
FY 2025 Request for Concept Notes for NGO Programs Benefiting Refugees in Iraq, Lebanon, Türkiye, and Syria
Executive Summary
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) is inviting organizations to submit concept notes for programs benefiting refugees and other populations of concern in Iraq, Lebanon, Türkiye, and Syria for Fiscal Year 2025. Concept notes should aim to address the needs of vulnerable populations, including refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless persons, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and vulnerable host community populations by supporting humanitarian projects in sectors such as protection, education, health, and livelihoods. Proposed activities should enhance local organizational capacity, promote social cohesion, and ensure the safe, accessible, accountable, and participatory delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, overseas-based nonprofits with proof of registration, and international organizations (excluding UN agencies). Applicants can apply individually or as part of a consortium of at least three organizations. Concept notes must be submitted through Grants.gov by January 9, 2025. Selected organizations will be invited to submit full proposals for competitive review. Those chosen should anticipate awards within five months of the full proposal submission deadline.
NOFO Information
Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0017038
Announcement Type: Initial Announcement
Assistance Listing number: 19.519 – Overseas Refugee Assistance Program for Middle East and North Africa Program
Announcement issuance date: November 27, 2024
Funding Instrument type: Cooperative Agreement
Concept note application submission deadline: January 9, 2025, at 11:59:59 p.m. (23:59:59) EST. Concept Notes submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
Concept Note Process Information: This solicitation is the first step in a two-part process. After reviewing submitted concept notes, PRM will invite selected organizations to expand their submissions into full proposals (no later than three months after submission). Selected organizations will have 30 calendar days after they are notified of their selection to complete their full proposals.
Funding limits: Budgets must meet the funding requirements indicated under the country-specific guidelines and must be within the funding floor and ceiling limits per year. Concept note budgets outside these limits will be disqualified.
Anticipated timeframe for notification of selection for full proposal development: PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, that within three months from the concept note submission deadline selected concept notes will be notified of selection for full proposal development.
Anticipated timeframe for award of selected full proposals: Pending the availability of funds, PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, that awards will be made less than five months from the proposal submission deadline.
Anticipated number of awards: PRM anticipates, but makes no guarantee, to fund as many as 23 awards through this announcement.
Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total: PRM anticipates, but makes no guarantee, to award up to approximately $38 million total through this NOFO.
Advisory: All applicants must submit concept notes applications through the website Grants.gov. PRM recommends submitting your concept note early to address any technical difficulties that may arise on the Grants.gov website.
If you are new to PRM funding, the Grants.gov registration process can be complicated. Refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines “Application Process” section for information and resources to help ensure a smooth application process. PRM also encourages organizations that have received funding from PRM in the past to read this section as a refresher.
This announcement accompanies PRM’s General NGO Guidelines, which contain additional information on PRM’s priorities and NGO funding strategy. Use both the General NGO Guidelines and this announcement to ensure your submission fully complies with PRM requirements and aligns with PRM’s priorities.
PRM recommends concept notes in Adobe PDF. Microsoft Word documents may produce different page lengths based on software versions and configurations when transmitted. Submit budget documents as Excel files. PRM strictly adheres to stated page limits and will not review pages of the narrative beyond the stated limit, which may negatively impact the concept note’s score. All documents must be in English, avoid jargon, and spell out all acronyms upon first use.
Retrieve PRM’s-recommended templates and NGO guidelines on PRM’s website and on this opportunity’s grants.gov page.
Contact Information
Applicants with technical questions related to this announcement should contact the PRM staff listed below prior to submission. Please Note: responses to technical questions from PRM do not indicate a commitment to fund the program discussed.
Iraq
- PRM Program Office: PRM-EUR-NEA-IraqYemenGulf@state.gov , Washington, D.C.
Lebanon
- PRM Program Officer: Mitch Roberts, RobertsMC@state.gov , Washington, D.C. and Salman Husain, husainms@state.gov
- Beirut Refugee Coordinator: Jared Bowler, BowlerJM@state.gov , Embassy Beirut, Lebanon
Türkiye
- PRM Program Officer: Leslie Mongin, MonginLM@state.gov , Washington, D.C.
- Senior Refugee Coordinator: Isabelle Chan, ChanI@state.gov , Embassy Ankara, Türkiye
Syria
- PRM Program Officer: Rebecca Tehan, TehanRI@state.gov ,Washington, D.C.
- Refugee Coordinator: Charles Bentley, BentleyCA@state.gov, Consulate Istanbul, Türkiye
Eligibility Information
Eligible Applicants
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education (U.S.-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of non-profit tax status).
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education (overseas-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of registration in country of domicile); and
- International Organizations. International multilateral organizations, such as United Nations agencies, should not submit concept notes through Grants.gov in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Multilateral organizations that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the PRM Program Officer (as listed below) on or before the closing date of this announcement.
Cost Sharing or Matching
Cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not required for this funding announcement. However, concept notes and invited proposals should describe additional funding sources and amounts that may complement PRM funding. These additional funds must:
- Not be paid by the Federal Government under another Federal award.
- Be verifiable from the non-Federal entity’s records.
- Not be included as contributions for any other Federal award; and
- Be necessary and reasonable for achieving project and program objectives.
