U.S. Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program 2024

Program Objectives

The U.S. Ambassador’s Special Self-Help (SSH) program is a grass-roots assistance program that allows U.S. embassies to respond quickly to local requests for small community-based development projects. This Self-Help fund provides small, short-term grants (one year) to community groups that are working to improve the basic economic and social conditions of their villages or communities.

Special consideration will be given to projects which:

• Support high impact, quick implementation activities that benefit a large number of people within one year without requiring further SSH assistance

• Are within the ability of the local community to operate and maintain

• Are not in any way initiating, continuing, or supplementing technical assistance programs

• Are a direct response to the initiative and aspirations of the local community

• Ensure broadly accessible, reliable, and economically sustainable water and sanitation services for health, security, and prosperity (not issues directly relating to agriculture or household level)

• Assist special populations which may be vulnerable or at-risk on a temporary or chronic basis such as the disabled, orphans, children and at-risk youth, ethnic minorities, the elderly, female heads of households, or other socially excluded groups

• Provide social assistance

Conditions

SSH funds can be used for:

• Seeds and supplies for agriculture, except for fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides

•  Water-related projects such as wells, latrines, pumps, boreholes, tanks, and fish ponds

•  School equipment and supplies including desks, chairs, laboratory equipment and library items

• Communal construction equipment such as brick-making machines

•  Miscellaneous durable goods, e.g. a stove or refrigerator for a school or hospital, or a washing machine for a clinic

• Small construction projects, e.g. construction of classrooms, community centers, etc.

Funding Restrictions

• Remodeling or renovating an existing facility that is in disrepair as a result of neglect or lack of money
• Activities with unmitigated and negative environmental consequences (such as dams or roads through forest lands)
• Purely religious or church projects. However, those that genuinely assist the whole community, without regard to religious affiliation, may be funded
• Military activities (including those relating to police, prisons or other law enforcement activities)
• Purchase of pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides
• Sports equipment or uniforms for a national sports team
• Musical instruments or uniforms for a national orchestra or dance company
• Student bursaries
• Salaries for existing positions
• Ongoing needs for education/training
• Vehicles or tractors
• Office supplies such as pencils, paper, forms and folders
• Office equipment such as computers, fax machines, or photocopiers
• Private businesses

Cost Sharing or Matching

Providing cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is an eligibility factor or requirement for this NOFO. There is a requirement for cost sharing, matching, or cost participation (e.g. funds, material and/or labor) of 10%.

 APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Application guidelines can be requested via email, grantsmaseru@state.gov or at the U.S. Embassy Maseru Main Gate.

The U.S. Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund will accept applications from January 08, 2024 until April 08, 2024.

Any application that is received after the deadline, is incomplete, or is missing required documentation will be rejected.

Please Note: The Special Projects Office retains the right to ask for additional documents not included in this NOFO.

Additional information that successful applicants must submit after notification of intent to make a Federal Award, but prior to issuance of a Federal award, may include:

1. Pre-award site visit;
2. Written responses and any revised application documents addressing any conditions or recommendations from the review panel;
3. Bank account information; and
4. Other requested information or documents discussed during negotiations prior to issuance of a Federal award.

Content and Form of Application Submission

For all application documents, please ensure:

All documents are in English and all costs are in U.S. Dollars. If an original document within the application is in another language, an English translation must be provided (please note the U.S. Department of State, as indicated in 2 CFR 200.111, requires that English is the official language of all award documents). If any document is provided in both English and a foreign language, the English language version is the controlling version;

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

Complete applications must include the following:

Mandatory Application Forms

Form SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

and

From SF-424D, Assurances for Construction Programs and Form SF-424C, Budget for Construction Programs

Or

Form SF-424A, Budget for Non-Construction Programs and From SF-424B, Assurances for Construction Programs

1.      Cover 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.

2.     Table of Contents

3.     Proposal Narrative* (not to exceed ten (20) pages). 

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. The Proposal Narrative must include the following:

Introduction to the Organization: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the project, including information on all relevant or similar type projects from previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. Government agencies.

Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal.

Program Goal: The “goal(s)” describe the larger outcome intended

Program Objectives: The intermediate accomplishments and measurable targets to achieve a goal. Objectives of the program should be SMART:

Specific: Detailed and specifies what will be achieved

Measurable: have associated metrics or measurements of success

Attainable: appropriately challenging, objectives can be reasonably           attained give the available resources

Relevant: align with the policy/program goal and appropriate

within the country or beneficiary audience

Time-Bound: achievable within the timeframe of the program

·        Program Activities: Describe specific actions taken under each Objective. All activities should be clearly developed and sufficiently explain the resource and time requirements (inputs) and things done or produced (outputs). Activities should detail: target areas, participant groups or selection criteria for participants; how relevant stakeholders will be engaged; and actions taken by local partners as appropriate/relevant.

·        Program Management Plan: Describe the proposed management structure for this project. Include a description of the responsibilities of all principal organizations and staff involved, reporting relationships, authority, and lines of communication within and between each of these organizations.

·        Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees, if applicable.

·        Future Funding or Sustainability Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable. Include ways program activities will ensure sustainability.

·        Risk Analysis* - identify the internal and external risks associated with the proposed project, rate the likelihood of the risks, rate the potential impact of the risks on the project, and identify actions that could help mitigate the risks.

Performance Monitoring & Evaluation Narrative and Plan

Program Monitoring & Evaluation Narrative and plan details how a project’s performance monitoring and evaluation system will be carried out and by whom. It explains how the project’s performance toward its objectives will be tracked over time. It should provide a clear description of the approach and data collection strategies and tools to be employed (e.g., pre- and post-test surveys, interviews, focus groups). The description should also include how the applicant will track and document whether activities occurred (outputs) and the results or changes caused by these activities (outcomes). If the project includes work with local partners or sub-partners, explain how performance monitoring and evaluation efforts will be coordinated amongst these organizations. Explain if an external evaluation will be included. Evaluations, internal or external, should be systematic studies that use research methods to address specific questions about project performance. They should provide a valuable supplement to ongoing monitoring activities. Evaluation activities generally include baseline assessments, mid-term and final evaluations.

Timeline (not to exceed one (1) page, preferably as a Word Document or Excel Sheet). The timeline of the overall proposal should include activities and monitoring and evaluation efforts outlined in either in a monthly or quarterly format.

Detailed Budget amount of funding request; costs must be in U.S dollar and estimated in Maloti using exchange rate of $1=M16 and not exceeding $10,000

Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget, use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. 

Attachments

·        SF-Forms

·        Detailed Budget

·        Budget Narrative

·        CV or Resume of Key Personnel

·        Quotations of services, equipment or supplies that award funds will cover costs for

·        A copy of your organization’s constitution.

·        A list of committee/board members with their names and addresses.

·        A map showing how to get to your project from a major road.

·        A copy of project bank account details including the name of the bank, account name, account number, and type of account (savings or checking).

·        Proof that the project has its own land (in the name of the project) or permission to occupy the land, e.g. signed lease agreement or land deed, for the site where the project will be implemented.

Applications that do not include the elements listed above will be deemed technically ineligible. To ensure that all applications receive a balanced evaluation, the Merit Review Panel will review from the first page of each section up to the page limit and no further.

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

Required Registrations:

All prime organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with SAM.gov before submitting an application. U.S. Embassy Maseru may not review applications from or make awards to applicants that have not completed all applicable UEI and SAM.gov requirements. 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. 

Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications.

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 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. 

Step 1: Proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.