MEPI Local Grants Program 2020 NOFO.pdf

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs

Office of Assistance Coordination Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 19.500

2019-2020 MEPI Local Grants Program

Opportunity Number: MEPILOCALGRANTS2020

Key Information:

Announcement Type: New Date Opened: 12/27/2019 Deadline for Questions: 1/24/2020 Application Deadline: 2/25/2020 Expected Date of Notification: 9/30/2020 Federal Agency Contact: NEA-Grants@state.gov

Funding Opportunity Synopsis Advancing stability and prosperity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is critical to the achievement of the United States’ foreign policy. There are many challenges, however, which hinder efforts to improve transparent governance, provide inclusive economic opportunities, and encourage civic engagement. Two thirds of the population feel that economic hardship and corruption plague their countries, with trust in civil society decreasing since 2015.

The MEPI Local Grants Program’s mission is to sustain the United States’ commitment to strengthen direct partnerships with local actors to promote prosperity and participatory governance. Its objectives are to support civil society organizations in (1) developing, promoting, and implementing locally-designed solutions to self-identified environmental, economic, or social problems through civic engagement or economic participation; (2) fostering inclusive economic growth that reaches marginalized communities, youth, and women; (3) advancing participatory governance through promoting citizens’ engagement and decision-makers’ willingness to work with citizen groups and civil society organizations; (4) improving civil society’s representation of the needs of citizens through collective action on the local level;

(5) working towards gender parity in economics and/or politics; (6) increasing youth engagement in meaningful economic and civic activities; and (7) fostering innovative approaches to solving social, economic, or political issues.

Eligible Countries and Territories:

In this announcement, we seek to support projects in the Middle East and North Africa region except in the following locations: Egypt, Libya, West Bank, Gaza, United Arab Emirates, and Oman. Please note: Applications that focus on activities in the excepted countries and territories listed above will NOT be considered.

All applications must be submitted in English. Applicants may submit only one (1) application. Complete information on how applicants can submit proposals for this opportunity can be found in Section VI below.

Background Information about NEA/AC:

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) offers Economic Support Fund (ESF) assistance to groups and individuals striving to bring about positive change in the Middle East-North Africa region. The Assistance Coordination Office works in 20 countries and territories, partnering with governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), community leaders, youth and women activists and private sector groups to advance their efforts. Competitively selected projects aim to foster participatory governance, economic reform, and educational advancement in response to local interest and needs.

The mission of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is to foster meaningful and effective partnerships between citizens, civil society, the private sector, and governments to resolve local challenges and promote shared interests in the areas of participatory governance and economic opportunity and reform. Focusing on promoting stability and prosperity in the region, MEPI supports partnerships through projects that are responsive to emerging opportunities by being field-driven, applying evidence-based decision-making, and designing results-oriented projects. For more information about the MEPI Program visit:

https://mepi.state.gov/.

Table of Contents

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROBLEM STATEMENT

B. ACHIEVABLE OBJECTIVES

C. PROJECT DESIGN

MEASUREMENT OF RESULTS

AWARD INFORMATION

SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

B. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

C. ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

B. APPLICATION FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

C. SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

D. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

FUNDING LIMITATIONS, RESTRICTIONS, AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

APPLICATION REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

A. APPLICATION EVALUATION CRITERIA

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

ADMINSTRATION INFORMATION

A. AWARD NOTICES

B. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

C. TRAVEL NOTIFICATIONS

D. APPLICANT VETTING AS A CONDITION OF AWARD

E. BRANDING AND MARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTEES

F. UEI NUMBER REQUIREMENT FOR SUB AWARDEES

G. SUB AWARDEE REPORTING REQUIREMENT

AGENCY CONTACTS

DISCLAIMER

APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1 – MEPI Local Grants Project Narrative Application APPENDIX 2 – (2A) Budget Sample Template and (2B) Budget Narrative Guidance APPENDIX 3 – Guidance to Complete SF-424 and SF424a https://mepi.state.gov/

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

The MEPI Local Grants Program seeks projects that build links between and among citizens, civil society, government, and the private sector, and are responsive to emerging opportunities at the local level in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The program supports projects that align with U.S. foreign policy goals and promote U.S. interests in the region, enhancing stability, and increasing prosperity across MENA.

These grants are designed to support two priority areas of the MEPI Strategic Framework:

• Participatory Governance: Enable civil society to effectively interact with government officials to increase responsiveness to citizen needs. Enhance citizens’ ability to actively participate in their governments and develop a more informed citizenry. Enable government officials’ engagement with, and responsiveness to, their citizens to resolve issues of shared concern.

• Economic Reform: Enable citizens, policy makers, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector with the skills and resources to provide economic opportunity, foster economic growth, and promote improved business enabling environments.

