Funding Opportunity Number: PRM-MCE-12-CA-04052012.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number:

19.522 - Overseas Refugee Assistance Programs for Strategic Global Priorities

Announcement issuance date: Thursday, April 5, 2012

Proposal submission deadline: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 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: September 1, 2012

Duration of Activity: 12 to 36 months.

Applicants may submit multi-year proposals with activities and budgets that do not exceed 36 months from the proposed start date. Actual awards will not exceed 12 months in duration. Multi-year proposals selected for funding by PRM will be funded in 12-month increments and must include results-based indictors within the first 12 months. In addition, fully developed programs with detailed budgets, objectives and clear, measurable results-based indicators are required for all years of activities. Continued funding after the initial 12-month award requires the submission of a noncompeting continuation application as detailed in the Noncompeting Application Requirements section below and will be contingent upon available funding, strong performance, and continuing need. NGOs receiving awards under these terms will be required to submit continuation applications at least three months in advance of the end of each 12-month period of activities. Please see the “Proposal Content, Formatting, and Templates” section for additional guidance.

Please note that 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.

Current Funding Priorities:

GBV is an umbrella term covering a range of abuses perpetrated against individuals based on gender and gender norms, including (but not limited to) sexual violence, sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), female genital cutting, domestic violence, and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals.

This call for submissions deals only with proposals for globally-relevant capacity building, research, assessment, or evaluation projects that will strengthen the international community’s ability to reduce and effectively respond to GBV, rather than building the capacity of a specific or single organization. To maximize global reach, activities should involve multiple locations and, when possible, multiple partners.

Proposals for GBV prevention and/or response efforts serving refugee and conflict-affected populations in specific geographic locations should be submitted through a separate application process. (See PRM Regional Funding Opportunity Announcements).

PRM will prioritize funding for proposed activities that best meet the Bureau’s priorities. Proposals must:

1) Seek to build the capacity of IO, NGO and implementing partners to prevent and respond to GBV with worldwide application and/or implications.

and/or

2) Involve research, assessments or external evaluations (prospective or retrospective), that could inform and strengthen PRM and/or the international community’s policy and programming for GBV prevention and response. Such research, assessments, or evaluations should include concrete policy and program recommendations for relevant stakeholders and focus on PRM populations of concern.

For applicants who are submitting a multi-year proposal, the proposal must include a substantive and detailed justification for the multi-year request. Proposals must make a compelling case for the necessity of multi-year support and demonstrate how the work undertaken in year one will inform/guide the activities proposed in year two, etc., and should indicate why a longer timeframe is critically important. For example, a multi-year proposal for research, assessments and formative evaluations could involve field assessments and a pilot in year one and production of training materials and providing technical assistance in year two. An example of a multi-year proposal for capacity building could involve delivery of trainings for multiple NGOs to build capacity to comply with standards in year one and then propose a plan for partners to help build staffing globally to enforce standards and document compliance and impact in year two.

PRM encourages submission of proposals that:

· Seek to better understand or address SEA, the needs of adolescents, lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI), and/or male survivors of GBV.

· Consider ways to better incorporate men and boys into GBV prevention and response efforts.

Examples of the types of proposals sought (not an exhaustive list):

· Development of standards or best practices for psychosocial assistance, or addressing the needs of youth/adolescents, LGBTI, and male GBV survivors.

· Development of best practices on integrating programming for LGBTI refugees into broader GBV prevention and response mechanisms and/or identifying more targeted interventions to address LGBTI needs in both camp and urban settings.

· Research on best practices for GBV prevention interventions.

· Research on best practices for monitoring and evaluating GBV interventions.

· Research on ways to effectively transition GBV programs from relief to early recovery.

· External evaluations on the efficacy of a GBV prevention or response intervention that has been applied in multiple locations and/or by multiple humanitarian partners.

· Methods of strengthening SEA prevention and response, including training for humanitarian actors in conducting SEA investigations.

· Training for implementing partners on GBV standards and/or managing GBV programming, including training and sensitization on LGBTI issues.

· Research on including men and boys in GBV prevention and non-stigmatizing response.

· Designing Inter-Agency guidelines, accountability frameworks and/or tools to better address GBV and/or SEA.

· Distance learning resources to train humanitarian workers in the field to better prevent/respond to GBV.

Proposals should demonstrate:

· How the planned project will benefit PRM’s primary populations of concern (refugees and refugee returnees) on a global level;

· Evidence of subject-matter expertise and familiarity with current and past research and activities on GBV;

· A working relationship with UNHCR, current UNHCR funding, and/or a letter of support from UNHCR for the proposed activities if these activities affect UNHCR’s work or are being undertaken in an area that UNHCR manages or coordinates;

· A proven track record in providing capacity building programs on GBV prevention and response;

or

A proven track record conducting research on or assessments/evaluations of humanitarian assistance programs and policies for refugees and/or conflict victims;

· Evidence of coordination with other international organizations (IOs), other NGOs, community-based organizations and – if applicable – local authorities working on related research and/or activities;

· 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; and objectives should be clearly linked to the goals outlined in the funding opportunity announcement;

· A budget that is appropriate for meeting the objectives; co-funding by non-US government sources is strongly preferred;

· Appropriate targeting of beneficiaries in coordination with UNHCR and other relevant organizations. Because of PRM's mandate to provide protection, assistance, and sustainable solutions for refugees and victims of conflict, PRM considers funding only those projects that include a target beneficiary base of at least 50% refugees.

