Public Diplomacy Section – American Spaces Program Notice of Funding
Funding Opportunity Title: U.S. Embassy Lilongwe Public Diplomacy Section – American Spaces Programs
Funding Opportunity Number: PDS-LILONGWE-FY22-ACL01
CFDA Number: 19.441 – American Spaces
Total Amount Available: $4,000
Maximum for Each Award: Varies
Submission deadline: July 31, 2022
Contact: AmericanCenterLilongwe@state.gov
A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
U.S. Embassy Lilongwe’s Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) is pleased to announce that we are accepting proposals for our American Spaces Programs. This announcement outlines our funding priorities and strategic themes, and the procedures for submitting funding requests. Please read this document carefully and follow all instructions. This notice is subject to availability of funding.
Program Purpose
American Spaces programs are collaborative programs for making, learning, and exploring using both high and low technology tools. These programs mainly target youth and will help strengthen the technology capacity, promote hands on learning and innovations, nurture entrepreneurship, create awareness of social and economic issues and build critical thinking skills to support the development of Malawi’s human capital.
All programs must include an American cultural element or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policies and perspectives in Malawi.
Participants & Audiences
- Youth between the ages of 15 and 30
- Girls and women
Main Activities
- Create engaging and educational programs that can inspire students (secondary and college), entrepreneurs, women and girls, aspiring artists, and others.
- Advise the American Center on useful tools to purchase for mobile outreach programming in local communities.
- Organize series of programs in American Spaces and outreach to different public areas including secondary schools and community youth groups.
- Programs could include but are not limited to: social media literacy, design competitions, spelling bees, mental health awareness, film screenings, entrepreneurship, environment and climate change, innovation activities such as introduction to robotics and coding. Proposals may include both serial activities (makerspace, clubs) and one offs (workshop, seminar, meeting).
- Organize training of trainers for specific programs such as makerspaces, English language learning targeting teachers and other interested organizations.
Program Objectives:
- Build the capacity of Malawians in areas such as technology, critical thinking, and entrepreneurship
- Engage youth, women and girls in innovative hands-on education initiatives.
- Raise awareness on how these areas of capacity building such as technology can help shape future economic and educational opportunities.
- Promote good governance and rule of law.
PDS will ONLY consider proposals that contain a significant American component or aspect. This could include, but is not limited to, an American expert as a speaker, using curriculum developed by a U.S. institution, or projecting an American film.
The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:
- Programs relating to partisan political activity
- Charitable or development activities
- Construction programs
- Programs that support specific religious activities
- Fund-raising campaigns
- Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
- Scientific research
- Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization
- Programs that duplicate existing programs
B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION
Length of performance period: 12 months
Number of awards anticipated: varies
Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $2,000 to a maximum of $4,000
Total available funding: $4,000
Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2022 Public Diplomacy Funding
Anticipated program start date: Dependent on project approval dates
This notice is subject to the availability of funding.
Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative agreement.
Cooperative agreements are different from grants in that PDS staff are more actively involved in the grant implementation.
Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 months or less. PDS will entertain applications for continuation of grants funded under these awards beyond the initial budget period on a noncompetitive basis subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy Section.
C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION
1. Eligible Applicants
Organizations or individuals located in Malawi:
- Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience
- Individuals
- For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
- Cost sharing is not required.
3. Other Eligibility Requirements
Projects that address any of the priority program areas are encouraged to apply.
Only projects that take place in Malawi will be considered.
Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per individual/organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.
To be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have the registrations required in section D below. Individuals are not required to be registered in SAM.gov.
D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
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 available at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance –individuals)
- SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)
- SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs)
2. Summary Coversheet: Cover sheet stating the applicant’s name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.
3. Proposal (5 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.
- Problem Statement: Clear, concise, and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed.
- Program Objectives: The objectives point to the immediate tangible achievements.
- 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.
- Proposed Program Schedule: 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 Monitoring and Evaluation Plan:This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the timeframe 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 SustainabilityApplicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable.
- Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (see above), use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H below for further information.
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
- Official permission letters, if required for program activities
Required Registrations:
All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these free registrations and include the registration numbers in their submission.