Note: Applicants should read this NOFO in its entirety before writing their proposal, and should refer to the full Evaluation Criteria provided in Section VII while drafting all materials.

A. PROBLEM STATEMENT

The MENA region is dynamic with various political, economic, and social challenges on the national and local levels. Nearly three-quarters of the region’s population identifies worsening economic conditions as the single most important challenge facing their countries. Other major concerns include financial and administrative corruption, disenfranchised citizens and marginalized communities, large public sectors, limited opportunities for innovation, and high unemployment rates, especially among youth.

An equal percentage of the population – approximately three quarters - expressed deteriorating trust in government institutions and elected officials, and an increasing number feels that the credibility of civil society is diminishing.

Finally, gender inequalities persist despite recent gains in women’s political participation and countering gender-based violence laws. While many women have surpassed men in their educational attainment around the region, their participation in the labor force remains two to four times lower than men, and their participation in political processes is among the lowest in the world.

B. ACHIEVABLE OBJECTIVES

A key objective of the Local Grants Program is developing the capacity of local civil society organizations (CSOs) to effectively and efficiently manage U.S. federal assistance. Applications to this NOFO should address and clearly demonstrate how project-specific objectives and activities contribute to the local grants program objectives outlined below. Working primarily on the local level, and using an evidence-based approach, at least one of the following objectives MUST be achieved:

1. Develop and promote locally designed solutions to environmental, economic, or social problems.

2. Foster inclusive economic growth that reaches marginalized communities, youth, and women.

3. Encourage citizens’ engagement in participatory governance and decision-makers’ willingness to work with citizen groups and civil society organizations.

4. Increase civil society’s representation of the needs of citizens through collective action on the local level.

5. Work towards gender parity in politics and/or economics.

6. Increase youth engagement in meaningful economic and civic activities.

7. Foster innovative approaches and solutions.

C. PROJECT DESIGN

Competitive applications will include clear, detailed project strategies that illustrate the logic behind each project’s design. All proposed project activities must clearly demonstrate how they will produce impact.

In addition to the overarching MEPI objectives and requirements identified above, projects must meet country-specific project priority areas as outlined below:

Algeria:

Funding Mechanism Type: Cooperative Agreement, Grant, or Fixed

Amount Award Estimated Number of Awards Three to five (3-5) Estimated Total Funding $500,000 Estimated Award Ceiling $150,000 Estimated Award Floor $50,000 Estimated Length of Project Period 12-36 months

Country Problem Statement: Algeria is undergoing political and economic changes. Algerian civil society organizations (CSOs) will play an essential role linking citizens and the authorities during transitional phases, including elections. CSOs still face difficulties pooling resources and expertise, as well as effectively coordinating. Helping build CSOs’ capacity to communicate, mediate, represent, and deliver services to people in underserved areas will be essential in 2020.

The official youth unemployment rate in Algeria exceeded 29 percent in 2019, which may worsen absent economic reform as the number of those under 30 (who already comprise nearly 70 percent of the Algerian population) increases. Private entrepreneurs face significant challenges including currency controls, import restrictions, bureaucratic hurdles, burdensome regulations, and strict government control of key sectors. Entrepreneurs and small- and medium-enterprises (SMEs) also face challenges from a workforce skills gap such as limited managerial skills, training, and difficulties in identifying or connecting with suitable markets. Further, startups rarely manage to scale up or reach a level of sustainability.

Country Priorities:

(1) Support for Civil Society: Enable CSOs to reach out to both constituents and local and national government counterparts in order to increase citizen participation in decision making processes and governance. Sample activities under this priority could include but are not limited to:

a. Strengthening CSOs’ administrative, financial, and programmatic capacities.

b. Offering interactive spaces for citizens to identify and prioritize local needs.

c. Creating communication channels to promote effective, reliable, and transparent bridges between citizens and local authorities.

d. Conducting advocacy activities to advance specific policy goals resulting in demonstrable outcomes and impacts during the project timeframe.

(2) Economic Growth: Increase youth employability through job placements and/or the creation of effective and sustainable businesses. Applicants should have business sustainability plans and established relationships with employers, demonstrated through a letter of intent or formal partnership. Sample activities under this priority could include but are not limited to:

a. Equipping youth, especially in rural areas and areas with high unemployment rates, with soft and technical skills and place them in long-term employment opportunities.

b. Developing policies and procedures related to job-related training to align with identified market needs based on employer feedback and job placement outcomes.

c. Creating mentoring opportunities and incubations mechanism to scale up nascent or small and medium sized businesses to a sustainable level

Geographic/Thematic Focus: Projects must target at least one of the following populations:

youth, women, and/or people living with disabilities. Priority will be given to geographic areas outside the main cities and to MEPI alumni. Applicants must demonstrate the process of assessing the implications for women, men, and other groups of any planned action at social, economic, and political levels in their project narrative through implementation and evaluation.

