Thursday, March 28, 2013

Water and Sanitation Funding Opportunity in Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger



FY 2013 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Malian Refugees in Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Niger

 Funding Opportunity Announcement
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
March 27, 2013


Funding Opportunity Number: PRM-PRMOAPAF-13-006-017577
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number: 19.517 - Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Africa
Announcement issuance date: Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Proposal submission deadline: Friday, April 26, 2013 at 12:00 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: August 1, 2013 – September 30, 2013
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 Organizations (IOs) should not submit proposals through Grants.gov in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement. Rather IOs such as UN agencies and other Public International Organizations (PIOs) that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the relevant PRM Program Officer (as listed below) on or before the closing date of the funding announcement.
Duration of Activity: No more than 12 months.
Current Funding Priorities for Malian Refugees in Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Niger: PRM will prioritize funding for proposed NGO activities that best meet the Bureau’s priorities for Malian refugees in Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Niger as identified below.
(a) Proposed activities should primarily support Malian refugees residing in refugee camps in Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Niger, and/or Malian refugees residing with host communities in Burkina Faso and Niger. Proposals that include host community support must ensure that at least fifty percent of the project beneficiaries are Malian refugees.
(b) Proposals may focus on support for protection efforts (prevention/response to gender-based violence or assistance for unaccompanied minors, prevention of military recruitment, and/or other child protection) or on gaps in any of the assistance sectors (e.g., WASH, health, nutrition/food security, shelter, education, livelihoods).
(c) NGOs applying for funding must demonstrate a working relationship with UNHCR and/or current UNHCR funding. 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 the proposed activities with UNHCR.
(d) 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.
(e) Health Sector Standard Indicators Pilot: Proposals focusing on health in camp based/returnee settings should include a minimum of one of the four following indicators, and include as many of the other indicators as are relevant:
  • Number of consultations/clinician/day – Target: Fewer than 50 patients per clinician per day
  • Measles vaccination rate for children under five – Target: 95% coverage
  • Percentage of deliveries attended by a skilled birth attendant in a health care facility – Target: 100%
  • Percentage of reporting rape survivors given post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with 72 hours – Target: 100%
NGO proposals that seek to fund service provision may include the following indicators if appropriate:
  • Primary Care: # and % of refugee patients, by sex and age, receiving primary health care assistance.
  • Emergency Care: # and % of refugee patients, by sex and age, receiving care for trauma or sudden illness.
Proposals should also include their own custom indicators in addition to the standard indicator(s).
(f) Proposals must adhere to relevant international standards for humanitarian assistance. See PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for a complete list of sector-specific standards.
(g) 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 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 – local authorities;
  • a strong transition plan, involving local capacity-building;
  • a budget that demonstrates co-funding by non-US government sources.
Funding Limits: Project proposals must not be less than $250,000 and not more than $750,000. Proposals outside of these funding limits will not be accepted. 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.
Proposal Submission Requirements: Proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov. See “Applicant Resources” page on Grants.gov for complete details on requirements (http://www.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp). Please also 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) 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.
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.
  • Proposals and budgets should include details of any sub-agreements associated with the program.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • Organizations that received PRM funding in FY 2012 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.
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.
PRM Program Officer: Cathy Baroang (BaroangCA@state.gov; 202-453-9381) Washington, D.C.
Regional Refugee Coordinator: Luis Mendez (MendezLF@state.gov; +221 33 829 2146), U.S. Embassy, Dakar

Friday, March 22, 2013

World Water Day at the United Nations General Assembly

Happy to share with you my remarks as delivers at the UN General Assembly today. Happy World Water Day! 
 
High-level Interactive Dialogue of the UN General Assembly on World Water Day
United Nations, March 22, 2013

­­­
Mister President,

Thank you for the invitation to join you today, and Happy World Water Day.

WASH Advocates is a nonprofit advocacy and lobbying group in Washington DC, entirely dedicated to the global safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) challenge. We are independent and have been fully funded by four private philanthropists: the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the Wallace Genetic Foundation, and the Osprey Foundation.

A famous American politician, Tip O’Neill, once said that all politics is local. I would suggest that on World Water Day we recognize that all water and sanitation solutions should be local as well. We at WASH Advocates are pushing not simply for access, but for sustainable solutions that are appropriate to local contexts all across the globe. This call echoes the Deputy Secretary General’s remark earlier today that “Global is somebody else’s local.” In the post-2015 context, we also look for solutions which lean forward into tomorrow’s sustainability challenges and threat magnifiers, including urbanization, climate change, and desertification.

