Request for Applications (RFA) – 005:
Civic Engagement and Education Grants–Nationhood
Application Deadline: June 20, 2016
Award Size: $5,000 – $15,000
Grant Types: In-Kind and Cash
Implementation Period: Between July 1, 2016 and September 30, 2016
I. SUCCESS PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The USAID-supported Systems to Uphold the Credibility and Constitutionality of Elections in South Sudan (SUCCESS) program supports effective, inclusive, and accountable governance to bring stability to the people of South Sudan for sustainable peace. Through the provision of technical assistance, trainings, and material support, activities are designed to promote stakeholder participation in processes viewed as legitimate and representative of their aspirations. The civil society component of SUCCESS includes substantial support for the development and strengthening of South Sudanese civil society. The project seeks to engage civil society organizations, build their capacity to advocate on behalf of and engage with various communities, award grants, and provide technical assistance to support the implementation of effective, inclusive, and sustainable programs.
The SUCCESS program is being implemented in South Sudan by a consortium led by Democracy International (DI) with support from Creative Associates, the Public International Law and Policy Group (PILPG), and the State University of New York Center for International Development (SUNY-CID). The program is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
II. GRANT OBJECTIVES
To overcome systemic marginalization as part of Sudan, South Sudan was compelled to build a pseudo-nation that eventually forced a break away movement. The long struggle for independence from Sudan served to unite the people of South Sudan in a common cause; however, after independence was achieved and that cause no longer existed, there was nothing to replace the independence struggle as a unifying factor for the people.
The people of South Sudan still lack a unifying vision of their young nation. Are the people of South Sudan merely defined by a common struggle against common enemies, or is there a shared history, culture, and set of values that define the nation, even in its relatively nascent existence? The lack of national identity, or at least its relative unfamiliarity among much of South Sudan’s population, contributes to the discord between South Sudan’s many ethnic enclaves. Furthermore, a lack of national identity contributes to the inability of the South Sudanese people to form a shared vision of democratic governance. Before South Sudanese can meaningfully participate in the formation of a democratic state, there should be a larger discussion of the values they share that will be reflected in the laws of their nation.
SUCCESS proposes to work with South Sudanese civil society organizations to explore the subject of nationhood as it relates to South Sudanese citizens. The objectives of this grant are as follows:
• to investigate the concept of nationhood as it applies to South Sudanese citizens…i.e. what it means to be South Sudanese
• to cultivate an awareness among South Sudanese citizens on the concept of nationhood and how it relates to their participation in the formation of the nation; and
• to capture different perceptions of nationhood in South Sudan, and propagate those perceptions for a wider audience.
III. GRANT CATEGORIES
SUCCESS seeks to provide a limited number of grants under the following category:
Civic Engagement and Education –Nationhood - Awards ranging from USD 5,000 – USD 15,000 per award)
This SUCCESS grant opportunity seeks to support short-term civic engagement activities to investigate, cultivate, and propagate the shared culture, values, and experience that define the national identity of South Sudan; essentially answering the question, what it means to be South Sudanese.
Activities could include, but are not limited to:
• Community Dialogues
• Debate Programs
• Panel Workshops
• Interactive Radio
Applicants are encouraged to include the use of media and information platforms in their strategies to supplement dissemination of their activities for the broadest audience possible in South Sudan.
Applicants are also encouraged to use interactive approaches that best capture feedback from target audiences.
The targets for activities are not limited to any particular gender, age group or ethnic demographic, but applicants should consider specialization of activities as appropriate for different target audiences.
Applications can be either for direct cash grants or for in-kind support to deliver products and services to support a planned activity.
