PAS-JOR-FY26-003 Full Announcement Details.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

قصتي مع أمريكا

Qissati ma3 America

U.S. Embassy Amman, Department of State

Opportunity number: PAS-JOR-FY26-003

Application deadline: Monday, August 31, 2026 / 11:59 p.m. Amman time

Table of Contents

A. BASIC INFORMATION

B. ELIGIBILITY

C. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

D. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

E. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

F. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

G. AWARD NOTICES

H. POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION

I. OTHER INFORMATION

U.S Department of State U.S. Embassy Amman, Public Diplomacy Section

Notice of Funding Opportunity

A. BASIC INFORMATION

1. Overview

Funding Opportunity Title /قصتي مع أمريكا Qissati ma3 America

Funding Opportunity Number PAS-JOR-FY26-003

Announcement Type Initial Announcement

Deadline for Applications Monday, August 31, 2026 / 11:59 p.m. Amman time

Assistance Listing Number 19.040 - Public Diplomacy Programs

Length of performance period 12 to 24 months

Number of awards anticipated 1 award (dependent on amounts)

Award amounts Awards may range from a minimum of $150,000 to a maximum of $300,000 (approximately)

Total available funding $150,000 - $300,000 pending availability of funds

Type of Funding FY26 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds

Anticipated project start date October 1, 2026

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements include substantial involvement of the embassy in program implementation of the project.

Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 24 months or less.

This notice is subject to availability of funding. The Public Diplomacy Section reserves the right to award less or more than the funds described under circumstances deemed to be in the best interest of the U.S. government, pending the availability of funds and approval of the designated grants officer.

2. Executive Summary

The U.S. Department of State’s Embassy Amman announces an open competition to design and implement Qissati ma3 America —a digital storytelling campaign that shares the firsthand experiences of Jordanian alumni of U.S. Department of State-funded exchange programs.

Jordan is home to thousands of alumni of U.S. government funded exchange programs — professionals, policymakers, entrepreneurs, educators, athletes, and artists who have lived and studied in the United States. Despite the impact of these programs, alumni stories rarely reach the broader Jordanian public, limiting opportunities to build understanding of American society through firsthand experiences. This initiative will address the gap by transforming alumni perspectives of the United States into a public resource — giving every alumnus the opportunity to share their American story.

The recipient will produce a curated collection of at least 50 multimedia stories highlighting

American life for Jordanian audiences: its classrooms, campuses, technology culture, sports, and creative industries.

The video stories will be archived in a public digital hub and amplified through social media, alumni networks, and traditional media. These stories will strengthen public understanding of the

United States, counter misconceptions and misinformation, reinforce the value of U.S. exchange programs, and create a lasting public diplomacy resource supporting Embassy Amman’s outreach.

B. ELIGIBILITY

1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations from the United States and Jordan are eligible to apply:

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

● Public and private educational institutions

For-profit entities, even those that may fall into the categories listed above, are not eligible to apply for this NOFO. Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one, non-profit, non-governmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal. For more information on the difference between sub-contract and sub-recipient, please refer to 2

CFR 200.331.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing or matching is not required but encouraged for this funding opportunity.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

All organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued via SAM.gov as well as a valid registration in SAM.gov. Please see Section E.3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in 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 under this funding opportunity.

4. This opportunity will not support:

● Projects relating to partisan political activity;

● Charitable or development activities; including direct social services such as medical, psychological, and/or humanitarian support

● Construction projects;

● Projects that support specific religious activities;

● Fund-raising campaigns;

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.331 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.331 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.331

● Lobbying for specific legislation or programs

● Scientific research or surveys;

● Commercial projects;

● Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization;

● Projects that duplicate existing projects;

● Illegal activities

C. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Project Background, Goals, and Objectives

U.S. Department of State-funded programs — including the Fulbright Program, the International

Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program, (YES) and others — have brought thousands of Jordanians to the United States to study, collaborate, and build lasting relationships. Globally, the U.S. Department of State has more than

3 million alumni, including 42 heads of state or government and 64 Nobel Prize winners — a testament to the transformative power of U.S.-funded exchange to earn America faithful allies and partners.