Specific eligibility requirements:

• Eligible applicants include: Local civil society organizations, non-profit organizations, community groups, non-governmental organizations, professional associations, private sector organizations, and universities based in Algeria, which have obtained all required registrations.

• Priority will be given to applicants who have previously implemented or managed international awards in an amount of at least $50,000.

Bahrain:

Funding Mechanism Type: Cooperative Agreement, Grant, or Fixed

Amount Award Estimated Number of Awards Two to three (2-3) Estimated Total Funding $200,000 Estimated Award Ceiling $100,000

Country Problem Statement: A country with a young parliament and civil society, Bahrain’s CSOs are building experience and credibility, but still need assistance in strengthening the role CSOs play in addressing environmental, social, and economic issues. Current economic and fiscal challenges may limit access to social programs and economic growth opportunities, particularly for youth, and could inhibit future job growth. The country also faces problems of managing environmental pollutants and ensuring sustainable development as the resident population grows. Recently, Bahrain’s King Hamad acknowledged the need to address environmental concerns, and Bahrain’s parliament has begun discussing policy options for tackling the issue. To further develop local capacity for partnerships between civil society in these areas, academic institutions, businesses, and the government, Bahrain would also benefit from developing solutions designed to create and strengthen cross-sector connections.

Bahraini youth predominantly depended on the public sector for entry-level employment opportunities.

However, Bahrain’s limited market size, lack of professional mentorship, and absence of robust and flexible regulatory frameworks limit advancement opportunities. Although the government began implementing policies aimed at enhancing competitiveness and increasing employment under the Crown Prince’s Economic Vision 2030, eight thousand recent university graduates, many of them from underserved communities, have difficulties finding jobs in their chosen fields each year. Maintaining a stable economy with a business-friendly environment, developing more opportunities and increasing youth engagement in meaningful economic activities will strengthen economic and social inclusion and stability.

Country Priorities: As civil society matures in Bahrain, CSOs need support for new approaches and solutions to solving Bahrain’s development challenges. The three thematic areas of environmental, social, and economic problems are fields where CSOs currently operate, but could benefit from additional support. Additionally, innovation in developing relationships between government, academic institutions, businesses, and civil society will assist in expanding the role local organizations play in promoting equitable political and economic solutions. Empowering youth voices, in particular, to fuel economic development and maturation of civil society, will be important to keeping talented youth invested in staying in Bahrain and participating in its development.

Geographic/Thematic Focus: Proposals are open to all population and policy areas with a special focus on underserved youth.

Specific eligibility requirements: Partnerships will be made with officially registered organizations, professional associations, private sector organizations, or academic institutions.

Israel:

Amount Award Estimated Number of Awards TBD Estimated Total Funding TBD Estimated Award Ceiling $200,000 Estimated Award Floor $100,000

Country Problem Statement: Israel is a leader in business and entrepreneurship development as evidenced by its flourishing hi-tech sector; however, certain sectors of Israeli society remain marginalized. The Israeli government has been working closely with several NGOs to integrate economically disadvantaged communities (including the ultra-Orthodox and Arab communities) into the workforce in order to close these economic gaps and boost growth for the entire economy. Fostering entrepreneurial and business activities and policies is necessary to help businesses mature in order to provide innovative solutions for economic and social problems in the region and provide needed employment opportunities.

While the government is allocating funds to support the development of challenged communities, many local authorities are unable to fully take advantage of these opportunities to address their community’s security and social and economic needs. These local authorities need to improve their coordination with the government and other relevant sectors to improve the lives of their citizens.

The Bedouin segment of the Arab population continues to be the most disadvantaged, especially those living in the Negev area. While governmental plans and civil society projects have focused on the social and economic advancement of the Arab Bedouin community, Bedouin women in particular continue to have special needs for skills to achieve equal-rights and social, political, and economic opportunities.

Country Priorities:

1. Economic empowerment of disadvantaged groups through advocacy, skills training that leads to job placement, integrating into high-tech and entrepreneurial ecosystem, regional cooperation, and industrial/tech zones.

2. Strengthening policing partnerships with local authorities and relevant key holders, especially in communities that have protested the prevalence of violence and lack of police support.

3. Building leadership skills and professional capacities through non-partisan projects for diverse political and social activists.

4. Promoting awareness of rights and civic education within the Bedouin community, with particular emphasis on women.

5. Working towards gender parity and enhancing the participation of women and minority communities in political life and civil society in advancing peace and security issues.

