SHEs GREAT Initiative NOFO.docx

Notice of Funding Opportunity

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues

Title: Supporting Her Empowerment – Girls’ Resilience, Enterprise, and Technology (SHE’s GREAT) Initiative

Agreement

Executive Summary:

The Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI) announces the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a new program whose goal is to advance U.S. national security and prosperity by promoting young women and girls’ (ages 0-24) opportunities and leadership. The aim of this initiative is to ensure that young women and girls are economically and socially empowered, free from violence and discrimination, and have access to skills training, information and technology thereby promoting global development, security, and prosperity. Programs funded will seek to decrease young women’s and girls’ vulnerability to gender-based violence and other risks, including harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and early and forced marriage (EFM) and to provide them with the tools to fully participate in their societies, claim their rights, create innovative solutions to the challenges around them, and make informed decisions about their lives.

This NOFO seeks programming that would promote girls’ agency, leadership and decision-making.

The Supporting Her Empowerment – Girls’ Resilience, Enterprise, and Technology (SHE’s GREAT) Initiative will support comprehensive, holistic programming to address gender-based violence and harmful cultural practices and increase girls’ leadership and decision-making. Applicants will need to present:

1) A model that addresses the systemic obstacles girls face in accessing economic and social, leadership, and decision-making opportunities;

2) A pilot effort, to be implemented in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa (details further outlined in Section C) which will potentially provide globally scalable best practices for innovative solutions, including technologies, new approaches, and partnerships, in order to address challenges and barriers for girls’ empowerment; and

3) An inclusive approach which incorporates families and communities, including engaging and supporting men and boys as champions for women and girls and gender equality, writ large.

S/GWI supports programs and interventions to improve girls’ empowerment through increasing their access to life skills, leadership, and technical training; economic opportunity; technology; and promoting their safety. Given the numerous challenges that girls face in all dimensions of their lives, interventions must be comprehensive, cutting across a range of sectors, and take into account the age-specific interventions necessary to provide an “whole of girl” approach. A key element for any successful intervention is working with communities to change social norms regarding the “value of girls”. This could include changing attitudes around the importance of girls’ current and future community participation, access to nutrition and education beyond primary school, and raising awareness of harmful practices like EFM and FGM/C and the lasting impact those practices have on girls and the broader society. Social norms can also be altered through equipping girls to enter non-traditional fields, so that they can defy stereotypes and serve as role models for future girls.

Eligibility for this NOFO is limited to: Educational and research institutions; U.S. not-for-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) subject to section 501 (c) (3) of the U.S. tax code, and Foreign not-for-profits/NGOs/social enterprises.

One grant in FY 2017 Economic Support Funds (ESF) will be issued as a cooperative agreement under this NOFO, and the Recipient, working with a consortium of partners, will work closely with S/GWI to design and implement targeted sub-grants to third-party organizations charged with programming along the agreed-upon interventions.

Funding authority rests in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

All applicants should be familiar with OMB Circular 2 CFR Part 200.

Contact Person: Mark Murray, S/GWI (SGWIProjectProposals@state.gov)

Please read the entire NOFO package before submitting an application, and follow the steps immediately in order to submit before the deadline. Applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria and do not contain all of the required information will not be considered. Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Furthermore, the Government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

Program Description

A. Funding Opportunity Description

i. Background

“We know that societies and economies achieve far better results when they embrace, rather than marginalize, the power of women,” the White House statement during the 2017 International Day of the Girl asserts. “The United States reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that every female, young and old, is empowered to pursue her dreams. We recognize that the girls of today will tomorrow be leaders in every nation and every sector of the economy.”

Girlhood is a time when young women should be nurturing their skills, pursuing their passions, and building the foundations of their futures. Yet, a quarter of a billion girls live in poverty, limiting their opportunities and increasing their vulnerability to gender-based violence. One in three girls in the developing world is married by the time she is 18, and one in nine is married by the age of 15. Every year, millions of girls undergo female genital mutilation/cutting, and those who survive, live with lifelong psychological and health consequences. Millions more live in conflict settings that increase the risk of gender-based violence. Many girls continue to be infected with HIV/AIDS, and too few girls have the education, skills, or equal opportunities they need to participate fully in the economies of their countries. These challenges start at the beginning of a girl’s life and continue through her adolescence and adulthood, when significant physical, emotional, and social changes shape her future.

