Proposal Guidelines.docx

U.S. EMBASSY MANAGUA SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

GUIDELINES FOR A PROPOSAL

PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE FILLING OUT THE PROPOSAL FORM

• All projects must be submitted using the Small Grants proposal form in the Embassy site. We cannot accept projects submitted in any other format.

• The Small Grants Program proposal form should be submitted electronically in their original Word form.

• The proposal and any other materials must be submitted in English.

• Please be sure that your organization meets the eligibility requirements of the program.

• We recommend that you keep a copy of the completed application package for your records.

NOTE: The proposal form can only be completed using Microsoft Word.

1. BACKGROUND OF ORGANIZATION:

1.1 Description

Provide a short description of the organization. Answer the following questions:

• When the organization was officially registered?

• What is the mission of the organization?

• Who is the primary target group (beneficiaries) of the NGO? (For example, youth, women, students, unemployed?)

1.2 Past grants (U.S. Embassy)

List all grants the organization has received in the past from the U.S. Embassy, starting with the most recent.

For each grant include the grant period, project title/brief description, and the amount received in U.S. dollars.

1.3 Past grants (Other)

List grants the organization has received in the past three years from other donor agencies, starting with the most recent.

For each grant include the grant period, project title/brief description, and the amount received in U.S. dollars.

2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

2.1 Project information

a. Project Name: Include a short descriptive name for the submitted proposal.

b. Duration (months): Enter the project duration. Project period cannot exceed 24 months.

c. Start date: Enter the anticipated start date of the project using the month/day/year format. Please keep in mind that the Small Grants Program selection process may take up to four months.

d. End date: Enter the anticipated end date of the project using the month/day/year format.

2.2 Executive summary:

This is the summary of the entire project and should include key information from each section of the proposal. Include the innovative qualities of a project in the Executive Summary and Activities sections of the proposal.)

Please be sure to answer the following questions:

• Who is requesting the grant?

• Why are you requesting it?

• What problems will you address and where?

• How long will the project last?

• What results do you expect to achieve?

· What is the major U.S. component involved? (for example, U.S. speaker, exchange between U.S and Nicaraguan people, U.S. products used)

Example Summary: The XYZ NGO will implement an eight-month project to teach children the values of a democratic society. One U.S. trainer from ABC University will train 3 Nicaraguan coaches; the beneficiaries will be 30 children, ages 12-16, from rural areas of Matagalpa. The NGO will use the funds to address the lack of after-school activities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds through the teaching of American sports such as baseball and basketball, which will prepare them to meet the challenges they will face and to take leadership roles in their community. During sports practices and games, coaches will talk about the importance of personal responsibility and civic engagement. At the end of this project the beneficiaries will have a better understanding of self-discipline, respect, teamwork, and the realization of what sports bring to communities, including stable relationships between all members of society. The NGO will have press event at the final tournament to highlight the project.

2.3 Project justification:

Please explain the problem or need the project intends to address.

• Briefly describe the relevance of your project and its importance for Nicaragua.

• Provide up-to-date statistics and research findings for support, if available. Discuss the type of project that is needed to address the problem, and explain why your organization is qualified to undertake the project.

2.4 Project goal and objectives:

In this section of the proposal, state the overall project goal and the specific objectives that will be achieved during the project.

Goal The project goal refers to a general, long-term change that your project seeks to advance. A single project usually will not be able to achieve the goal by itself, but will contribute to the achievement of the goal. Tips for writing goals:

• Refer to the major social problem.

• Refer to your target population and location.

• Use clear terminology and avoid jargon.

Example: The goal of the proposed project is to raise awareness of staying in school and preventing teenage pregnancy in secondary school students in Rivas.

Objectives Objectives refer to the intermediate changes desired among the focus population and describe the expected results of your project. Objectives are more specific than goals and refer to a specific location and time period. Unlike a goal, which a project will only partially contribute to achieving, the project objectives do need to be achievable and measurable within the scope of the project. Objectives should be realistic as unachievable objectives undercut the credibility of the project.

Well-written objectives identify:

• WHO will be reached

• WHAT change will be achieved

• IN WHAT TIME PERIOD the change will be achieved

• WHERE will it be achieved (in what location)

• Relevance for Nicaragua

2.5. Project Activities:

In this section of the proposal provide more details about the specific activities that will be conducted. The activities should support the achievement of the objectives and need to be consistent with the budget.

For each activity, please consider:

• How will it be conducted?

• Who will lead the activity?

• Who will benefit from the project? Will they be involved in the design, implementation, or evaluation of the activity?

• How many participants will there be?

• How will you recruit or attract them?

• How can you maximize their participation in the activity?

• When will the activity occur?

• For how long? What will be the frequency of the activity? (Will it happen once, or will it be repeated?)

• What materials will you need to conduct the activity? Will materials or curricula have to be developed, or do the materials already exist? Will the materials need to be adapted to a new population, and if so, how?

• Will your organization collaborate with other organizations to carry out the activity? If so, what will be the role of each organization?

· Plan for amplifying the impact of the project (press, social media

2.6. Monitoring and evaluation:

This section provides details on how the results of the project will be measured. A well-designed monitoring and evaluation plan will enable project staff to understand how the project is functioning and to make decisions throughout the life of the project.

The monitoring and evaluation section should answer the following questions:

• What indicators will be measured?

• Where will the information or data come from?

• Who will collect the data?

• How and how often will data be collected?

2.7 Key personnel:

In this section of the proposal, describe concisely:

• Who will work on the project?

• What responsibilities will they have?

• What qualifications do they have?

• What proportion of their time will be used to support the project?

If your project will rely on a consultant, please include the consultant in this section as well. Discuss whether you already have the staff needed for the project, or whether staff needs to be identified and hired.

2.8 Project Partners:

Who will be your partners, if any, in the implementation of this project? Describe the role of each partner.

2.9 Strengths and innovation:

To demonstrate how the project will meet its objectives, it is important to convey the strengths of the project. These strengths may relate to your organization, your partners, your experience with the focus populations, the fact that the strategies have been successful elsewhere, etc.

In this section of the proposal you should also emphasize what is innovative or interesting about your project, and what sets it apart from other projects.

2.10. Sustainability:

Sustainability refers to the ability of a project to continue once the initial grant or external source of funding has ended.

It is important to demonstrate in your proposal that you have thought about the issue, and will explore strategies that are feasible to achieve some level of sustainability.

2.11. Branding & Marketing Plan:

All programs, projects, assistance, activities, and public communications to foreign audiences, partially or fully funded by the U.S. Government, must be marked appropriately with the standard U.S. flag in a size and prominence equal to (or greater than) any other logo or identity.

In this section, the applicant must describe the way you plan to advertise and promote your program, project, or activity: what media you plan to use, the use of logos on promotional material, and include these costs in the required budget forms.

3. CERTIFICATIONS

• Mark the first checkbox to certify that the statements contained in the form are true, complete, and accurate.

• Mark the second checkbox to certify that you have read, understood, and followed the instructions provided with the form.

Please sign the form and enter the date.

Important Submission Information The application must be submitted electronically to the following email address:

E-mail: PASManagua@state.gov Subject: PAS Small Grants Application