Geographic/Thematic Focus: Target beneficiaries will be from periphery communities and disadvantaged groups, as well as relevant key policy figures.

Specific eligibility requirements:

• NGO’s or non-profit institutions including academia with headquarters based in Israel

• Must be registered with the Israeli Ministry of Justice

• Implementers of a MEPI Local Grant with a current MEPI project still under implementation by August 1, 2020 are not eligible to apply to this funding opportunity.

• Priority will be given to applicants with at least two years of experience.

Applicants are encouraged to have have exisiting private sector or government partnerships when relevent.

Jordan:

Funding Mechanism Type: Cooperative Agreement, Grant, or Fixed

Amount Award Estimated Number of Awards Two to five (2-5) Estimated Total Funding $500,000 Estimated Award Ceiling $200,000 Estimated Award Floor $100,000

Country Problem Statement: Jordanian citizens continue to be dissatisfied with economic conditions, including tax increases, high unemployment, particularly among educated youth, increasing costs and perceptions of corruption. In October of 2019, the Jordanian Teachers' Association ended a one-month strike with a salary-increase agreement with the government.

This was country's longest public-sector strike which disrupted schooling for more than 1.5 million students. Additionally, in June of 2018, a proposed tax hike triggered strikes with unemployed youth taking to the streets to demand jobs and economic reforms. Unemployed young people numbering in the thousands marched long distances to Amman to protest widespread unemployment.

Currently there are limited options for citizens and government officials to have constructive conversations on the needs of the populace and the challenges facing Jordan. Strengthened communications between the Jordanian government and its citizens continues to be a necessity, particularly amidst fiscal consolidation and outsized citizen interest in public sector employment which exceeds state budget capacity. The private sector plays an ever-increasing role in generating growth and employment, thus private sector solutions that expand available job opportunities need to be cultivated to provide economic opportunities for today’s unemployed and tomorrow’s new entrants to the labor market.

Additionally, success in establishing two-way communication between the government and its citizens, encouraging citizens and youth to engage in constructive dialogue and strategic advocacy will be essential to build trust and accountability in the government.

Country Priority: The lack of effective engagement between government and citizens and the proliferation of demonstrations as a primary means of communication with the government make it clear that dialogue between the government and the people has broken down. Better communication requires government efforts to expand meaningful outreach and build trust with civil society at all levels, while civil society must be supported to effectively advocate for local needs and cultivate an active citizenry across the country. At the same time, economic opportunities for youth and the unemployed remain an existential need for both young people and their families, and gender gaps persist in workforce participation and among other gender-discriminatory laws and practices that affect women’s ability to earn a livelihood and become leaders and decision-makers. Improving two-way communication between the government and the populace and enhancing active civic engagement accountable are important steps, while young people’s need for greatly expanded economic opportunities must also be addressed in parallel to build greater trust in government and defuse public frustration with current economic policies, perceptions of corruption, and declining living standards.

Geographic/Thematic Focus: Priority will be given to projects that target disadvantaged areas including, but not limited to:

(a) Southern governorates: Aqaba, Ma’an, Tafileh, and Karak

(b) Northern governorates: Irbid, Ajloun, and Jerash

(b) Middle region: Zarqa, Madaba, East Amman, and Central Badia

These areas were chosen based on the relative scarcity of resources and services available, and priorities for Post outreach.

Specific eligibility requirements: N/A

Kuwait:

Funding Mechanism Type: Cooperative Agreement, Grant, or Fixed

Amount Award Estimated Number of Awards Two to three (2-3)

Estimated Total Funding $200,000 Estimated Award Ceiling $100,000

Country Problem Statement: Kuwaiti women are highly educated and enjoy almost all aspects of constitutional and civil rights; however, they are not widely represented in government or private sector leadership. The country still has honor killing laws, has not yet repealed the provision in its penal code that exonerates a rapist if he marries his victim, does not collect statistics on domestic violence, and does not have a domestic violence shelter for victims of spousal abuse, and has yet to pass a gender violence law. Post seeks civil society organizations, interest groups, and nonprofit companies to engage the Kuwaiti government to support pubic campaigning, advocacy and awareness on gender equality and women’ rights.

There are more than 120 civil society organizations in Kuwait, these organizations face many serious challenges such as the lack of engagement and understanding of the role of the civic sector amongst the general population, limited support from the government and the lack of data related to the issues they are aiming to address. These challenges among others have undermined the CSOs role in promoting governance and democracy. The Embassy encourages applications that target building the CSOs capacity to effectively interact with government officials to increase responsiveness to citizen needs.

