NOFO-TAFT-2024.docx

U.S EMBASSY NIAMEY, NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

EMBASSY NIAMEY

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Title: PRM Julia Taft for Refugees Fund Funding Opportunity Number: Niger-Taft-Grant-2024 Deadline for Applications: March 1st, 2024 Assistance Listing Number: 19.517 Total Amount Available: $25000

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy in Niamey, through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), is pleased to announce the availability of a funding opportunity to support organizations assisting refugees and returnees in Niger.

Please follow all instructions below.

Program Objectives:

As of December 15th, no more than 50% from the $135.7 million financial requirement of the UNHCR 2023 operation were funded. Therefore, a large gap had remained infilled. Challenges were considerable, and refugees’ needs could not be entirely met in some areas[footnoteRef:1]. [1: https://reporting.unhcr.org/niger-funding-2023]

Julia Taft Refugee Fund supports one-time, low-cost interventions that address important gaps in protection and assistance for refugees. PRM launched this initiative in 2000 under former PRM Assistant Secretary Julia Taft to provide Ambassadors with the means to respond to critical humanitarian gaps not addressed by international humanitarian organizations and NGOs through local and national humanitarian organizations.

Have you identified a gap in humanitarian assistance in an area in Niger? The Julia Taft Fund is here to support local or national NGOs fill those gaps.

The U.S. Embassy Niamey announces an open competition for local/national organizations to submit applications to carry out humanitarian projects that seek to provide assistance to vulnerable refugees and returnees in Niger.

Participants and Audiences:

What is an appropriate use of the Fund?

Projects addressing identified priorities where refugees, asylum seekers, and/or refugee- returnees comprise at least 50 percent of project participants.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: 06 to 12 months Number of awards anticipated: 01 or 02 awards (dependent on amounts) Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $10000 to a maximum of $25000 Total available funding: $25000 Type of Funding: FY2024 Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Africa under the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act Anticipated program starts date: July 1st, 2024

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Grant

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants: Local/National NGOs

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Not required

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

· In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov.

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.

· All applicants must have a valid Standard Agreement (PAT) with the government of Niger.

· Applicants must have experience working with refugees/ returnees, UNHCR, and tracking data, etc.

· Applicants are also required to submit an organization-specific Code of Conduct as an attachment to their proposal. The Codes of Conduct must be consistent with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s (IASC) six core principles to protect beneficiaries of humanitarian assistance from sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package You can request required application forms from U.S Embassy Niamey Program Grants Unit at Niameygrants@state.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

Content of Application Please ensure:

· The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity

· All documents are in English

· All budgets are in U.S. dollars

· All pages are numbered

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

The following documents are required:

1. Mandatory application forms: to be downloaded at www.Grants.gov>Forms>SF-424 Mandatory Family (https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-mandatory-family)

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

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

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

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

3. Proposal (9 pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below.

· Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact.

· Introduction to the Organization: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

· Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: 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 file to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

5. Attachments:

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

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

· Official permission letters, if required for program activities

Required Registrations:

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

All organizations 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.

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

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.

Funding Restrictions What is an inappropriate use of the Fund?

Other Submission Requirements

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

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

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

1. Criteria

Based on the weighted scores below, a Grants Review Committee will evaluate all eligible applications using the criteria shown in this section. The relative importance of each criterion is indicated by the number of points assigned. A total of 100 points is possible.

Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea, Program Planning/ Ability to achieve objectives – 40 points: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 10 points: The organization has expertise and experience in its stated field and has the internal controls in place to manage federal funds. The organization has included a list of previous grants carried out to support refugees and returnees, especially in the project’s area within the past five years.

Budget – 20 points: The organization has submitted a budget (in Excel format) and a detailed budget justification (Narrative in Word format). Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. Budget lines are realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities.

Monitoring and evaluation plan – 15 points: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.

Sustainability – 15 points: Show how program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.

2. Review and Selection Process A proposal review committee will evaluate all eligible applications. Applications that are not responsive to the NOFO will be rejected. Applicants should expect the outcome by end of June 2024.

F. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: niameygrants@state.gov.

GUIDELINES FOR BUDGET JUSTIFICATION

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

Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this program, for program staff, consultants or speakers, and participants/beneficiaries.

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

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

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

Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the program, which do not fit in the other categories. For example, shipping costs for materials and equipment. 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.

“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.