Please include this information in the indicated column in the Budget Summary of the concept note submission.
Note: Including additional funding is viewed favorably but will not increase your competitive ranking during evaluation.
Number of Allowed Concept Note Applications
Organizations must submit separate concept notes for each country program. Organizations must refer to country-specific guidelines for the maximum number of concept notes that can be submitted for each country. (Note: Submissions by organizations as part of a consortium do not count toward an individual organization’s submission limit, but please refer to country-specific guidelines for additional information/guidance.) Any subsequent submissions received will be disqualified. No regional or multi-country concept notes will be considered. Upon review, PRM reserves the right to ask an applicant to merge submitted concept notes into a single proposal.
Program Description
Funding comes from the Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) account to carry out section 2(b)(2) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act (MRAA) of 1962.
This solicitation is the first step in a two-part process. After reviewing concept notes, PRM will invite (no later than three months after submission) selected organizations to expand their submissions into full single-year (15-page) or multi-year (17-page) proposals with objectives, an indicator table, detailed budgets for each year of the program, and other required documents. Selected organizations will have 30 calendar days after they are notified of their selection to complete their full proposals. Organizations may apply as consortia. For purposes of this notice, PRM considers consortia to be a group of no fewer than three NGOs that comprise an agreement, combination, or group formed to undertake, or proposing to undertake, an assistance activity beyond the resources of any one member.
This announcement references PRM’s General NGO Guidelines, which contain additional information on PRM’s priorities and NGO funding strategy with which selected organizations must comply. Please use both the General NGO Guidelines and this announcement to ensure that your concept note submission is in full compliance with PRM requirements and that the proposed activities are in line with PRM’s priorities. Concept note submissions that do not reflect the requirements outlined in these guidelines will not be considered.
Substantial Involvement
The Department of State will be substantially involved in carrying out aspects of this cooperative agreement. Recipients should anticipate that PRM will undertake the following list of non-exhaustive activities:
- Provide overall policy guidance and program direction.
- Review and comment on proposed budgets, proposed changes or revisions to the project.
- Periodically monitor and evaluate the performance of the proposed project, including review of required program and financial reporting documents.
Geographic Regions / Populations
Concept note activities should primarily support all refugee, asylum-seeking, stateless, and displaced populations in Iraq, Lebanon, Türkiye and inside Syria. Because of PRM’s mandate to provide protection, assistance, and sustainable solutions for refugees, stateless persons, and victims of conflict, concept note proposals should only contain those programs that include a target population base of at least 50 percent refugees/internally displaced persons (IDPs)/other populations of concern, as specified in each country specific section below.
Program area (For PRM Use)
Proposed program concept notes must align with one or more of the following program areas.
- Humanitarian Protection and Assistance
- Interim and Durable Solutions
Country-specific Guidelines
Iraq Specific Guidance
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- PRM will accept up to two (2) concept notes per applicant. If you plan to submit more than one application, each must target a different population as described below.
- PRM encourages consortia concept notes that would operate in multiple locations and sectors, supporting an integrated program approach. Submissions as part of a consortium do not count toward an individual organization’s submission limit.
- The primary population(s) of concern must make up at least 50 percent of the program participants for each objective:
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- For projects focusing on Iraqi IDPs and/or returnees, they must collectively make up at least 50 percent of participants. Projects must not focus solely on returnees and must include an IDP participant population.
- For projects focusing on assisting refugees and/or asylum seekers, they must make up more than 50 percent of participants.
- For projects focusing on both Iraqi IDPs/returnees and refugees/asylum seekers, they must collectively make up more than 50 percent of participants.
- Note: All target populations are equally welcome. Clearly outline the profile and percentage breakdown of target populations in the concept note. Include persons at risk of statelessness and vulnerable host community members as applicable.
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- PRM will consider projects in all settings (inside or outside camps or informal settlements, in communities or urban areas, and/or in areas of return) and regions of the country.
- PRM encourages concept notes that show localization efforts. PRM welcomes concept notes from local organizations, those with local partnerships, and those developed with local municipalities and/or communities.
- NGO projects should fill gaps and not duplicate existing activities by international organizations or other NGOs. If building on previous PRM- or other donor-funded activities, outline lessons learned, best practices, and how the new proposed program will build on them and be sustained.
- NGO projects should work within existing coordination structures and align with relevant appeals and plans including the Iraq section of the Regional Refugee & Resilience Plan (3RP), the “One UN Plan” for the return of Iraqi nationals from northeast Syria, or other appeals for humanitarian assistance and durable solutions as appropriate. Projects should adhere to the relevant Working Group’s guidance and Standard Operating Procedures.
- In line with the NGO Guidelines, the provision of cash & voucher assistance, capacity strengthening, coordination, and non-food items will be considered if integrated in a program focused on one or more of the below sectors.
