Notice of Funding Opportunity for U.S. Embassy Djibouti – PAS Annual Program Statement

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Funding Opportunity Title:             U.S. Embassy Djibouti – PAS Annual Program Statement
Funding Opportunity Number:       AF-DJ-PAS-21-01
Deadline for Applications:              Rolling
CFDA Number:                                19.040 Public Diplomacy Programs
Minimum for Each Award:             $1,000.00
Maximum for Each Award:            $10,000.00
This notice is subject to availability of funding

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The U.S. Embassy Djibouti Public Affairs Section (PAS) is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement (APS), outlining our funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding. Applications for programs are accepted on a rolling basis until the deadline (July 26, 2021). This deadline is necessary to provide sufficient time to process and award programs before the end of our fiscal year on September 30, 2021. Please carefully follow all instructions below.

Purpose of Small Grants: PAS Djibouti invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the United States and Djibouti through cultural programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. Competitive programs support a priority program area (see below). All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policies and perspectives.

Examples of PAS Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to: 

  • Promotion of English language skills;
  • Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions;
  • Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs;
  • Entrepreneurship, business development, and tech/innovation trainings;
  • Hands-on media workshops for journalists, media professionals, and the public; and
  • Sports-related programming.

Priority Program Areas:

  • Empowerment of women and youth
  • Promotion of English language skills
  • Journalistic integrity and media literacy
  • Promoting entrepreneurship and business development
  • Cross-Cultural dialogue and understanding

Target Audiences: PAS Djibouti strongly encourages proposals that bring together diverse groups of people. Proposals should describe both the primary and secondary audiences for the program, including numbers anticipated to be reached. Primary audiences are those who will participate directly in the program, while secondary audiences are those who will be reached by the project’s primary audience, as a result of their participation. For example, in a teacher training program, the primary audience would be the teachers who will be trained, while the secondary audience would be their students. Specific audiences who are considered a priority for grants funded under this APS are:

  • Emerging leaders aged 16-30 years old
  • High school students and graduates residing in exterior regions
  • University students
  • Alumni of U.S.-sponsored exchange programs
  • Community leaders, NGO staff, and other Established Opinion Leaders
  • Business leaders and entrepreneurs
  • English language teachers and educators

Program Partners: Partnerships with other organizations are not required for eligibility under this APS. However, to the degree that cooperation with key partners, multipliers, and influencers will enhance the effectiveness of the project, such partnerships are encouraged.

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

  • Projects relating to partisan political activity;
  • Charitable, development, or social welfare activities;
  • Construction projects;
  • Projects that support specific religious activities or promote only one faith or religion;
  • Fund-raising campaigns;
  • Lobbying for specific legislation, policies, or projects;
  • Academic or scientific research;
  • Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development or maintenance of the applicant organization or its partner organizations that are in the proposal;
  • Programs that duplicate existing programs.

Authorizing legislation, type and year of funding: Funding authority rests primarily in Fulbright-Hayes or Smith-Mundt FY2021 Public Diplomacy funding.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION
Length of performance period: Up to twelve months
Number of awards anticipated: Dependent on funds availability
Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $1000 to a maximum of $10,000
Total available funding: To be determined
Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2021 Public Diplomacy Funding
This notice is subject to availability of funding.

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

  1. Eligible Applicants

PAS Djibouti encourages applications from the following entities in the United States and Djibouti:

  • Registered non-governmental organizations, including think tanks and civil society organizations with programming experience;
  • Individuals ;
  • Non-profit or governmental educational institutions; and
  • Governmental institutions

For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.  

  1. Cost Sharing or Matching
    Cost sharing (providing funding or goods/services in-kind) is encouraged but not required.
  1. Other Eligibility Requirements

Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet and CAGE/NCAGE number, as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D. III for information on how to obtain these registrations. Individuals are not required to have a DUNS number or be registered in www.SAM.gov/

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Application forms required below are available at https://www.grants.gov/

  1. 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 ineligible.