The U.S. government is committed to ensuring that girls are educated, healthy, economically and socially empowered, and free from violence and discrimination, thereby promoting global development, security, and prosperity. Our efforts aim to reduce their vulnerability to gender-based violence, including harmful norms and practices such as FGM/C and child, early, and forced marriage and to provide them with the tools necessary to fully participate in their societies, claim their rights, make informed decisions about their lives, and serve as key actors in decision-making in their communities. When given an opportunity, girls are provide a valuable contributions to their communities, shaping economic, social and political realities.

Girls’ access to resources is constrained by poverty, their vulnerability to gender-based violence, and the low value their families and communities place on educating girls. Globally, many girls are married and already mothers, heightening the importance of development approaches that account for the diversity of circumstances faced by girls, and particularly the challenges faced by already married girls, including social isolation, increased risk of GBV, and high prevalence of early and frequent childbearing. Programs must also be intentionally designed to target vulnerable and hard-to-reach girls who are disproportionately affected by gender discrimination and inequalities, including girls who are out of school; unemployed; married and/or parenting; disabled; and girls from ethnic- or religious- minority communities. The barriers these girls face with regard to accessing basic services and opportunities, such as education, employment, health and nutrition are often compounded and reflect larger constraints, such as geography, limited access to technology, and gender-based discrimination in national or traditional laws. Additionally, interventions should provide nuanced approaches, understanding that efforts targeting girls’ infancy, early adolescence (10-14), or late adolescence (15-19) will look different from those aimed at her young adult years.

This NOFO seeks to support holistic and comprehensive programming to that both reduces aforementioned barriers and increases girls’ livelihoods and access to a bright future. Proposals must take into consideration the different needs of target beneficiaries and present appropriately tailored activities.

ii. Program Goals

The U.S. Department of State, Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues’ (S/GWI) goal is to empower girls by ensuring that girls are educated, economically and socially empowered, and free from violence and discrimination, thereby promoting global development, security, and prosperity. S/GWI seeks proposals from qualified organizations with demonstrated in-country experience in developing partnerships with relevant stakeholders including the public and/or private sector as well as grassroots organizations. Applicants must demonstrate an ability to design, implement, monitor, and evaluate comprehensive programming that both responds to the needs of girls, and coordinates with existing efforts currently being implemented by U.S. government, host country, and international and local actors. All proposals must include an evidence-based description of (i) the problem the applicant seeks to address, (ii) the implementation context, including any relevant details on the socio-political environment and the target beneficiaries of the project, (iii) benefits to both girls at risk of and survivors of harmful cultural practices and (iv) the pilot project’s theory of change.

iii. Presenting Solution Models Linked to Country-Specific Girl Empowerment Interventions

Applicants will need to present holistic and inclusive models linked to priority areas of girls’ safety and security, and girls’ leadership in economic and social realms. When presenting models, applicants should outline approaches that are tailored to the targeted demographic, and to the country/countries where the pilot implementation would take place. Applicants should demonstrate an understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by girls in the local context(s) and showcase appropriate activities. Applicants should be able to demonstrate how the proposed activities build upon and do not duplicate any similar, ongoing initiatives in that country. The list below highlights the four key aspects that must be included in proposed solution models, and while not exhaustive, includes examples of potential efforts:

· Provide Girls with Economic and Technology Skills and Opportunities:

· Harnessing girls’ access to non-traditional educational opportunities and economic sectors

· Accessing intergenerational career mentors and apprenticeship or internship opportunities

· Improve life skills, employability skills, market-driven technical skills (such as computer programming and robotics training), and/or entrepreneurial development for girls

· Encourage girls to aspire to enter all kinds of fields including non-traditional fields, such as careers in science, technology, engineering, arts/design, and math (STEAM) fields

· Building Partnerships and Promoting Leadership and Innovation:

· Conducting targeted training programs for girls to increase their awareness of their rights, their leadership skills, and their ability to advocate for themselves

· Working with community and religious leaders to create adult champions of girls’ empowerment