· Adherence to relevant international standards for humanitarian assistance. See PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for a complete list of sector-specific standards. Grantees should be familiar with and utilize the IASC Guidelines for Gender-based Violence in Humanitarian Settings in proposed standards and indicators.

· Adherence to relevant Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) principles on protection and gender (e.g., IASC Guidelines for Gender-based Violence in Humanitarian Settings; IASC Gender Handbook; Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse; Sphere Standards; etc.)

International Organizations (IOs) that are engaged in programs relevant to the assistance addressed by this PRM funding announcement should ensure that these programs are made known to PRM on or before the closing date of this funding announcement so that PRM can evaluate all IO and NGO programs for funding consideration.

Funding Limits: PRM will consider proposals requesting up to $400,000 in funding. Proposals which exceed the funding limit will not be considered for funding. As stated in the 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:

See “How to Apply” (http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant_faqs.jsp#applying) on Grants.gov for complete details on requirements, and note the following highlights:

· Proposals must be submitted via 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 Central Contract Registry (CCR) which can take weeks and sometimes months. See “Applicant FAQs” section on Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov/help/applicant_faqs.jsp#applying) for complete details on registering.

· 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(s) to the Grants.gov help desk and received a case number and had a service request opened to research the problem(s), should contact PRM Program Officer Shanna Devoy at (202) 453-9349 or devoysk@state.gov or Nicole Gaertner at (202) 453-9360 or gaertnernr@state.gov to determine whether an alternative method of submission is appropriate. Connectivity or registration issues are not grants.gov technical difficulties. PRM encourages organizations to register early and not delay in submitting proposals until the day of the deadline in order to avoid any possible user-related technical difficulties.

· Do not wait until the last minute to submit your application on Grants.gov. Applicants who have done so in the past and experienced technical difficulties were not able to meet the deadline. PRM strongly recommends submitting your proposal early to avoid submission delays. 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.

· 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.

· Pursuant to U.S. Code, Title 218, Section 1001, stated on OMB Standard Form 424 (SF-424), 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 )

· 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.

Proposal Content, Formatting and Template:

Please refer to the “Proposal Submission and Review Process” section in PRM’s General NGO Guidelines. PRM strongly encourages organizations applying for PRM funding to use the PRM recommended proposal and budget templates. Templates can be requested by sending an email to PRM's NGO Coordinator. You must type “PRM NGO Templates” in the subject line to receive an automated reply containing the template.

In addition to referencing the General NGO Guidelines, 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 36 months from the proposed start date. Fully developed programs with detailed budgets, objectives and indicators are required for all years 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, 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. If the applicant does not use PRM’s recommended templates, proposals must not exceed 25 pages in length. Single-year proposals using PRM’s recommended templates must be no longer than 20 pages in length (15 pages if not using the templates). 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.

PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN PRM’s NGO GUIDELINES:

This announcement is designed to accompany PRM’s General NGO Guidelines, which contain additional administrative information and explain in detail PRM’s NGO funding strategy and priorities. Please use both the General NGO Guidelines and this announcement to ensure that the proposed activities are in line with PRM’s priorities and that your proposal submission is in full compliance with PRM requirements. Proposal submissions that do not meet all of the requirements outlined in these guidelines will not be considered. PRM 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.

· 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.

· 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. Any project involving the building or maintenance of physical infrastructure must include coordinates of site locations (place name, P-Code, latitude and longitude coordinates).

· Budget must include a specific breakdown of funds being provided by UNHCR, other USG agencies, other donors, and your own organization. PRM strongly encourages multi-lateral support for humanitarian programs.

· Organizations that received PRM funding in FY 2011 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.

Noncompeting Application Requirements

Multi-year applications selected for funding by PRM will be funded in 12- month increments based on the proposals submitted in the competing application and as approved by PRM. Continued funding after the initial 12- month award requires the submission of a noncompeting continuation application as follows:

· Continuation applications must be submitted 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). Late applications will jeopardize continued funding.

· Applications must be signed by the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) at the applicant organization on the submitted SF-424.

· Pursuant to U.S. Code, Title 218, Section 1001, stated on OMB Standard Form 424 (SF-424), 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 Templates: Please refer to the guidance contained in PRM’s General NGO Guidelines. The total budget should not exceed the amount which is listed on the current Federal Assistance Award. You must submit a complete application including:

o Signed completed SF-424.

o Proposal reflecting objectives and indicators for the continuation period.

o Budget for the continuation period.

o Budget narrative.

o Most recent Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), if applicable.

o Information on the amount of unexpended funds to include a statement of the estimated cumulative total dollar amount taking into consideration the actual expenditures shown on the Financial Status Report. Note that funds are available for expenditure only during the period in which they are awarded.

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.

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. (Note: Responses to technical questions from PRM do not indicate a commitment to fund the program discussed.):

PRM Program Officer: Shanna Devoy (devoysk@state.gov; 202-453-9349) or Nicole Gaertner (gaertnernr@state.gov; 202-453-9350), Washington, D.C.