Notice of Funding Opportunity PAS-QAT-FY22-001
Funding Opportunity Title: U.S. Embassy Doha PAS Annual Program Statement
Funding Opportunity Number: PAS-QAT-FY22-001
Deadline for Applications: May 15, 2022
CFDA Number: 19.040 – Public Diplomacy Programs
Total Amount Available: $250,000
Maximum for Each Award: $10,000 to $250,000 (Subject to availability of funds)
Click here For the full notification notice
A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The U.S. Embassy Doha Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement, outlining our funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding. Please carefully follow all instructions below.
Purpose of Small Grants: PAS Doha invites proposals for programs that strengthen cultural ties between the U.S. and Qatar through cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed program enables Qatari audiences to learn more about the United States; its people, culture, and values; and/or its policies. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to demonstrate how the proposed program advances diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
Examples of PAS Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to
• Professional and academic exchanges and programs;
• Academic and professional lectures, seminars, workshops and speaker programs; • Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions; and
• Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs.
A Special Note on COVID-19: Applicants are encouraged to make their projects flexible to allow for compliance with current and possible future local, national, and international health restrictions in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. This is especially important for projects proposing in-person interactions such as meetings, exchanges, workshops, and others. Applicants may propose such in-person activities but should include alternate activities, e.g., webinars, virtual meetings, and others, in the case that the former are prohibited or impractical at the time the program is proposed.
Priority Program Areas:
Promoting Qatar’s Economic Growth by
o Developing “soft skills” (teamwork, organizational management, adaptability, volunteerism, etc.)
o Strengthening career development skills o Promoting sustainability o Promoting Cultural and Creative Industries o Supporting English language learning
Supporting Qatar’s Civil Society by
o Empowering families and youth
o Promoting media literacy and combatting hate speech, cyberbullying, misinformation, disinformation, as well as violent extremism;
o Developing connections and collaboration within the NGOs/CSOs network; and o Training NGO and CSOs in project management, financial, procurement and human resource management
Promoting Mutual Understanding by
o International Education Week (November 2022) o Cultural, educational, arts, or professional programs
o Countering terrorist financing and combatting Trafficking in Persons (TIP)
Participants and Audiences:
Applicants should have considerable, practical, and relevant experience in the implementation of the proposed activities to be seriously considered for this project. Previous experience dealing with Qatari audiences is preferred.
Audiences who are considered a priority for this program include:
• Qatari youth/students, including traditionally underserved communities
• Qatari minority groups
• Qatari parents and grandparents
• Qatari women and girls
• Qatari local decision makers, established opinion leaders, and influencers
• Media outlets and experts
• Teachers and academic professionals working with Qatari students
• Emerging Qatari voices; and
• Qataris in the creative and performing arts communities
Please note that proposals addressing audiences not listed above are still eligible, but such proposals must clearly indicate why addressing the proposed audience is especially important to achieving the goals stated in Section A of this APS.
The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:
• Programs relating to partisan political activity
• Charitable or development activities/ fund-raising campaigns
• Construction projects
• Programs that support specific religious activities
• 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
Authorizing legislation, type, and year of funding:
Funding authority rests in the Smith-Mundt. The source of funding is FY2022 Public Diplomacy Funding.
B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION
Length of performance period: 3 to 18 months
Number of awards anticipated: Multiple awards (dependent on amounts)
Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $250,000, though the Embassy encourages applicants to create proposals that are well below the maximum threshold of $250,000
Total available funding: $250,000
Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2022 Public Diplomacy Funding Anticipated program start date: July 01, 2022
This notice is subject to availability of funding.
Funding Instrument Type: Grant, Fixed Amount Award, or Cooperative agreement.
Cooperative agreements are different from grants in that PAS staff are more actively involved in the grant implementation.
In instances where a Cooperative Agreement is issued instead of a grant, PAS will be substantially involved in program activities above and beyond routine monitoring. These shall be documented in the award document, signed by the Grants Officer.
Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 18 months or less.
PAS will entertain applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the initial budget period on a non-competitive 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. Department of State.
C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION
1. Eligible Applicants
The Public Affairs Section encourages the following applicants located in Qatar:
• Not-for-profit and community service organizations registered and operating in Qatar, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience
• Individuals based in Qatar (recipient of an award to an individual is a single person, not an organization or a group of individuals)
• Non-profit or governmental educational institutions located in Qatar.
• Qatari Governmental institutions
For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Cost sharing is not required.
3. Other Eligibility Requirements
Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.
In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), formerly referred to as DUNS, and an active registration with the SAM.gov before submitting an application. Individuals are not required to have a UEI number or be registered in SAM.gov.