This afternoon session is about cooperative solutions, so I’d like take my time to highlight three efforts of other organizations which push us in that direction:

-          Sanitation and Water for All Partnership (SWA): SWA is a powerful platform from which to create and strengthen the political will necessary to achieve zero open defecation by 2025, and universal coverage of WASH by 2030. I am proud that the US has now joined. www.sanitationandwaterforall.org

-          Economics of Sanitation Initiative (ESI) of the Water and Sanitation Program at the World Bank: one country in Asia lost the equivalent of 6.4% of its GDP to inadequate sanitation just a few years ago. ESI’s data shows a direct causality between sanitation and GDP growth rates, and is likely to get the attention of Finance and Prime Ministers, when little else will. On World Water Day 2013, let’s be sure we are using this data.

-          End Water Poverty has produced an Elections Toolkit that helps us get every candidate for elected office around the world to prioritize water and sanitation. On World Water Day, let’s redouble our efforts to make sanitation and water a part of every election between now and the end of 2015 at the least.

These are uncertain times, but no one in this room is going to bed tonight worrying that his/her daughter will die from waterborne diarrhea tonight.  This is a solvable challenge, and we can do more. I salute you; I applaud your efforts; and I look forward to doing what we can with my colleagues in US civil society.

John Oldfield, CEO, WASH Advocates

Happy World Water Day! (Now What?)



We have a lot to celebrate this World Water Day 2013, especially considering where we were just a few quick years ago on the global safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) crisis. But as we celebrate this annual event, many continue to lament the lack of political will for water and sanitation around the world. Since I work at an advocacy organization dedicated entirely to WASH, I’ll highlight 3-4 advocacy initiatives and successes that build and strengthen political will, shortening the amount of time until Africa, Asia, and Latin America have universal coverage of water and sanitation:

1)      The Sanitation and Water for All Partnership: This partnership was launched only in 2010, but has the potential to attract the attention not just of Water Ministers, but of Prime Ministers and Finance Ministers across the globe. How many Finance Ministers can it attract to its next High Level Meeting? http://www.sanitationandwaterforall.org/
2)      You want to get the attention of Finance Ministers, and make it possible for them to prioritize safe drinking water and sanitation? The Economics of Sanitation Initiative was developed just for you.  If more Finance Ministers and Prime Ministers knew the positive impact of sanitation on their countries' GDP growth rates, more would be able to make those tough budgeting decisions in favor of this basic human need. : http://www.wsp.org/content/economic-impacts-sanitation [One data point: Inadequate sanitation costs India the equivalent of 6.4% of its GDP - in lost economic productivity and increased healthcare costs.]
3)      The launch today at the United Nations of the Deputy Secretary General’s Call to Action on Sanitation. Think about how many competing development challenges Mr. Eliasson could have chosen, and that he chose to stick his head above the hedge and tackle sanitation. And he is winning: At a high-level United Nations lunch yesterday, ‘ending open defecation’ was suggested over two dozen times by the seniormost diplomats at the United Nations.
4)      Here in the U.S. we anticipate the launch of USAID’s first-ever water strategy, and the (re)introduction of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act by the U.S. Congress.
5)      And let’s talk political will in its purest form: End Water Poverty has produced an Elections Toolkit which should be used by water and sanitation organizations all over Africa, Asia, and Latin America, to urge their elected political leaders to prioritize this issue. What if every candidate in the recent Kenyan election, for example, had committed (during the campaign) to meet the water and sanitation needs of every single Kenyan in the next few years? Those sorts of commitments (aligned with the Sanitation and Water for All Partnership) have a chance to significantly compress the timeline for universal coverage of both safe drinking water and sanitation. http://www.endwaterpoverty.org/blog/new-election-toolkit-launched-vote-change

Lastly, I am grateful for the philanthropic community’s continuing efforts to be more strategic in grantmaking for the WASH sector. I’ll certainly include our own donors on this list (Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Wallace Genetic Foundation, and Osprey Foundation), but want to also highlight the work of The Foundation Center’s WASHfunders.org portal and its efforts to increase the amount and (more importantly) the effectiveness of grantmaking in the sector.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Funding Opportunity for Water/Sanitation/Refugees in Chad and Cameroon



Dear WASH colleagues,

LOTS of funding opportunities today for WASH/refugees.

Below please find a funding opportunity announcement for Chad and Cameroon. This includes safe drinking water and sanitation. Good luck and please keep me posted!

