SFOP0010150 Global TFGBV Response Fund NOFO_final.pdf

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 1

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues

Full Proposal Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO):

Global TFGBV Rapid Response Fund

A. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0010150

Federal Agency Contact: SGWIProjectProposals@state.gov

Date Posted: 02 January 2024

Questions Deadline: 31 January 2024 by 23:59 (ET)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Deadline:

05 March 2024 by 23:59 (ET)

Funding Mechanism Type: Cooperative agreement

Estimated Number of Awards: 1

Award Ceiling: $1,975,308

Award Floor: $987,654

Cost Sharing: Not Required

Period of Performance: Up to 24 months

Fiscal Year of Funding: FY 2023

Type of Funding: Economic Support Fund

CFDA Number: 19.801

Estimated Program Start Date: No later than June 30, 2024

B. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Funding Opportunity Synopsis

The Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI) announces an open competition for organizations to submit full proposal applications to carry out a project that will provide rapid/flexible response support to women politicians, political candidates, and civil society leaders who have experienced extreme forms and/or threats of technology-facilitated gender-mailto:SGWIProjectProposals@state.gov

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 2 based violence (TFGBV) globally. Please read the entire Notice of Funding Opportunity, carefully follow all instructions, and utilize the provided checklist in order ensure a complete proposal.

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Due to the needs and risk factors associated with this project, S/GWI anticipates awarding these funds as a cooperative agreement. The distinction between grants and cooperative agreements revolves around the existence of “substantial involvement.”

Cooperative agreements require greater Federal government participation in the project.

Substantial Involvement:

Applicants should be aware that if their application results in an award, S/GWI will be involved in the program and management performance of the award in the form of a cooperative agreement, which allows S/GWI to undertake reasonable and programmatically necessary substantial involvement such as consultation and technical collaboration rights on specified project activities. Examples of substantial involvement can include:

a) Approval of Recipient annual work plan, including planned activities for the following year and changes to any activity to be carried out under the agreement;

b) Collaboration on identifying/approving additional international partner organizations and donors, including members of the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, who may work in coordination with S/GWI and recipient.

c) Collaboration on and approval of Standard Operating Procedures for rapid/flexible response support, including how to determine which cases qualify as “extreme” forms or threats of TFGBV.

d) Approval of sub-award recipients, concurrence on the substantive provisions of the sub-awards, and coordination with other cooperating agencies;

e) Review of any notice of funding opportunities and selection of sub-award recipients;

f) Approval of the MEL plan for the Recipient and sub-award recipients;

g) Approval of Terms of Reference (TOR) for program evaluations;

h) Approval of hiring/opportunity announcements and selection/assignment of technical experts, including but not limited to key personnel;

i) Collaboration in assessing progress and identifying issues that might affect the success of the program; and

j) Other approvals that will be included in the award agreement.

Program Performance Period: The Department of State will entertain applications for continuation of activities funded under this solicitation 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.

Priority Regions and Countries:

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 3

Applicants must demonstrate a capacity to operate globally. Priority should be given to countries currently experiencing instability, political transitions from conflict, and those with planned local and/or national elections between 2024-2026.

Final location selection will be confirmed in consultation between the successful applicant and S/GWI. Country selections may also be subject to additional approvals and/or vetting.

S/GWI does not, as a general matter, use foreign assistance resources to fund programs to benefit developed countries. Developed countries are considered to be those in the high-income category as defined1 by the World Bank using the GNI per capita (Atlas method).2 The World Bank’s list of countries by GNI can be found on their website.3

Applicants to this NOFO should be aware of, complement, build on, and not overlap with existing in-country, regional, and global programming.

Note: This solicitation will appear on www.grants.gov and SAMS Domestic (https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com); however, NOFO submissions will only be accepted through SAMS Domestic. S/GWI strongly encourages applicants to immediately access SAMS Domestic, the required system for submission, in order to obtain a username and password.

For further instructions, please see Section D.4 below. Please also see Section D.3 for information on other relevant registrations required to apply for solicitation.

