U.S. Embassy in Central African Republic

NOFO-American Spaces Programming_2024-Embassy-Bangui

SF424

SF424A

SF424B

U.S. EMBASSY BANGUI, PUBLIC DIPLOMACY SECTION

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

The U.S. Embassy Bangui Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy American Spaces Support Funds Program. This document outlines our funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding. Please carefully follow all instructions below. Organizations and individuals interested in participating in this call for proposals should submit proposals to BanguiGrants@state.gov by July 31, 2024.

 This notice is subject to funding availability.

 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy Bangui Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State invites individuals and non-profit organizations to submit project proposals to carry out monthly programming at the Bangui American Center for a one-year period.  The Bangui American Center is part of the worldwide American Spaces network.  American Spaces are the U.S. government’s primary public cultural and information centers abroad that provide free and open access for communities worldwide interested in learning more about the United States.  Through people-to-people connections and modern environments equipped with advanced technologies, over 600 American Spaces in 140 countries serve as the initial experience that millions of global visitors have with the United States, building mutual understanding and partnership.  These innovative hubs offer programs and events that foster learning, discussion, and civic engagement around democratic principles.

Project proposals should have an intrinsic public diplomacy objective in support of the Priority Program Areas listed below:

• Promoting cross-cultural understanding and supporting English language learning in Central African Republic
• Encouraging women’s empowerment
• Enhancing computer literacy skills
• Capacity-building workshop on job skills
• Education and teaching

The primary target audience is young Central Africans between the ages of 18 and 35.  The principal method of engagement will be through in-person programming at the Bangui American Center. Preference will be given to proposals that prioritize and maximize the needs of Central African youth while limiting overhead, equipment, and other expenses that do not directly support program participants.  A successful proposal will develop a clear monthly calendar of activities spanning up to twelve months from October 2024 – September 2025 at the Bangui American Center. A successful proposal will also specify a defined audience and directly address at least one of the key programming areas mentioned above.

1. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Announcement Posted:  July 1, 2024
Closing Date for Applications:  July 31, 2024
Funding Type:  Grant

Expected Size of Individual Awards:  Between $3,000 to $9,000.

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed within 9 to 12 months. 

1. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION1. Eligible Applicants:

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• Not-for-profit organizations with offices in the Central African Republic, including civil society and non-governmental organizations
• Business development organizations registered as non-profits with offices in the Central African Republic
• United States government alumni organizations

 2. Cost Sharing

Inclusion of cost share is not a requirement for this opportunity.

3. Grant Program Area:

Proposals must address one or more of the themes listed above. Proposals that do not address the themes as outlined will be deemed ineligible. All project activities must take place outside of the United States and its territories. 

4. Other Eligibility Requirements

If the grant will be processed with an individual, that individual is not required to be registered in SAM.gov. Applicant organizations must have a unique entity identifier (Data Universal Numbering System), as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov 

1. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION1. Address to Request Application Package

Application and budget templates are available at: https://cf.usembassy.gov/ under “Education and Culture,” or by request at BanguiGrants@state.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

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
2. SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance –individuals) at https://www.grants.gov/
3. SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at https://www.grants.gov/
4. SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at https://www.grants.gov/ 

2. Proposal: The proposal should contain enough information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the team wants to do. Proposals include the following.

Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed project, including project 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 project is needed.

 Project Goals and Objectives:  The “goals” describe what the project is intended to achieve.  How will the project impact the community and what changes (in people, institutions, attitudes, or practices) will you see?  The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.

 Project Methods, Design, and Timeline: A description of how the project is expected to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal.  This should include description of your direct and indirect beneficiaries.  The proposed timeline for the project activities.  Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.

 Project Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: The Monitoring and Evaluation component of the proposal will outline in detail how the proposal’s activities will advance the program’s goals and objectives (listed above). A strong proposal will include:

• Any outcomes the grantee expects to occur because of their program. Outcomes could include: change in knowledge, awareness, and attitudes; improved quality of services; increased capacity at a school, group; etc.  Proposals should also include how the grantee will know those outcomes are occurring (surveys, interviews, observations, etc.).
• For example: If the program expects that a computer literacy program will improve participants’ computer literacy skills, a proposal may explain the skills a participant would gain and plan to perform a survey before the program and a survey following the program that would show a change in computer literacy skills due to the program.
• A plan to include the grantee’s reflection of how their program contributed to the program’s goals. As applicable, a strong final report would include success stories, behaviors changed, lessons learned, and results obtained. 

3. Budget Justification Narrative: Applicants must submit a detailed budget and budget narrative justification utilizing the template provided. Line item expenditures should be listed in the greatest possible detail. Budgets shall be submitted in U.S. dollars and final grant agreements will be conducted in U.S. dollars.

4. 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

Required Registrations:

All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov. A 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.

 The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number.  Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a sub-grantee.

 Note:  The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks.  Please begin your registration as early as possible.

• Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.
• Organizations based outside of the United States and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS but do need a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.
• Please note that as of November 2022 and February 2022 respectively, organizations based outside of the United States that do not intend to apply for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards are no longer required to have a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code or CAGE code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove a CAGE or NCAGE code from their SAM.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online at fsd.gov using the following language: “I do not intend to seek financial assistance from the Department of Defense. I do not wish to obtain a CAGE or NCAGE code. I understand that I will need to submit my registration after this incident is resolved in order to have my registration activated.” 

Exemptions

An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis if:

• An applicant’s identity must be protected due to potential endangerment of their mission, their organization’s status, their employees, or individuals being served by the applicant.
• For an applicant, if the Federal awarding agency makes a determination that there are exigent circumstances that prohibit the applicant from receiving a unique entity identifier and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a Federal award. In these instances, Federal awarding agencies must require the recipient to obtain a unique entity identifier and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the Federal award date.

Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

1. Submission Dates and Times

 Applications are due no later than July 31, 2024.

2. Funding Restrictions

• Please note that federal funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages.
• Equipment purchase should not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total budget.

3. Other Submission Requirements

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

1. 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 – 20 points:  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 – 20 points: 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 – 15 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

Budget – 15 points: 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 – 15 points: 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.

Support of Equity and Underserved Communities – 10 points:  Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the program will reach underserved communities in program administration, design, and implementation. 

2. Review and Selection Process

A review committee will evaluate all eligible applications. The first review process is a technical review to ensure proposals and organizations meet the criteria set forth above. The second review involves a Grant Review Committee evaluating eligible proposals based on the criteria identified above.

1. 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.

2. 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:

• 2 CFR 25 – UNIVERSAL IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT
• 2 CFR 170 – REPORTING SUBAWARD AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION INFORMATION
• 2 CFR 175 – AWARD TERM FOR TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS
• 2 CFR 182 – GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE)
• 2 CFR 183 – NEVER CONTRACT WITH THE ENEMY
• 2 CFR 600 – DEPARTMENT OF STATE REQUIREMENTS
• S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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).

3. 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.

FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: banguigrants@state.gov