FY 2012 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO programs be

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FY 2012 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO programs benefiting internally displaced persons, stateless persons and refugees in the Caucasus.


Funding Opportunity Announcement

Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration

May 25, 2012





Funding Opportunity Number: PRM-ECA-12-CA-EUR-042512-CAUCASUS
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number: 19.520
Announcement issuance date: Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Proposal submission deadline: Friday, June 8, 2012, 12 p.m. noon EDT. Proposals submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
ADVISORY: PRM strongly recommends submitting your proposal early to allow time to address any difficulties that may arise.
Proposed Program Start Dates: July 1 – September 30, 2012.
Duration of Activity: No more than 12 months.
In funding a project one year, PRM makes no representations that it will continue to fund the project in successive years and encourages applicants to seek a wide array of donors to ensure long-term funding possibilities.
Current Funding Priorities for IDPs, Refugees, and Stateless Persons in the Russian Federation/North Caucasus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia
PRM will prioritize funding for proposed NGO activities that best meet the Bureau’s priorities for IDPs, refugees, and stateless persons in the Russian Federation/North Caucasus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia as identified below.
(a) Proposed activities should primarily support the target populations above.
(b) Proposals must focus on one or more of the following:
· Capacity-building of local NGOs and government service providers; legal assistance and counseling; outreach and awareness-raising; skills-building; and/or small income-generation projects - in order to improve the integration, self-reliance, and access to shelter, protection (including from gender-based violence (GBV)) and medical, psycho-social and other essential services for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the North Caucasus;
· Legal assistance and/or counseling to facilitate access to registration, asylum processing, and/or services for urban refugees and other urban populations of concern in the Russian Federation;
· Protection, health and nutrition, and/or livelihoods for refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR in Armenia;
· Livelihoods/education for IDPs, refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR in Azerbaijan; or
· Conflict mitigation directly or indirectly through innovative cross-boundary programming in Georgian-administered territory and in the occupied territories of South Ossetia and/or Abkhazia.
(c) PRM will accept proposals from any NGO working in the above-mentioned areas of focus 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 NGOs working in the same area or sector as well as – where possible – with local authorities;
· 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 areas of focus in section (b) above;
· A budget that is appropriate for meeting the objectives and demonstrates co-funding by non-U.S. government sources;
· Appropriate targeting of beneficiaries in coordination with UNHCR and other relevant organizations;
· Cost-sharing efforts and a diverse donor base and/or resources from the submitting organization; and
Adherence to relevant international standards for humanitarian assistance. See PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for a complete list of sector-specific standards.
(d) In FY12 funding of NGOs, PRM’s goals for this region are as follows:
The Russian Federation/North Caucasus
· Strengthening protection, particularly through legal assistance and/or counseling, to facilitate access to registration, asylum processing, and/or services, for refugees, stateless individuals, and other vulnerable migrants in urban areas of the Russian Federation;
· Developing local capacity to support protection of refugee and displaced women and children (including against gender-based violence) through services and outreach;
· Improving the integration and self-reliance of displaced persons in the North Caucasus by facilitating their access to documentation, entitlements, shelter, and medical (including reproductive health), psycho-social and other essential services through:
o Provision of legal assistance and other counseling;
o Outreach and awareness-raising;
o Skills-building;
o Small income-generation/livelihoods projects (for both men and women); and
o Capacity-building of local NGOs and government service providers to provide the above; and
· Pursuing transition strategies for the displaced populations in the North Caucasus and ensuring that projects demonstrate steps toward transition in their objectives and indicators. Specifically, to promote and facilitate transition, we will fund only North Caucasus projects that:
o Build the capacity of local/ regional organizations or institutions to address gaps in protection, healthcare (including reproductive healthcare), or other services for displaced populations; and/or
o Increase self-reliance of displaced populations and their access to housing and services by increasing income-earning potential.
Armenia
· Protection and filling critical gaps in the provision of health services, including reproductive health; educational or social services; and/or livelihood support for refugees. (Vulnerable former refugees (naturalized) who remain of concern to UNHCR or other host community populations may comprise up to 50% of refugee project beneficiaries).
Azerbaijan
· Livelihoods: livelihood/income generation support for refugees and IDPs in rural areas, with a focus on youth. May include small business support and/or vocational training in skills linked to income-generating activities.
· Education: support of kindergartens or primary education for refugee and IDP children in rural areas.
Georgia
· Promotion of efforts to improve integration prospects for persons living in war-affected communities near the Georgian-Abkhaz and/or Georgian-South Ossetian Administrative Boundary Lines (ABLs). Proposals should aim to foster relationships and build confidence through joint involvement of individuals from the Georgian-administered areas and the occupied territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
· Proposals should support interaction and discussion between civil society actors in Georgian-administered territory and in South Ossetia and/or Abkhazia in order to identify and implement solutions that could improve access to services, service delivery (for example through training of health professionals or farmers) or economic opportunity for war-affected communities on both sides of the ABL.
International Organization (IO) partners should not apply via grants.gov to this PRM funding announcement. IOs that are engaged in programs relevant to the assistance addressed by this PRM funding announcement should ensure that these programs are made known to PRM (via email to the PRM Program Office points of contact) on or before the closing date of this funding announcement so that PRM can evaluate all IO and NGO programs for funding consideration.