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Iraq Sectors
Sectors for Projects Focusing on Iraqi IDPs/Returnees and for Projects Focusing on Both Iraqi IDPs/Returnees and Refugees/Asylum Seekers/Stateless Persons:
- Protection
- Protection: Child Protection
- Protection: Gender Based Violence (GBV)
- Protection: Legal
- Protection: Socio-cultural Inclusion and Social Cohesion (Note: Socio-cultural Inclusion and Social Cohesion programming can be integrated in concept notes, but PRM will not accept concept notes that solely focus on Socio-cultural Inclusion and Social Cohesion programming for Iraqi IDPs/ returnees)
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
- Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment
Sectors for Projects Focusing Only on Refugees/Asylum Seekers:
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- Protection
- Protection: Child Protection
- Protection: Gender Based Violence (GBV)
- Protection: Legal
- Protection: Socio-cultural Inclusion and Social Cohesion
- Health
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
- Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment
- Shelter and Settlements
- Protection
Duration of Activity
Program plans for 12, 24, or 36 months will be considered.
Period of Performance
Programs period of performance of 12, 24, or 36 months will be considered.
Funding Limits
Proposed program concept notes must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.
- Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $1.5 million per year
- Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $4 million per year
Note: Funding ceilings and floors pertain to the PRM cost per year.
Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development
PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to select as many as seven (7) concept note submissions to be developed into full proposals through this announcement.
Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total
PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to award up to approximately $11 million total through the directed NOFO for this country.
Lebanon Specific Guidance
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- PRM will accept only one (1) concept note per applicant. An organization can submit as a sole applicant and also be a part of another primary’s applicant’s submission as a sub-awardee. However, organizations cannot submit more than one concept note as the primary applicant.
- Refugees must make up more than 50 percent of the program participants for each objective of the program, with the majority being Syrian refugees. PRM encourages programs to include the most vulnerable refugee populations from all nationalities, following the “one refugee approach,” outlined in the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP). Including stateless populations, vulnerable host communities, and internally displaced people is also welcome. (Note: Clearly outline the profile and percentage breakdown of target populations in the concept note.)
- NGO concept notes for Syrian refugees should align with the latest Lebanon country chapter of the 3RP (2024-2025 Lebanon Response Plan) and coordinate with other humanitarian appeals in Lebanon. PRM welcomes concept notes that avoid duplication, address unmet needs, support underserved populations, and fill assistance gaps.
- PRM encourages concept notes that show localization efforts. PRM welcomes concept notes from eligible local organizations, those with local partnerships, and those developed with local municipalities and communities’ input.
- PRM accepts proposed concept notes operating in multiple locations and sectors supporting an integrated program approach and leverage applicants’ sectoral expertise and advantages. Community-based programming with multisectoral elements, including protection, shelter, and WASH components is encouraged.
- Projects in all sectors should follow the guidance of relevant working group and standard operating procedures.
- In line with the NGO guidelines, PRM will consider cash and voucher assistance, capacity strengthening, and non-food items if integrated in a program focused on one or more of the below sectors following relevant sector working group standard operating procedures.
- In the education sector, PRM prioritizes support to help children prepare for, enter, participate, and succeed in formal education. It also assists youth unlikely to participate in formal education to gain skills for adulthood. Activities should align with national education plans and priorities and sector guidelines, including nonformal education, retention support, and cash for education programming.
- In the health sector, PRM prioritizes comprehensive care packages through existing health care institutions, including primary healthcare centers (PHCCs), and, during emergencies, through mobile medical units (MMUs), and primary satellite units (PSUs).
- For WASH activities, PRM will only consider emergency WASH activities that cover critical gaps and are well-integrated into programs addressing multisectoral communal needs, such as shelter, waste management, maintenance repairs, and service provision.
- In the shelter sector, PRM prioritizes community-based and multi-sectoral interventions, including through cash for rent, shelter rehabilitation, and communal improvement activities.
- In the protection sector, PRM prioritizes activities addressing gender-based violence (GBV), child protection (CP), people with specific needs (PWSN) , and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA).
- All livelihoods activities, including skills development and vocational training, must be market-based and linked to income generating activities, such as home-based business or micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) support. Proposed activities must show strong links to the protection sector and partners and enhance the impact of any support provide through protection sector organizations. Livelihood proposals should adopt a conflict-sensitive approach to reduce social tensions and minimize harm to refugees and other vulnerable populations.
Lebanon Sectors
- Protection: Child Protection
- Protection: Gender Based Violence (GBV)
- Protection: Legal
- Education
- Health
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
- Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
- Shelter & Settlements
- Livelihoods
Duration of Activity
Program plans for one or two years will be considered (two-year programs preferred).
Period of Performance
Programs period of performance of 12 or 24 months will be considered.
Funding Limits
Proposed program concept notes must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.
- Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $500,000 per year
- Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $3,000,000 per year
- Funding floor per year for a consortium (lowest $ value): $1,000,000 per year
- Funding ceiling per year for a consortium (highest $ value): $4,000,000 per year
Note: For purposes of consortia applying for PRM funding in Lebanon, and to support localization, PRM requires at least one of the three partners to be local/national NGOs.
Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development
PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, selecting as many as ten (10) concept note submissions to be developed into full proposals through this announcement. PRM further anticipates selecting up to six (6) proposals to be awarded.
Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total
Pending funding availability, PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, awarding up to approximately $16 Million total (first year only if multi-year proposals approved) total through the directed NOFO for Lebanon.