· Engage in partnerships amongst governments, civil society, and the private sector to cultivate innovative and sustainable partnerships, and best practices for addressing challenges to girls including creating cross sectoral links between the media, and promoting understanding of legal services available

· Using sports as a catalyst for building girls’ self-confidence and spurring community engagement, partnerships, and girls’ community leadership

· Engaging media partnerships through print, radio, television and social media campaigns

· Leveraging creative safe spaces where girls can form social networks and improve their confidence, such as camps and youth clubs, which are highly encouraged, and must be presented with sustainable private partnerships

· Link younger girls with older girls and young women to serve as mentors and create peer-support networks

· Preventing and Responding to Gender-based Violence:

· Engage families as well as community and religious leaders as advocates in addressing the harm perpetuated by restrictive notions of masculinity and femininity through, for example, targeted training programs

· Build resilient relationships between male and female youth, as well as engaging men and boys as champions in preventing and responding to gender-based violence

· Provide accessible, quality mental health and psychosocial resources for girls

· Strengthen social norms that provide positive reinforcement around the value of the girl

· Provide resources for children who have either directly experienced gender-based violence, or were affected indirectly, such as witnessing violence either in the home or community

· Increase awareness of the negative psychosocial, security, and economic consequences of harmful practices, including but not limited to FGM/C and EFM, through media engagement/campaigns, social mobilization, and engaging survivors, communities and victims as advocates

· Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning:

· A portion of the program should include data collection and lessons learned

· Applicant should highlight how the program will be monitored and adapted as needed to support effectiveness and avoid unintended consequences.

· Highlight how data and other learning will be shared.

Specific priority and/or required activities and approaches by region are described in Section C (Eligibility Information).

Coordination with U.S. government strategies and programs: The U.S. National Security Strategy states: “Societies that empower women to participate fully in civic and economic life are more prosperous and peaceful. We will support efforts to advance women’s equality, protect the rights of women and girls, and promote women and youth empowerment programs.” Additionally, under the Women, Peace and Security Act, the U.S. government had demonstrated its commitment to “promoting] the physical safety, economic security, and dignity of women and girls.” Applicants should demonstrate how the proposed interventions will complement U.S. government strategies and programs, those of the host countries, and ongoing gender equality efforts in the target countries and communities of implementation.

Strong proposals will also define how their programs are “innovative,” which could consider one or more of the following elements:

· How does your idea differ substantially from existing solutions in the proposed project context? How is it meeting programmatic gaps or unmet needs?

· How does it differ from what has been done historically? How does it differ from your current programs?

· Does your idea incorporate non-traditional stakeholders and community members, deliver content or services in new ways, or expose the target population to new opportunities? How does your idea empower the target populations to inform the program?

· Does your proposal draw from different disciplines and partners to approach harmful-traditional practices in a new and innovative way?

· Are you applying cross-sector expertise from outside the topic area?

· Are you utilizing successful examples from other countries or contexts that have not been applied to the proposed context?

In identifying the specific target populations, proposals must demonstrate a commitment towards the support and inclusion of marginalized communities given that many girls are made particularly vulnerable by the intersection of gender with other social characteristics including disability, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, geography, indigenous status, etc.

iv. Demonstrating Organization Capacity

Applications will be evaluated on their ability to present a compelling proposal that demonstrates the applicant’s:

· Organizational capacity to manage approximately $2 million and displays a history of being a strong financial steward of U.S. government resources

· Experience programming in, and coordinating and partnering with local stakeholders in the countries of implementation

· Presentation of partner organizations with relevant skillsets that, if selected, could serve as members of the consortium that works with the prime organization on this effort

· Experience sub-granting to implementers including strong established relationships with local partners in the targeted countries of various sizes, and building organizational capacity

· Experience in gender-based violence prevention and response programming

· Demonstration of successful implementation of activities that have achieved goals relevant to this NOFO including empowerment of girls, reduction of GBV, and promotion of gender equality.

