Notice of Funding Opportunity | Youth Civic Engagement Project | AFKAM-PAS-FY22-04 | Closing: July 15, 2022

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE | U.S. EMBASSY UGANDA

Notice of Funding Opportunity
Funding Opportunity Title: Youth Civic Engagement Project
Funding Opportunity Number: AFKAM-PAS-FY22-04
Deadline for Applications:July 15, 2022
Assistance Listing Number: 19.040
Total Amount Available: Up to $50,000

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Mission in Uganda announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for a federal assistance award to implement and manage a youth civic engagement project.

Program Objectives:

The objectives of this project are to encourage Ugandan youth to participate actively in their communities and to empower participants through activities focused on learning about democratic values, participatory citizenship, and leadership. The project should incorporate activities such as training sessions, workshops, debates, discussions, community service projects, and cultural events.  The civic engagement program should also provide opportunities for youth participants to engage with political representatives, such as elected officials, and include a final summit for camp participants in Kampala.  The applicant organization should propose relevant activities of various types, as listed above, pertaining to the theme of the project; these should be described in the proposal, with a focus on how they help achieve the project goals.  Activities should include U.S.-related components and use of English whenever possible. The applicant should indicate the resources to be used for the proposed activities, including partner organizations the applicant wishes to involve in conducting them.  The involvement of alumni of U.S. government exchange programs as trainers, presenters, facilitators, or mentors is encouraged.

Participants & Audiences:

The project should be designed to deliver an educational program camp experience for four cohorts. Cohorts should be located in at least two of Uganda’s four administrative districts.

The implementing partner should aim at selecting at least 25 participants per cohort for this project.  The following criteria must be met by the participants to be considered for this program:

  • Youth between 16-18 years of age;  
  • Actively enrolled in school and in good standing;  
  • Demonstrated leadership and commitment to public service; 
  • Every effort should be made to promote gender parity among participants.   

Project Requirements

The project proposal must clearly state how the project beneficiaries (applicants) will be selected, the mode of training and activities, how the project implementer will deliver the proposed curriculum, a sample curriculum, and a clear timeline for implementation.

  • The implementer host four civic education camps for students that address the powers and authorities of local governments and the central government; 
  • Project participants are selected by an open application process that is transparent and equitable;  
  • The program should teach the participants the basic tenants of civic engagement and assist the participants in designing a civic engagement project within their local community; 
  • Participants are expected to implement a project in their community using what they’ve learned; 
  • Participants are expected to report on their project success or failure during a final summit held in Kampala. 

The implementer will be expected to plan for transportation, accommodation, meals, stipends for trainers or event facilitators, and incidentals with attention to all health and safety requirements as well as to cost efficiency, legal, and administrative requirements for minors’ participation in educational camps, as well as adult supervision.  The applicant organization should provide details on their experience organizing such events and indicate possible challenges to the proposed activity and how they would address them.  The partner must include an evaluation and follow-up metric as part of the program.  This project supports our main Mission’s goal to empower advocates for shared democratic values and strong public institutions.

Notice: For Fiscal Year 2022 all proposals submitted in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity must include a contingency plan describing how the proposed activity would be implemented in the event that COVID-19 related health restrictions are in place during the anticipated period of performance.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: 12 to 16 months 

Number of awards anticipated: 1 

Award amounts: Award may range from a minimum $30,000 to a maximum of $50,000

Total available funding: $50,000

Type of Funding:  FY22 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds 

Anticipated program start date:  December 15, 2022

This notice is subject to availability of funding.  Award may be renewed up to two times before being recompeted, subject to availability of funds.

Funding Instrument Type:   Cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements are different from grants in that bureau/embassy staff are more actively involved in the grant implementation.  

Description of Substantial Involvement:

The awardee will be expected to coordinate closely with the Public Affairs Section of the U.S.

Mission in Uganda to execute the project.  The Public Affairs Section will:

  • Approve criteria for selection of participating schools/youth
  • Review and approve cohort training program materials and agenda
  • Coordinate key project dates and the participation of staff from the U.S. Mission in Uganda during key project activities
  • Work with awardee to develop the final summit program 
  • Assist in identifying and securing the participation of speakers/presenters at the final summit.

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 18 months or less. 

The Department of State will entertain applications for continuation grants funded under these awards 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.

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

  1. Eligible Applicants

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

  • Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations 
  • Public and private educational institutions
  • Individuals
  1. Cost Sharing or Matching: Not required
  1. Other Eligibility Requirements

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 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

Criteria for the selection of the implementing partner will include but is not limited to the following:

  • Established track record for organizing engaging, educational leadership programs for youth.  
  • Established track record for organizing programs that require cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Sport at the local, regional, or national level; 
  • Organization must be duly registered as an NGO or Community Based Organization; 
  • The period of performance should fall between December 2022 and May 2024. 

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

D.1 Address to Request Application Package

Application forms required below are available at embassy website 

D.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 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

The following documents are required:  

1. Mandatory application forms (require latest adobe reader to open)

2. 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. We highly recommend that in addition to this, the applicant fill out the Organizational Information template provided here. 

3. Proposal (5 pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with the project would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. We highly recommend that the applicant use the  proposal template provided Here.  If the applicant elects not to use the template provided, they may use their own proposal format, but must provide all the items listed below.

  • Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including target audience, 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 Uganda will be improved? The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable. 
  • Program Activities: Work plan providing a detailed description of the program activities, key milestones, and timeline for execution. 
  • 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. 

4. Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (mandatory form), use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information. While not required, we highly recommend that the applicant use the budget template provided here. Do remember to submit the budget and the budget justification narrative with the mandatory SF424A form.

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.  Personnel costs should not be identified as a lump sum figure.  They must be calculated according to identified hourly/monthly/annual salary or wages and prorated according to percentage of time allocated to the proposed program (e.g., Staff accountant = salary of 1M UGX/month * 10% of his/her time * 5 months = 500,000 UGX). 

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.

5.  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 
  • If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file.  
  • Official permission letters, if required for program activities

D.3 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:

  • www.SAM.gov registration which will generate a UEI
  • NCAGE/CAGE code 

Any applicant with an exclusion in the System for Award Management (SAM) 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.”  

The Unique Entity Identifier (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.  SAM.gov is the Federal government’s primary database for complying with FFATA reporting requirements.  OMB designated SAM.gov as the central repository to facilitate applicant and recipient use of a single public website that consolidates data on all federal financial assistance.  Under the law, it is mandatory to register in SAM.gov.

Starting April 2022, the UEI will be assigned when an organization registers or renews it’s registration in SAM.gov at www.SAM.gov.  To access SAM.gov an organization is required to have a Login.gov account. Organization can create an account at https://login.gov/.   As a reminder, organizations need to renew its sam.gov registration annually. 

US-based organizations: A CAGE code will be automatically assigned when the U.S. organizations registers in www.sam.gov.  CAGE must be renewed every 5 years.  Site for CAGE: https://cage.dla.mil/Home/UsageAgree. Grantees may be asked for more information to finalized and must comply.

Foreign-based organizations: Must apply for a NCAGE code before registering in SAM.gov. Go to: https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/CageTool/home to apply for a NCAGE code.  NCAGE codes must be renewed every 5 years. 

It is in the organization’s best interest to check if their CAGE/or NCAGE codes are active.  Organizations are required to register/or renew their CAGE or NCAGE codes prior to registering or renewing www.sam.gov .  Both registration and renewals for both CAGE and NCAGE can take up to 10 days.  Organization’s legal address in NCAGE/CAGE must mirror www. sam.gov.

www.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 responsibility of the applicant to ensure it has an active registration in SAM.gov.  

If an organization plans to issue a sub-contract or sub-award, those sub-awardees must also have a unique entity identifier (UEI number).  Those entities can register for a UEI only at SAM.gov.

If an organization does not have an active registration in SAM.gov prior to submitting an application, the application will be deemed ineligible.  All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations, the latter are free of charge.

Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required. 

D.4 Submission Dates and Times

Applications are due no later than 11:59 p.m. July 15, 2022 (UTC +3)

D.5 Funding Restrictions

Activities that are not typically funded include, but are not limited to:

  • Social welfare, community development, or vocational skilling projects, 
  • Fees and travel costs to attend conferences in the United States, 
  • Ongoing salary costs and office equipment, 
  • Paying to complete activities begun with other funds, 
  • Projects that are inherently political in nature or that contain the appearance of partisanship/support to individual or single party electoral campaigns, 
  • Political party activities, 
  • Projects that support specific religious activities, 
  • Trade activities; fundraising campaigns; commercial projects; scientific research; construction projects; or projects whose primary aim is the institutional development of the organization itself. 

D.6 Other Submission Requirements

All application materials must be submitted by email to Kampalagrants@state.gov

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

  1. Criteria

Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below. 

Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea:  The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.   

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants: The organization has expertise in its stated field and has the internal controls in place to manage federal funds.  This includes a financial management system and a bank account.

Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

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 program includes output and outcome indicators, and shows how and when those will be measured.

  1. Review and Selection Process

A review committee will evaluate all eligible applications.  

3. Federal Awardee Performance & Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)

For any Federal award under a notice of funding opportunity, if the Federal awarding agency anticipates that the total Federal share will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold on any Federal award under a notice of funding opportunity may include, over the period of performance (see §200.88 Simplified Acquisition Threshold), this section must also inform applicants:

i. That the Federal awarding agency, 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);

ii. That an 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;

iii. That the Federal awarding agency 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 §200.206 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

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.

    1. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

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:

In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department of State will review and consider applications for funding, as applicable to specific programs, pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity in accordance with the following:  NOTE: 

  • Guidance for Grants and Agreements in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR), as updated in the Federal Register’s 85 FR 49506 on August 13, 2020, particularly on:
    • Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR part 200.205),
    • Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 115—232) (2 CFR part 200.216),
    • Promoting the freedom of speech and religious liberty in alignment with Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (E.O. 13798) and Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities (E.O. 13864) (§§ 200.300, 200.303, 200.339, and 200.341), 
    • Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States (2 CFR part 200.322), and
    • Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest extent authorized by law, if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR part 200.340).
    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.   

G.  FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact the Public Affairs Grants Management Team at Kampalagrants@state.gov.

By | 24 May, 2022 | Topics: Alumni, Culture, Education, Sections & Offices

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