Türkiye Specific Guidance
- PRM will accept only one (1) concept note per applicant.
- PRM accepts consortia concept notes that would operate in multiple locations and sectors, supporting an integrated program approach. Submissions as part of a consortium do not count toward an individual organization’s submission limit. However, PRM is unlikely to select the same applicant for multiple awards if they are part of both a consortium and their own application.
- If an applicant has an ongoing project with PRM in Türkiye that continues into the next fiscal year, PRM is unlikely to select the organization for an additional project.
- Refugees, stateless persons, asylum-seekers (including Syrians and non-Syrians) must make up at least 50 percent of the program participants for each objective. PRM encourages including vulnerable host community members in their projects. If not, explain why, such as registration restrictions or greater needs among refugees. (Note: Clearly outline the profile and percentage breakdown of target populations in the concept note.)
- NGO projects should work within existing coordination structures and align with relevant appeals and plans, including the UN’s Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) Appeal and other humanitarian appeals. Where relevant, projects should consider the continuing needs due to the February 2023 earthquakes as well as service integration with local/national systems were appropriate.
- PRM encourages concept notes that show localization efforts. PRM welcomes concept notes from eligible local organizations, those with local partnerships, and those developed with local municipalities and communities’ input.
- Projects should fill gaps and not duplicate existing activities by international organizations or other NGOs. If building on previous PRM – or other donor – funded activities, outline lessons learned, best practices, and how the new proposed program will build upon them and be sustained.
- PRM will consider cash and voucher assistance, capacity strengthening, and non-food items if integrated in a program that includes one or more of the below sectors.
- For livelihoods programs, priority will be given to activities linking training to sustainable, income-generating employment opportunities, including job placements and business sustainability. Livelihoods activities should fill critical gaps or needs not covered by other donors or government or aid actors.
- PRM supports projects not covered by other donors or the Ministry of Health, as well as those that help refugees and vulnerable host community members (including persons with disabilities) to access established health services.
- PRM encourages education sector projects, especially for youth in secondary or vocational school, at-risk of dropping out, with special needs, or in higher education. These programs should fill critical gaps not covered by other NGOs, international organizations, and development actors and should coordinate with national or local efforts by the Ministry of National Education and partners like UNICEF.
- Given growing and continued anti-refugee sentiments, efforts promoting social cohesion should be done in an integrated approach, bringing host and refugee communities together and increasing shared understanding. Describe how you define social cohesion, and your planned activities/approach based on any lessons learned. Please note that social cohesion is not a requirement to have/include in programming.
Türkiye Sectors
- Protection: Legal
- Protection: Child Protection
- Protection: GBV
- Protection: Socio-cultural Inclusion and Social Cohesion
- Education
- Health
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
- Economic Empowerment
- Economic Empowerment: Livelihoods
- Economic Empowerment: Agriculture and Food Security
- Shelter & Settlements
- Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
Duration of Activity
Program plans for 12, 24, or 36 months will be considered (24 months preferred but PRM may consider 36 months for well-established organizations with a track record of program success and a concrete sustainability plan).
Period of Performance
Programs period of performance of 12, 24, or 36 months will be considered.
Funding limits
Proposed program concept notes must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.
- Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $1,000,000 per year
- Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $2,000,000 per year
Note: Funding ceilings and floors pertain to the PRM cost per year.
Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development
PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to select as many as 5 submissions to be developed into full proposals through this announcement.
Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total
Pending funding availability, PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to award up to approximately $10 million total through the directed NOFO for this country.
Syria Specific Guidance
- PRM will accept only one (1) concept note per organization.
- PRM encourages projects that focus on education, MHPSS, and child protection.
- The primary priority populations are residents of al-Hol camp, especially children, youth, and their caregivers. They must make up the majority of program participants, with at least 75 percent being under the age of 18. (Note: Clearly outline the profile and percentage breakdown of target populations in the concept note.)
- PRM encourages projects to work with all nationalities in the camp and maximize the number of program participants.
- NGO projects should work within existing coordination structures and align with relevant appeals and plans, including the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and other humanitarian appeals in Syria.
- PRM welcomes proposals that include partnerships with local organizations.
- Projects in all sectors should follow the relevant Working Group’s guidance and Standard Operating Procedures.
- In the education sector, PRM prioritizes programs that address educational gaps to help children prepare for, enter, participate, and succeed in formal education, including early childhood education. It also supports youth who may not participate in formal education to gain life skills for adulthood.
- PRM favors blended, protection-focused programming that include recreational activities, life skills, psychosocial support, vocational training, and other activities to foster youth development.
Syria Sectors
- Education
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
- Protection
- Protection: Child Protection
Duration of Activity
Program plans for one (1) or two (2) years will be considered.
Period of Performance
Programs period of performance of one-year (12 months) cycles for a period not to exceed two years (24 months) will be considered.
Funding limits
Program proposals must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.
- Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $750,000 per year
- Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $1,000,000 per year
Note: Funding ceilings and floors pertain to the PRM cost per year.
Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development
PRM anticipates, but makes no guarantee, to fund one (1) award through this announcement.
Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total
PRM anticipates, but makes no guarantee, to award up to approximately $1 million total through this NOFO.
Application and Submission Instructions
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- Where to Request Application Package: Application packages may be downloaded from the website www.Grants.gov.
- Content and Form of Application: Organizations can submit a maximum of one concept note for Lebanon, Syria, and Türkiye and a maximum of two concepts notes for Iraq. Any additional submissions will be disqualified. Submissions by organizations as part of a consortium do not count toward an individual organization’s submission limit.)
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- Concept note narratives must not exceed 4 pages (or 5 pages for consortia submissions). Submit concept notes in Adobe PDF, using Times New Roman or Calibri, 12-point font, letter sized paper with one-inch margins. Submit budget documents as Excel files. PRM will strictly enforce page limits and will not review pages beyond the stated limit, which may negatively impact the concept note’s score.
All documents must be in English and should avoid the use of jargon and spell out acronyms upon first use.
- Include the following categories in your concept note narratives, in any arrangement:
- Brief problem statement, description of target population with anticipated participant numbers, and vulnerability criteria used to identify participants or the target population.
- Program description, location, and duration.
- Proposed measurable outcomes and impact of the program.
- Summary of the organization(s) and experience doing similar work.
- Organizational point(s) of contact.
- A one-page Budget Summary in Excel format. Attach the Budget Summary under the “budget narrative” section in grants.gov.
- The Budget Summary does not count against the 4-page limit (or 5 pages for consortia submissions). The budget summary is separate from SF-424, SF-F24A, and SF-424B documents, which are also required and do not fall within the page limit. The SF-424 family of forms may be downloaded through grants.gov.
- The Budget summary must include the following categories, disaggregated by year:
- Personnel allowances
- Benefits
- Travel
- Program equipment
- Supplies
- Contractual
- Construction
- Other direct costs
- Indirect costs
- Total amount requested
There should be no attachments, other than the budget summary (Excel) and SF-424 documents, to the concept note submission.
Organizations can apply to this call as part of a consortium. For consortia, one organization must be the lead applicant.
PRM defines a consortium as a group of at least three NGOs that form an agreement to undertake an assistance activity beyond the resources of any one member. PRM may review and approve substantive provisions of proposed sub-awards.
Applicants can form consortia to combine varied expertise and propose a comprehensive program in one proposal. This arrangement can allow for greater geographic coverage, inclusion of technical and sectoral strengths from multiple organizations, increased inclusion of local and national organizations, and potentially greater impact through collaboration.
Submissions by organizations as part of a consortium do not count toward an organization’s individual submission limit. If applying as a consortium, include a description of how the consortium will be organized and how lines of authority and decision-making will be managed across all team members and between the lead applicant and associate awardees should be included in the concept note.
The prime applicant is responsible for overall implementation of the proposed program activities, preparation and presentation of annual work plans, M&E planning, and required reporting to PRM. The prime applicant should designate a single individual to be the liaison with PRM, although PRM would reserve the right to communicate with sub-grantees.
SAM.gov and Grants.gov Registration
Each applicant is required to:
- be registered in SAM before submitting its application.
- provide a valid UEI number in its application; and
- continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active PRM award or an application or plan under consideration by PRM.
No federal award will be made until the selected applicant complies with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not complied by the time the PRM award is ready, PRM may determine that the applicant is not qualified and use that determination as a basis to awarding another applicant.
Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov, which requires a UEI number and active SAM.gov registration. If new to PRM funding, refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines “Application Process” section for information and resources. PRM also encourages past recipients to read this section as a refresher. Applicants may also refer to the “For Applicants” page on Grants.gov for complete details on requirements.
Do not wait until the deadline to attempt to submit your application on Grants.gov. Register well in advance of the deadline as it can take several weeks to finalize registration, especially for non-U.S. based NGOs. First-time applicants should submit applications via Grants.gov no later than one week before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical difficulties. PRM has extremely limited ability to correct or facilitate rapid resolution to technical difficulties associated with Grants.gov, SAM.gov or UEI number issues.
PRM partners must maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current and correct information at all times during which they have an active federal award or an application under consideration by PRM or any federal agency.
When registering with Grants.gov, organizations must designate points of contact and Authorized Organization Representatives (AORs). As of December 2022, organizations based outside of the United States not applying for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awards do not need a NATO CAGE (NCAGE) code to apply for non-DoD foreign assistance funding opportunities. If an applicant organization is mid-registration and wishes to remove an NCAGE code from their sam.gov registration, the applicant should submit a help desk ticket (“incident”) with the Federal Service Desk (FSD) online to seek guidance on how to do so. For technical difficulties with the SAM.gov registration process should contact the Federal Service Desk online or at 1–866-606-8220 (U.S.) and 1-334-206-7828 (International).
Applications must be submitted under the authority of the Authorized Organization Representative at the applicant organization. Submitting concept notes 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.
- have completed UEI and SAM.gov registrations
- and had a documented service request opened to research the problem.
Contact the PRM NGO Coordinator before the submission deadline to determine if an alternative submission method is possible. However, PRM does not guarantee acceptance of applications outside the grants.gov system.
Each applicant must ensure their registrations are in place and active. Issues with registrations or discrepancies across platforms are not considered technical difficulties and do not justify an alternate submission method.