2. Program Description and Objectives

Background Information:

The United States has committed to preventing, mitigating, and responding to TFGBV against all individuals. While technology has been a tool that has expanded the way in which people can learn, communicate, connect, advocate, and work, the misuse of technology has also expanded the spaces in and through which gender-based violence can be perpetuated. Initial research illuminates alarming trends: one study found nearly 60 percent of girls and young women have experienced online harassment4 and another found 85 percent of women globally have witnessed TFGBV.5

Per the 2022 U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to GBV Globally,6 the U.S. Government defines TFGBV as a threat or act of violence committed, assisted, aggravated, and amplified in part or fully by using information and communication technologies or digital media that is

1 https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519 2 https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519 3 https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD 4 https://plan-international.org/publications/free-to-be-online/ 5 https://onlineviolencewomen.eiu.com/ 6 https://www.state.gov/reports/united-states-strategy-to-prevent-and-respond-to-gender-based-violence-globally-2022/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/ https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519 https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519 https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD https://plan-international.org/publications/free-to-be-online/ https://onlineviolencewomen.eiu.com/ https://www.state.gov/reports/united-states-strategy-to-prevent-and-respond-to-gender-based-violence-globally-2022/ https://www.state.gov/reports/united-states-strategy-to-prevent-and-respond-to-gender-based-violence-globally-2022/

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 4 disproportionately targeted at women, girls, and gender non-conforming individuals. It is part of a continuum of multiple, recurring, and interrelated forms of gender-based violence that can take place both online and offline. Examples can include but are not limited to, online harassment and abuse; non-consensual distribution of intimate digital images; cyberstalking;

sextortion; doxing; malicious deep fakes; livestreamed sexual violence; rape and death threats;

disinformation; and intimate-partner violence. Some forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence violate criminal and civil laws; others do not but are nonetheless harmful.

Amidst continued patterns of democratic backsliding and rising levels of insecurity and authoritarianism globally, research has shown that women and girls who take on public-facing leadership, advocacy, and/or peacebuilding roles are at an ever-increasing risk of experiencing TFGBV and that risk is particularly amplified for women with intersecting, marginalized identities.7 In addition, witnessing TFGBV perpetrated against others can have a chilling effect on women’s public participation, particularly for aspiring, young women leaders and those who might consider holding elected office.8 This presents a critical threat to democracy, as well as our collective national and international security and prospects for peace.

Too often, women find themselves having to navigate extreme threats and/or instances of TFGBV alone and with very little technical or financial support to respond in the short-term and recover over the medium to long term. From the immediate need to remove personally identifiable information (PII) from the “dark web” and other sites or platforms, to reporting harmful content targeting the individual or their family members and covering the costs associated with safety planning, to the longer term- psychological and legal fees associated with pursuing justice and accountability, the challenges associated with preventing and responding to TFGBV are immense. While the burden of responsibility to prevent TFGBV cannot and should not fall on those being targeted, there is an interim need for dedicated, tailored, and rapid/flexible response assistance to support individuals facing immediate threats and harms until policies and investments in longer-term preventative efforts begin producing broader systemic and behavioral changes from those enabling and perpetrating such violence.

Through a new global TFGBV mechanism, S/GWI seeks to provide rapid/flexible response support to women politicians, political candidates, and civil society leaders who have experienced extreme forms and/or threats of TFGBV in locations currently experiencing instability, political transitions from conflict, and those with upcoming local and/or national elections between 2024-2026. Furthermore, the mechanism will aim to create safe spaces to foster connection and learning among and with extreme forms and/or threats , including that which may be politically motivated. The mechanism must be operated by a consortium of partners with relevant, demonstrated gender-based violence and technology expertise and the capacity to operate globally. It should also be designed to allow other donors, including but not

7 TRANSFORM Review of Global Evidence 8 Global Partnership TFGBV Preliminary Landscape Analysis; https://srfreedex.org/gendered-disinformation-report/ https://www.irex.org/sites/default/files/Technology-Facilitated%20Gender-Based%20Violence%20as%20an%20Attack%20on%20Women’s%20Public%20Participation_Review%20of%20Global%20Evidence%20and%20Implications%20.pdf https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1168818/Technology_facilitated_gender_based_violence_preliminary_landscape_analysis.pdf https://srfreedex.org/gendered-disinformation-report/ https://srfreedex.org/gendered-disinformation-report/

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 5 limited to countries in the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, to contribute additional resources.

