Lome - FY24 Annual Program Statement.pdf

U.S. Embassy Lome APS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

U.S. EMBASSY LOME PUBLIC DIPLOMACY SECTION

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Title: U.S. Embassy Lome Public Diplomacy Annual Program Statement Funding Opportunity Number: Lome-FY2024-APS-0001 Deadline for Applications: July 31, 2024 (*See section D3 on ‘Submission Dates and Times’) CFDA Number: 19.040 – Public Diplomacy Programs and

19.022 Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs

Total Amount Available: $60,000.00 TBC Maximum for Each Award: $25,000.00*

Exceptional proposals above $25,000 may be granted funds pending availability of funding*

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy in Lome, Togo, through this Notice of Funding Opportunity is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy (PD) Small Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement, outlining our funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding.

Please carefully follow all instructions below.

Purpose of Small Grants: PD Lome invites proposals for programs that strengthen cultural ties between the U.S. and Togo through cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All programs must include an American cultural element, or 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 PD Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to:

Academic and professional lectures, seminars and speaker programs;

Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions;

Professional and academic exchanges and programs;

Priority Program Areas:

1. Peace & Security

✓ Promote peace and tolerance and social cohesion

✓ Counter violent extremism

2. Democratic Institutions

✓ Encourage civic engagement

✓ and democratic participation of youth and women

3. Economic Growth

✓ Promote entrepreneurship and social enterprises

✓ Strengthen public-private partnerships

4. Opportunities for Development

✓ Support education initiatives

✓ Empower women, minorities, and persons with disabilities

Participants and Audiences:

• Participants and target audiences can come from any of the five regions of Togo.

• Applicants should define their target audience (geographic region, gender, socio-economic status, age/education) and justify why you selected them.

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

• Programs relating to partisan political activity;

• Charitable or development activities;

• Construction programs;

• Programs that support specific religious activities;

• Fund-raising campaigns;

• Lobbying for specific legislation or programs

• Scientific research;

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

• Programs that duplicate existing programs.

Authorizing legislation, type and year of funding:

Funding authority rests in the Smith-Mundt Act (19.040) and the Fulbright-Hays Act (19.022). The source of funding is FY2024 Public Diplomacy Funding.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: 3 to 12 months

Number of awards anticipated: 1 - 10 awards (dependent on amounts of each selected award).

Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $2,000.00 to a maximum of $25,000.

Total available funding: $60,000.00 (pending availability of funds and/or the amount determined)

Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2024 Public Diplomacy Funding Anticipated program start dates: Between January and September 2024

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Grant or Cooperative Agreement Cooperative agreements are different from grants in that Embassy PD staff are more actively involved in the grant implementation.

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

PD Lome 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. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from the United States and Togo as follows:

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

• Individuals

• Non-profit or governmental educational institutions

• Governmental institutions

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

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing is not required.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

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.

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. Individual applicants are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package

Application forms required below are available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html and https://tg.usembassy.gov/embassy/funding-opportunities/

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 http://www.sam.gov/ file:///C:/Users/KloutseKF/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/VJ3WGE3G/www.SAM.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html https://tg.usembassy.gov/embassy/funding-opportunities/

• All documents are in English

• All budgets are in U.S. dollars

• All pages are numbered

• All documents are formatted to letter or A4 paper, and

• All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 13 point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

The following documents are required:

a) Mandatory application forms

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance -individuals) at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html

• SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at

• SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at

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

c) Proposal (4 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.

• 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 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html 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.

• Proposed Program Schedule: 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, if any.

• Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the duration 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 funded grant period, or the availability of other resources.

d) Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), 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.

e) Other 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

• Official permission letters, if required for program activities

f) Proof of 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.

This is free of charge.

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 2022 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:

• 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:

http://www.fsd.gov/

• Apply for an NCAGE code by following the instructions on the NSPA NATO website: https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx

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

o 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.

o 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

The Public Diplomacy Section will accept proposals throughout the year and a panel will review proposals according to the following schedule:

• Proposals received between October 1 and December 31 will be reviewed by January 15, with responses going out by January 30

• Proposals received between January 1 and March 31 will be reviewed by April 15, with responses going out by April 30

• Proposals received between April 1 and June 30 will be reviewed by August 1, with responses going out by August 15

• Proposals received before and on July 31 will be reviewed on August 15 at the discretion of the review panel and pending availability of funds.

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx

4. Funding Restrictions

Funds under this notice cannot be used for construction programs, vehicle purchases or any other than defined in this funding opportunity.

5. Other Submission Requirements

All application materials must be submitted by email to LomePDGrants@state.gov

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Each application will be evaluated and rated by a panel based on the criteria outlined below. The criteria listed are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application.

Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – 15 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 – 10 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 – 15 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

Embassy priorities – 10 points: Applicant has clearly described how stated goals are related to and support U.S. Embassy Lomé’s priority areas or target audiences.

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 – 10 points: Applicant demonstrates it can measure program success against key indicators and provide milestones to indicate progress mailto:LomePDGrants@state.gov 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.

Communication and Media Plan – 10 points: Applicant has a detailed and concise media communication strategy to voice U.S. contributions to Togo.

American Content* – 10 points: Projects must detail what American content will be used in the proposal. (* = may take the form of American partners, speakers, American themes or materials, resources or inviting U.S. Embassy staff to participate in/speak at grant-funded activities.)

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. 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: Payments will be made in at least two installments, as needed to carry out the program activities.

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

2. 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 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.

3. 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 the Public

Diplomacy Section at: LomePDGrants@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, 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 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. 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.

https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/ mailto:LomePDGrants@state.gov

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 the modified total direct costs as defined in

2 CFR 200.68.

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