In accordance with 2 CFR §200.113, Mandatory disclosures, the non-Federal entity or applicant for a federal award must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity whenever, in connection with the Federal award (including any activities or subawards thereunder), it has credible evidence of the commission of a violation of Federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the Federal award. Non-Federal entities that have received a federal award including the term and condition outlined in Appendix XII—Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters are required to report certain civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings to SAM. Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR §200.338 Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment. (See also 2 CFR part 180, 31 U.S.C. 3321, and 41 U.S.C. 2313.)
Submission Dates and Times
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- Announcement issuance date: November 27, 2024
- Concept Note submission deadline: January 9, 2025, 11:59:59 p.m. (23:59:59) EST. Concept Notes submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
- This solicitation is the first step in a two-part process. After reviewing concept notes, PRM will invite selected organizations to expand their submissions into full-length proposals with detailed budgets. Selected organizations will have 30 calendar days after they are notified of their selection to complete their full proposals.
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Intergovernmental Review: Not Applicable
Other Requirements
- Branding and Marking Strategy
The following provisions will be included whenever assistance is awarded:
The Recipient shall recognize the United States Government’s funding for activities specified under this award at the project site with a graphic of the U.S. flag accompanied by one of the following two phrases based on the level of funding for the award:
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- Fully funded by the award: “Gift of the United States Government”
- Partially funded by the award: “Funding provided by the United States Government”
PRM highly encourages recognition of U.S. government funding on social media and website platforms to be included in proposals branding and marking strategy. Recipients should tag PRM’s Twitter account @StatePRM and/or Facebook account @StatePRM (rather than using hashtags). Additionally, the applicable U.S. Embassy should be tagged as well.
Updates of actions taken to fulfill this requirement must be included in quarterly program reports to PRM.
All programs, projects, assistance, activities, and public communications to foreign audiences, partially or fully funded by the Department, must be marked appropriately overseas with the standard U.S. flag in a size and prominence equal to (or greater than) any other logo or identity. The requirement does not apply to the Recipient’s own corporate communications or in the United States.
The Recipient must appropriately ensure that all publicity and promotional materials underscore the sponsorship by or partnership with the U.S. government or the U.S. embassy. The Recipient may continue to use existing logos or project materials; however, a standard rectangular U.S. flag must be used in conjunction with such logos.
Do not use the Department of State seal without the express written approval from PRM.
Sub non-Federal entities (sub-awardees) and subsequent tier sub-award agreements are subject to the marking requirements and the non-Federal entity shall include a provision in the sub non-Federal entity agreement indicating that the standard, rectangular U.S. flag is a requirement. Exemptions from this requirement may be allowable but must be agreed to in writing by the Grants Officer. (Note: An exemption refers to the complete or partial cessation of branding, not use of alternative branding). Requests should be initiated with the Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative. Waivers issued are applied only to the exemptions requested through the Recipient’s proposal for funding and any subsequent negotiated revisions.
In the event the non-Federal entity 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 with the non-Federal entity.
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- Assistance Award Provision – SPOT: The following provisions will be included in the Bureau specific component of the Notice of Award for performance in a designated combat area (Iraq and Afghanistan). Recipients are required to include this provision in any sub-grant awards or agreements.
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SPECIAL PROVISION FOR PERFORMANCE IN A DESIGNATED COMBAT AREA
The Recipient must report and account for all employees, subrecipient personnel, and contract personnel working under grants or cooperative agreements working in contingency operations outside the United States that involve combat operations. The database to collect this information, called the Synchronized Pre-Deployment Operational Tracker (SPOT), is managed by the Department of Defense.
In coordination with the Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative, the Recipient generally provides this information to the Department of State SPOT Program Manager (AQMops@state.gov). The Department SPOT Program Manager enters information provided by the Recipient directly into the SPOT system.
For Recipients with personnel who are NOT performing private security functions and who do not need access to U.S. government support or facilities:
Personnel, including U.S. citizens, third country nationals, and local personnel, are accounted for anonymously, in aggregate.
The Recipient will request an aggregate count template from the Grants Officer or Grants Officer Representative, or directly from the SPOT Program Manager (AQMops@state.gov). The recipient will complete the template and return the completed form to the Grants Officer/ Grants Officer Representative or SPOT Program Manager.
The Recipient is responsible for updating the aggregate count every quarter by providing updated information via the “Aggregate Count” template to SPOT Program Manager for each SPOT award.
For Recipients with personnel who ARE performing a private security function; require access to U.S. government support, facilities, or services; or who may be eligible for special refugee or immigration status under U.S. regulation:
The personnel funded under that award must be entered into SPOT individually with all required personal information.
The Recipient must enter this information into the SPOT database directly. Unlike the aggregate count process, the Department’s SPOT Program Manager does not enter this information into SPOT on behalf of the Recipient.
The Recipient starts the process by registering for an account in SPOT by contacting the SPOT help desk.
Note: Recipients utilizing armed private security personnel, whether employed directly or via contract, are required to adhere to post policies and procedures regarding private security contractors. As specific post policies and procedures differ in scope and applicability, the Recipient is advised to review post policies carefully and direct any questions to the embassy Regional Security Office through the Grants Officer or Grants Officer Representative.