Clarifying Terms

• “Civil society leaders” may include but are not limited to women human rights defenders and activists, journalists/bloggers, and peacebuilders.

• “Rapid/flexible response support” may include providing financial, legal, medical, and/or psychosocial support for immediate needs in partnership with existing global and local TFGBV or rapid response efforts. This may also include providing technical support to women and girls who wish to have their personal information removed from digital platforms and spaces and/or to report harmful content targeting them or their family members.

o As a follow-up to the provision of rapid response support for immediate needs, applicants should consider how to facilitate referrals for women and girls to access longer-term assistance for ongoing mental health, livelihood, and technical support needs.

• “Extreme forms and/or threats of TFGBV” may include but are not limited to acts that translate into offline, physical violence and result in urgent safety concerns, including murder threats or attempts, and/or potential medical or psychological complications;

involve the production and dissemination of sexual abuse material or non-consensual intimate imagery; and/or result in loss of livelihood.

o S/GWI acknowledges that all forms of GBV have serious consequences on individuals and communities, and that it is challenging to qualify one form or threat of gender-based violence as particularly extreme compared to another.

However, given the resources available for this mechanism, there is also a need to manage the scope of assistance provided. Applicants should include a brief description in the proposal narrative of how their project will determine and address extreme forms and/or threats of TFGBV for the purposes of providing rapid/flexible response support under this mechanism.

• “Women” is used throughout this announcement to primarily refer to adults over the age of 18. It is critical that young, aspiring women leaders as well as those who may be older and/or more established leaders are able to receive support through this mechanism. Girl leaders (i.e., minors under the age of 18) may only be eligible for referral support under this mechanism with appropriate safeguards in place and on a case-by-case basis.

Policy Statement:

The project resulting from this NOFO will support S/GWI’s implementation of the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality9 as well as the U.S. Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017,10 the U.S. Strategy and National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, and the 2023

9 https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/National-Strategy-on-Gender-Equity-and- Equality.pdf 10 https://www.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ68/PLAW-115publ68.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/National-Strategy-on-Gender-Equity-and-Equality.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/National-Strategy-on-Gender-Equity-and-Equality.pdf https://www.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ68/PLAW-115publ68.pdf

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 6

U.S. Strategy and National Action Plan on WPS,11 the 2022 U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to GBV Globally,12 and the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse.13 Funding for GBV projects is appropriated annually by Congress to implement the USG’s multi-year strategy to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, particularly in countries where it is common in conflict and non-conflict settings.

The U.S. Strategy and National Action Plan on WPS places a special emphasis on promoting digital inclusion and addressing TFGBV – including the ways women politicians, human rights defenders, journalists, peacebuilders, and other public-facing civil society leaders are systematically targeted by gendered disinformation and online harassment and abuse in an effort to silence them. Furthermore, the U.S. government recognizes the urgent need to coordinate with our partners to address the gendered implications of technology on peace and security, and better understand the use and implications of digital technologies in peace and conflict contexts.

The U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally affirms that preventing, mitigating, and responding to all forms of gender-based violence is a cornerstone of the U.S. government’s commitment to promoting democracy, advancing human rights, and furthering gender equity and equality. Gender-based violence is a human rights abuse, a form of discrimination, and a manifestation of unequal power based on gender. It occurs in every country and at every level of society, with direct and indirect costs to individuals; families;

communities; economies; global public health; development; and human, national, and regional security.

The Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, or the Global Partnership, was announced at the Summit for Democracy in December 2021 and was officially launched at the Commission on the Status of Women in March 2022 to better prioritize, understand, prevent, and address the growing scourge of TFGBV. The Global Partnership, now composed of 14 member countries, also partners with international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to advance international solutions, as well as work toward concrete progress in each member country. The Global Partnership’s 2023 Roadmap includes a commitment to jointly fund TFGBV-related programming.