John




FY 2013 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Refugees in Chad and Cameroon


Funding Opportunity Announcement
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
March 4, 2013


Funding Opportunity Number: PRM-PRMOAPAF-13-005
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number: 19.517 - Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Africa
Announcement issuance date: Monday, March 4, 2013
Proposal submission deadline: Friday, April 5, 2013 at 12:00 p.m. noon EDT. Proposals submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
**ADVISORY: PRM strongly recommends submitting your proposal several days early to allow time to address any difficulties that may arise.**
Proposed Program Start Dates: May 1, 2013 –September 1, 2013
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 Organizations (IOs) should not submit proposals through Grants.gov in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement. Rather IOs such as UN agencies and other Public International Organizations (PIOs) that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the relevant PRM Program Officer (as listed below) on or before the closing date of the funding announcement.
Duration of Activity: Program plans from 12 to 24 months will be considered. Applicants may submit multi-year proposals for Chad (not Cameroon) with activities and budgets that do not exceed 24 months from the proposed start date. Actual awards will not exceed 12 months in duration and activities and budgets submitted in year one can be revised/updated each year. Continued funding after the initial 12- month award requires the submission of a noncompeting continuation application and will be contingent upon available funding, strong performance, and continuing need. 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. Please see Multi-Year Funding section below for additional information.
Current Funding Priorities for refugees in Chad and Cameroon:
PRM will prioritize funding for proposed NGO activities that best meet the Bureau’s priorities for refugees in Chad and Cameroon as identified below.
(a) Sudanese refugees residing in the 12 camps in eastern Chad; Central African refugees in the 9 camps in southern Chad; and/or Central African refugees residing in eastern Cameroon. 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 that include a target beneficiary base of at least 50% refugees.
(b) Proposals must focus on one or more of the following sectors:
  • Health (including reproductive health)
  • Education
  • Protection
    • Gender-based Violence
  • Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
  • Livelihoods
(c) Health Sector Standard Indicators Pilot: Partners with health components should pay particular attention to the standardized indicators for camp based and urban settings in the Proposal Narrative section on Page 17 of PRM’s FY 2013 NGO Guidelines.
(d) 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.
(e) Proposals must adhere to relevant international standards for humanitarian assistance. See PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for a complete list of sector-specific standards.
(f) 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 NGOs working in the same area or sector as well as – where possible – local authorities;
  • a strong transition plan, where feasible, involving local capacity-building;
  • a budget that demonstrates co-funding by non-US government sources.
(g) Country Specific Instructions
(1) Chad
  • Proposals should focus on Sudanese refugees in the 12 camps in eastern Chad and/or Central African refugees in the 9 camps in southern Chad. Proposals must include work in the following areas: Primary health care, including reproductive health; primary and secondary education; prevention of and response to gender-based violence; WASH; and livelihoods.
  • Proposals should include a well-developed plan for training and building the capacity of local staff and service providers as well as building refugee self-sufficiency.
  • Proposals may include infrastructure as part of a project that falls within one of the areas listed above.
(2) Cameroon
  • Proposals should focus on Central African refugees residing in eastern Cameroon. Proposals must include work in the following: Primary health care, including reproductive health. Proposals should include a well-developed plan for transitioning services from Mobile Medical Units to clinics supported by the Ministry of Public Health within one year.
Funding Limits: Project proposals must not be less than $250,000 and not more than $2.5 million 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.
Proposal Submission Requirements: Proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov. See “Applicant Resources” page on Grants.gov for complete details on requirements (http://www.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp). Please also 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) 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.
  • International Organizations (IOs) should not submit proposals through Grants.gov in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement. Rather IOs such as UN agencies and other Public International Organizations (PIOs) that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the relevant PRM Program Officer (as stated below) on or before the closing date of the funding announcement.
  • 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.
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.
  • Proposals and budgets should include details of any sub-agreements associated with the program.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • Organizations that received PRM funding in FY 2012 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.
Multi-Year Funding: Applicants proposing multi-year programs should adhere to the following guidance:
Applicants may submit proposals that include multi-year strategies presented in 12-month cycles for a period not to exceed 24 months from the proposed start date. Fully developed programs with detailed budgets, objectives and indicators are required for each year of activities. These can be updated yearly upon submission of continuation applications. Applicants should note that they may use PRM’s recommended multi-year proposal template for this application, which is different from the single year template. Multi-year funding applicants may also use PRM’s standard budget template and should submit a separate budget sheet for each project year. Multi-year proposals using PRM’s templates must be no more than 30 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 25 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.
Multi-year applications selected for funding by PRM will be funded in 12- month increments based on the proposal submitted in the initial application as approved by PRM. Continued funding after the initial 12- month award requires the submission of a noncompeting continuation application and will be contingent upon available funding, strong performance, and continuing need. Continuation applications must be submitted by the organization no later than 90 days before the proposed start date of the new award (e.g., if the next project period is to begin on September 1, submit your application by June 1). Continuation applications are submitted in lieu of responding to PRM’s published call for proposals for those activities. Late continuation applications will jeopardize continued funding.
Organizations can request multi-year funding and continuation application templates by emailing PRM's NGO Coordinator with the phrase “PRM NGO Templates” in the subject line.
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.
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.
PRM Program Officer: Kristen Frost, FrostKL@state.gov, (202) 453-9383, Washington, D.C.
Regional Refugee Coordinator: Mary Eileen Earl, EarlME2@state.gov, (235) 22-51-70-09 ext. 4323, U.S. Embassy, N’Djamena.