AF-HAR-FY24-05: Women’s Leadership Development Grant Program Announced by U.S. Mission to Zimbabwe

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Public Diplomacy (PD) section of the U.S. Embassy Zimbabwe under the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for programs that strengthen women’s leadership skills and potential while also building connections with U.S. women in leadership positions. The PD section invites proposals from non-profit organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and U.S. government alumni organizations to design and implement a leadership program that increases the skills, network and confidence of participants. The program should expand opportunities to develop capacity in leadership styles, teambuilding, presentations, conflict management, among others.  

A compulsory component of all program proposals is to build ties and relationships between the United States and Zimbabwe. Proposals and must have a strong, central, American element, or connection with American expert(s), organization(s), or institution(s) (separate from involvement with the U.S. Mission or its American Corners). The partnerships should be mutually beneficial and reinforcing. Opportunities for engagement and partnerships can be virtual or physical. The PD section will support new or existing initiatives. Confirmed partners are not compulsory at the application stage; however, applicants must describe how the U.S. component will enhance the program.

Theory of Change:

If Zimbabwean women at all ages have opportunities to develop and use leadership skills they will be able to participate more fully and lead in community development, the private sector, government, education, and online fora. If Zimbabwean women can connect with their peers in the United States, then they will be able to strengthen their knowledge and networks and leverage on this comparative advantage and exposure to best practices to deliver results in their focus areas. This program supports the U.S. Department of State’s Public Diplomacy support for enhanced community participation in development and democratic processes. 

Program Objectives:

All proposals must meet the following objectives:

·        Facilitate leadership development for Zimbabwe’s women.

·        Address some of the major barriers to women’s leadership in Zimbabwe.

·        Strengthen collaboration and build networks between Zimbabwe and U.S. leaders and organizations. Partnerships should facilitate mutually beneficial relationships, attract diverse audiences in an equitable manner, and build professional networks and an engaged citizenry in Zimbabwe. 

We are looking for creative proposals that build real relationships, offer opportunities for hands-on leadership skills development, and offer mentorship. 

Participants and Audiences:

Proposals must engage with current and future women leaders. Programs can promote inclusivity by targeting women, youth, people living with disabilities, and rural communities. Successful projects will facilitate U.S. and Zimbabwean citizen participation and leadership skills. 

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period:        2-18 months from date of award.

Number of awards anticipated:      1-2 Awards

Award amounts:                               $10,000 – $24,000

Total available funding:                   $40,000

Type of Funding:                              19.044  FY24 Public Diplomacy Funds – Smith-Mundt

Anticipated program start date:     September 2024

Funding Instrument Type:               Grant, Fixed Award or Cooperative Agreement

THIS NOTICE IS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1.     To Request Application Package:

Email PublicDiplomacyGrants-ZIM@state.gov; an automatic reply with the application forms will be sent. Forms are also available at www.grants.gov

2.     Content and Form of Application Submission:

Content of Application – the proposal should:

·        Clearly serve the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity;

·        Be specific and concise in describing the who, what, why, when, where, how and cost aspects of the project;

·        Provide all documents in English; and

·        Include a budget narrative and a budget table in U.S. dollars breaking down costs per unit rates, quantities as well as totals.

Application Forms required: (in the Application Package)

·        Completed application (form attached)

·        Detailed projected budget (form attached)

·        SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – Organizations)

or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance – Individuals)

·        SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)

·        SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs)

Attachments

·        Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner

·        If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be

included as a PDF file. If you do not have a NICRA, indirect and overhead costs can’t be over 10% of the budget.

·        Official permission letters, if required for program activities.

3.     Required Registrations:

All organizations (not individuals) whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov.  

Steps to acquire UEI and registration:

·        https://login.gov create an account. To access SAM.gov an organization is required to have a Login.gov account.

·        www.SAM.gov registration which will generate a unique entity identifier (UEI)

The UEI are assigned when an organization registers or renews its registration in SAM.gov Organizations should renew their registration once a year to maintain an active registration status in SAM.gov. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure it has an active SAM registration. 

Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

·        Organizations based outside of the United States and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS but do need a

UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov. 

·        Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

If an organization plans to issue a sub-contract or sub-award, those sub-awardees must also have a unique entity identifier (UEI number). Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed.

If an organization does not have an active registration in SAM.gov prior to submitting an application, the application will be deemed ineligible. 

Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required.

4.     Submission Dates and Times

All applicants should submit their proposals prior to February 16, 2024 for consideration. 

5.     Other Submission Requirements

All application materials may be emailed to PublicDiplomacyGrants-ZIM@state.gov

(with “WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT GRANT PROPOSAL” in the subject line).