The Declaration for the Future of the Internet (DFI) was launched on April 28, 2022, by the White House and 60 other countries (currently endorsed by a total of 67 countries) to advance

11 https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/U.S.-Strategy-and-National-Action-Plan-on- Women-Peace-and-Security.pdf 12 https://www.state.gov/reports/united-states-strategy-to-prevent-and-respond-to-gender-based-violence-globally-2022/ 13 https://www.state.gov/2022-roadmap-for-the-global-partnership-for-action-on-gender-based-online-harassment-and-abuse/; https://www.state.gov/2023-roadmap-for-the-global-partnership-for-action-on-gender-based-online-harassment-and-abuse/; and https://techfordemocracy.dk/action-coalitions/action-on-gender-based-online-harassment-and-abuse/ https://www.state.gov/reports/united-states-strategy-to-prevent-and-respond-to-gender-based-violence-globally-2022/ https://www.state.gov/reports/united-states-strategy-to-prevent-and-respond-to-gender-based-violence-globally-2022/ https://www.state.gov/2022-roadmap-for-the-global-partnership-for-action-on-gender-based-online-harassment-and-abuse/ https://www.state.gov/2022-roadmap-for-the-global-partnership-for-action-on-gender-based-online-harassment-and-abuse/ https://www.state.gov/2023-roadmap-for-the-global-partnership-for-action-on-gender-based-online-harassment-and-abuse/ https://www.state.gov/2023-roadmap-for-the-global-partnership-for-action-on-gender-based-online-harassment-and-abuse/ https://techfordemocracy.dk/action-coalitions/action-on-gender-based-online-harassment-and-abuse/ https://techfordemocracy.dk/action-coalitions/action-on-gender-based-online-harassment-and-abuse/

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 7 a positive vision for an open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet – one that fosters competition, privacy, and respect for human rights.14

The Freedom Online Coalition (FOC)15 is a group of 38 likeminded countries that work together to advance Internet freedom, mainly through shaping global norms by issuing joint statements;

through multistakeholder engagement; and through coordinating bilateral and multilateral diplomatic initiatives and interventions, including at relevant international fora. As part of our Summit for Democracy technology commitments, the United States pledged to strengthen and expand the FOC as Chair in 2023 (and serving on the Steering Committee in future years) and is particularly focused on efforts to advance digital inclusion and counter online hate.

Inclusive Programming Approach:

S/GWI is committed to equity, equality, and respect for human rights. S/GWI programs are expected to foster and/or address:

• Inclusive Environments, which means programs that foster involvement, respect, and connection in which the richness of diverse ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives are valued for all individuals.

• Social Inclusion, which means improving how individuals and groups take part in society

– enhancing the ability, opportunity, and dignity of those disadvantaged on the basis of their identity.

• Intersectional nature of power and identity, which means how intersecting aspects of identity (sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, class, religion, race, ethnicity, age, disability, nationality, etc.) interact with overlapping systems of discrimination and the need to address the impact these have on systemic access.

Proposal Results Framework:

Theory of Change:

If women politicians, political candidates, and civil society leaders have access to comprehensive rapid/flexible response support to address their needs when experiencing or facing the threat of extreme forms of TFGBV and if they have a platform to strategize and advocate for the prevention of TFGBV, then they will be able to begin recovering and healing, mitigate further personal and professional harm, and feel safer to pursue their civic and political aspirations and use technologies more freely to meaningfully participate in all aspects of society.

Goal:

14 https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Declaration-for-the-Future-for-the- Internet_Launch-Event-Signing-Version_FINAL.pdf 15 https://freedomonlinecoalition.com/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Declaration-for-the-Future-for-the-Internet_Launch-Event-Signing-Version_FINAL.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Declaration-for-the-Future-for-the-Internet_Launch-Event-Signing-Version_FINAL.pdf https://freedomonlinecoalition.com/

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 8

To support the safety and recovery of women politicians, political candidates, and civil society leaders, in all their diversity, who have experienced extreme forms and/or threats of TFGBV.

Objectives:

• Establish a rapid/flexible response mechanism to address the immediate needs of women politicians, political candidates, and civil society leaders who have experienced extreme forms and/or threats of TFGBV.

• Foster safe spaces for longer-term community, connection, advocacy, and learning with and amongst women politicians, political candidates, and civil society leaders who have experienced extreme forms and/or threats of TFGBV.