For decades, the United States has invested in people-to-people exchange with Jordan in direct support of the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs' strategic priority to advance regional integration and sustain the durable partnerships that keep America safe and secure. Jordan stands among the most consequential U.S. partners in the region, and this investment in exchange has produced a substantial and influential alumni community spanning government, business, academia, media, the arts, and civil society. Despite the scale and depth of this investment, the stories of what these alumni actually experienced in the United States — what they discovered, what surprised them, what changed them — rarely reach the broader Jordanian public. Alumni share their experiences informally within professional networks and personal circles, but those perspectives do not consistently translate into public narratives that shape how ordinary Jordanians understand

American society. The result is a missed opportunity to use authentic alumni stories to shape public discourse and enhance America's image in Jordan — and, by extension, to reinforce the strategic alliance that anchors U.S. interests in a critical part of the Near East.

Jordan's information environment is competitive, and misconceptions about the United States — fueled in part by adversarial political narratives and selective media coverage — can shape public attitudes in ways that undermine people-to-people ties and the broader U.S.-Jordan strategic partnership. Left unaddressed, these narratives create space for malign actors to shape

Jordanian public opinion in ways that run counter to U.S. interests and regional stability.

Exchange alumni, who have lived and experienced America firsthand, are among the most credible voices available to counter those narratives. They speak from experience, not from policy — and that authenticity is precisely what makes their stories a powerful, durable tool for countering disinformation and malign influence in Jordan's public sphere.

The project will produce a minimum of 50 short-form multimedia stories featuring alumni from a diverse range of U.S. Department of State-funded exchange programs. Stories will span themes such as cross-cultural discovery, education, technology and innovation, entrepreneurship, sports and community life, and the application of skills and knowledge gained in the United States to create opportunities in Jordan. All stories will be produced in either Arabic or English, with https://fulbrightprogram.org/ https://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/international-visitor-leadership-program-ivlp https://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/international-visitor-leadership-program-ivlp https://www.yesprograms.org/ https://exchanges.state.gov/us subtitles provided in the corresponding language. The provision of subtitles is the responsibility of the recipient and must be completed prior to submission of content for Embassy review and approval. The video stories will be archived in a public digital hub and amplified through a strategic distribution campaign across social media, alumni networks, and traditional media — reaching prospective exchange participants and the broader Jordanian public.

Project Audience(s):

Primary Participants: Jordanian alumni of U.S. Department of State-funded exchange programs who will serve as the storytellers and central voices of this initiative. The recipient should recruit alumni representing a diverse range of exchange programs, professional sectors, geographic regions, and backgrounds to ensure a broad collection of stories on life in the United

States and the impact of exchange. Featured alumni must provide informed consent for the public dissemination of their stories.

Target Audience: Prospective exchange participants, students, educators, entrepreneurs, policymakers, media professionals, and the broader Jordanian public. Through strategic dissemination across social media, alumni networks, and other traditional and non-traditional media channels, the project should increase public understanding of the United States, highlighting the long-term impact of U.S. Department of State-funded exchange programs and reinforcing the credibility of firsthand American experience as a bulwark against misinformation.

Project Goal:

Through Qissati ma3 America, advance U.S. public diplomacy in Jordan by producing and disseminating alumni-driven digital video stories that present an authentic digital portrait of

American society, strengthen Jordanian public understanding of the United States, counter malign narratives and misinformation with credible firsthand testimony, and demonstrate the lasting value of U.S. government-funded exchange programs in sustaining the people-to-people foundation of the U.S.-Jordan strategic partnership.

Project Objectives:

Objective 1: Produce and publish a minimum of 50 multimedia stories – in Arabic or English with subtitles in the corresponding language – featuring alumni from a range of U.S. Department of State-funded exchange programs, illustrating dimensions of America — education, technology, sports, entrepreneurship, arts and culture, etc….

Objective 2: Design and implement a strategic public awareness campaign that distributes all produced and Embassy-approved alumni stories across social media platforms, radio programs, and other traditional and emerging media to expand public understanding of the United States and maximize audience reach and engagement. Placement of these narratives on Jordanian radio is a key component of the campaign.

Expected Outcomes

• Content Production: A minimum of 50 short-form multimedia stories are produced, edited, and approved by the U.S. Embassy Amman throughout the project period, featuring Jordanian alumni from a diverse range of U.S. Department of State-funded exchange programs spanning themes of education, technology, sports, entrepreneurship, and arts and culture, etc….

• Content Quality: 100% of produced stories are reviewed and approved by the U.S.

Embassy Amman Public Diplomacy Section prior to publication, ensuring alignment with U.S. public diplomacy objectives and Department of State branding requirements.