D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
1. Address to Request Application Package
Application forms required below are available at
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/forms-repository.html
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 at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/formsrepository.html
Organizations are requested to use SF-424 & SF424B Form for organizations, while Individuals should submit SF-424I & SF424B Form for Individuals. All other forms are applicable to both applicant types.
• SF-424 and SF424I (Application for Federal Assistance – Organizations/ Individual)
• SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)
• Sample Budget Template with Narrative
• SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs – Organizations/ Individual)
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 (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.
• 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. What aspect of the relationship between the U.S. and XXX will be improved? 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.
• 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 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 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 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 the sample budget template, available with the Full Announcement posted on Grants.gov, 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 all key personnel who are proposed for the program
• Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner and examples of prior similar work, where applicable
• Official permission letters, if required, for program activities
• Documentation of non-profit or non-commercial status
• Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)
• Official permission letters, if required for program activities
3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)
Required Registrations:
All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations. All are free of charge:
· www.SAM.gov registration which will generate a UEI
· NCAGE/CAGE code
Any applicant with an exclusion 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.”
The Unique Entity Identifier (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. SAM.gov is the Federal government’s primary database for complying with FFATA reporting requirements. OMB designated SAM.gov as the central repository to facilitate applicant and recipient use of a single public website that consolidates data on all federal financial assistance. Under the law, it is mandatory to register in SAM.gov.
Starting April 2022, the UEI will be assigned when an organization registers or renews it’s registration in SAM.gov at www.SAM.gov. To access SAM.gov an organization is required to have a Login.gov account. Organization can create an account at https://login.gov/. As a reminder, organizations need to renew its sam.gov registration annually.
Foreign-based organizations: Must apply for a NCAGE code before registering in SAM.gov. Go to : https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/CageTool/home to apply for a NCAGE code. NCAGE codes must be renewed every 5 years.
It is in the organization’s best interest to check if their CAGE/or NCAGE codes are active. Organizations are required to register/or renew their CAGE or NCAGE codes prior to registering or renewing www.sam.gov . Both registration and renewals for both CAGE and NCAGE can take up to 10 days. Organization’s legal address in NCAGE/CAGE must mirror www. sam.gov.
www.sam.gov requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM.gov. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure it has an active registration in SAM.gov.
If an organization plans to issue a sub-contract or sub-award, those sub-awardees must also have a unique entity identifier (UEI number). Those entities can register for a UEI only at SAM.gov.
If an organization does not have an active registration in SAM.gov prior to submitting an application, the application will be deemed ineligible. All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations, the latter are free of charge.
Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Applications may be submitted for consideration at any time before the closing date of May 15, 2022. No applications will be accepted after that date.
5. Funding Restrictions
Please refer to section A for the types of programs not eligible for funding.
6. Other Submission Requirements
All application materials must be submitted by email to DohaGrants@state.gov.
E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
1. Criteria
Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below. The criteria listed are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application.
Organizational capacity and record on previous grants: The organization has expertise in its stated field and PAS 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 Doha’s priority areas and 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.
Guidelines for Budget Justification – all proposed costs must meet the requirements of the cost principles contained in 2 CFR 200.
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. Vehicles and Real Estate purchases are not eligible for funding.
Supplies: List and describe all the items and materials, including any computer devices, that are needed for the program. If an item costs 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.
Monitoring and evaluation plan: Applicant demonstrates it is able 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.
2. Review and Selection Process
A Grants Review Committee will evaluate all eligible applications.
3. FAPIIS
For any Federal award under a notice of funding opportunity, if the Federal awarding agency anticipates that the total Federal share will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold on any Federal award under a notice of funding opportunity may include, over the period of performance (see §200.88 Simplified Acquisition Threshold), this section must also inform applicants:
i. That the Federal awarding agency, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);
ii. That an applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM;
iii. That the Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.205 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.
4. Anticipated Federal Award Date: July 01, 2022, subject to availability of funds.
F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
1. Federal Award Notices
The grant award or 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 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 Department of State.
Issuance of this NOFO 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 to provide sufficient liquidity to the program for effective implementation and documented in the award document.
Organizations whose applications will not be funded will also be notified via email.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Terms and Conditions: Before submitting an application, 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 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.
3. Reporting
Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports. 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 PAS at: DohaGrants@state.gov
Note: We do not provide any pre-consultation for application related questions that are addressed in the Notice. Once an application has been submitted, State Department officials and staff — both in the Department and at Embassies overseas — may not discuss this competition with applicants until the entire proposal review process is completed.