The majority of the population in Kuwait are migrant workers, many of whom are subjected to labor laws violations. Victims of these violations typically experience nonpayment of wages, working conditions drastically different from those indicated in the contract, limited freedom of movement, harassment, sexual assault and other forms of gender-based violence, physical abuse or threats. Employees claimed that passport confiscation by employers, though illegal, remained a common practice. In other cases, workers who pay a fee to get a job in Kuwait find that there is no job waiting for them when they arrive and must find jobs in the grey market as illegal workers with no rights. Post would like civil society organizations to engage the Kuwaiti government to implement change to protect victims, and enhance existing legislation to provide greater rights, access to justice and freedom of movement to workers.

Finally, Kuwait’s stateless Arab population (Bidoon) of approximately 100,000 is a marginalized community. The government does not uniformly grant government services and subsidies to Bidoon, including education, employment, medical care, and the issuance of civil documents, such as birth, marriage, and death certificates. There are very few civil society organizations or individuals publicly working on the Bidoon issues. Post would like to invite civil society organizations and private sector organizations to help develop a local solution to this social problem.

Country Priorities:

The Embassy encourages applications that target building the CSOs capacity to effectively interact with government officials to promote the following goals:

- Kuwait citizens, and particularly Kuwaiti women, develop greater civil participation in government and increase confidence in political institutions.

- Civil society organizations and/or private sector organizations to help develop local solutions to labor rights violations and trafficking-in-persons, marginalized populations in Kuwait, and/or gender equality.

Geographic/Thematic Focus: Stateless people, domestic violence, gender parity, civil society organizations.

Specific eligibility requirements:

1. Registered nonprofit companies, registered or unregistered civil society organizations, and societies can all apply to MEPI local grants.

2. It is preferred that applicants have existing private and government sector partnerships, like MOU’s or ongoing partnerships

Lebanon:

Amount Award Estimated Number of Awards Two to five (2-5) Estimated Total Funding $500,000 Estimated Award Ceiling $150,000 for one-year awards; $300,000 for two-year awards Estimated Award Floor $50,000 for one-year awards; $100,000 for two-year awards Estimated Length of Project Period 12-24 months

Country Problem Statement: Numerous roadblocks hinder economic growth and political participation.

Lebanon’s economy continues to deteriorate. The business climate has become increasingly restrictive over the past decade, and some analysts predict that the economy is on the brink of collapse. According to the World Bank’s “Ease of Doing Business” index, the country has fallen from 101 out of 192 countries in 2008 to 143 out of 192 in 2018.

Unemployment rates in Lebanon are estimated to be between 25% to 35%, with a rate of nearly 40% among youth. Creating jobs and fostering economic growth will require new businesses and expansion of existing businesses.

Corruption also takes its toll on the economy. Lebanon ranks 138th out of 175 countries worldwide -- 13th out of 18 countries in MENA – in Transparency International’s 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index.

As protests beginning in October 2019 showed, Lebanese citizens are looking for a range of political and economic reforms. Understanding, prioritizing, and implementing these reforms will be a key task for Lebanon’s government in cooperation with its citizens.

(1) Removal or mitigation of barriers to economic growth through an improved business and investment climate and reducing other impediments identified in the World Bank’s “Doing Business” report. Assistance in the establishment of new micro and small business start-ups and the expansion of existing ones, and/or improving economic self-sufficiency of marginalized groups, for example, people with disabilities.

(2) A citizenry informed about peaceful political participation and civic action within the legal framework of Lebanon’s Constitution, and prepared to engage with Lebanon’s government to advocate for and implement reforms.

Geographic/Thematic Focus: Priority will be given to proposals which include regions outside the greater Beirut area. Successful proposals should focus on one or both of the following areas of priority:

(1) Encourage citizens’ engagement in participatory governance and decision-makers' willingness to work with citizen groups and civil society organizations. Examples could include, but are not limited to:

• Creating linkages with international advocacy organizations to education civil society leaders effective that could advance reforms Fostering lines of communication between decision makers and civil society to address the need for critical economic and political reforms, create viable solutions and regain public trust in governance.

• Creating linkages with international advocacy organizations to education civil society leaders on effective peaceful, legal civic actions that could advance reforms within the framework of the Lebanese Constitution;

• Innovative measures to improve government service delivery and reduce opportunities for corruption, for example, through e-governance;

• Partnerships with relevant government institutions to bring Lebanese government policies and procedures closer to international standards and best practices.

(2) Foster inclusive economic growth. Examples could include, but are not limited to:

• Business incubation centers or other direct assistance to micro and small business start-ups, and expansion of existing businesses;

• Programs fostering inclusive economic growth; for example, providing training, coaching, and mentoring to marginalized groups – such as the disabled – to enable them to be economically productive and self-sustaining;

• Fostering Lebanese exports and/or establishing new local production as substitutes for goods typically imported;

• Partnerships with relevant government institutions to improve Lebanon’s business and investment climate, for example, by reducing regulatory barriers identified in the World Bank’s “Doing Business” report.