Applicants should tailor activities and proposed rapid/flexible response support according to needs identified in the existing evidence base and by potential beneficiary populations. In line with Do No Harm principles, all activities should be grounded in and informed by survivor-centered and trauma-informed approaches. Illustrative project activities may include:

• Providing rapid/flexible financial, legal, medical, and/or psychosocial support for immediate needs and facilitating referrals for women and girls to access longer-term assistance for ongoing physical and mental health, livelihood, and technical support needs;

• Providing access to GBV and legal service providers to mitigate harm and prevent further attacks;

• Providing technical support to women who wish to have their personal information removed from digital platforms and spaces and/or to report harmful content targeting them or their family members, including by leveraging existing resources and mechanisms;

• Setting up on-demand, frontline cybersecurity consulting services and support for women who may be at-risk of TFGBV to prevent further violence from occurring;

• Connecting women with financial planning services to help mitigate and overcome potential economic impacts of TFGBV;

• Facilitating access to digital safety and cybersecurity training/tools to help women safeguard themselves and their information from further attacks;

• Creating or expanding upon existing space(s) for women, in all their diversity, to safely share their experiences with one another and learn from others who have faced similar threats and/or violence, which may include working with local organizations and/or collectives that are actively responding to instances of TFGBV and its root causes;

• Facilitating opportunities to engage in advocacy to advance TFGBV prevention and response efforts;

• Safely documenting cases of TFGBV referred through the mechanism and/or mapping of available support services and resources in coordination with existing efforts at the local, national, and global levels;

• Undertaking small grant initiatives to support longer-term civil society efforts to prevent and respond to TFGBV; and/or

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 9

• Producing knowledge products in partnership with the women politicians, political candidates, and civil society leaders benefitting from assistance.

Intended Results:

Possible intended results may include:

• Women politicians, political candidates, and civil society leaders, in all their diversity, feel safe to fully and meaningfully participate in political, civic, and economic spaces both online and offline.

• Women politicians, political candidates, and civil society leaders are supported with tools, training, legal, technical, and financial support to respond to TFGBV and advocate for prevention and mitigation measures.

• Survivors of TFGBV are supported, whether through referral networks, community outreach, or any other activities to help them in their recovery and in accessing digital safety tools and expertise that are tailored to the particular needs of diverse women.

• There is increased access to support and/or remedies in responding to TFGBV-related challenges across communities.

• Civil society organizations and advocates provide community education to raise awareness of and resources to respond to TFGBV.

• Survivors of TFGBV collaborate to advocate for the prevention of and response to TFGBV and to produce knowledge products and share learning from their experiences.

• GBV, digital security, and civic technology organizations who are engaged in similar cross-cutting efforts are better connected to each other and able to support survivors of

TFGBV.

Indicators:

Applicant monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) plans should include at least two of the following indicators, as relevant:

• GNDR-5: Number of legal instruments drafted, proposed, or adopted with USG assistance designed to improve prevention of or response to sexual and gender-based violence at the national or sub-national level

• GNDR-6: Number of people reached by a USG funded intervention providing GBV services (e.g., health, legal, psycho-social counseling, shelters, hotlines, other)

• GNDR-8: Number of persons trained with USG assistance to advance outcomes consistent with gender equality or female empowerment through their roles in public or private sector institutions or organizations

• GNDR 10: Number of local women participating in a substantive role or position in a peacebuilding process supported with U.S. government assistance

• DR.4.2-2b: Number of women’s rights civil society organizations (CSOs) receiving USG assistance engaged in advocacy interventions

• DR.4-1 Number of USG-supported activities designed to promote or strengthen the civic participation of women

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 10

Applicants may also propose other indicators relevant to the proposed activities for consideration. S/GWI expects at least one outcome indicator for each objective in the final MEL plan to reflect the overarching logic model for the proposal, but respects that those will be finalized during the start-up stages of an award.

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants:

Organizations submitting a full proposal must meet the following criteria:

• Be a U.S.- or foreign-based non-profit and non-governmental organization (NGO); or

• Be a private, public, or state institution of higher education; and

• Have existing, or the capacity to develop, active and equitable partnerships with in-country partners, entities, and relevant stakeholders, including NGOs and private sector actors; and

• Have demonstrable experience administering successful and preferably similar programs in size, scope, and focus. S/GWI reserves the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering federal awards. These applicants may be subject to limited funding on a pilot basis.