• Archive and Content Delivery: The recipient will archive 100% of all multimedia materials produced under this award including final story files, raw footage, photographs, audio recordings, and all supporting production materials – and deliver complete digital copies to the U.S. Embassy Amman team at the end of the grant period, for future use by the Public Diplomacy Section.

• Campaign Reach: The strategic public awareness campaign achieves a minimum of 700k total reach and 200k views across all social media channels. Rates are based on the U.S.

Embassy Amman’s current follower base of approximately 650,000.

• Audience Engagement: Published stories achieve a minimum average engagement rate of

2% per post across social media platforms, measured through likes, shares, and comments. Rates are based on the U.S. Embassy Amman’s current follower base of approximately 650,000.

• Grantee-Delivered Media Amplification: All narratives must be produced with a radio audience in mind, featuring a less than three-minute segment of a conversation between the alum of the exchange program recounting a particular experience in the United States and another Jordanian – family member, co-worker, fellow student, etc. – designed to help Jordanians who have not traveled to the United States understand the country better.

All narratives should be played on the radio using a pre-determined media partner.

• Organic Media Amplification: At least three stories are picked up or featured organically by third-party media outlets such as TV, radio, websites, university platforms, and other partner organizations beyond the implementer's own channels.

• Content Ownership: 100% of content developed under this award — including all final multimedia assets and source files — will be provided to the U.S. Embassy Amman for future public diplomacy outreach, alumni engagement, and promotion of U.S. exchange programs.

• Sustained Impact: The implementer will track story performance and audience engagement metrics on an ongoing basis throughout the project period and submit a comprehensive performance report including a data visualization board of engagement to the Embassy per the reporting schedule outlined in the award.

2. Substantial Involvement

This award will be a cooperative agreement, with substantial involvement from the U.S.

Embassy Amman throughout the period of performance. The Embassy and the recipient will collaborate closely to ensure all program activities, story themes and narratives, and participants align with U.S. public diplomacy priorities and achieve intended outcomes.

U.S. Embassy Roles and Responsibilities

The U.S. Embassy Amman team will be substantially involved in the implementation of this program, including but not limited to the following:

• Reviewing and approving the overall storytelling strategy, approach, and project work plan.

• Reviewing and approving the criteria and methodology for identifying and selecting participating alumni to ensure broad representation across U.S. Department of State-funded exchange programs.

• Providing recommendations on alumni participants, screening and facilitating introductions to relevant exchange alumni, as appropriate.

• Reviewing and approving proposed story themes, interview questions, and editorial guidelines to ensure alignment with U.S. public diplomacy objectives.

• Reviewing and approving multimedia content prior to publication to ensure factual accuracy, appropriate representation of the United States, and consistency with

Department of State policies and messaging.

• Reviewing and approving the project's communications and dissemination strategy, including promotional materials and major public outreach activities.

• Publishing approved content on the official U.S. Embassy Amman website and coordinating distribution across Embassy digital and social media platforms.

• Monitoring project implementation through regular coordination meetings, progress reports, and performance reviews, and providing technical guidance throughout the award period.

Recipient Roles and Responsibilities

The recipient will be responsible for the overall design, implementation, and management of the project in close coordination with the U.S. Embassy Amman. Responsibilities include:

developing the content strategy and editorial framework in consultation with the Embassy;

identifying, recruiting, and coordinating participating alumni; conducting interviews; filming, producing, and editing all multimedia stories; delivering final content to the Embassy for approval and publication; implementing the public awareness campaign across all designated channels; collecting and reporting monitoring and evaluation data; and ensuring compliance with all applicable financial, programmatic, branding, and reporting requirements.

The recipient will maintain regular communication with the U.S. Embassy, obtain all required approvals before finalizing or distributing project content, and provide all final multimedia assets, source files, and usage rights to the U.S. Embassy Amman upon conclusion of the award.

D. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

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 applicant authorized signatures are provided where indicated on the various, required forms.

The following documents are required:

1. Mandatory application forms

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

Federal Assistance --individuals) at grants.gov.

• SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at grants.gov.

• SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at grants.gov or Embassy website.

(note: the SF-424B is only required for individuals, organizations exempt from registration, and for organizations not required to fully register in SAM.gov)

2. Proposal (10 pages maximum)

Applicants must submit a complete narrative proposal in a format of their choice, or they may use the attached proposal template if they like (Attachment 1- Proposal Template). The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. The proposal must include all the items below:

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

● Introduction to the Organization applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the State Department and/or U.S. government agencies as well as experience with and expertise in areas related to those described in the NOFO. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to use the attached Applicant Organization Information Survey form to provide this information (Attachment 2- Applicant Survey). If the applicant chooses not to use the attached form, all of the requested information from the form will still need to be addressed in the application package.

● Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

● Program Methods, Design, Activities, and Deliverables: 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. Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

● Proposed Project 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?

● Project Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees (if applicable).

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

• Monitoring & Evaluation Plan: Proposals must include a Monitoring and Evaluation

(M&E) Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP). The M&E plan should show how applicants intend to measure and demonstrate progress towards the project’s objectives and goals. The key components to the PMP are as follows:

● Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative: In narrative form, applicants should describe how they intend to monitor and evaluate the activities of their award. In addition, the applicant should describe any M&E processes, including key personnel, management structure (where M&E fits into the overall program’s staff structure), technology, and as well provide a brief budget narrative explaining any line-item expenditures for M&E listed in the program’s budget. If the proposal is from a prior grantee, the proposal discusses how the grantee has adapted, improved or otherwise modified their approach based on learning from previous experience. This narrative is limited to two pages.

● Theory of Change Diagram: Applicants are expected to submit either a Theory of Change diagram or an If-Then Statement that illustrates how project activities will lead to intended outcomes.

● Monitoring and Evaluation Datasheet: The applicant must include their proposed activities and their expected outputs and outcomes as well as the goals and objectives as written in the NOFO. The datasheet’s purpose is to explicitly illustrate how a project’s activities lead to tangible results (such as increased beneficiary skills, knowledge, or attitudes) that ultimately address a PDS objective.

● The selected applicant’s M&E PMP is subject to review and approval before any award will be issued under this NOFO. The selected applicant may be asked to work with U.S. Department of State Monitoring and Evaluation Specialists to ensure the applicant’s M&E PMP achieves an expected level of expertise and meets PDS objectives.

● Expenses directly associated with monitoring and evaluation are considered allowable.

3. Budget Justification Narrative

● Detailed Budget - Applicants must submit a detailed line-item budget. Applicants are encouraged to utilize the template provided with the funding opportunity but are not required to do so (Attachment 3- Budget). Line-item expenditures should be listed in the greatest possible detail. The budget must identify the total amount of funding requested, with a breakdown of amounts to be spent in the following budget categories: personnel;

fringe benefits; travel; equipment; supplies; consultants/contracts; other direct costs; and indirect costs. See Annex Section I for a description of the types of costs that should be included in each category. Personnel salaries should include the level of effort and the rate of pay, which should cover the percentage of time each staff member will dedicate to grant-based activities. If an organization is charging an indirect cost rate without a

NICRA, it must apply it to the modified total budget costs (MTDC), refer to

2CFR§200.1. Budgets shall be submitted in U.S. dollars and final grant agreements will be conducted in U.S. dollars.

● Budget Justification Narrative – Applicants must submit a budget justification narrative to accompany the detailed line-item budget. The purpose of the budget justification narrative is to supplement the information provided in the detailed budget spreadsheet by justifying how the budget cost elements are necessary to implement project objectives and accomplish the project goals. The budget justification narrative is a tool to help

Embassy staff fully understand the budgetary needs of the applicant and is an opportunity to provide descriptive information about the requested costs beyond the constraints of the budget template. Together, the detailed budget spreadsheet, the budget justification narrative, and the SF-424A should provide a complete financial and qualitative description that supports the proposed project plan and should be directly relatable to the specific project components described in the applicant’s proposal.

Additional Budget Notes:

● Audit Requirements: Please note the audit requirements for Department of State awards in the Standard Terms and Conditions https://www.state.gov/m/a/ope/index.htm and

2CFR200, Subpart F – Audit Requirements. The cost of the required audits may be charged either as an allowable direct cost to the award OR included in the organization’s established indirect costs in the award’s detailed budget.

● Visa Fees: Include all visa application and related fees in your budget as applicable.

Please note DS-2019s for post-funded programs must be submitted directly by the award recipient. If you anticipate your program will include the DS-2019 visa processing, your organization must be a registered Designated Sponsoring Organization. For more information go to: https://j1visa.state.gov/sponsors/become-a-sponsor/

4. Attachments

● Key Personnel Resumes: A résumé, not to exceed one page in length, must be included for the proposed key staff persons, such as the Project Director and Finance Officer, as well as any speakers or trainers (if applicable). If an individual for this type of position https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC)) https://www.state.gov/m/a/ope/index.htm%20and%202CFR200 https://www.state.gov/m/a/ope/index.htm%20and%202CFR200 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx has not been identified, the applicant may submit a 1-page position description, identifying the qualifications and skills required for that position, in lieu of a résumé.