IV. GRANT RESTRICTIONS
Applicants must not engage in the following:
• Organization of protest rallies, marches, or similar events designed to demonstrate opposition to policies;
• Promotion of policies that do not contribute to good governance and social accountability in South Sudan;
• Promotion of activities or materials that contribute to tribalism and/or the aggravation of existing tribal conflicts;
V. ELIGIBILITY FOR APPLICATIONS
Organizations seeking advocacy grant awards must meet ALL of the following requirements:
- Based in South Sudan, defined as an organization that is drawn primarily from residents of South Sudan and is currently registered in South Sudan;
- Be a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization that is independent of governmental control of the board or leadership;
- Not be a political party or an organization that promotes or endorses electoral candidates;
- Not be an organization that prohibits the participation of minority groups including ethnic, sexual, and religious minorities, nor an organization that engages in ‘hate speech’ to demean or threaten individuals or groups based on identity;
- Promote and adhere to non-violent, peaceful approaches and does not engage in armed conflict or policing;
- Not be included in the databases from U.S. Government’s “Excluded Parties List System” (www.sam.gov), the Office of Foreign Office Control (https://sdnsearch.ofac.treas.gov/), or the UN Sanctions List (http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list_new.shtml);
- Have adequate financial systems, management structures, reporting mechanisms and systems, and personnel resources, or the ability to obtain such resources as required during the performance of the award;
- Respect the laws of South Sudan and adhere to labor laws for employed staff; and
- Integrate gender and conflict-sensitive approaches.
Faith-based organizations are encouraged to apply, but may not use award funds or equipment for religious worship, education, or proselytizing.
VI. APPLICATION PROCESS AND FORMAT
The application process is all encompassed in one phase that includes submission of a full application and proposal.
Please note: Applications must be submitted using the template provided in “Annex A - Application Template” herein.
Applicants must also submit a performance monitoring plan, using the template provided in “Annex B – Performance Monitoring Plan”, to accompany the application. SUCCESS uses the performance monitoring plan to track in relation to the stated objectives of the project.
Finally, applicants must also submit a short budget, using the template provided in “Annex C - Activity Based Budget” herein, to accompany the application. The budget must be calculated in South Sudanese Pounds (SSP) and not exceed the converted equivalent of USD 15,000. SUCCESS will not pay overhead charges above 5% of the total grant value, and SUCCESS will not pay costs incurred prior to the approval of the grant to include costs related to the preparation of the application or any activities carried out that are not included in an approved grant award.
VII. SELECTION CRITERIA
All applications that meet the eligibility and program requirements, and conform to the application preparation and submission instructions detailed above, will be reviewed and scored by the SUCCESS Grant Selection Committee using the evaluation criteria presented in this section. The budget section of all applications under consideration for award will be reviewed for what are necessary and reasonable costs to support the proposed program.
Applications will be evaluated on the set of criteria below. All technical information within your application will be evaluated by these standards. Please keep in mind that cost realism and reasonableness will be an important criterion.
NOTE: Applications proposing direct support to a political party or an actor directly involved in the conflict will not be considered.
Application Scoring
A. Relevance to the Objective 30 points
B. Viability of Approach
40
points
C. Capacity to Implement
30
points
TOTAL
100
points
a. Relevance to Objective (30 points)
Applications will be evaluated based on their relevance to the program objectives as stated in Section II. Grant Objectives contained herein.
b. Technical Approach (40 points)
Applications will be evaluated on the viability of the proposed approach, with specific consideration given to the following:
• A concept summary that provides clear rationale for the proposed approach to satisfy the grant objectives;
• The feasibility of implementing the proposed approach within the specified timeframe;
• The appropriateness of the proposed approached for the identified target audience;
• The ability of the proposed approach to reach the widest audience possible;
• The interactive nature of the proposed approach;
• Inclusion of robust monitoring and evaluation tools to measure project performance;
• Efficient use of budgeted funds to produce quality activities;
• Integration of gender and conflict-sensitive approaches;
• Inclusion of strategy to avoid or mitigate safety risks to the applicant, the SUCCESS program, and/or any third party, including activity participants; and
• Sustainability—i.e., the likelihood that the projects and/or their potential results can continue to stimulate democratic participation in South Sudan beyond the project completion date.
c. Capacity to Implement (30 points)
Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which the applicant demonstrates its capacity to implement proposed activities, with specific consideration given to the following:
• The applicant’s administrative and financial management capacity;
• The ability of the applicant to recruit and support staff necessary for implementation of the proposed approach;
• Internal capacity to apply monitoring & evaluation tools; and
• Demonstration of current and/or recent past performance on implementation of similar activities of a similar scope.
