NOFO_Burundi - APS FY2024.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

U.S. EMBASSY BUJUMBURA

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Title: U.S. Embassy Bujumbura Public Diplomacy Section

(PDS) Annual Program Statement Funding Opportunity Number: PDS-BUJUMBURA-FY24-02 Deadline for Applications: Rolling deadline until June 28, 2024 Assistance Listing: 19.040 – Public Diplomacy Programs

19.441 Fulbright Hays

Maximum for Each Award: $20,000

(Exceptional proposals above $20,000 may be granted funds pending availability of funding)

Minimum for Each Award: No minimum

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy Burundi Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program or project with funding through the Public

Diplomacy 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: PDS Bujumbura invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the United States and Burundi through cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All programs must include an American element, priority, goal, or a connection with U.S. expert(s), organization(s), or institution(s), in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to partner with English Clubs, American

Spaces, or U.S. exchange program alumni to conduct activities.

Priority Program Areas:

The Mission is particularly interested in projects that address one of our following

Priority Program Objectives:

• Skills for Success:

o Programs promoting education, a lecture series, or an academic exchange o Programs promoting learning English o Programs promoting job training skills, such as resume writing, financial literacy, income generating skill building, and digital literacy

• Entrepreneurship:

o Programs providing entrepreneurship opportunities for Burundian youth o Programs supporting increased economic opportunities for women and marginalized communities o Programs promoting sustainable economic prosperity

• Civil Society/Journalism:

o Programs that help Burundian journalists produce high-quality reporting on topics of shared U.S.-Burundi interest o Programs that strengthen institutions to promote the rule of law, transparency, and accountability o Programs that promote universal freedoms and democratic principles and practices

• Environmental sustainability:

o Programs that support initiatives to mitigate the effects of climate change o Programs that promote minimizing waste and regenerating our resources o Programs that support protecting the natural environment and sustainable agriculture

Participants and Audiences:

All proposals should clearly indicate their intended participants and audiences i.e.

Youth, Women, Journalists etc.

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

• Activities that do not contain a distinctly U.S. component;

• Programs relating to partisan political activity;

• Development projects/programs;

• Infrastructure/construction programs;

• Individual scholarships;

• Personal development;

• 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

• Programs that duplicate existing programs;

• Social travel/visits;

• Venture capital;

• Gifts and Prizes;

• Alcohol;

• Food and drink not directly related to the program outcome; and

• For-profit endeavors

Authorizing legislation, type, and year of funding:

The source of funding is FY2024 Public Diplomacy Funding, under the Smith-

Mundt Act and the Fulbright-Hays Act.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: up to 12 months.

Award amounts: Awards will have a maximum of $20,000. (Exceptional proposals above $20,000 may be granted funds pending availability of funding)

Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2024 Public Diplomacy Funding is Smith-Mundt; ECA is Fulbright-Hays

Anticipated program start date: To be considered for FY2024, all funds must be obligated by September 30, 2024.

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

PDS Bujumbura reserves the right to award less or more than the funds described in the absence of worthy applications or under such other circumstances as it may deem to be in the best interest of the U.S. Government. All projects are subject to negotiation by the Grants Officer before final award.

Funding Instrument Type: Grant, Fixed Amount Award, or Cooperative

Agreement.

Cooperative agreements are different from grants in that PD staff are more actively involved in the grant implementation. The appropriate level of

“substantial involvement” will be agreed upon by PD Bujumbura and the grantee prior to award notification.

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

The Department of State may 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 U.S. and Burundian entities:

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

• Non-profit or governmental educational institutions

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. Organizations should go to SAM.gov to complete their registration, a UEI will be generated as part of the SAM.gov registration process.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package

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 budgets are in U.S. dollars.

http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

• All documents are in English (Note: Successful applicants, will also be required to submit additional forms in English as required by U.S. federal assistance regulations.)

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

• All pages are numbered

The following documents are required:

1. Mandatory application forms:

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

• SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)

• SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs)

2. 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.

3. Proposal (five pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do and what the program will accomplish. 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; the total amount of funding requested from PD Bujumbura, total amount of cost-share (if any), and total program amount (PD funds + cost-share).

• 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. What aspect of the relationship between the U.S. and

Burundi will be improved? 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.

• 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?

• Media plan: All submissions must include a detailed press and social media plan that outlines how the implementer will publicize the activities and goals of the program.

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

• Program monitoring and evaluation plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the time frame of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant?

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

4. 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. All budgets must be in US Dollars.

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

3. Unique Entity ID 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 before submitting an application. 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.

Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications.

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 the 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 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) http://www.fsd.gov/ https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Feportal.nspa.nato.int%2FAC135Public%2Fscage%2FCageList.aspx&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=v3TLT8F%2FNfk5SuTcI2zw7SMhV4HK542OhP9XDx4ln%2BY%3D&reserved=0

Exemptions An exemption from the UEI and SAM.gov 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.

4.Submission Dates and Times:

Pending funds availability, applications submitted for consideration before July

12, 2024, 1700 Burundi Time will be considered with current funding through

September 30, 2024.

5. Other Submission Requirements

All application materials must be submitted by email (.pdf or .doc formats only, not iCloud) to BurundiPublicDiplomacy@state.gov. Applications received in hard copy will not be eligible for funding consideration.

Applicants must submit a complete application package with a concise budget that reflects the scope of work as indicated on the proposal.

Each application submitted under this announcement will be evaluated by a committee and rated based on the evaluation criteria outlined below.

Applications will be reviewed based on their completeness, coherence, clarity, and attention to detail.

mailto:BurundiPublicDiplomacy@state.gov

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria

A grants review panel will review and evaluate each application based on the criteria outlined below:

• U.S. component: The project has a clear U.S. component that incorporates U.S. expertise, processes, or personnel.

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

• Quality and feasibility of the program idea: The program idea is well developed, with details about how program activities will be carried out.

The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.

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

• Embassy priorities: Applicant has clearly described how stated goals are related to and support U.S. Embassy priority areas and target audiences outlined in Section A.

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

• Monitoring and evaluation plan: Applicant demonstrates an ability 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: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.

• Support of Equity and Underserved Communities: Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the program will support and advance equity and engage underserved communities in program administration, design, and implementation.

2. Review and Selection Process

An Embassy Grants Review Committee will evaluate all eligible applications.

3. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov (formerly, FAPIIS)

For any Federal award under a notice of funding opportunity, if the Federal awarding agency anticipates that the total Federal share will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold over the period of performance (see §200.01 Simplified Acquisition Threshold), this section must also inform applicants that:

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

ii. An applicant, at its option, may review and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered. Currently, federal agencies create integrity records in the integrity module of the Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting System (CPARS) and these records are visible as responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov;

iii. The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.206 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

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. No actions or costs can be incurred before the grant is approved and 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. Payment schedules will be determined by the

Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative and specified in the award document, according to program milestones and as needed to carry out the project activities.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Terms and Conditions: Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications that 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.

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

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: BurundiPublicDiplomacy@state.gov.

Note: We do not provide any pre-consultation for application-related questions that are addressed in the Program Statement. Once an application has been submitted, U.S. government officials and staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until the entire proposal review process is complete.

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 that 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.

mailto:BurundiPublicDiplomacy@state.gov

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 that 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 and administration 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.

“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.