Specific eligibility requirements:

• Registered civil society organizations (CSOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community groups, professional or educational organizations, or other for-profit or non-profit groups. Priority will be given to organizations with demonstrated competence in the areas of focus of their proposed activities.

• Public-private partnerships are encouraged where relevant. In such cases, applicants are encourged to establish a Memorandum of Understanding or letter of intent with the target ministry or other governmental body.

Morocco:

Amount Award Estimated Number of Awards Three to five (3-5) Estimated Total Funding $500,000 Estimated Award Ceiling $150,000

Country Problem Statement: Historically heavily dependent on the strength of its agricultural sector and its key trading partners in Europe, Morocco is diversifying its industrial base and its export partners and working to make the country a financial hub and trade gateway to Africa for its Western trading partners. A lower middle-income country by World Bank standards, Morocco’s core economic objectives are to strengthen its workforce, diversify exports, and attract investment from around the world. With a concerted government focus on improving its World Bank “Doing Business” ranking, Morocco rose seven places to 53rd worldwide for 2020, coming in 3rd among Middle Eastern countries (after UAE and Bahrain) and 3rd in Africa (after Mauritius and the Seychelles). Among Morocco’s primary challenges are its weak educational system, declining labor productivity, and mismatches between business needs and labor force skills.

In 2014, Morocco launched its Industrial Acceleration Plan, a new approach to industrial development based on establishing efficient “eco-systems” that integrate value chains and supplier relationships between large companies and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Industrial Acceleration Plan strategy set out to create 500,000 new jobs in manufacturing by 2020 by targeting higher levels of foreign direct investment and strengthening the linkages between the small business sector and Morocco’s industrial leaders. Morocco has also focused on positioning itself as a financial hub for Africa, and offers incentives for firms that locate their regional headquarters in the Casablanca Finance City (CFC), Morocco’s flagship financial and business hub. Despite the significant improvements in its business environment, Morocco continues to face challenges in skilled labor shortages, weak intellectual property rights protection, and a challenging regulatory environment.

Morocco’s “advanced regionalization” initiative has devolved increasing budgetary and administrative authority to regionally and locally elected bodies, and given citizens the right to directly petition and engage those regional and municipal bodies. Those bodies, however, as well as civil society, lack the competencies and experience to fully take advantage of these reforms. Political apathy in Morocco is high, especially among youth, who lack an awareness not only of these reforms but also the knowledge and skills necessary to become more civically engaged.

(1) Foster inclusive economic growth: Proposals must focus on creating jobs, promoting economic advancement, and bridging the gap between the education system and the job market. Activities could include but are not limited to:

a. Promoting the creation of small- and medium-size businesses by providing technical assistance to address challenges to private sector development, including legal procedures, and difficulties in accessing finance.

b. Improving job seekers’ skills and employability through technical and skills training that lead to placement in internships and employment opportunities.

(2) Encourage citizens’ engagement in the electoral process or participatory governance and decision-makers’ willingness to work with citizen groups and civil society organizations:

Proposals must be innovative, sustainable, and actively support increased dialogue between citizens, civil society, and local government with the goal of effectively addressing the needs of the community. Activities could include but are not limited to:

a. Preparing citizens to be active and informed participants in the electoral process in the run up to the 2021 elections.

b. Expanding local civic education efforts that promote transparency, public safety, gender equality, and a deeper understanding of citizens’ rights in innovative, measurable, and sustaining ways.

c. Increasing citizen awareness and participation, particularly among young women and men, of avenues of participation and communication with local government.

This could include knowing who to contact for various services or educational information. Ideally, youth-led organizations would find innovative ways to engage youth on issues that matter the most to them and provide innovative ways for youth to interact with peers and local government bodies.

Geographic/Thematic Focus: Projects that have a focus on cities or rural areas other than Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, and Beni Mellal are preferred.

Specific eligibility requirements: Applicant organizations must be registered with the Government of Morocco.

Tunisia: See future addendum to the NOFO

The following activities and costs are NOT ALLOWED under this announcement:

• Job training that does not lead to an internship or job placement opportunities;

• Scholarships and student exchange projects;

• Development of mobile applications (apps);

• Cash awards/prizes;

• Paying to complete activities begun with other funds;

• Foreign travel, unless specifically justified within the project;

• Social welfare and healthcare projects;

• Activities that appear partisan or that support individual or party electoral campaigns

(e.g., specific political party activities);

• Agriculture;

• Polling/surveying;

• Handicrafts;

• Academic or analytical research (if not necessary as part of a larger project);

• One-time events, such as stand-alone conferences and one-off roundtables;

• Medical and psychological research and clinical studies;

• Projects of a commercial or profit-making nature;

• Cultural presentations, cultural clubs, festivals, etc.