In addition, the Recipient is reminded that only the Grants Officer has the authority to modify this Notice of Award. Recipients shall proceed with any security guidance provided by the Regional Security Officer; however, the Recipient must advise the Grants Officer and Grants Officer Representative of the guidance received and any potential cost or schedule impact.
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- Applicant Vetting as a Condition of Award (Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Syria): Applicants are advised that successful passing of vetting to evaluate the risk that funds may benefit terrorists, or their supporters is a condition of award. Vetting information is also required for all subaward performance on assistance awards identified by DOS as presenting a risk of terrorist financing. Applicants may be asked to submit Risk Analysis Information about their company and its key personnel via the secure RAM web portal. If vetting is required, the RAM Team will contact applicants directly via email and instruct them on how to enter their data via the Secure Portal. Once a user is logged on to the Portal, there are links to help users input the required information. Failure to submit information when requested, or failure to pass vetting, may be grounds for rejecting your proposal.
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Recipient Vetting After Award: Recipients shall advise the Grants Officer of any changes in personnel listed in the DS Form 4184, Risk Analysis Information, via the secure RAM web portal, and shall provide vetting information on new individuals. The government reserves the right to vet these personnel changes and to terminate assistance awards for convenience based on vetting results.
Application Checklist
To be considered for PRM funding, organizations must submit a complete application package including:
- 4-page concept note (or 5-page concept note for consortia).
- One-page budget summary (Excel) clearly indicating costs disaggregated by year for the program period. The budget summary does not count against overall page limits.
- Signed and completed SF-424, SF-424 A, and SF-424 B. These documents do not count against the page limit.
- Note: If the applicant organization has an active registration in SAM.gov that was either created or updated on or after February 2, 2019, then the applicant does NOT need to submit the SF-424B as they will be prompted to complete the representations and certifications in SAM.gov.
Application Review Information
Criteria
PRM is committed to a competitive and standardized funding process. Applications will first go through a Technical Eligibility Review to check if they meet eligibility requirements and include all required documents. Applications that don’t meet these requirements will be deemed ineligible and won’t advance beyond this stage.
PRM may have all technically eligible applications undergo a Subject Matter Expert (SME) review before the Merit Review Panel. This review checks if the application is responsive to the NOFO information. Applications that don’t pass the SME review won’t proceed to the Merit Review Panel.
Eligible submissions must comply with the criteria and requirements in this announcement. The review panel will evaluate concept notes based on the following criteria unless otherwise stated:
- Quality of program idea (20 points)
- Appropriate identification of beneficiary population, including vulnerable populations (10 points)
- Program feasibility/ability to achieve objectives (10 points)
- Organization’s experience and capacity (5 points)
- Budget (5 points)
PRM will conduct a formal competitive review of all concept notes submitted in response to this funding announcement. A review panel of at least three people will evaluate submissions based on the programmatic criteria and PRM priorities mentioned above, considering the available funding.
After reviewing the concept notes, PRM will invite selected organizations to submit full proposals. PRM will notify applicants of final decisions within 90 days after the announcement’s closing date. Selected organizations will have 30 calendar days from notification to submit full proposals, including detailed budgets and applicable attachments. Refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for proposal formatting and submission guidance for single-year/multi-year programs).
Before making a Federal award exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, PRM must review information about the applicant in the U.S. government designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (see 41 U.S.C. 2313).
Applicants may review and comment on any information about themselves that a Federal awarding agency previously entered. Federal agencies create integrity records in the Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting System (CPARS), and these records are visible as responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov.
The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, along with other information in the designated integrity and performance system, when making a judgment about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards. This part of the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.206 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.
Federal Award Information
- Proposed program start dates: September 1, 2025
- Duration of Activity: See country-specific guidelines above. Applicants may submit multi-year proposals with activities and budgets that do not exceed three years from the proposed start date. Budgets submitted in year one can be revised/updated each year. Continued funding after the initial 12-month period of performance requires the submission of a noncompeting single-year proposal and will be contingent upon available funding, strong performance, and continuing need. In funding a program one year, PRM makes no representations that it will continue to fund the program 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. Livelihoods programs are encouraged to be multi-year (Note: A market analysis will be required if selected for full proposal development).
- Funding Limits: See country-specific guidelines above.
- Anticipated Number of Awards: See country-specific guidelines above.
- Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total: See country-specific guidelines above.
Other Considerations
Concept notes and eventually full proposals must follow relevant international standards for humanitarian assistance, especially Sphere Standards. Refer to PRM’s General NGO Guidelines for a complete list of sector-specific standards, including new guidance on proposals for programs in urban areas.
PRM strongly encourages programs that target the needs of vulnerable and underserved groups among the program participants. These groups may include women, children, adolescents, LGBTQI+ individuals, older persons, the sick, persons with disabilities, and members of minority communities. Programs should demonstrate steps taken to meet the specific and unique protection and assistance needs of these vulnerable groups effectively.
PRM will accept concept notes from any NGO working in the-mentioned sectors. However, due to budgetary constraints, priority will be given to concept notes from organizations that can demonstrate:
- A working relationship with UNHCR.