B. Federal Award Information

i. Available Funding and Legislative Authority

The source of this funding is Economic Support Funds.

ii. Summary of Award Information

iii. Deadline

iv. Substantial Involvement

S/GWI anticipates awarding one cooperative agreement based on the needs and risk factors of the program. The final determination on mechanism will be made by the Grants Officer. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, S/GWI expects to be substantially involved during its implementation. Examples of substantial involvement can include:

1) Approval of the Recipient’s annual work plans, including: planned activities for the following year, travel plans, planned expenditures, event planning, and changes to any activity to be carried out under the cooperative agreement;

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

3) Approval of any notice of funding opportunities and selection of recipients;

4) Approval of the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning plan for the Recipient and sub-award recipients; and

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

C. Eligibility Information

i. Eligible Applicant

S/GWI welcomes applications from Educational and research institutions; U.S. for profit/non-governmental organizations, not-for-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) subject to section 501 (c) (3) of the U.S. tax code, and Foreign not-for-profits/NGOs/social enterprises. As this initiative is meant to be a consortium of expert organizations, applicants must submit a list of their proposed partners, each of whom must also meet the eligibility criteria.

Applications by applicants that do not meet the eligibility by the time of an application deadline will not be reviewed. Applicants may submit only one proposal in response to this NOFO. If multiple proposals are received from the same applicant, all submissions will be declared ineligible and receive no further consideration in the review process.

Project activities must take place outside the United States. Below is additional guidance for the initial pilot regions of this initiative. Note, applicants should look at the Department of State breakdown of regions to confirm that proposed project locations align with the regional designations mentioned below: https://www.state.gov/p/. Applicants must propose solution models (see section A) that address the thematic areas noted in the pilot regions below. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate capacity for expanding work to other regions as determined by S/GWI. Please note that this solicitation seeks to fund an initial pilot phase for projects in the following region(s) and countries, with other regions and countries to follow in future phases, depending on availability of funding. Submissions should consider the following:

· Sub-Saharan Africa: Proposals may present a range of solution models (see Section A) that would be implemented in at least two countries and/or a specific sub-region in Sub-Saharan Africa with high rates of early and forced marriage (EFM), female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), or other harmful traditional practices affecting girls. Solution models must also take into account gaps in preventing and responding to gender-based violence and barriers to economic empowerment pre- and post-conflict. In addition, while addressing girls’ agency, models must leverage existing youth movements and networks, including those focused on building young leaders, and supporting girls’ successful entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.

· Asia Region: Proposals must present a concept for hosting two regional girls’ STEAM camps, one to be held in a country in South and Central Asia region, and another in a country in East Asia and the Pacific region. Each camp must include girls from various countries in that region. Solution models for the STEAM Camps must be tailored to the specific challenges faced by and opportunities available to girls in each region and present targeted modules addressing gender-based violence, with a specific focus on harmful traditional practices. Girls from marginalized communities should be targeted and included and the camps tailored to their capacity. Efforts should incorporate and leverage momentum and outcomes from the Global Economic Summit (GES) theme “Women First, Prosperity for All” which reinforced the important role and contributions of women as innovators and business leaders, especially in key growth sectors. The STEAM camp should engage participants in STEAM through hands-on activities, group projects which apply STEAM skills, and build ongoing connectivity to mentors and role models in STEAM, including through partnerships with industry. Applicants must also present activities to sustain programming once the girls return to their home countries and communities, and include follow-on activities that include peer-to-peer learning, creating a system for continued networking, and leveraging a multi-day global symposium that would connect the girls from these two STEAM camps with girl alumnae from Department and broader U.S. government programming on STEAM and girls’ empowerment.

ii. Cost Sharing or Matching

Providing cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility requirement for this NOFO. However, the possibility of matching funds by other donors or partners is encouraged, though not weighed as a factor. Please outline in the budget and proposal, how the additional funds, if committed, could be used to further the program objectives.

iii. Other

S/GWI is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its projects and activities, and welcomes applications irrespective of an applicant’s race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status. S/GWI encourages applications that include work with the most at risk and vulnerable communities, including women, youth, persons with disabilities, members of ethnic or religious minority groups, and LGBTI persons.

Only organizations with an active DUNS number, CAGE/NCAGE code, SAM.gov individual user account, and grants.gov account will be able to submit proposals for this competition. For specific instructions, please see Section D, Part ii “Key Registrations and Submission Method and Dates.”