Funding Limits:
Russia/North Caucasus
In FY2012, PRM currently anticipates providing approximately $2.2 million to fund NGO programs in the Russian Federation/North Caucasus. PRM will prioritize available funding for proposed NGO activities that best meet the Bureau’s priorities as identified above.
Of this funding, we anticipate providing approximately $200,000 for an NGO protection project for urban refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR in Moscow. Because of PRM's mandate to provide protection, assistance, and sustainable solutions for refugees and victims of conflict, PRM will consider funding only those Moscow projects that target a beneficiary base comprised of at least 50% refugees. PRM requires appropriate targeting of beneficiaries in coordination with UNHCR and other relevant organizations.
We anticipate providing the remaining $2.0 million for NGO-implemented programs in the North Caucasus. PRM will consider projects submitted with budgets in the range of $150,000 to $700,000. At least $600,000 of the $2.0 million will be dedicated to GBV prevention, reporting and response, whether in stand-alone projects or as project sub-component(s).
Armenia
PRM anticipates funding one NGO project in Armenia to address protection of vulnerable refugees and/or fill critical gaps in the provision of health, educational and/or social services, and/or livelihood support for refugees. Vulnerable former refugees, in so far as they are populations of concern to UNHCR, may also be included. Individual proposals for activities in Armenia may not exceed $200,000 in PRM-requested funding.
Because of PRM's mandate to provide protection, assistance, and sustainable solutions for refugees and victims of conflict, PRM will consider funding only those projects in Armenia that include a target beneficiary base of at least 50% refugees. PRM requires appropriate targeting of beneficiaries in coordination with UNHCR and other relevant organizations.
Azerbaijan
PRM anticipates funding one NGO education or livelihoods project in Azerbaijan. Individual proposals for activities in Azerbaijan may not exceed $200,000 in PRM-requested funding.
Georgia
PRM anticipates funding one NGO conflict mitigation project for Georgia. Individual proposals for activities in Georgian-administered territory and in South Ossetia and/or Abkhazia may not exceed $125,000 in PRM-requested funding.
Proposal Submission Requirements:
See “How to Apply” (http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applic ... p#applying) on Grants.gov for complete details on requirements, and note the following highlights:
· Proposals must be submitted via 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 Central Contract Registry (CCR) which can take weeks and sometimes months. See “Applicant FAQs” section on Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov/help/applicant_faqs.jsp#applying) for complete details on registering.
· 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(s) to the Grants.gov help desk and received a case number and had a service request opened to research the problem(s), should contact the PRM Program Office [Liane Dorsey at (202) 453-9387 or DorseyLR@state.gov] to determine whether an alternative method of submission is appropriate.
· Do not wait until the last minute to submit your application on Grants.gov. Applicants who have done so in the past and experienced technical difficulties were not able to meet the deadline. PRM strongly recommends submitting your proposal early to avoid submission delays. 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.
· 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.
· Pursuant to U.S. Code, Title 218, Section 1001, stated on OMB Standard Form 424 (SF-424), 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.as ... menu_id=68 )
· 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.
Proposal Content, Formatting and Template:
Please refer to the “Proposal Submission and Review Process” section in PRM’s General NGO Guidelines. PRM strongly encourages organizations applying for PRM funding to use the PRM recommended proposal and budget templates. Templates can be requested by sending an email to PRM's NGO Coordinator. You must type “PRM NGO Templates” in the subject line to receive an automated reply containing the template.
PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN PRM’s NGO GUIDELINES:
This announcement is designed to accompany PRM’s General NGO Guidelines, which contain additional administrative information and explain in detail PRM’s NGO funding strategy and priorities. Please use both the General NGO Guidelines and this announcement to ensure that the proposed activities are in line with PRM’s priorities and that your proposal submission is in full compliance with PRM requirements. Proposal submissions that do not meet all of the requirements outlined in these guidelines will not be considered. PRM 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.
· 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.
· 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. Any project involving the building or maintenance of physical infrastructure must include coordinates of site locations (place name, P-Code, latitude and longitude coordinates).
· Budget must include a specific breakdown of funds being provided by UNHCR, other USG agencies, other donors, and your own organization. PRM strongly encourages multi-lateral support for humanitarian programs.
· Organizations that received PRM funding in FY 2011 for activities that are being proposed for funding under this announcement must include the most recent quarterly progress report against indicators outlined in the cooperative agreement. If an organization’s last quarterly report was submitted more than six weeks prior to the submission of a proposal in response to this funding announcement, the organization must include, with its most recent quarterly report, updates that show any significant progress made on objectives since the last report.
Reports and Reporting Requirements:
Program reporting: PRM requires quarterly and final program reports describing and analyzing the results of activities undertaken during the validity period of the agreement. It is highly suggested that NGOs receiving PRM funding use the PRM recommended program report template. To request this template, send an email with the phrase “PRM NGO templates” in the subject line to PRM's NGO Coordinator.
Financial Reports: Financial reports are required within thirty (30) days following the end of each calendar year quarter during the validity period of the agreement; a final financial report covering the entire period of the agreement is required within ninety (90) days after the expiration date of the agreement.
For more details regarding reporting requirements please see PRM’s 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.
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. (Note: Responses to technical questions from PRM do not indicate a commitment to fund the program discussed.):
PRM Program Office: Liane Dorsey (DorseyLR@state.gov; 202-453-9387) or Ed Findlay (FindlayEF@state.gov; 202-453-9281), Washington, D.C.
Regional Refugee Coordinator Gregory Gardner (GardnerGN@state.gov), U.S. Embassy, Tbilisi.