Uncategories [wanabidii] Africa: FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Africa

[wanabidii] Africa: FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Africa

Thursday, April 17, 2014

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Africa: FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Africa
04/17/2014 11:12 AM EDT

FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South Africa


Funding Opportunity Announcement
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
April 16, 2014

Funding Opportunity Number: PRM-PRMOAPAF-14-013-049361

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number:
19.517 - Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Africa

Announcement issuance date: Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Proposal submission deadline: Friday, May 30, 2014 at 12:00 p.m. noon EDT. Proposals submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

**ADVISORY: All applicants must submit proposals through the website www.Grants.gov. PRM strongly recommends submitting your proposal early to allow time to address any difficulties that may arise.**

There have been changes in requirements for PRM proposals, and the Grants.gov registration process can be complicated. We strongly encourage all organizations to refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for information and resources to ensure that the application process runs smoothly. PRM expects all NGOs applying for funding to have read and comply with PRM’s NGO guidelines. Proposal submissions that do not meet all of the requirements outlined in these guidelines will not be considered.

Eligible Applicants: (1) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with IRS, other than institutions of higher education; (2) Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with IRS, other than institutions of higher education; and (3) International Organizations. International multilateral organizations, such as United Nations agencies, should not submit proposals through Grants.gov in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement. Multilateral organizations that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the relevant PRM Officer (as listed below) on or before the closing date of the funding announcement.

Proposed program start dates: July 1 – September 1, 2014

Duration of Activity: No more than 12 months.

Current Funding Priorities for refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa:

PRM will prioritize funding for proposed NGO activities that best meet the priorities of the Bureau and of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for protection of and assistance to refugees and asylum seekers in urban centers in South Africa. The parameters for funding and the sectoral priorities are identified below.

(a) Proposed activities should support refugees and asylum seekers residing in South Africa with priority areas being urban areas such as Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria. Urban programs should, where relevant, include efforts to: identify and reach out to “hidden” refugees, identify and build upon existing services, provide information about and referrals to existing services, including government services, establish a clear method and criteria for identifying and assisting the most vulnerable, adopt a community-based approach that takes account of host community needs, and avoid creating refugee-specific, parallel services to what already exists in the community wherever possible/appropriate.

(b) NGOs applying for funding must demonstrate a working relationship with UNHCR. A letter of support from UNHCR for the proposed activities is strongly recommended. This letter should highlight the gap in services the proposed program is designed to address. Priority will be given to NGOs that can demonstrate they have coordinated with UNHCR how the proposed activities would be implemented.

(c) Proposals should focus on advocacy and support for refugee protection and access to basic social services in urban settings in one or more of the following sectors:

  • Protection: Proposal should bear in mind existing refugee protection mechanisms including formal laws and policies designed to protect refugees and asylum seekers as well as informal community-based protection efforts. Proposals should be designed to support and strengthen existing protection mechanisms rather than develop parallel systems that may not be sustainable over time. Key components of protection programs may include: (1) legal assistance and counseling, (2) community-based prevention and response to xenophobia, (3) prevention and response to gender-based violence, (4) child protection, and (5) dissemination of information to promote enhanced refugee access to protection mechanisms and programs.
  • Assistance: Proposals should focus on increasing refugee and asylum seeker access to existing government- and community-based social services rather than developing parallel services, with a focus on (a) health care (including mental health care and sexual and reproductive health services), (b) education and vocational training, and (c) housing and shelter. Proposals may include support to host communities who are assisting and protecting refugees and asylum seekers provided at least 50 percent of the beneficiaries are refugees and asylum seekers.
  • Livelihoods: Proposals should be designed to foster self-reliance among refugees and asylum seekers in urban areas. Components may include (a) market assessments, (b) training in language, literacy and vocational skills linked to local markets, (c) job-placement, (d) micro-enterprise support, and (e) legal support for businesses. Programs may include host-community beneficiaries provided that at least 50 percent of the beneficiaries are refugees and asylum seekers.

(d) Coordination with host government authorities and UNHCR as well as with other local and international NGOs active in the same area and sector is essential. NGOs submitting proposals and/or their implementing partners should be registered to operate with the South African government at the time of their submission to PRM. All applicants should provide documentation verifying their registration status as an attachment to their proposal submission.

(e) As nearly all target beneficiaries of this RFP will reside in urban areas, NGOs are strongly encouraged to consult PRM’s urban principles and other relevant urban programming guidance, including UNHCR operational guidance on livelihoods and health care in urban areas. Proposals should indicate how the proposed assistance would fill an identified gap, why that gap is a priority, as well as how the gap and the beneficiaries were identified.

(f) All proposals must adhere to PRM Standardized Indicators for health and livelihoods projects. Detailed information about PRM’s Standardized Indicator Initiative is provided in section C of our General NGO Guidelines. Proposals should include their own custom indicators in addition to SPHERE minimum standard indicators where relevant.