VIII. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS
Applications should be three pages or less and accompanied by a one-page budget. All applications must be submitted in English via email to [email protected]. Paper copies may also be dropped off at the SUCCESS Office at the AFEX Riverside Camp in Hai Malakal, Juba (behind the Hai Malakal Cemetery, John Deere dealership and near the Ambassador Hotel).
Applicants should retain a copy of the application and all documents that accompany their submission. Organizations do not need to provide additional documentation beyond what is requested during the application stage. SUCCESS reserves the right to exclude any applications received after June 20, 2016, or those that do not meet the eligibility criteria, or those are not relevant to the RFA requested.
To be considered for an award, an applicant’s period of performance for activities must not exceed the 3 month implementation period of July 1, 2016 to September 30, 2016.
This announcement does not constitute any commitment on the part of the Democracy International (DI) or any member of the SUCCESS Consortium, nor does it commit DI or SUCCESS to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. SUCCESS reserves the right to reject any or all applications received. SUCCESS reserves the right to incrementally fund activities over the duration of the program, if necessary, depending on program length, performance against approved program indicators, and availability of funds.
Any questions concerning this announcement should be directed to [email protected].
The applicant shall submit the application electronically and/or in hard copy as follows:
Electronically
E-mail the Concept Note and budget as separate attachments (using MS Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, or similar file formats, as needed) to:
In the subject line please state: “Civic Engagement and Education–Nationhood” and the name of the applicant organization Hard Copies
Re: “Civic Engagement and Education–Nationhood”
Grant Application
Democracy International
AFEX Riverside Camp
Juba, South Sudan
Applications sent by any other means will not be considered.
ANNEX A – Application Template
GRANT APPLICATION
Background Information
Date of Application
Implementation Period:
Project Title
Amount Requested
Requesting Organization Organization Name:
Contact Person:
Physical address:
Telephone:
E mail:
Project Location & Target Beneficiaries
Location:
Target beneficiaries:
SECTION 1: BACKGROUND ON ORGANIZATION (include org background, geographical reach, number of staff and their technical expertise)
SECTION 2: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Issue (WHY)
The Need for intervention:
SECTION 3: PROPOSED INTERVENTIONS AND ACTIVITIES (Each objective should include its own activities. Proposed activities must demonstrate gender and conflict sensitive approaches)
OBJECTIVE:
ACTIVITIES (to include the implementation plan)
SECTION 4: MONITORING & EVALUATION PLAN (Please provide a simple plan on how your organization will monitor and evaluate the implementation and achievements of the proposed project)
SECTION 5: EXTERNAL LINKAGES/COORDINATION (Who are the other actors in the area and how will you coordinate activities to avoid duplication?)
SECTION 6: RISKS & ASSUMPTIONS (Please provide some risks and assumptions the project will face and how also propose to mitigate them)
SECTION 7: ORGANIZATION CONTRIBUTION (Organization Contribution can take many forms ranging from in-kind and/or monetary support)
DOCUMENTS TO BE ATTACHED
0 ACTIVTY BUDGET (Template provided in Annex C) – (Should be an activity-based budget. Budget notes should be included
0 PERFORMANCE MONITORING PLAN (Template provided in Annex B)
0 WORK PLAN
FOR SUCCESS TEAM INTERNAL USE ONLY
Date Received:
Date Approved:
ANNEX B: Performance Monitoring Plan
Project Goal:
Objective 1:
Activities Outputs Indicators Means of Verification Outcome
Activity 1:
Activity 2:
Objective 2:
Activities Outputs Indicators Means of Verification Outcome
Activity 1:
Activity 2:
ANNEX C – Activity Based Budget
Please use the following table to estimate the project expenses in South Sudanese Pounds. Please do not exceed the converted equivalent in dollars.
Category Unit Type Unit No. Unit Cost Total Cost
A. Labor/Personnel costs
B. Travel & Per diem
C. Activity Cost
TOTAL