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System in the System for Award Management (SAM)(www.sam.gov) 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.” Additionally no entity listed on the Excluded Parties List System in SAM can participate in any activities under an award. All organizations are strongly encouraged to review the Excluded Parties List System in SAM to ensure that no ineligible entity is included.

iv. Organizations submitting proposals must meet the following criteria:

· Organizations should have existing, or demonstrate the capacity to develop, active partnerships with in-country entities and relevant stakeholders including the public sector, private sector, and civil society, as relevant to the proposed program objectives.

· Organizations may form consortia and submit a combined proposal. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant.

· S/GWI reserves the right to request additional background information on applicants that do not have previous experience administering federal grant awards, and these applicants may be subject to limited funding on a pilot basis.

· The Department of State generally prohibits profit under its assistance awards to for-profit or commercial organizations. No funds will be paid as profit to any recipient. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The permissibility of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR Part 30, Cost Accounting Standards, and Part 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures. Program income earned by the recipient must be deducted from the total project or program allowable cost in determining the net allowable costs on which the federal share of costs is based.

D. Application and Submission Information

i. Address to Request Application Package

Please contact the S/GWI point of contact listed in section G if requesting reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or for security reasons. Please note: reasonable accommodations do not include deadline extensions

The applicant can find application forms, kits, or other materials needed to apply on SAMS Domestic under the Funding Opportunity entitled “Supporting Her Empowerment – Girls’ Resilience, Enterprise, and Technology (SHE’s GREAT) Initiative.”

ii. Key Registrations

The U.S. Department of State requires that all applicants complete the following registrations:

· Register for a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

· Obtain necessary codes: for non-U.S. organizations, an NCAGE code at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx; if based in the U.S or pay employees within the U.S., an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code.

· Register for an individual account for your organization with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov): https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/

· Register for an individual account for your organization on SAMS Domestic: https://mygrants.service-now.com/grants. Please be advised that applicants will need to validate their email address once a request for an account has been submitted to SAMS Domestic. Additionally, applicants will be required to log into SAMS Domestic using multi-factor authentication.

Once the above steps are complete, you will be able to submit your application per the instructions in this proposal request and systems websites.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that it has an active registration in SAMS Domestic. Applicants are required to document that the application has been received in its entirety by SAMS Domestic. S/GWI bears no responsibility for disqualification that result from applicants not being registered before the due date, for system errors in SAMS Domestic, or other errors in the application process.

Organizations must continue to maintain active SAM 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 requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure it has an active registration in SAM and to maintain that active registration. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time S/GWI is ready to make an award, the applicant may be deemed unqualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

A complete proposal with attachments must be submitted via SAMS Domestic and emailed to SGWIProjectProposals@state.gov with “[Applicant Name] Supporting Her Empowerment – Girls’ Resilience, Enterprise, and Technology (SHE’s GREAT) Initiative in the email subject.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the proposal has been submitted in its entirety to SAMS Domestic and sent via email. S/GWI bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

iii. Content and Form of Application Submission

Please read the entire NOFO and follow the guidelines for proposal preparation below. Applicants must include the following in the proposal submission. Please see the enclosed NOFO proposal checklist and instructions to ensure a complete submission. All submissions must be in English.

1. Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424A and SF424B forms. Applicants under consideration for an award that may engage in lobbying activities will be required to submit a Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) form. The Certifications and Assurances that your organization is agreeing to in signing the 424 are available at https://statebuy.state.gov/fa/

2. Proposal Narrative (not to exceed 10 pages, single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font in Microsoft Word, at least one-inch margins), directions on completing a proposal narrative are included. Use of the S/GWI proposal narrative is recommended but not required;

3. Summary and detailed Budget in USD, in Excel, using the format shown in the included budget template;

4. Detailed Budget Narrative (not to exceed 6 pages and preferably as a Word Document) that includes an explanation for each line item in the spreadsheet, as well as the source and description of any cost share offered. Directions on completing a budget narrative are included. Use of the S/GWI budget narrative template is recommended but not required;

5. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan detailing project’s short-term and long-term project goal(s), objective(s), activities, outputs and intended results; provide matching indicators and explain how impact and effectiveness will be monitored and evaluated throughout the project. Directions on completing a monitoring and evaluation plan are in included. Use of the S/GWI monitoring and evaluation plan template is recommended but not required;