● Letters of support from program partners: Letters of support should be included for sub-recipients or other partners. The letters must identify the type of relationship to be entered into (formal or informal), the roles and responsibilities of each partner in relation to the proposed project activities, and the expected result of the partnership. The individual letters cannot exceed 1 page in length.

● Indirect Costs: If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

(NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included in the application submission.

● Proof of Non-profit Status: Documentation to demonstrate the applicant’s non-profit status (e.g., U.S.-based organizations should submit a copy of their 501(c)(3) Internal

Revenue Service determination letter, and non-U.S. organizations should provide evidence of non-profit status issued by a government entity).

● Proof of Registration: A copy of the organization’s registration should be provided with the proposal application. U.S.-based organizations should submit a copy of their IRS determination letter. Jordan-based organizations should submit a copy of their certificate of registration from the appropriate government organization.

Other items NOT required/requested with the application submission, but which may be requested if your application is approved to move forward in the review process include:

a. Copies of an organization or program audit within the last two (2) years

b. Copies of relevant human resources, financial, or procurement policies

c. Copies of other relevant organizational policies or documentation that would help the

Department determine your organization’s capacity to manage a federal grant award overseas

d. Documentation that demonstrates the recipients’ plan and/or policy to safeguard PII of participants and beneficiaries. It is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure protection of personally identifiable information (PII) and safeguard PII when collecting, maintaining, using and disseminating such information

e. Information to determine what financial controls and standard operating procedures an organization uses to procure goods and services, hire staff and track time and attendance, pay for grant-related travel, and identify other financial transactions that may be necessary to undertake the project activities

f. The Embassy reserves the right to request any additional programmatic and/or financial information regarding the proposal.

E. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

1. Address to Request Application Package

Application forms required above are available at Grants.gov or U.S. Embassy Amman website.

2. Department of State Contacts

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact:

AmmanGrants@state.gov

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

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

An applicant must maintain an active registration while it has a proposal under review by the

Department and must continue to keep the registration active for the entire duration of the period of performance of any Federal award that results from this NOFO.

The 2 CFR 200 also requires subrecipients to obtain a UEI. Please note the UEI for subrecipients is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a subrecipient.

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 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 prior to registering in SAM.gov.

● 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 to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove an 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 an 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.

Exemptions mailto:AmmanGrants@state.gov https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2Fgsafsd_sp%3Fid%3Dgsafsd_kb_articles%26sys_id%3Dc81018e71b1601d0937fa64ce54bcb57&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=W2ShcazZBQbanYGj0cLOTnUJwv%2BGL4xfwr83%2BycQY2E%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2Fgsafsd_sp%3Fid%3Dgsafsd_kb_articles%26sys_id%3Dc81018e71b1601d0937fa64ce54bcb57&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=W2ShcazZBQbanYGj0cLOTnUJwv%2BGL4xfwr83%2BycQY2E%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2Fgsafsd_sp%3Fid%3Dgsafsd_kb_articles%26sys_id%3Dc81018e71b1601d0937fa64ce54bcb57&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=W2ShcazZBQbanYGj0cLOTnUJwv%2BGL4xfwr83%2BycQY2E%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=t32ANWzgpiB93pMWoq%2BFCSHz4YJY9QF1S1iQzCsS6RM%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=t32ANWzgpiB93pMWoq%2BFCSHz4YJY9QF1S1iQzCsS6RM%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fsd.gov%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cfjeldkk%40state.gov%7C0cc4e2b471f44abcd32308db093ecead%7C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%7C0%7C0%7C638113937577534024%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=t32ANWzgpiB93pMWoq%2BFCSHz4YJY9QF1S1iQzCsS6RM%3D&reserved=0

An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. See 2 CFR 25.110 for a full list of exemptions.

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.

Please note: Any applicant with an exclusion in the System for Award Management (SAM) is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp.,

p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.”

4. Submission Dates and Times

Submission Deadline: All applications must be received by Monday, August 31, 2026 / 11:59 p.m., Amman time. For the purposes of determining if an award is submitted on time, U.S.