(g) Proposals must have a concrete implementation plan with well-conceived objectives and indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and reliable, time-bound and trackable (SMART), have established baselines, and include at least one outcome or impact indicator per objective; objectives should be clearly linked to the sectors.

(h) Proposals must adhere to relevant international standards for humanitarian assistance. See PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for a complete list of sector-specific standards including guidance on proposals for projects in urban areas.

(i) PRM strongly encourages programs that target the needs of potentially vulnerable and underserved groups among the beneficiary population (women; children; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or intersex (LGBTI) individuals; older persons; the sick; persons with disabilities; stateless persons; and other minorities) and can demonstrate what steps have been taken to meet the specific and unique protection and assistance needs of these vulnerable groups effectively. NOTE: PRM partners must now complete a gender analysis (see PRM proposal template, section 3a) that briefly analyzes (1) gender dynamics within the target population (i.e., roles, power dynamics, and different needs of men and women, girls and boys); (2) associated risks and implementation challenges for the project posed by those dynamics; and (3) how program activities will mitigate these protection risks and be made accessible to vulnerable groups (particularly women and girls). A gender analysis is a requirement prior to PRM making a final funding award.

(j) PRM will accept proposals from any NGO working in the above mentioned sectors although, given budgetary constraints, priority will be given to proposals from organizations that can demonstrate:

  • a working relationship with UNHCR, current UNHCR funding, and/or a letter of support from UNHCR for the proposed activities and/or overall country program (this letter should highlight the gap in services the proposed program is designed to address);
  • a proven track record in providing proposed assistance both in the sector and specified location;
  • evidence of coordination with international organizations (IOs) and other (local and international) NGOs working in the same area or sector as well as – where possible – local government authorities and/or relevant ministries or government entities;
  • a strong transition plan involving local capacity-building;
  • support and capacity-building for local and refugee community-based organizations;
  • where applicable, adherence to PRM’s Principles for Refugee Protection in Urban Areas available online at http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/187237.pdf.
  • a budget that demonstrates co-funding by non-US government sources.

Failure to adhere to the guidelines above and the General NGO Guidelines will disqualify an application.

Funding Limits: Project proposals should be no less than $100,000 and no more than $300,000 or they will be disqualified.

As stated in PRM’s General NGO Guidelines, PRM looks favorably on cost-sharing efforts and seeks to support projects with a diverse donor base and/or resources from the submitting organization. The proposal budget should include a specific breakdown of funds being provided by UNHCR, other U.S. government agencies, other donors, and your own organization.

**Proposal Submission Requirements: Proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov.

If you are new to PRM funding, the Grants.gov registration process can be complicated. We urge you to refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines “New to PRM Funding” section for information and resources to help ensure that the application process runs smoothly. PRM also strongly encourages organizations that have received funding from PRM in the past to read this section as a refresher. Applicants may also refer to the “Applicant Resources” page on Grants.gov for complete details on requirements (http://test.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html).

Please note the following highlights:

  • Do not wait until the last minute to submit your application on Grants.gov. Organizations not registered with Grants.gov should register well in advance of the deadline as it can take up to two weeks to finalize registration (sometimes longer for non-U.S.-based NGOs to get the required registration numbers). To register with Grants.gov, organizations must first receive a DUNS number and register with the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov which can take weeks and sometimes months. We recommend that organizations, particularly first-time applicants, submit applications via Grants.gov no later than one week before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical difficulties that could result in an application not being considered. PRM partners must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which they have an active federal award or an application under consideration by PRM or any federal agency.
  • Applications must be submitted under the authority of the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) at the applicant organization. Having proposals submitted by agency headquarters helps to avoid possible technical problems.
  • If you encounter technical difficulties with Grants.gov please contact the Grants.gov Help Desk at support@grants.gov or by calling 1-800-518-4726. Applicants who are unable to submit applications via Grants.gov due to Grants.gov technical difficulties and who have reported the problem to the Grants.gov help desk, received a case number, and had a service request opened to research the problem, should contact the relevant PRM Program Officer to determine whether an alternative method of submission is appropriate.
  • Pursuant to U.S. Code, Title 218, Section 1001, stated on OMB Standard Form 424 (SF-424), the Department of State is authorized to consolidate the certifications and assurances required by Federal law or regulations for its federal assistance programs. The list of certifications and assurances can be found at: http://fa.statebuy.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=161&menu_id=68 )

Proposal Content, Formatting and Template: This announcement is designed to accompany PRM’s General NGO Guidelines, which contain additional administrative information on proposal content and formatting, and explain in detail PRM’s NGO funding strategy and priorities. Please use both the General NGO Guidelines and this announcement to ensure that your proposal submission is in full compliance with PRM requirements and that the proposed activities are in line with PRM’s priorities. Proposal submissions that do not meet all of the requirements outlined in these guidelines will not be considered.

