U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
U.S. EMBASSY ULAANBAATAR – PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION

2023 Local Grants Program – Annual Program Statement

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

 

NOFO Title:  U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar – Public Affairs Section, 2023 Local Grants Program – Annual Program Statement
NOFO Number:   PAS-Ulaanbaatar–005/FY2023
Deadline for Applications: Accepted on a rolling basis through July 31, 2023
CFDA Number:  19.040 – Public Diplomacy Programs
Total Amount Available: $25,000
Average Funding Amount per Award: $5,000

The 2022 Local Grants Program – Annual Program Statement Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) ended July 31, 2022.  The embassy is reviewing applications and responding to applicants. The new NOFO will be available in January 2023. Interested applicants for the next round may refer to the 2022 information to begin preparing applications, as the requirements will be very similar.

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Local Grants Program (LGP).  This is an Annual Program Statement (APS), outlining our funding priorities and the procedures for submitting requests for funding.  Please carefully follow all instructions below.

Purpose of Local Grants: This program supports the development of Mongolian civil society by competitively awarding small grants to local non-profit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and associations, to nonprofit civil society organizations (CSOs), and to independent local media organizations.

The U.S. Embassy is soliciting proposals for grants from Mongolian civil society and independent media organizations that focus on one of the priority areas/themes specified below. Applicants should pay close attention to the Public Affairs Section’s goals and priority program areas when developing their proposals.

Overall Program Goals: Increase the capacity of civil society organizations in Mongolia to respond to the country’s social needs and increase citizen participation in governance through effective implementation of reforms and laws on civil society, government transparency and citizen oversight.

2023 Priority Program Areas:

1.Support Participatory Democratic Institutions
Non-partisan support for active civic participation in electoral processes and to bolster inclusive democratic institutions, particularly involving women, youth, and underrepresented communities.

2. Trade & Economic Ties
Improve the investment climate and expand free, fair, and reciprocal bilateral trade and investment to facilitate strong, sustainable, inclusive economic growth for our mutual and regional benefit through programs that promote increased transparency, reduced corruption, and adherence to international-standard regulatory, environmental, and business best practices.

3. Media
Support a free, fair, professional, and accurate media sector in Mongolia as well as public media literacy to ensure balanced coverage during election campaigns and strengthen democracy, good governance, sustainable economic development, public and private sector accountability, human rights, transparency, and counter disinformation.

4. Good Governance, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law Civil Society
Support good governance, human rights, rule of law, the commitment to democracy, and a deeper understanding of U.S. values and policies through programs that expand bilateral people-to-people ties among decision makers, think tanks, educators, and civil society leaders.   

5. Conservation of Natural Resources and Improving Air and Water Quality
Air and water quality issues can affect public health, deter investment, and constrain economic growth.  Good stewardship of natural resources and national parks can lead to sustainable economic diversification.  Promote research, public awareness, technical assistance, stakeholder cooperation, and innovative sustainable solutions to air and water quality and natural resource management.

Participants and Audiences:

Proposals should include intended specific target audiences and why these specific audiences are key to meeting the project objectives.

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding: 

• Programs relating to partisan political activity;
• Charitable or development activities;
• Commercial projects;
• Construction programs;
• Programs that support specific religious activities;
• Fund-raising campaigns;
• Cash prizes;
• Lobbying for specific legislation or programs;
• Scientific research;
• Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; or
• Programs that duplicate existing programs.

Authorizing legislation, type and year of funding:

Funding authority is derived from the Fulbright-Hays Act or the Smith Mundt Act.  The source of financial support is FY2023 U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar Public Diplomacy Funding.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of grant performance period: 1 to 12 months
Number of awards anticipated: up to 5 awards (dependent on amounts)
Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $15,000
Total available funding: $25,000
Type of funding:  Fiscal Year 2023 Public Diplomacy Funding
Anticipated program start date:  January, 2023

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.  (Note:  If a cooperative agreement is requested, the proposal must include a description of the substantial PAS involvement.)

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 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
PAS encourages applications from Mongolian:

• Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience;
• Non-profit or governmental educational institutions;
• Public institutions.

Note: Individuals, for-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.  

2. Cost Sharing or matching is not required, but proposals that include substantial cost sharing are preferred.

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 valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.6 and/or “Suggested Application Format for the 2022 APS – LGP” section 6 for information on how to obtain this registration. Individuals are not required to be registered in www.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

1. Mandatory application forms

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf424mand-fid.html?formId=443 or
• SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf424mand-fid.html?formId=241

2. Suggested Grant Application Form: is available here, that includes fields for necessary information listed in sections D.3 – D.7 described below.

3. Summary Coversheet: cover sheet stating the applicant name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.

4. Proposal (five pages maximum): the proposal should contain sufficient information so that anyone not familiar with the nature of the organization or activity could understand the objectives of the program. Your proposal 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: 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, and under which “2023 Priority Program Area” (stated above) the program falls The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals.  These should be achievable and measurable.
• Target Audience Analysis: the applicant’s analysis of the intended specific demographic target audience, plus why and how this audience should be engaged with to meet the goals and objectives of the program.
• Program Activities: describe the 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 & Sustainability: applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable.

5. Budget Justification Narrative:  after filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail.  See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

6. Attachments:

• 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who would implement the program
• Letters of support from program partners describing their roles & responsibilities
• Official permission letters from governing agencies for program activities (if applicable)

7. Required Registrations: all organizations applying for grants must obtain these registrations.  All are free of charge:

• NCAGE/CAGE code
• Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) www.SAM.gov registration

Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE number (these can be completed simultaneously)

NCAGE application: Application page here 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 getting an NCAGE code.

Step 2: After receiving the NCAGE Code, proceed to register in SAM by logging onto: https://www.sam.gov.  SAM registration must be renewed annually.

8. Submission Dates and Times
Applications may be submitted for consideration at any time before August 1, 2023.  No applications will be accepted after the deadline. Applicants must have a program/project start date at least 1 month after submission.  The embassy independent grant review panel will review proposals and will make funding selections depending on the availability of funds. Organizations whose applications will/will not be funded will be notified via email.

9. Submission Method
All application materials must be submitted by email to grants@usembassy.mn.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Goals and Objectives: Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.
4. Embassy Priorities: Applicant has clearly described how stated goals are related to and support U.S. Embassy Ulaanbaatar’s priority areas and target audiences.
5. Budget: The budget justification is detailed.  Costs are reasonable, allowable, and allocable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results.  The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities. Extra weight will be given to organizations proposing cost share.
6. 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.
7. Sustainability: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.

 

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
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.

2. 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, payments will be made in at least two installments, as needed to carry out the program activities. The Department of State and the Embassy 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 Notice of Funding Opportunity (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.

3. Reporting
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: grants@usembassy.mn.

Note:  We do not provide any pre-consultation for application related questions that are addressed in the APS or NOFO.  Once an application has been submitted, State Department officials and staff — both in the Department and at embassies — 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 and cost under $5,000 per unit. 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.