6. Implementation timeline (not to exceed one [1] page), indicating which month(s) your project activities are to be implemented. The timeline of the overall proposal should include activities, evaluation efforts, and program closeout. Use of the S/GWI timeline template is recommended but not required;

7. Risk Assessment. Risks are unavoidable – all programs 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 program in the application, rate the likelihood of the risks, rate the potential impact of the risks on the program, and identify actions that could help mitigate the risks. A risk analysis should not be considered a one-time exercise or a static document and is required to be updated at least annually. S/GWI defers to organizations to conduct adequate risk analysis and remediation for all of its operations and advises that risk analysis and remediation occur throughout the life of a program and should result in revisions to risk analysis documents and processes as necessary. Applicants should include all assumptions and external factors in the risk analysis, including and especially safety and security, as well as, technology. Applicants should rate the likelihood of a risk and potential impact of the risk as “High,” “Medium,” or “Low.” Use of the S/GWI Risk Assessment template is recommended but not required;

8. Additional Attachments and Instructions:

a. Letters of commitment from the applicant institution and sub-award partners, CVs of key personnel, project experience, etc.) must be included but should not be unreasonably lengthy;

b. 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;

c. A PDF file copy of your organization’s most recent financial audit; and

d. Number all pages, including budget and addenda.

iv. Additional Information Requested

If successful, the applicant must submit after notification of intent to make a Federal award, but prior to issuance of a Federal award:

· Written responses and revised application documents addressing conditions and recommendations from the S/GWI Review Panel;

· Completion of the Department’s Financial Management Survey, if receiving S/GWI funding for the first time;

· Submission of required documents to register in the Payment Management System managed by the Department of Health and Human Services, if receiving S/GWI funding for the first time (unless an exemption is provided); and

· Other requested information or documents included in the notification of intent to make a Federal award or subsequent communications prior to issuance of a Federal award.

v. Submission Dates and Times

The application is due no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (EST), on June 15, 2018 on SAMS Domestic under the Funding Opportunity title “Supporting Her Empowerment – Girls’ Resilience, Enterprise, and Technology (SHE’s GREAT) Initiative)” (“Insert Funding Opportunity number) and submitted in full by email to SGWIProjectProposals@state.gov with “[Applicant Name] Proposal for Supporting Her Empowerment – Girls’ Resilience, Enterprise, and Technology (SHE’s GREAT) Initiative” in the Subject of the email.

Applicants will receive a validation email from SAMS Domestic upon successful submission of an application. Additionally you must save a screenshot of the checklist showing all documents submitted in case any document fails to upload successfully.

Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered unless the S/GWI point of contact listed in Section G of the proposal request is contacted prior to the deadline and is provided with evidence of system errors caused by SAMS Domestic that is outside of the applicants’ control and is the sole reason for late submission.

The applicant should not expect a notification upon S/GWI receiving their application.

E. Funding Restrictions:

This cooperative agreement will be funded from money appropriated under the “Economic Support Fund” (ESF) heading in the Department of State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act, 2012 (Div. I, P.L. 112-74) (SFOAA). ESF is available for foreign assistance supporting economic or political stability. Under Section 531(e) of the Foreign Assistance Act, as amended (FAA), ESF may not be used for military or paramilitary purposes. Given restrictions under Section 660 of the FAA, assistance may be provided to police and law enforcement forces only under certain circumstances. Note that activities focused on security sector training will be subject to vetting to ensure compliance with Section 620M of the FAA (“Leahy Vetting“).

The Recipient is reminded that funds provided under this agreement must be used in a manner fully consistent with U.S. law. The recipient agrees that none of the funds provided by this award shall be used to lobby for or against abortion. The recipient agrees that none of the funds provided by this award shall be used to pay for the performance of abortion as a method of family planning or to motivate or coerce any person to practice abortions.

Per 22 CFR 200.307 ((e) (1), (2) and (3) of this section please note the following guidance concerning use of Program Income:

· Program income earned during the project period shall be retained by the recipient and, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the award, shall be used in one or more of the ways listed in the following:

· Added to funds committed to the project by the Department and recipient and used to further eligible project or program objectives.