• Costs related to renovation, remodeling, or purchase or lease of real estate beyond usual office rent;

• Purchase of office décor;

• Purchase of equipment (tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and is $5,000 or more per unit);

• Language training courses; and

• Entertainment costs (receptions, social activities, alcoholic beverages, cocktail parties, guided tours).

Applications that include any of these activities or costs above may be eliminated at the Technical Eligibility Review stage and will not advance to the Merit Review Panel.

MEASUREMENT OF RESULTS

Successful applicants will work with the NEA/AC program team, and NEA/AC monitoring and evaluation (M&E) team to create a plan based on the proposal submitted to measure qualitative and quantitative indicators as part of the award negotiations process. The successful applicants will be responsible for collecting and reporting data against these indicators, which will be monitored throughout the period of performance of the award to gauge necessary modifications to the project’s design, and to assess the results of the project’s success in meeting expected outputs and outcomes.

AWARD INFORMATION

Amount Award

Estimated Number of Awards Ten to thirty-five (10-35) Estimated Total Funding $4,000,000 Estimated Award Ceiling See country specific information above Estimated Award Floor See country specific information above Cost-Sharing or Matching Recommended but not required

Contingent on the availability of funds, approximately $4,000,000 in Economic Support Funds is available for approximately 35 awards through this announcement. If selected to receive an award, an applicant may be awarded funds for up to three years, depending on the activities and countries proposed. The estimated start date for this project is October 1, 2020. NEA/AC reserves the right to award more or less than the estimated program funding, and reserves the right to award funding under this announcement for a period of up to two years after the announcement’s close date. If recommended for funding, the final budget of awards will be determined through negotiations.

This request for full applications does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of the U.S. government to make any awards, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application.

SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT

NEA/AC may be involved in the program and management performance of any cooperative agreements through consultation and technical collaboration on specified project activities.

Examples of NEA/AC responsibilities for a cooperative agreement may include:

• Collaboration in development of training materials;

• Collaboration in finalizing project work plan, including monitoring and evaluation plans;

• Collaboration in assessing progress and identifying issues that might affect the success of the project; and

• Participate in selection process of candidates.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

All applicants will be screened by NEA/AC to determine whether they meet ALL of the program eligibility requirements detailed below.

NOTE: Applications that do not demonstrate that they meet all of the eligibility requirements in Section A and Section B below will not advance past the Technical Eligibility Review stage and may be deemed ineligible for funding under this announcement. Nothing can be added to an application once the competition deadline has passed.

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Eligible applicants include local civil society organizations, non-profit organizations, community groups, non-governmental organizations, professional associations, private sector organizations, and universities based in the Middle East and North Africa region except Egypt, West Bank, Gaza, United Arab Emirates, and Oman.

NEA/AC is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its programs and activities.

NEA/AC welcomes applications irrespective of an applicants’ race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. We encourage applications from organizations working with underserved communities, including women, people with disabilities, and youth.

All applicants should meet the following eligibility requirements, in addition to specific eligibility requirements detailed per country in Section 1:

1. Location Requirement: Only organizations that have an established local office in the country they propose to implement their project will be eligible to apply.

Awards will be issued to the local office and not any partner or affiliate office that may be located outside of the country of implementation.

2. Formal Registration: Only organizations that formally operate in the country for which they are applying will be eligible.

3. Organizational Capacity: Applicants must be able to demonstrate meeting the following criteria:

• Established for at least one (1) year; and

• Managed at least one (1) project/initiative with donor funding (governmental, private, etc.).

NEA/AC will consider the following special considerations when reviewing applications:

1. Previous MEPI Connections: We value the alumni of our many MEPI-sponsored projects and programs and would like to enhance the connection between ongoing initiatives of our implementing partners and our ever-growing base of alumni.

Therefore, we will give priority to projects that include and detail MEPI alumni engagement in activities and project components. For the purposes of this evaluation criteria, MEPI alumni are considered as former participants of MEPI exchange projects; or beneficiaries in previous MEPI training projects lasting more than five weeks; or previous recipients of a MEPI Local Grant. Alumni of other USG exchanges will also be considered.

B. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

To apply for NEA/AC (Federal) funding, organizations, whether based in or outside the U.S., must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, currently referred to as a DUNS number, and an active account with the System for Award Management (SAM). This applies to BOTH prime applicants and any local partners receiving federally funded sub-awards. Applicants who do not meet all registration requirements are NOT eligible for funding under the opportunity.