Content of Application
Please ensure:

  • The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity
  • All documents are in English
  • All budgets are in U.S. dollars
  • All pages are numbered
  • All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and
  • All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

The following documents are required: 

  1. Mandatory application forms
  1. Summary Coversheet: Cover sheet stating the applicant name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.
  1. Proposal: The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below.
  • Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact.
  • Introduction to the Organization or Individual applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies.
  • Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed
  • Program Goals and Objectives:  The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve.  What aspect of the relationship between the U.S. and Djibouti will be improved? The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.
  • Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.
  • Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal.
  • Proposed Program Schedule:  The proposed timeline for the program activities.  Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.
  • Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program.  What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program?
  • Program Partners:  List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees.
  • Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the timeframe of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant?
  • Future Funding or Sustainability Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable.
  1. Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.
  1. Attachments:
  • 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program
  • Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner
  • Official permission letters, if required for program activities
  1. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

Required Registrations:

All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations.  All are free of charge:

  • Unique Identifier Number from Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS number)
  • NCAGE/CAGE code
  • SAM.gov registration

Step 1: Apply for a DUNS number and an NCAGE number (these can be completed simultaneously)

DUNS application: Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet, if your organization does not have one already, you may obtain one by calling 1-866-705-5711 or visiting  http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/index.jsp

Step 2:  Apply for NCAGE.  Application page here
https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx
Step 3: After receiving the NCAGE Code, proceed to register in SAM by logging onto: https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM/##11#1
SAM registration must be renewed annually.

These databases interface with each other, so the information in DUNS should match exactly with what you put in your NCAGE application, and the same with SAM.

  1. Submission Dates and Times 

Applications may be submitted for consideration at any time on or before July 26, 2021. No applications will be accepted after that date. It is strongly recommended that applicants submit proposals and supporting documentation to DjiboutiPDSubmissions@state.gov  well before this date to ensure receipt prior to the deadline.

  1. Funding Restrictions

Award funds cannot be used for construction projects, vehicle purchases, real estate purchases, or other similar purposes. 

  1. Other Submission Requirements

All application materials must be submitted by email to DjiboutiPDSubmissions@state.gov
Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

  1. Criteria
    Each application will be evaluated and rated based on the evaluation criteria outlined below:

Organizational capacity and record on previous grants: The organization has expertise in its stated field and PAS is confident of the applicant’s ability to undertake the project. The organization shows how it uses its capabilities effectively to reach the broadest audience that makes sense for the purpose of the project.
Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how project activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.
Goals and objectives: Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and project approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.
Embassy priorities: Applicant has clearly described how stated goals are related to and support U.S. Embassy Djibouti’s goals, priority program areas and target audiences as described in Section A, and clearly address the requirements of this APS. Applicant also clearly identifies the American component to be included in the program.
Budget: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities.
Monitoring and evaluation plan: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The project includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.
Sustainability: Project activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the project.

  1. Review and Selection Process
    A Grants Review Committee consisting of at least three U.S. Embassy Djibouti personnel from PAS and other Embassy sections will evaluate all eligible applications on a quarterly basis.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

  1. Federal Award Notices

The grant award or cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document and it will be provided to the recipient for review and signature by email. The recipient may only start incurring program expenses beginning on the start date shown on the grant award document signed by the Grants Officer.

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the Department of State.

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

Payment Method: Payments will be made in at least two installments, as needed to carry out the program activities.
Organizations whose applications will not be funded will also be notified via email.

  1. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Terms and Conditions: Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply.  These include:

2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 600, Certifications and Assurances, and the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions, all of which are available at:  https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/. Note the U.S Flag branding and marking requirements in the Standard Terms and Conditions.

  1. Reporting

Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports.  The award document will specify how often these reports must be submitted.

  1. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact PAS at: DjiboutiPDSubmissions@state.gov
Note:  We do not provide any pre-consultation for application related questions that are addressed in the NOFO. Once an application has been submitted, State Department officials and staff — both in the Department and at embassies overseas — may not discuss this competition with applicants until the entire proposal review process is completed.

  1. OTHER INFORMATION

Guidelines for Budget Justification

Personnel: Describe the wages, salaries, and benefits of temporary or permanent staff who will be working directly for the applicant on the program, and the percentage of their time that will be spent on the program.
Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this program. If the program involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel.
Equipment: Describe any machinery, furniture, or other personal property that is required for the program, which has a useful life of more than one year (or a life longer than the duration of the program), and costs at least $5,000 per unit.
Supplies: List and describe all the items and materials, including any computer devices, that are needed for the program. If an item costs more than $5,000 per unit, then put it in the budget under Equipment.
Contractual: Describe goods and services that the applicant plans to acquire through a contract with a vendor.  Also describe any sub-awards to non-profit partners that will help carry out the program activities.
Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the program, which do not fit in the other categories. For example, shipping costs for materials and equipment or applicable taxes. All “Other” or “Miscellaneous” expenses must be itemized and explained.
Indirect Costs:  These are costs that cannot be linked directly to the program activities, such as overhead costs needed to help keep the organization operating.  If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, attach a copy of your latest NICRA. Organizations that have never had a NICRA may request indirect costs of 10% of the modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.68.
“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S. Embassy.   It also includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time and donated venues.
Alcoholic Beverages:  Please note that award funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages.

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