Public International Organizations (PIOs) are not eligible to apply as prime applicants under this NOFO; however, they may partner on a proposal as a sub-awardee. Individuals are not eligible to apply under this NOFO.

Project activities can only benefit foreign nationals and should take place outside the United States.

S/GWI maintains an anti-discrimination policy in all its programs and activities. S/GWI welcomes full proposal submissions irrespective of race, ethnicity, heritage, color, creed, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.

S/GWI is dedicated to promoting human rights, fundamental freedoms, and equality for all and seeks partners that will strive to inclusively implement these democratic values.

S/GWI works to ensure the integration of gender equality and the advancement of women and girls in U.S. foreign policy. S/GWI programs are flexible, civil society-focused, and global in reach. They are designed to incubate locally informed and implemented civil society-based solutions, inspiring and providing promising practices to advance women’s equality and empowerment as a keystone of U.S. foreign policy. Learning from this program will inform other U.S. policy, programs, and partnerships.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Not Required

3. Other Eligibility Requirements:

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 11

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. Please see Section D.3 below for more information.

Each prime applicant may submit one (1) proposal. There is no limit to the number of proposals on which an applicant may serve as a sub-awardee.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Application Package Required Documents:

Application forms required below are available via SAMS Domestic.

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 deemed ineligible.

S/GWI’s NOFO Proposal Checklist (Attachment 1) provides a list of all required documents.

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 formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper; and

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

o Captions and footnotes may be 10-point Calibri font. Applicants may also use a smaller font size for tables, charts, graphics, and text boxes included in the proposal documents to ensure that content fits within the page limits and margins.

Complete proposal submissions for this NOFO must include the following:

I. Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424A and SF424B forms, and the SF-LLL, if applicable.

Applicants under consideration for an award that may engage in lobbying activities are required to submit a Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) form. The SF-424 documents collect basic information on the applicant, the proposed project, the funding amount requested, and information about the announcement to which it is applying.

Submission of these forms is mandatory.

II. Cover Page stating the name of the organization, project title, target country/locations, beneficiary information, proposed project dates, requested funding amount, a brief http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 12 synopsis of the project goal and objectives, and the contact information for the application’s main point of contact. This page does not count towards the page limit of the proposal narrative.

III. Table of Contents (not to exceed one [1] page, preferably as a Word Document) listing all documents and attachments with page numbers. This page does not count towards the page limit of the proposal narrative.

IV. Proposal Narrative (not to exceed 15 pages, single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font in

Microsoft Word, with a minimum of 1-inch margins). The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. The “SGWI Sample Cover Page_Proposal Narrative Instructions” (Attachment 2) provides specific and detailed guidance on each of the below required sections that should be used as a guide while compiling your submission package. Proposal narrative must include:

• Section 1 - Executive Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed project, including goal, objectives, key activities, and a brief justification for proposed locations.

• Section 2 - Background: This section should provide the background for the problem or opportunity the project is seeking to address, including a clear and concise problem statement; alignment with U.S. policy goals; a brief context analysis; and overview of relevant current efforts.

• Section 3 - 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.

• Section 4 - Methodology and Implementation: This section should outline the project description, project methods and design, profile of the target population & inclusion, value for money, and sustainability.

• Section 5 - Organizational Capacity and Program Partners: Introduce your organization and provide a description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the project, including information on all previous federal awards.

o Within this section, as well as in the budget/budget narrative, applicants must demonstrate an ability to provide appropriate resources and support for the psychosocial health of staff (i.e. access to educational materials, training opportunities, counseling services, or other contextually-relevant support). This is particularly important to mitigate staff burnout that can easily result from running 24/7 rapid response support services.

V. Summary and Detailed Budget (submitted in US Dollars and in a Microsoft Excel file, using the format shown in the budget template included as Attachment 3).

Applicants should propose sufficient staffing structures that provide adequate oversight and central management but maximize appropriate and local expertise and leadership (rather than defaulting to in-house experts). Applicants are required to propose a

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 13 consortium-based model that includes meaningful and equitable engagement of partners with relevant gender-based violence and technology expertise. Applicants should also address if and how staffing/project support will be set-up to provide 24/7 response capabilities to survivors in immediate need. As a general guideline, direct funding for and/or engagement with local organizations should be maximized wherever possible. Support for the establishment of new in-country offices is not envisioned under this NOFO.

