Power of Creativity: Professional Development in Ugandan Creative Industries | AFKAM-FY22-02 | Deadline for Applications: February 15, 2022

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U.S. MISSION IN UGANDA PUBLIC DIPLOMACY GRANT PROGRAM

Funding Opportunity Title:           Power of Creativity: Professional Development in Ugandan Creative Industries
Funding Opportunity Number:   AFKAM-FY22-02
CFDA Number:                                19.040 – Public Diplomacy Programs
Estimated Total Program Funding:        $100,000. Funding may be available to renew awards issued under the Public Diplomacy Grant Program for a period of two additional years.
Award Ceiling:                                 $50,000; proposals for awards over $50,000 will be considered on a case by case basis
Award Floor:                                    $20,000
Deadline for Applications:            February 15, 2022
Email:                                                 Kampalagrants@state.gov

This funding opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov and https://ug.usembassy.gov and may be amended. Answers to questions from eligible interested organizations will be posted as attachments to this NOFO.  Applicants should regularly check the www.grants.gov and https://ug.usembassy.gov website for the most recent information pertaining to this funding opportunity.

The Public Affairs Team is planning an info session on Tuesday, January 25 from 3-4pm to answer questions about this funding opportunity.  Please check back here for registration information, and email KampalaGrants@state.gov to express your interest in joining the info session.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Mission in Uganda’s Public Affairs Office is pleased to announce that funding is available for the Power of Creativity Grant Program for projects ranging in value from $20,000 to $50,000. Projects for greater values will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Grants are intended for non-profit organizations in the creative industries, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions, and academic institutions. Awards to individuals will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. All grantees must have a non-profit status.

 Notice: Since the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, 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.  How can the proposed program adapt routinely to changing restrictions?

 Objectives and Project Outcomes:

The objectives of the Power of Creativity Grant Program are to promote the professional business and management skills development and career prospects for young Ugandan professionals working in the creative industries; promote professionalization and development of the creative sector; and enhance its ability to provide economic opportunity and avenues for positive self-expression among Ugandan youth through projects that:

  • Help early to mid-career Ugandan professionals aged 21 – 39 improve their business, financial management, and professional skills;
  • Enhance the professionalism and sustainability of local companies and NGOs operating in the creative sector;
  • Strengthen Uganda’s creative industry and associations; or
  • Connect Ugandans working in the creative sector to American counterparts or mentors

Creative industries may include: visual arts, performing arts, music, music production, film, fashion design.

Training topics may include: arts entrepreneurship, marketing and promotion, project management, leadership and teambuilding, financial literacy, business plan development, social media management, professional communication, networking, intellectual property rights, fundraising, etc.

U.S. Content

In order to be eligible for funding consideration, proposals must demonstrate significant U.S. content.  U.S. content can include, for example, the substantial participation of U.S. experts or alumni of U.S. government exchange programs, partnership with U.S. organizations or educational institutions, the involvement of U.S. organizations present in Uganda, or the application or adaptation of U.S. models and best practices. Initiatives that promote sustained cooperation between the people of the United States and Uganda even after program funding has concluded are encouraged.  Proposals without significant U.S. content will not be considered for funding.

 Activities that may be funded include, but are not limited to:

  • Workshops, seminars, trainings, and master classes on the creative industries, with connection to American culture;
  • Public events (concerts, performances, conferences, exhibitions, etc.) that involve a learning or training component.  Significant cost share or cooperation with existing programs are recommended.
  • Programs that reinforce and amplify lessons learned by alumni of State Department-funded exchange programs (both American and Ugandan alumni);
  • Programs designed as a partnership between a Ugandan and U.S. organization;

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

  • Social welfare, community development, or infrastructure 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,
  • 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.

 Inviting U.S. Experts

The Public Affairs Office also welcomes proposals for the participation of U.S. citizen experts at in-person or virtual programs in support of the above program objectives. The travel costs for in-person programs in Uganda may include economy class airfare of a U.S. flag carrier, stipend for meals, daily honorarium, lodging, and local transportation. Funding requests for activities involving U.S. citizen experts should include a proposed daily schedule for the expert (minimum of two program days excluding travel time). If participation in a conference is expected, please provide its description (organizer, topics, goals and objectives, audience, other sponsors and other expected speakers and participants).

Project and Budget Periods

Projects generally should be completed within one year or less.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

The Public Affairs Office encourages applications from all sectors: committed and organized arts, culture, academic, and civil-society organizations and individuals. All grantees must have a non-profit status.

We seek proposals for activities that engage geographically and demographically diverse audiences within Uganda. U.S. NGOs, international NGOs, and individuals may apply.  Applications in partnership between U.S. and Ugandan NGOs/individuals are encouraged.

APPLICATION PROCESS

 Application Deadlines

The deadline for application is February 15, 2022

Proposal Format

To apply, please provide the following information, in English: 

  1. Mandatory application forms
  • SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations)or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance –individuals)
  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. We highly recommend that in addition to this, the applicant fill out the Organizational Information template provided. 
  1. Proposal (5pages 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.
  1. 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. SeeGuidelines 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 with the mandatory SF424A.

 

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. 

