Overseas Refugee Assistance Program for Middle East and North Africa Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 19.519
- Agency
-
Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration
Department of State
- Grant awards
- 904 $1,699,412,981 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- Overseas Refugee Assistance Program for Middle East and North Africa
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 19-1143-0-1-151
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration funds humanitarian assistance and protection for Syrian and Iraqi refugees, internally displaced persons, returnees, and vulnerable migrants across Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkiye, with the most recent award dated July 14, 2026 (CFDA 19.519).
The program funds life-sustaining humanitarian services aligned with SPHERE standards: shelter, food supply, nutrition, water, sanitation, and public health. Recent awards demonstrate sector diversity including emergency cash and food assistance in Lebanon ($30 million), mental health and psychosocial support services across multiple countries ($3 million to $6 million per award), integrated health and protection responses, education for out-of-school children, livelihoods and economic resilience programs, and specialized services for vulnerable populations including persons with disabilities and gender-based violence survivors. Awards to organizations including International Medical Corps, the International Rescue Committee, and the United Nations Population Fund reflect the program's reliance on established humanitarian NGOs. The program emphasizes local organizational capacity-building and advancing U.S. policy priorities alongside humanitarian goals.
Activity has declined sharply in the past two years. The portfolio shows 904 awards totaling $1.7 billion federal dollars obligated since 2006, but award frequency dropped from 54 annually in 2022 and 47 in 2023 to only 30 in 2024, 1 in 2025, and 5 through mid-2026. This reflects substantial program restructuring. Cooperative Agreements dominate the mix at 94 percent of awards, with Project Grants comprising 6 percent. The Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration is the sole funder across all awards.
Typical award sizes range from $2 million to $10 million for Cooperative Agreements, with occasional larger awards such as the $30 million Lebanon emergency food and cash assistance grant. Smaller Project Grants average $3 million to $7.5 million but occasionally fund specialized interventions at under $25 thousand.
Two FY 2025 concept-note solicitations remain open with a January 9, 2025 deadline: one for Iraq, Lebanon, Turkiye, and Syria (DFOP0017038) and one for Jordan (DFOP0017036). Both invite U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits, overseas-based nonprofits with proof of registration, and international organizations excluding UN agencies. A December 10, 2024 amendment noted that recent developments in Syria render conditions fluid and that any refugee returns must be voluntary, safe, and dignified; the NOFO continues pending further notice. Selected concept notes will advance to full proposals within three months of submission, with awards anticipated within five months of full proposal deadlines.
Objective and description
- Objective
Providing protection and assistance to Syrian and Iraqi refugees, conflict victims, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees, as well as refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants in the North Africa region remains a high priority. Pro
- Description
Providing protection and assistance to Syrian and Iraqi refugees, conflict victims, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees, as well as refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants in the North Africa region remains a high priority. Programs will assist these populations in Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, and Türkiye.
Eligibility
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Generally, funds are awarded for a 12-month period. Shorter time periods may also be authorized.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
The Bureau's main objective is to help ensure that refugees and victims of conflict have access to basic life-sustaining resources in ways that meet internationally accepted standards of care in shelter, food supply, nutrition, water supply, sanitation, and public health. NGO proposals should clearly use SPHERE standards as the basis for design, implementation, and evaluation, including proposed objectives and indicators. Underlying PRM's support for humanitarian assistance is a commitment to advancing U.S. policy priorities and reducing redundancy, advancing U.S. security, and building local capacity to reduce dependency on foreign assistance. NGOs in search of Bureau funding would do well to address these specific areas in any proposals sent for funding.
- Award procedure
The Assistant Secretary of the Bureau makes funding decisions based on recommendations from the Bureau offices and warranted grants officers sign the agreement.
- Renewals
Renewals or extensions require additional approval.
Grant opportunities
Show all 29
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 904 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | International Medical Corps | $222,898,283 | 13% |
| 2 | International Rescue Committee, Inc. | $133,827,183 | 8% |
| 3 | Norwegian Refugee Council (Nrc) - Stiftelsen Flyktninghjelpen | $98,845,905 | 6% |
| 4 | Mercy Corps | $90,252,202 | 5% |
| 5 | Dansk Flygtningehjaelp | $69,112,268 | 4% |
| 6 | Save The Children Federation, Inc. | $66,704,878 | 4% |
| 7 | United Israel Appeal, Inc. | $66,500,000 | 4% |
| 8 | Cooperative For Assistance And Relief Everywhere, Inc. | $60,074,527 | 4% |
| 9 | Catholic Relief Services - United States Conference Of Catholic Bishops | $58,302,920 | 3% |
| 10 | Relief International, Inc. | $55,617,145 | 3% |
10 of 124 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $55,890,985 |
| FY2025 | $1,044,542 |
| FY2024 | $70,741,582 |
| FY2023 | $100,594,110 |
| FY2022 | $136,321,527 |
| FY2021 | $117,910,351 |
| FY2020 | $115,922,114 |
| FY2019 | $120,288,174 |
| FY2018 | $110,594,581 |
| FY2017 | $120,716,975 |
| FY2016 | $116,187,900 |
| FY2015 | $120,838,717 |
| FY2014 | $118,013,257 |
| FY2013 | $59,918,462 |
| FY2012 | $58,076,235 |
| FY2011 | $67,917,798 |
| FY2010 | $54,870,124 |
| FY2009 | $61,930,100 |
| FY2008 | $53,354,725 |
| FY2007 | $32,280,722 |
Show all 20
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 19.519?
Assistance Listing 19.519 is Overseas Refugee Assistance Program for Middle East and North Africa Program, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration (Department of State).
What is the CFDA number for Overseas Refugee Assistance Program for Middle East and North Africa Program?
Its CFDA number is 19.519: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 19.519 awarded?
904 grant awards under 19.519 have obligated $1,699,412,981 in federal funds to 124 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 19.519?
The recipients obligated the most under Overseas Refugee Assistance Program for Middle East and North Africa Program are International Medical Corps ($222,898,283), International Rescue Committee, Inc. ($133,827,183) and Norwegian Refugee Council (Nrc) - Stiftelsen Flyktninghjelpen ($98,845,905).
How much did 19.519 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 19.519 obligated $1,044,542 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 19.519?
No opportunity listed under 19.519 is open now. The latest, FY 2025 PRM Request for Concept Notes for Iraq and Syria Region, was posted on November 27, 2024.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
- Every grant award and opportunity under it
- Funding by recipient, agency and assistance type
- Alerts for new opportunities
- Ask GovTribe AI about this program