Embassy Amman will utilize the timestamp provided by Outlook. This deadline is firm and is not a rolling deadline. If organizations fail to meet the deadline noted above their application will be considered ineligible and will not be considered for funding.

Submission Method: All application materials must be directly submitted to the following email address: AmmanGrants@state.gov. Applicants must include the Funding Opportunity Title and Funding Opportunity Number in the subject line of the email. Applications submitted via

Grant.gov are NOT accepted.

5. Funding Restrictions

i. Funding Restrictions for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA): None of the funds awarded resulting from this Notice of Funding Opportunity may be made available for subawards, direct financial support, or otherwise used to provide any payment or transfer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

ii. Certification Regarding Compliance with Applicable Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws

If the place of performance or delivery of any award made under this NOFO will be within the United States, applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award:

a. Its compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of section

3729(b)(4) of title 31, United States Code and;

b. It does not operate any programs promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws. A program promoting

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion means a program whose purpose is to promote preferences based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origins, such as in training or hiring.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-A/section-25.110

iii. Certification Regarding Compliance with 20 U.S.C. 1011f and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements: Applicants are advised that IHEs must certify the following at the time of award, and that this certification requirement must be included in any subaward agreements to IHEs:

a. Its compliance in all respects with section 1011f of title 20, United States Code, and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements is material for purposes of section 3729 of title 31, United States Code, and for receipt of appropriate Federal grant funds.

b. Applicants seeking clarification on the reporting requirement are encouraged to review the Frequently Asked Questions resource developed by the U.S.

Department of Education.

iv. Certification of Trafficking in Persons Compliance and Compliance Plan: Applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award for awards where the estimated value of services to be performed outside the United States exceeds

$500,000:

a. To the best of the Recipient’s knowledge, neither the Recipient, nor any subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor of the Recipient or any agent of the recipient or of such a subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor, is engaged in any of the activities described in 2 CFR 175.105(a);

b. The recipient has implemented a Trafficking in Persons compliance plan to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175(a) and is compliant with this plan; and the compliance plan must follow the minimum requirements described in 2 CFR

175(b)(5).

c. That the Recipient has and will implement procedures to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175.105(a) and to monitor, detect, and terminate any subrecipient, contractor, subcontractor, or employee of the recipient engaging in these activities.

i. Recipients do not need to submit a copy of the plan. However, they must provide it to the Grants Officer upon request, and as appropriate, must post the useful and relevant contents of the plan or related materials on its website and at the workplace.

Recipients must re-certify on an annual basis for the entire award period of performance.

v. Prohibition of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). If your project involves the purchase or use of an UAS, see this link for requirements and information you must include in your application.

vi. Pre-Award Costs: Pre-award costs are generally not allowable under this NOFO unless approved in advance by the Grants Officer and justified in the proposal.

https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/topics/section-117-foreign-gift-and-contract-reporting/resources/frequently-asked-questions https://www.state.gov/federal-assistance-policies-appeals/

vii. Construction: Any award made as a result of this NOFO will not allow for construction activities or costs.

viii. Direct Social Services: Costs that cover and provide direct social services, such as welfare, charity, health or economic relief, are unallowable. Medical assistance, such as costs to include medical professionals, including but not limited to doctors, nurses, and psychiatrists to participate in the project activities are not allowed.

6. Other Submission Requirements: Copyrights and Proprietary Information

If any of the information contained in your application is proprietary, please note in the footer of the appropriate pages that the information is Confidential – Proprietary. Applicants should also note what parts of the application, program, concept, etc. are covered by copyright(s), trademark(s), or any other intellectual property rights and provide copies of the relevant documentation to support these copyrights.

Applicants must acquire all required registrations and rights in the United States and Jordan.

All intellectual property considerations and rights must be fully met in the United States and

Jordan.

Any sub-recipient organization must also meet all the U.S. and Jordan requirements described above.

F. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Review Criteria

Criteria: Each application submitted under this announcement will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the criteria enumerated below. The criteria are designed to assess the quality of the proposed project, and to determine the likelihood of its success.

● Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – 30 points: The program idea should be innovative and well developed, with sufficient detail about how project activities will be carried out. The proposals should demonstrate originality and outline clear, achievable objectives that align directly with the priorities and requirements of the NOFO. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline, and the project scope is appropriate and clearly defined. Finally, the proposal aligns with the following:

o The project clearly demonstrates a direct contribution to current U.S. foreign policy priorities.

o The project will positively impact America’s reputation among foreign government partners.

o The project will positively impact American’s reputation among foreign publics.

o The proposal does not include any activities contrary to the following Executive

Orders:

▪ Executive Order 14173: "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring

Merit-Based Opportunity https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/

▪ Executive Order 14287: “Protecting American Communities from

Criminal Aliens”

▪ Executive Order 14168: Defending Women from Gender Ideology

Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government

● Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 20 points:

o The project proposal demonstrates that the organization has sufficient expertise, skills, and human resources to implement the project, including internal controls in place to manage federal funds. If sub-awards are proposed, applicant demonstrates experience managing subawards.

o The organization demonstrates that it has a clear understanding of the underlying issue that the project will address.

o The organization demonstrates capacity for successful planning and responsible fiscal management. This includes a financial management system, a bank account, and if applicable, satisfactory audit findings.

o Applicants who have received grant funds previously have been compliant with applicable rules and regulations, including the Award Provisions and Standard

Terms and Conditions.

o Where partners are described, the applicant details each partner’s respective role and provides curriculum vitae (CVs) for persons responsible for the project and financial administration. Proposed personnel, institutional resources, and partners are adequate and appropriate.

● Project Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 25 points: The project plan is well developed, with sufficient detail about how activities will be carried out. The proposal specifies target audiences, participant recruitment, and geographic areas of implementation. The proposal outlines clear, achievable objectives. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. The project scope is appropriate and clearly defined.

● Budget – 10 points: The budget and narrative justification are sufficiently detailed. The budget demonstrates that the organization has devoted time to accurately determine expenses associated with the project instead of providing rough estimates. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The results and proposed outcomes justify the total cost of the project. Budget items are reasonable, allowable, and allocable.

● Monitoring and Evaluation - 10 points: The project proposal includes an M&E plan.

The applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals and objectives outlined in the proposal. The proposal includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured. Funded projects will have their plans finalized during the negotiation phase, and monitoring plans may be subject to periodic updates throughout the life of the project.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/protecting-american-communities-from-criminal-aliens/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/protecting-american-communities-from-criminal-aliens/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/

● Sustainability – 5 points: The project proposal describes clearly the approach that will be used to ensure maximum sustainability or advancement of project goals after the end of project activity.

2. Indirect Costs

If two or more applications receive equivalent scores based on the evaluation criteria outlined in this NOFO, preference will be given to the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate, as consistent with Executive Order 14332, Section 4(b)(iii). This preference will only be applied as a tie-breaking mechanism and does not supersede the primary evaluation criteria.

3. Review and Selection Process

a. Acknowledgement of receipt. Applicants will receive acknowledgment of receipt of their proposal.

b. Review. All submissions are screened for technical eligibility. If a submission is missing any required forms/documents listed above in Section D. Application

Contents and Format, it will be considered ineligible and will not be reviewed by the grants review committee. A technical review panel will review eligible proposals based upon the criteria noted in this NOFO.

c. Follow up notification. Applicants will generally be notified within 120 days after the

NOFO deadline regarding the results of the review panel.

2. Risk Review

i. Under the merit review as required by 2 CFR 200.206, prior to making a Federal Award the Department will review and consider the following risk factors:

a. Financial stability

b. Management systems and standards

c. History of performance

d. Audit reports and findings

e. Ability to effectively implement project requirements

ii. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov

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).

An applicant can review and comment on any information in the responsibility/qualification records available in SAM.gov.

Before making decisions in the risk review required by 2 CFR 200.206, the Department will consider any comments by the applicant, along with information available in the responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov.

iii. High Risk Designation

Awardees that are deemed to be high risk based on the above risk factors will be held to special award conditions. At a minimum, the recipient and/or project designated as High

Risk will be required to submit monthly narrative reports and/or quarterly detailed financial reports. Recipients may also be required, upon request of the Grants Officer or Grants

Officer Representative, to provide electronic copies of receipts or other supporting documentation (e.g., timesheets, travel documents) for costs incurred. The Grants Officer may withhold 10% of the award amount until final reports have been reviewed and approved by the GO. The recipient may be required to pay all salaries supported by the grant via electronic funds transfer. Other special award conditions may also be included if deemed appropriate by the Grants Officer.

G. AWARD NOTICES

The award or cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the

Grants Officer. The award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the recipient for review and counter-signature. The recipient may only start incurring project expenses beginning on the start date shown on the 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.