VI. Budget Justification Narrative (single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font in Microsoft Word, with a minimum of 1-inch margins) that includes a brief explanation for each line item in the Detailed Budget spreadsheet and, if applicable, the Subgrantee Budget spreadsheet(s), as well as the source and description of any cost share offered.

Directions on completing a budget narrative are included in Attachment 4. Use of the S/GWI budget narrative template is recommended but not required.

Please note: Recipients under S/GWI-funded projects are responsible for complying with all applicable tax treaties and federal, state, and local laws on tax withholding and reporting for project participants. See Section H below for additional information on guidelines for budget justification.

VII. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan detailing project’s short-term and long-term goal(s), objective(s), activities, outputs and intended results/outcomes;

provide matching indicators and explain how impact and effectiveness will be monitored, evaluated, and used for learning and adaptation throughout the program.

Directions on completing a MEL plan are included in Attachment 5a. Use of the S/GWI MEL plan template (Attachment 5b) is recommended but not required.

The MEL plan must include:

• A notional logic model/results framework16 and performance monitoring plan (PMP), including a succinct Theory of Change and a streamlined set of indicators at each of the following levels: objective, intermediate outcome, and output. In addition to the indicators included under Section B.2 above, please find a more comprehensive list of standard U.S. Foreign Assistance (FA) indicators that S/GWI commonly uses for programming included in Attachment 5c. In addition to

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 14 designing their own indicators, applicants should integrate the most relevant indicators from this list into their MEL plan, as appropriate;

• A description of how the project will be monitored and analyzed for impact, effectiveness, learning, adaptation and to avoid unintended consequences;

• A timeline for data collection, analysis, and how this will inform midstream program management;

• A rigorous plan for compiling, documenting, and disseminating program results and lessons learned;

• An independent evaluation, elaborating on the type (quasi-experimental, developmental, outcome harvesting, process tracing, etc.). While the type of evaluation is flexible, State Department guidance requires it to be independent17;

• The resources, including budget, needed to implement the MEL plan;

• A demonstrated commitment to inclusive and equitable MEL, including whether evaluation design, data collection, analysis, reporting and learning are conducted in an ethical, participatory, and responsible way18; and

• Adequate provisions for data security to protect the privacy of human subjects when collecting data from individuals.

VIII. Implementation Timeline (preferably submitted in a Microsoft Excel file, or table in a

Microsoft Word file; not to exceed one [1] page), indicating which month(s) activities are to be implemented and organized according to the Department of State’s fiscal year quarters. The timeline of the overall proposal should include activities, evaluation efforts, and project closeout. Use of the S/GWI timeline template (Attachment 6) is recommended but not required.

IX. Risk Analysis and Mitigation Plan detailing adequate risk analysis and remediation plans. Risk assessment and mitigation planning should occur throughout the life of a project, resulting in revisions to risk analysis documents and processes as necessary but, at minimum, on an annual basis. Applicants should include all assumptions and external factors in the risk analysis, including and especially safety and security of staff, participants and beneficiaries, as well as, with regards to technology. This includes providing information on applicant’s internal policies with regards to safeguarding and protection of implementer staff, sub-implementer staff, and project beneficiaries from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA). Applicants should rate the likelihood of a risk and potential impact of the risk as “High,” “Medium,” or “Low.”

17 An independent evaluation must be (1) conducted by a third-party external evaluator or conducted by the recipient if those responsible for the evaluation do not report to any program staff or managers, and (2) budgeted and scoped to provide insight and analysis of the work.

18 For best practices, see the WHO ethical and safety recommendations for researching, documenting and monitoring sexual violence in emergencies https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/9789241595681/en/ https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/9789241595681/en/

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 15

Risks are unavoidable – all projects inherently contain both internal and external risks.

However, with proper identification and management, risks can be prepared for, minimized, or mitigated. The purpose of a risk analysis is to identify the internal and external risks associated with the proposed project in the application, rate the likelihood of the risks, rate the potential impact of the risks on the project, and identify actions that could help mitigate the risks. S/GWI’s risk analysis template (Attachment 7) is provided and recommended but not required. S/GWI also welcomes more detailed models.