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

Submit all forms in electronic format to Kampalagrants@state.gov

An organization or individual may submit only one application per application deadline. All applicants will receive confirmation of receipt of proposals. Proposals will not be considered until all information is received. Please note that all information must be received by the application deadline listed above.

Technical Requirements for Eligibility:

All organizations applying for an award must have the following registrations:

  • Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number
  • NATO Commercial and Government Entity(CAGE/NCAGE) code
  • System for Award Management (SAM.gov) (If you have applied and have not yet received the registration number, provide proof of application).

Please apply for the D&B DUNS Number and CAGE/NCAGE Code at the same time to expedite the registration process. The Legal Business Name and Address must MATCH EXACTLY when entering it into the D&B DUNS, NCAGE, and SAM.gov websites – this includes spaces, parentheses, capitalization, small letters, punctuation, etc. Self-registration in D&B DUNS, NCAGE, and SAM.gov is free of charge.

DUN & BRADSTREET (D&B) DUNS/UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI) NUMBER

The DUNS/UEI number is a nine-digit number established and assigned by Dun and Bradstreet, Inc. (D&B) to uniquely identify business entities. Log onto the D&B website at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/searchAction.do For assistance, contact D&B at the following email address: SAMHelp@dnb.com

NATO COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT ENTITY (NCAGE) CODE

NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) codes are required for all foreign entities to create an account in SAM.gov. The Code is a five-character ID number, and can take, at a minimum, 4-5 business days to create.

Steps to register: (Please use the Internet Explorer web browser)

Foreign registrants must go to the link below to check if their entity has a valid CAGE/NCAGE code:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/CageTool/home 

If the search results in no NCAGE codes found, you must click on “Request New” on the right side of the page to apply for your CAGE/NCAGE code. For assistance by telephone, please call: 1-888-227-2423 (inside the U.S.) or 001-269-961-7766 (outside the U.S.). E-mail NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil for any problems in obtaining an NCAGE code.

SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM.gov): (Please use either the Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox web browser)

SAM is a U.S.-government wide registry of vendors doing business with the U.S. federal government and requires annual renewal. The system centralizes information about grant applicants/recipients and provides them with a central location to change their organizational information. More information about SAM.gov and useful guides for setting-up a new account, updating an existing account, or renewing an expired account can be found at: https://sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/index.jsf 

Please complete ALL of the above steps before attempting to register in SAM.

Log onto https://sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/index.jsf  

If you have had an active record in The Central Contractor Registration (CCR), you may already have an active record in SAM. To check for an active registration, please conduct a “search” for your record using the organization name and/or DUNS Number in SAM. If you are not registered, your organization or entity will not be found. If your organization does not have an active registration, you must create a user account and input all information in the exact manner as you have for the IRS, D&B DUNS, and NCAGE.

Complete and submit the online form.

Because of the different steps required for registration, it can take anywhere from three to fourteen business days to complete the process of creating an account with the system. If you encounter any error, please contact the SAM Federal Service Desk to report the problem at https://www.fsd.gov/clients  There is a standard (not toll free) number that customers can use +1 334-206-7828.

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

 Announcing Award Decisions:

The Public Affairs Office seeks to notify applicants of funding decisions within eight weeks following an application deadline. The timing of approvals is, however, subject to the availability of funds.

Please note: Funding for approved proposals will not be available immediately. The allocation of funds can take up to two months once all award paperwork has been completed. Applicants should, therefore, submit proposals well in advance of the intended project start date.

Selection Process:

Applications will be reviewed by the Public Affairs Office’s Grants Committee. Each application submitted under this announcement will be evaluated and rated based on the following criteria:

  • Strength of U.S. component/content: The extent to which the project will engage American experts/counterparts, create or strengthen ties between U.S. and Ugandan peer institutions, foster connections between Americans and Ugandans, or present American culture and society or best practices in an innovative manner;
  • Goals and objectives: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and the program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results;
  • Organizational capacity and record on previous grants: Demonstrated capacity of the applicant to manage and execute project in line with desired outcomes, as evidenced by prior project success and/or a clear and achievable work plan;
  • Monitoring and evaluation plan: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provide 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;
  • Embassy priorities: Applicant has clearly described how stated goals are related to and support priorities of the U.S. Mission Uganda’s Public Diplomacy Grant Program, as outlined above;
  • Target audience: Applicant has clearly described how the project will effectively engage and impact a priority target audience, as outlined above;
  • 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.

Applicants selected for further consideration will receive official written notification and detailed information on the process of finalizing awards. Applicants selected for further consideration must provide official copies of all registrations outlined in the eligibility requirements. Failure to provide these documents will result in disqualification.

Awards are contingent upon availability of U.S. Government funds and the signing of official award documents. Verbal or other informal communications cannot be considered official notification of an award, and applicants may not obligate expenses for a proposed project until all required administrative procedures have been completed.

 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

All awards require both program and financial reports on a frequency specified in the award agreement. The disbursement of funds may be tied to submission of these reports in a timely manner. All other details related to award administration will be specified in the award agreement.

 INQUIRIES

All questions about the Public Diplomacy Grants Program should be addressed to KampalaGrants@state.gov

By | 21 December, 2021 | Topics: Art & Culture, Culture, Education, Sections & Offices

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