Ambassador’s Special Self-Help (SSH) Program – Julia Taft Refugee Fund

The fund is intended to meet gaps in refugee assistance by issuing grants to local NGOs for quick impact projects of up to $25,000 that are not addressed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Organization for Migration (IOM), other international organizations (IOs), or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) receiving U.S. government funding.

The Taft Refugee Fund is intended for projects that include a target beneficiary base of at least 50 percent refugees or returned refugees. These should be one-time interventions, not sustained programs.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: 12 months

Number of awards anticipated: 1 award

Award amounts: awards may range up to a maximum of $25,000

Total available funding: $25,000

Type of Funding: FY21 Migration & Refugee Assistance, OCO/Global War on Terrorism Funds under the Migration and Refugees Assistance Act of 1962, as amended.

Anticipated program start date: May, 2021

 

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

 

Funding Instrument Type: Grant.

 

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 months or less.

C. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

a.     Eligible Applicants

·        The applicant must be a Zimbabwe registered non-governmental, non-profit, or community-based organization.

o  Registered trusts, associations, schools, churches, etc. meet this eligibility requirement.

o  Individuals, businesses, and government entities do NOT qualify.

·        All applications must include and identify a significant community contribution (cash, labor, and/or materials).

·        The beneficiary members must be at least 50 percent refugees or returnees.

·        Applicants must display sound management in the form of financial and administrative procedures that protect against fraud, waste, and abuse.

 

b.     Other Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier (Data Universal Numbering System/DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet), as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov . Please see Section D.3 for information on how to obtain these registrations. 

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1.     Address to Request Application Package

Application forms required below are available at the U.S. Embassy Harare website: https://zw.usembassy.gov/education-culture/ambassadors-special-self-help-program/

OR grants.gov 

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

·        All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and

·        All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

The following documents are required: 

1. Mandatory application forms

·        SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) at the U.S. Embassy Harare website

·        SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at the U.S. Embassy Harare website

·        SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at the U.S. Embassy Harare website (note: the SF-424B is only required for individuals and for organizations not registered in SAM.gov)

2. Summary Page: 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.

3. Proposal (10 pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below. 

·        Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including 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/other donor organizations.

·        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. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.

·        Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.

·        Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate.

·        Proposed Program Schedule and Timeline: 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 time-frame 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 (above), use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

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 or MOUs with District Administrators, community leaders, local development committee, tribal authority, and/or local town or district council the grantee will be working with on program activities, and proof of land ownership if there will be any use of land.

·        Budget template provided (Annex B)

·        Copy of the organization’s registration certificate

·        Completed proposal narrative (Annex A)

·        Attach original pro-forma invoices/quotations for budgeted items. Three quotes for each item are required.

3.     Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) (NOTE: This section is required and not optional)

Required Registrations:

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) 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.” Additionally, no entity listed on the EPLS can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the EPLS in SAM to ensure that no ineligible entity is included.

All organizations applying for grants must obtain these registrations. All are free of charge:

·        Unique entity identifier from Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS number)

·        NCAGE/CAGE code

·        www.SAM.gov registration

Step 1: Apply for a DUNS number and an NCAGE number (these can be completed simultaneously)

DUNS application: Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet. If your organization does not have one already, you may obtain one by calling 1-866-705-5711 or visiting http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform 

NCAGE application: Application page here: https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx 

Instructions for the NCAGE application process:

https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf 

For NCAGE help from within the U.S., call 1-888-227-2423

For NCAGE help from outside the U.S., call 1-269-961-7766

Email NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil for any problems in getting an NCAGE code.

Step 2: After receiving the NCAGE Code, proceed to register in SAM.gov by logging onto: https://www.sam.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.

 

The U.S. Department of State will not make an award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements by the time the Department is ready to make an award.

4.     Submission Dates and Times

Applications are due no later than Friday, January 29, 2021 at 5:00 pm. Any applications received after this deadline will not be considered.