X. Gender and Inclusion Analysis (not to exceed 8 pages total, with relevant region-and/or country-specific highlights integrated, as appropriate; single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font in Microsoft Word, with a minimum of 1-inch margins), identifying relevant gender gaps and opportunities and ways the work will address those gaps and opportunities. The analysis should also demonstrate sound approaches to social inclusion, including but not limited to ethnic and religious minorities, LGBTQI+ individuals, people with disabilities, young people, and other groups often discriminated against or excluded from decision-making and at an increased risk of experiencing TFGBV. Proposals should demonstrate how addressing relevant gender gaps enhance the project’s goals and objectives and how the gender and inclusion analysis will be revisited, updated, and adapted throughout implementation. In addition to being weaved into the proposal narrative, this should also be a standalone document and attached to the application. Please review the S/GWI Gender and Inclusion Analysis Guidance included in this NOFO package (Attachment 8) for additional information.

XI. Key Personnel document (not to exceed one [1] page, single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font in Microsoft Word, with a minimum of 1-inch margins) providing the names, titles, roles/responsibilities, and relevant experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. Include in this document and/or the budget narrative what proportion of their time will be used in support of this program.

XII. Additional attachments may be included, (letters of commitment from the applicant institution and sub-award partners, CVs of key personnel, additional information on organizational capacity, Burma due diligence (if applicable), etc.) but should not be unreasonably lengthy; and will not count against page limitations.

• Burma Due Diligence Assessment (not to exceed one [1] page, preferably in Microsoft Word) should outline existing organizational practices for vetting program beneficiaries in Burma and capacity to conduct due diligence vetting as described below in Section D.6. This document is required for any project proposing to work in Burma.

XIII. If your organization has a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) and includes

NICRA charges in the budget, include your latest NICRA as a PDF file.

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 16

XIV. A PDF file copy of your organization’s most recent financial audit.

Applications that do not include the elements listed above will be deemed technically ineligible. More details on technical eligibility are provided below in Section D.5.

S/GWI reserves the right to request additional documents not included in this announcement.

Additionally, to ensure that all applications receive a balanced evaluation, the S/GWI review panel will review from the first page of each section up to the stated page limit and no further.

3. Required Registrations:

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

All prime 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. S/GWI may not review applications from or make awards to applicants that have not completed all applicable UEI and SAM.gov requirements. 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), a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov. Please note that, as of February 2023, organizations based in the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities.

o 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 a CAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.”

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 17

• 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 December 2022, 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 CAGE (NCAGE) code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities.

o 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.

Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the DoD 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): https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/Codification/CageTool/home

For NCAGE help from within the United States, call +1 (888) 227-2423.

For NCAGE help from outside the United States, call +1 (269) 961-7766.

Or, email NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil for any problems in applying for an NCAGE code.

Step 2: After receiving an NCAGE code, proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.

All prime organizations must also continue to maintain active SAM.gov registration with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or application under consideration by a federal award agency. SAM.gov requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM.gov. It is the https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/Codification/CageTool/home mailto:NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil

S/GWI Notice of Funding Opportunity SFOP0010150 18 responsibility of the applicant to ensure it has an active registration in SAM.gov and to maintain that active registration. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements at the time of application, the applicant may be deemed technically ineligible to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

Please refer to 2 CFR 25.200 for additional information.

Note: SAM.gov is not the same as SAMS Domestic. It is free of charge to register in both systems, but the registration processes are different.

Information is included on the SAM.gov website to help international registrations, including “Quick Start Guide for International Registrations” and “Helpful Hints.” Navigate to www.SAM.gov, click “HELP” in the top navigation bar, then click “Explore” and “New to SAM.gov?” for general information. Please note, guidance on SAM.gov and the guidance on GSA’s website about requirement for registering in SAM.gov is subject to change and is currently being updated. Applicants should review the website for the most up-to-date guidance.

The attached “0. AQM Guidance for NCAGE-SAM” is a compilation of resources gathered by the Department’s Office of Acquisitions Management (AQM). Any content shown from SAM.gov is not owned by the Department of State.