· Used to finance the non-Federal share of the project or program.

· Deducted from the total project or program allowable cost in determining the net allowable costs on which the Federal share of costs is based.

· It is emphasized, however, that the above three alternatives are applicable only when the grantee is a non-profit entity. Any grant to a commercial firm must state that the first of the alternatives is not available for program income earned by the grantee. As explained by (GAO noted in its Principles of Federal Appropriations Law at 10-57, that “This approach [option (1)] increases program size. Both OMB and GAO have expressed preference for the deduction method [option (3)] since it results in savings to the federal government and to grantees.”)

The following activities and costs are not covered under this announcement:

· Construction is not an allowable activity under this award.

· Activities that appear partisan or that support individual or party electoral campaigns;

· Direct support or the appearance of direct support for any religious organization, to include repair or building of structures used for religious purposes.

· Military assistance of any kind, including weapons buy back or rewards programs.

· Purchase of firearms, ammunition, or removal of unexploded ordnances.

· Para-police (i.e., militias, neighborhood watch, security guards) and prison-related projects. This restriction includes no funding of any secondary need in a law-enforcement organization.

· Payments for any partner government, military or civilian government employee salary or pension.

· Vehicle purchases to include motorcycles. (However, farm equipment, such as small tractors, and transportation costs will be considered.)

· Duplication of services immediately available through municipal, provincial, or national government.

· Funds for market research, advertising (unless public service related to grant program) or other promotional expenses.

· Expenses made prior to the approval of a proposal or unreasonable expenditures will not be reimbursed.

F. Application Review Information

i. Evaluation Criteria

Proposal submissions in response to this announcement should include information addressing each of the evaluation criteria below. Each proposal will be evaluated and rated based on the criteria, which are designed to assess the organizational capacity of the applicant and the merits of the proposed project. The criteria are closely related and evaluators will consider the criteria as a whole in judging the application. Panelists review each application individually against the evaluation criteria, not against competing proposals.

In most cases, the Department of State Review Panel includes inter-agency representatives from S/GWI, the appropriate Department of State regional bureau, relevant functional bureaus, and USAID Washington. S/GWI requests feedback on applications from the appropriate U.S. embassies and USAID missions for the panelists’ consideration. In some cases, additional panelists may participate, including from other Department of State bureaus or offices, U.S. government departments, agencies, or boards, representatives from partner governments, or representatives from entities that are in a public-private partnership with S/GWI. At the end of discussion on an application, the panel votes on recommending the application for approval.

Department of State Review Panels may provide conditions and recommendations on applications to enhance the proposed program, which must be addressed by the applicant before further consideration of the award. To ensure effective use of limited S/GWI funds, conditions or recommendations may include requests to increase, decrease, clarify, and/or justify costs and program activities.

With the exception of technical submission questions, during the solicitation period U.S. Department of State staff in Washington and overseas shall not discuss competing applications with applicants until the review process has been completed and rejection and approval letters have been transmitted.

ii. Evaluation Criteria Components

Organizational Capacity and Past Performance: The organization has sufficient depth of experience, capacity, and talent to implement the proposed program as described in this announcement. Individual organizations staff are well qualified. The organization will collaborate with other local entities to the maximum extent possible. For every collaboration proposed, the applicant (a) describes the rationale for the collaboration; (b) each partner's respective role; and (c) how the partnership will enhance the accomplishment of the project goals.

Program Strategy: The applicant must demonstrate that the project strategy and design are likely to achieve the proposed results and that proposed activities and timeframes are reasonable and feasible. Applicants will be judged on the following criteria:

· The proposal describes in detail how project activities will be accomplished and reasonably outlines the potential for the project to have positive impacts through the program objectives and elements as described in Section A.

· The proposal describes how the proposed activity complements existing efforts in support of gender-based violence prevention and response objectives, including that supported by the U.S. government in the target countries, is innovative, fills a programmatic gap in the area, leverages existing platforms, and does not duplicate other programs. The proposed project promotes linkages across sectors and platforms, for example, connecting actors and mechanisms in the private, education, economic, or political sectors. Other linkages could include across social, political, and economic levels of society.

· The proposed project presents a thoughtful analysis of the needs affecting vulnerable populations; integrates these populations as well as men and boys in program design and implementation; and shows concrete outputs and outcomes for project beneficiaries.

Performance Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning: The applicant clearly describes the results and benefits to be achieved. The applicant identifies how program results will be measured by specifying key indicators and providing program milestones indicating progress. Proposed outcomes are tangible and achievable within the grant project period.

Management Plan: Applications will be evaluated on the likelihood of local sustainable results that will endure beyond the term of the project and the effectiveness of project inputs. The application clearly describes through a work plan or other relevant documentation substantive undertakings through measurable and achievable goals and activities. The application clearly describes how the project could be expanded or scaled to more broadly address the peace-building and conflict resolution at the local, national, and/or regional level. Proposals will be evaluated on applicant’s strategy for local institutionalization, sustainability, scalability, and reasonableness by demonstrating ownership of local organizations, and presenting proof of multiplier effect.

iii. Budget Components

Budget Appropriateness: Project budget and budget narrative are aligned with the proposed activities and explains the line items and criteria as directed. Costs are reasonable, allowable, and allocable to the proposed project activities.

Cost-effectiveness: Provide a brief analysis in the budget narrative of why the proposed project is cost-effective. Applicants are encouraged to consider the relationship between their proposed funding amount requested and the impact that the project will have on direct and indirect beneficiaries. Any proposed project inputs should be procured at the least cost for the relevant level of quality.

iv. Designated Performance and Integrity System (currently FAPIIS)

The Department of State, 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 designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313).

The applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.

The Department of State will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

G. Federal Award Administration Information

Award Notices: The cooperative agreement shall be written, signed, and awarded by the Grants Officer and administered by both the Grants Officer and the Grants Officer Representative. The Grants Officer is the Government official delegated the authority by the U.S. Department of State Procurement Executive to write, award, and administer grants and cooperative agreements. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the Recipient through either mail or facsimile transmission. Organizations whose applications will not be funded will also be notified in writing.

Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Furthermore, the Government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

Administrative and National Policy: Prior to submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications that will apply to this award to ensure they will be able to comply. The terms and conditions are available on the State Department’s procurement website at: http://fa.statebuy.state.gov/

Applicants should also be familiar with the OMB circular that will apply to this cooperative agreement: OMB Uniform Guidance: Cost Principles, Audit, and Administrative Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR Chapter I, Chapter II, Part 200, et al.)

Reporting Requirements: The Recipient, at a minimum, shall provide financial, progress, and final reports. Please note that all substantiating documentation supporting reporting and data collected, including survey responses and contact information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the Department of State upon request. All reports must be written in English.

i. Financial Reports: The Recipient is required to submit quarterly financial reports throughout the project period, using Form FFR SF-425, the Federal Financial Report form, as well as forms suggested by the Grants Officer Representative. Form FFR (SF-425) can be found on OMB’s website here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_forms/. Financial reports are due 30 days after the end of each fiscal year quarter.

ii. Progress Reporting: While the grantee will be in frequent contact with S/GWI and the Grants Officer Representative concerning the project details, the grantee is required to submit quarterly program progress reports using page 1 of Form SF-PPR Performance Progress Report, which can be found at OMB’s website http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_forms as well as forms suggested by the Grants Officer Representative (GOR). S/GWI will provide a more detailed reporting template. Progress reports are due 30 days after the end of the quarterly reporting period.

iii. Final Report: The final report will be due no later than ninety days after completion or termination of all project activities. The Final Report shall include the following elements: executive summary, successes, outcomes, how the project has increased science capacity in the regions selected and addressed the other goals of the project, and a final financial report.

H. Agency Contact

Any prospective applicant who has questions concerning the contents of this NOFO should email them to SGWIProjectProposals@state.gov with the Subject “[Applicant Name] Proposal for Supporting Her Empowerment – Girls’ Resilience, Enterprise, and Technology (SHE’s GREAT) Initiative”. Note that once the NOFO deadline has passed, Department of State staff in Washington, D.C. and overseas at U.S. Embassies/Missions may not discuss this competition with applicants until the review process has been completed.

For assistance…