UEI Number The UEI number is a nine-digit number established and assigned by Dun and Bradstreet, Inc.

(D&B) to uniquely identify business entities.

All applicants must have a UEI number. To obtain a UEI number, please follow the steps below:

• Go to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/pages/CCRSearch.jsp.

• Select the country or territory where your organization is physically located.

• Complete and submit the form. Organizations will need to provide basic information, including physical and mailing addresses, name and title of the chief executive, primary Standard Industrial Code (SIC), and annual revenue.

For technical difficulties in obtaining this number, please contact D&B at: govt@dnb.com.

System for Award Management (SAM) SAM is a U.S. government wide registry of vendors doing business with the Federal government and requires annual renewal. The system centralizes information about grant applicants/recipients and provides a central location for grant applicants/recipients to change organizational information.

Further, applicants must maintain an active account, with current information, while its application is under consideration for funding. To keep an active SAM.gov account, applicants must renew it at least once each year. If an organizations account expires, the organization cannot submit a grant application until it is renewed.

To create a new account, please follow the steps below:

• Go to http://www.sam.gov.

• Log In to complete authentication and create an account.

• On the My SAM page, select Entity Registrations from the sub-navigation menu and select Register New Entity.

Organizations must have a UEI number and a CAGE number (US Domestic Organizations) or a NCAGE number (Foreign Organizations), to create an account.

Complete and submit the online form. If the applying organization already has the necessary information on hand (see the SAM Quick Start Guide for Grant Registration), the online form takes approximately one hour to complete, depending upon the size and complexity of the applying entity. Because of the different steps in the process, it might take anywhere from 12-15 business days to complete the process of creating an account with the system.

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/pages/CCRSearch.jsp http://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/sic_manual.html mailto:govt@dnb.com http://www.sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/SAM/transcript/Quick_Guide_for_Grants_Registrations.pdf

For help with SAM.gov, please visit their support page at https://www.fsd.gov or contact them at: 866-606-8220 (U.S.) or +1-334-206-7828 (international).

C. ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS

C.1. Cost-Sharing or Matching

There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this competition. However, NEA/AC encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs.

Cost-sharing or matching is NOT an evaluation criteria of this NOFO.

All cost share or matching must be included in detail in the line item budget and noted in the budget narrative. Proposals offering potential, yet to be determined cost-share sourcing will NOT be considered to have met this requirement and will be deemed ineligible. When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal and later included in an approved agreement. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For accountability, recipients must maintain written records to support all costs that are claimed as their contribution, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in accordance with OMB 2 CFR

200.306 – Cost Sharing and Matching.

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

All applications must include the application components detailed below. All application documents must be submitted in English and all costs must be in USD. Applicants may submit only one (1) application. Please refer to Section B below for additional submissions guidance and requirements.

In addition to following all guidance, outlines below regarding application materials, applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Application Evaluation Criteria in Section VIII of this NOFO closely as they prepare their proposal. The Evaluation Criteria section is the rubric by which each application will be scored.

NOTE: Applications that do not include all the required documentation described in Section 1 below will not advance past the Technical Eligibility Review state. Further, applications that exceed the allowable page limits will not be reviewed by the review panel.

Applicants may not add any materials to an application once it has been submitted and the competition deadline has passed.

A.1. Required Documents https://www.fsd.gov/

1. Federal Assistance Application Forms:

Applicants must complete the following three forms online to be considered for funding.

1. SF-424

2. SF-424a

3. SF-424b (if applicable*)

Guidance on how to complete the SF-424 and SF424a is provided in Appendix 3. A signature is required on the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424).

* Note: The SF-424B is required only for those applicants who have not registered in SAM.gov or recertified their registration in SAM.gov since February 2, 2019 and completed the online representations and certifications.

2. Project Narrative Application:

The Project Narrative Application describes the efforts the applicant will undertake to address the objectives and goals of this announcement. A template of the application can be found in Appendix 1.

3. Budget & Budget Narrative Submission:

Applicants must provide the following three elements as part of their budget submission:

1. Summary Budget

2. Detailed Line Item Budget

3. Budget Narrative

A sample fillable budget and budget narrative template can be found in Appendix 2. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review Appendix 2 before preparing the Project Narrative Application. The Appendix 2 template includes three tabs:

1. The first tab includes written guidance on preparing the Budget Narrative. Applicants are strongly encouraged to create their Budget Narrative in Word and submit as either a Word Doc or PDF file. Please note that the Budget Narrative should include designations of who is considered Key Personnel for this project.

2. The second tab has the template for the Summary Budget. This tab will auto-fill as you complete the Detailed Line Item Budget, which can be found on the third tab.

3. The third tab is where you can fill in the template for the Detailed Line Item Budget as…