- NCAGE/CAGE code
- SAM.gov registration
- Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) assigned by SAM.gov
Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE number (we recommend you apply for NCAGE first):
- NCAGE application: Apply at 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 help from within the U.S., call 1-888-227-2423
For help from outside the U.S., call 1-269-961-7766
Email NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil for any problems in obtaining an NCAGE code.
- NCAGE must be renewed every 5 years and must be renewed before SAM.gov can be renewed. Renewals can take up to 10 days.
- Addresses in NCAGE/CAGE must match SAM.gov.
A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) will be assigned by SAM.gov (see step 2). UEIs are being given to organizations who register/renew this year.
Step 2: After receiving the NCAGE Code, proceed to register in SAM via: https://www.sam.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.
Submission Date
Applications may be submitted for consideration at any time before the closing date of July 31, 2022. No applications will be accepted after that date.
Successful applicants can expect to be notified within approximately 60 days of the awarding decision.
Funding Restrictions
Award funds cannot be used for construction or to purchase vehicles or large machinery.
Other Submission Requirements
All application materials must be submitted by email to AmericanCenterLilongwe@state.gov.
E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
- Criteria
Each application will be evaluated and rated based on the criteria outlined below. The criteria listed are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application.
- American component: There is a clearly apparent American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policies and perspectives in Malawi.
- Organizational capacity and record on previous grants: The organization has expertise in its stated field and PDS is confident of its ability to undertake the program. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.
- Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.
- Goals and objectives: Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.
- Embassy priorities: Applicant has clearly described how stated goals are related to and support U.S. Embassy Lilongwe’s priority program areas or target audiences.
- Budget: 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: Applicant demonstrates ability to measure program success against key indicators and provide 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.
- Sustainability: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.
- Review and Selection Process
A Grants Review Committee will evaluate all eligible applications. Only successful applicants will be notified via email.
F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
- Federal Award Notices
The 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 U.S. 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 U.S. Department of State.
Issuance of this American Spaces Programs announcement 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.
Payment Method: Payments will be made in at least two installments, as needed to carry out the program activities.
- Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Terms and Conditions: Before applying, 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 200, 2 CFR 600, Certifications and Assurances, and the U.S. Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions, all of which are available at: https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/ . Note the U.S flag branding and marking requirements in the Standard Terms and Conditions.
- Reporting
Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports. This is typically required on a quarterly basis, but monthly reports may be required in some instances. The award document will specify how often these reports must be submitted.
G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS
If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact PDS at: AmericanCenterLilongwe@state.gov.
Note: We do not provide any pre-consultation for application-related questions that are addressed in this American Spaces program announcement. Once an application has been submitted, U.S. Department of State officials and staff, both in the United States and at embassies overseas, may not discuss this competition with applicants until the entire proposal review process is completed.
H. OTHER INFORMATION
Guidelines for Budget Justification
Personnel: Describe the wages, salaries, and benefits of temporary or permanent staff who will be working directly for the applicant on the program, and the percentage of their time that will be spent on the program.
Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this program. If the program involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel.
Equipment: Describe any machinery, furniture, or other personal property that is required for the program, which has a useful life of more than one year (or a life longer than the duration of the program), and costs at least $5,000 per unit.
Supplies: List and describe all the items and materials, including any computer devices, that are needed for the program. If an item cost more than $5,000 per unit, then put it in the budget under Equipment.
Contractual: Describe goods and services that the applicant plans to acquire through a contract with a vendor. Also describe any sub-awards to non-profit partners that will help carry out the program activities.
Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the program which do not fit in the other categories. For example, shipping costs for materials and equipment or applicable taxes. All “Other” or “Miscellaneous” expenses must be itemized and explained.
Indirect Costs: These are costs that cannot be linked directly to the program activities, such as overhead costs needed to help keep the organization operating. If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, attach a copy of your latest NICRA. Organizations that have never had a NICRA may request indirect costs of 10% of the modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.68.
“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S. Embassy. It also includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time and donated venues.
Alcoholic Beverages: Please note that award funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages.