyber bullying , propagation of misinformation, and hacking or misuse of social media profiles . Two out of every five stated that they accepted friendship requests from strangers. Parents of students who participated in the study expressed fear about the type of content created and shared by their children over social media. Multiple efforts to improve online safety such as the National Council of Education and Research Training (NCERT) cyber-safety guidelines have not worked. Even when respondents knew about these, they did not specifically know what their content was. Similarly, misinformation affects adolescents trying to navigate their digital spaces. Fake social media profiles, viral pictures and videos, misleading information, cyber-hackers, cyber-enabled human trafficking, and biased rumors are witnessed in many of the groups with which young leaders are associated. A good digital media literacy program will make a group of women leaders Cybersmart and help them to learn to combat misinformation and become active and informed citizen journalists who can in turn train their peers and community members to be able to navigate a positive and safe digital footprint in the region. [2: ]

The U.S. Consulate Kolkata has been active in this field, implementing projects on media literacy and cybersecurity to equip young journalists, entrepreneurs and youth leaders to strategize to counter cyber-threats, and combat misinformation in East and Northeast India and the Indo-Pacific, with a focus on women. This project is an extension of that effort that will empower young adult women leaders from (age 18-22) Bengali vernacular high schools and colleges of Kolkata and neighboring suburbs.

This project proposes to create a “CyberSmart Generation,” through a digital media literacy training program for youth (aged 16 to 25) in Kolkata, and few suburbs of West Bengal. This project will use the American Center/Space Kolkata as the safe-space and will serve as a convening space for youth to network, meet peers and discuss critical issues such as how to combat online mis/disinformation and build a resilient and informed generation and communities.

The objective of CyberSmart is to help youth participants develop critical thinking skills, provide tools, and generate awareness about their cyber footprint and privacy, develop competencies to deal with online safety issues such as hacking and bullying, and become responsible digital content creators and users.

Project Audience(s): This digital literacy and cybersecurity project will engage with 650 young women students from Bengali vernacular high schools (grades 9-12) and colleges from Kolkata and some suburbs and from various ethnic, cultural, religious, and social strata of the society including underserved communities, in the age group of 16 – 25 years who use mobile phones, laptops or computers for their study or personal work. The program will engage some media Fulbright and IVLP alumni and also train 8-10 trainers who will be providing training.

Project Goal: Promote U.S.-India Partnership by connecting young women leaders with information and expertise that will empower them to become cyber-smart to combat digital mis and disinformation in their communities.

· Creating a cohort of informed and connected vernacular audience who will act as advocates of cyber-resilient community leaders and have multiplier effects in their underserved communities to train others for a stable and cyber-safe region.

Program Objectives:

The program will aim to do the following:

· Train a group of 650 young women from Kolkata and its suburbs in West Bengal, the gateway to Northeast India and Southeast Asia, to be cybersmart and to be able to share best practices to mitigate cyber-threats and discuss countering disinformation strategy in their communities.

· The project will be implemented through a series of meetings, and in-person workshops at the American Center Kolkata over a period of 12 months. The Program will be spread to additional American Spaces in the country either virtually or in-person and train more women students primarily in English or Hindi.

· Build a countering disinformation strategy that will be shared with educational institutes, media professionals and community leaders for further action and for consideration of inclusion in the existing curriculum.

· The project will strengthen the young women students’ capacity to access the digital space and become resilient to cyber-threats to ensure a stable Indo-Pacific and support regional cybersecurity.

· Over 12-18 months the project will develop the strategy and then participants will lead follow on workshops in their communities. The trainers can also lead follow-on workshops at other American Spaces across India to train more girl students and multiply the scope of work either through virtual or in-person sessions.

Project Deliverables:

· At least 75 percent of participants demonstrate improved “cyber-smart” behavior, including a better knowledge of using digital media platforms, and how to combat online disinformation and tackle cyber-threats. The grantee will be responsible for monitoring participant development and project efficiency using case studies, surveys, and other tools to document changes in participants’ ability to identify cyber-threats and recommend strategies to counter them.

· Promote the need to improve cybersecurity for young adults and students who are using digital platforms much more in this era.

· Examples of participants countering disinformation and showing significant signs of cyber-resiliency will be documented by the grantee.

· Possible additional in-person or virtual sessions for participants at other American Spaces in India.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: Not to exceed 12 months Number of awards anticipated: 1 award Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $40,000 to a maximum of $50,000 Total available funding: $50,000 Type of Funding: FY23 Fulbright-Hays Public Diplomacy Funds

Anticipated program start date: September 1, 2023

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative agreement.

Substantial Involvement

Grantee Role:

· Prepare list of trainers and participants for the program and get approved by the U.S. Consulate Kolkata GOR and team.

· Hold regular meetings to develop the roadmap, modules, and themes for the program.

· Work on preparing the agenda of the training and the follow-on activities, surveys, documentation method for Consulate's approval.

· Arrange travel of all participants along with food and transportation for attending the workshop.

· Identify resource persons and share details about the training workshop/modules for Consulate approvals.

· Arrange travels of resource persons along with lodging and food and transportation.

· Organize materials/apps/modules for workshop, AV, venue, food and other resources needed for the training.

· Prepare the curriculum for digital media literacy and cybersecurity training for 650 girl students from high schools and colleges in coordination with the Consulate for

· participants and engage appropriate trainers and resource persons with approval from Consulate.

USG Role:

· Approve the list of the participants and resource persons and recommend/suggest resource persons or participants.

· Oversee virtual meetings that will build up to the bigger training workshop modules and themes.

· Advise and formulate press and social media messaging strategy to amplify the project among local media and on Consulate's social media platforms.

· Review and approve venue, agenda, speakers/trainers, modules, format, training apps, focus areas, and other logistics and knowledge-based issues.

· Review and clear on themes of the project and stories internally.

· Review and approve curriculum and program agenda.

· Provide American Center as venue and help with internal logistics.

· Review reports, surveys, follow-up activities and advise on overall programs so that it achieves the objectives.

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

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. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants The following organizations are eligible to apply:

· Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations

· Public and private educational institutions

· Public International Organizations and Governmental institutions

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing or matching is not required for this funding

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

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.

India based organization should be F.C.R.A. compliant.

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

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Application forms required below are available at www.grants.gov

2. 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. Use USD 1 = INR 80 for conversions, where required.

· All pages are numbered

· All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and

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

The following documents are required:

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 organizations not registered in SAM.gov)

2. Summary Page: Cover sheet stating the applicant name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.

3. 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.

· Introduction to the Organization or Individual applying: 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.

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

· Program Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.

· Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

· Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate.

· 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. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program?

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

· Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: 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 4 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 4 will ensure a thorough PMP.

The key components to the PMP are as follows:

1. 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.

2. 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 4 includes a suggested format for these requirements.

3. 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 PAS objective. For more information, please see Attachment 4.1: 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 PAS Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist to ensure the applicant’s M&E PMP achieves an expected level of expertise and meets PAS 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.

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

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

5. Attachments:

· 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program

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

· If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file.

· Official permission letters, if required for program activities

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

Required Registrations: All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov. A 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.

The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number. Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a sub-grantee.

Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

· Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

· Organizations based outside of the United States and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS but do need a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

· Please note that as of November 2022 and February 2023 respectively, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code or CAGE code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove a CAGE or NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at www.fsd.gov using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not wish to obtain a CAGE or NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO NOT plan to do business with the DoD should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the DoD in addition to Department of State should follow the below instructions:

Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE code by following the instructions on the NSPA NATO website linked below:

NCAGE Homepage:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx NCAGE Code Request Tool (NCRT):

Exemptions An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis if:

· An applicant’s identity must be protected due to potential endangerment of their mission, their organization’s status, their employees, or individuals being served by the applicant.

· For an applicant, if the Federal awarding agency makes a determination that there are exigent circumstances that prohibit the applicant from receiving a unique entity identifier and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a Federal award. In these instances, Federal awarding agencies must require the recipient to obtain a unique entity identifier and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the Federal award date.

Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

3. Submission Dates and Times

Submission Deadline: All applications must be received by July 20, 2023[11:59 pm midnight Washington DC]. 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.

4. Funding Restrictions

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

5. Other Submission Requirements

· Submission Method A: 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 KolkataPDgrants@state.gov is unable to assist with technical questions or problems applicants experience with Grants.gov.

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

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria

Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below.

Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – 20 points: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 20 points: The organization has expertise in its stated field and has the internal controls in place to manage federal funds. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.

Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 20 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

Budget – 10 points: 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 – 20 points: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.

Sustainability –10 points: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.

2. Review and Selection Process

A review committee will evaluate all eligible applications. 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.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

a. 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 program 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.

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: The Recipient must request payment under this award using SAMS Payment Portal (https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/payments). Contact Portal Helpdesk or Grant Officer Representative for any SAMS Payment Portal issues.

b. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

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

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:

· 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),

· 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),

· 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),

· 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

· 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).

c. Reporting

Reporting Requirements: 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.

Foreign Assistance Data Review: 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 the grant application process, please contact: KolkataPDgrants@state.gov

Questions and Answers or FAQ will be posted on www.GRANTS.gov

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. 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 program 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% of 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.

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