PRM strongly recommends using the proposal and budget templates that are available upon email request from PRM's NGO Coordinator. Please send an email, with the phrase “PRM NGO Templates” in the subject line, to PRM's NGO Coordinator.

Single-year proposals using PRM’s templates must be no more than 20 pages in length (Times New Roman 12 point font, one inch margins on all sides). If the applicant does not use PRM’s recommended templates, proposals must not exceed 15 pages in length. Organizations may choose to attach work plans, activity calendars, and/or logical frameworks as addendums/appendices to the proposal. These attachments do not count toward the page limit total. However annexes cannot be relied upon as a key source of program information. The proposal narrative must be able to stand on its own in the application process.

To be considered for PRM funding, organizations must submit a complete application package including

  • Proposal reflecting objectives and indicators for each year of the program period.
  • Budget and budget narrative for each year of the program period.
  • Signed completed SF-424.

In addition, proposal submissions to PRM should include the following information:

  • Focus on outcome or impact indicators as much as possible. At a minimum, each objective should have one outcome or impact indicator. Wherever possible, baselines should be established before the start of the project.
  • To increase PRM’s ability to track the impact of PRM funding, include specific information on locations of projects and beneficiaries (GPS coordinates if possible).
  • Proposals should outline how the NGO will acknowledge PRM funding. If an organization believes that publicly acknowledging the receipt of USG funding for a particular PRM-funded project could potentially endanger the lives of the beneficiaries and/or the organization staff, invite suspicion about the organization's motives, or alienate the organization from the population it is trying to help, it must provide a brief explanation in its proposal as to why it should be exempted from this requirement.
  • The budget should include a specific breakdown of funds being provided by UNHCR, other USG agencies, other donors, and your own organization. PRM strongly encourages multilateral support for humanitarian programs.
  • In FY 2014, PRM is asking applicants whose proposals address gender-based violence (GBV) through their projects to estimate the total cost of these activities as a separate line item in their proposed budgets. PRM’s budget template document has been updated to reflect this new requirement.
  • Gender analysis (See above. Required before an award can be made).
  • Copy of the organization’s Code of Conduct (required before an award can be made).
  • Copy of the organization’s Security Plan (required before an award can be made).
  • Proposals and budgets should include details of any sub-agreements associated with the program.
  • Most recent Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), if applicable.
  • NGOs that have not received PRM funding since the U.S. government fiscal year ending September 30, 2004 must be prepared to demonstrate that they meet the financial and accounting requirements of the U.S. government by submitting copies of 1) the most recent external financial audit, 2) proof of non-profit tax status including under IRS 501 (c)(3), as applicable, 3) a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, and 4) an Employer ID (EIN)/Federal Tax Identification number.

Reports and Reporting Requirements:

Organizations will be required to submit Program and Financial Reports throughout the course of the program period and at its end. Please Review Section 5 of General NGO Guidelines.

Proposal Review Process: PRM will conduct a formal competitive review of all proposals submitted in response to this funding announcement. A review panel will evaluate submissions based on the above-referenced proposal evaluation criteria and PRM priorities in the context of available funding.

PRM may request revised proposals and/or budgets based on feedback from the panel. PRM will provide formal notifications to NGOs of final decisions taken by Bureau management.

Branding and Marking Strategy: Unless exceptions have been approved by the designated bureau Authorizing Official as described in the proposal templates that are available upon email request from PRM's NGO Coordinator, at a minimum, the following provision will be included whenever assistance is awarded:

  • As a condition of receipt of this assistance award, all materials produced pursuant to the award, including training materials, materials for recipients or materials to communicate or promote with foreign audiences a program, event, project, or some other activity under this agreement, including but not limited to invitations to events, press materials, event backdrops, podium signs, etc. must be marked appropriately with the standard U.S. flag in a size and prominence equal to (or greater than) any other logo or identity. Subrecipients and subsequent tier sub-award agreements are subject to the marking requirements and the recipient shall include a provision in the subrecipient agreement indicating that the standard, rectangular U.S. flag is a requirement. In the event the recipient does not comply with the marking requirements as established in the approved assistance agreement, the Grants Officer Representative and the Grants Officer must initiate corrective action.

PRM Points of Contact: Should NGOs have technical questions related to this announcement, they should contact the PRM staff listed below prior to proposal submission. Please note that responses to technical questions from PRM do not indicate a commitment to fund the program discussed.

For Procedural Questions: Please contact PRM’s NGO Coordinator: PRMNGOCoordinator@state.gov or 202-453-9364

PRM Program Office Contact, Washington: Please contact PRM/AFR Deputy Director Mary Lange: langemm@state.gov or 202-453-9369


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