- A proven track record in providing the proposed assistance in both 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 local authorities, where possible.
- An emphasis on the outcome or impact of program activities. (If PRM invites you to submit a full proposal, you must include a full indicator table.) The concept note must generally show your ability to deliver impact.
- If PRM invites you to submit a full proposal, you must include a strong sustainability plan. The plan should involve local capacity strengthening where feasible.
- Adherence to PRM’s Principles for Refugee Protection in Urban Areas , where applicable
- An understanding of and sensitivity to conflict dynamics in the program location.
Post-Award Administration Information
Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive a separate notice from PRM stating that their application has been selected before PRM makes the federal award. This notice is not an authorization to begin performance. Only the notice of award signed by the Grants Officer authorizes performance. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified after the selection and award process is complete.
Administrative and National Policy Requirements
PRM awards are made consistent with the following provisions in the following order of precedence:
- applicable laws and statutes of the United States, including any specific legislative provisions mandated in the statutory authority for the award;
- Code of Federal Regulations (CFR);
- Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions of the award;
- the award’s specific requirements; and
- other documents and attachments to the award.
Reporting Requirement
- Program Reports: PRM requires program reports that describe and analyze the results of activities undertaken during the respective agreement period. Submit a program report within 30 days after each three-month period of performance. The final program report is due 120 days after the agreement ends. Submission dates for program reports will be included in the cooperative agreement. For multi-year awards, follow the same reporting schedule and submit a final program report at the end of each year summarizing the NGO’s performance during the previous year. PRM suggests using the PRM recommended program reporting template to ease reporting requirements while ensuring all required elements are addressed.
- Financial Reports: Submit financial reports within 30 days at the end of each calendar year quarter (January 30th, April 30th, July 30th, October 30th) during the agreement period. The final financial report, covering the entire agreement period, is due120 days after the agreement ends. For agreements with indirect costs, final financial reports are due within 60 days of finalizing the applicable negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA).
Complete reports reflecting expenditures for the recipient’s overseas and United States offices should be completed in accordance with the Federal Financial Report (FFR SF-425) and submitted electronically in the Department of Health and Human Services’ Payment Management System (HHS/PMS) and in accordance with other award specific requirements. Detailed information pertaining to the Federal Financial Report, including due dates, instruction manuals, and access forms, is available on the HHS/PMS website.
- Audit Reports: If the Federal award amount is less than $750,000 and a recipient-contracted audit is not required, the Department may still require an audit. Submit the audit report to the responsible grants officer for review, dissemination, and resolution as appropriate. The cost of required audits may be charged as an allowable direct cost to the award or included in the organization’s established indirect costs in the award’s detailed budget.
Funding Restrictions
- Federal awards will not allow reimbursement of Federal Award costs without prior authorization by PRM.
- Funding Restrictions for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
None of the funds awarded resulting from this Notice of Funding Opportunity may be made available for subawards, direct financial support, or otherwise used to provide any payment or transfer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
Disclaimer
External websites linked above may not be supported or accessible by all web browsers. If you are unable to link to a referenced website, please try using a different browser or update to a more recent one. If you continue to experience difficulties to reach external resources, please contact the PRM NGO Coordinator.
Section 508
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- Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, charges the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (US Access Board) with developing and promulgating standards address that access to information and communication technology (ICT) Accessibility Standards (36 CFR part 1194). Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use ICT. Federal employees with disabilities have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Section 508 also requires that individuals with disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency, have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to that provided to the public who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. These standards are part of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. The complete text of the Section 508 Final Provisions can be accessed at https://www.access-board.gov/ict/.
- The Section 508 accessibility standards applicable to this contract or order are identified in the following paragraph. If it is determined by the Government that ICT supplies and services provided by the Contractor do not conform to the described accessibility standards in the contract, remediation of the supplies or services to the level of conformance specified in the contract will be the responsibility of the Contractor at its own expense.
- The Section 508 standards applicable to this contract are: 1194.
- 205 WCAG 2.0 Level A & AA Success Criteria
- 302 Functional Performance Criteria
- 502 Inoperability with Assistive Technology
- 504 Authoring Tools
- 602 Support Documentation
- 603 Support Services
- In the event of a modification(s) to this contract or order, which adds new ICT supplies or services or revises the type of, or specifications for, supplies or services, the Contracting Officer may require that the contractor submit a completed Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) 2.4 or greater, 508 revision (Rev 508) or another format approved by the Department, and any other additional information necessary to assist the Government in determining that the ICT supplies or services conform to Section 508 accessibility standards. If it is determined by the Government that ICT supplies and services provided by the Contractor do not conform to the described accessibility standards in the contract, remediation of the supplies or services to the level of conformance specified in the contract will be the responsibility of the Contractor at its own expense. Information about VPAT can be accessed at https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat.
- If this is an Indefinite Delivery contract, a Blanket Purchase Agreement or a Basic Ordering Agreement, the task/delivery order requests that include ICT supplies or services will define the specifications and accessibility standards for the order. In those cases, the Contractor may be required to provide a completed VPAT and any other additional information necessary to assist the Government in determining that the ICT supplies or services conform to Section 508 accessibility standards.