Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor and Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues is offering the Iraqi Women’s Democracy Initiative Grant to support women’s rights and civic participation in Iraq.

* Be a non-profit organization meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3).

* Be a U.S. university or research institution meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3).

* Have demonstrated experience administering successful projects, preferably in Iraq, or similarly challenging program environment. DRL and S/GWI reserve the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering federal grant awards. These applicants may be subject to limited funding on a pilot basis.

* Have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with organization(s) in Iraq.

* Organizations may form consortia and submit a combined proposal. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant.

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor and the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues Request for Proposals: Iraqi Women’s Democracy Initiative

SUMMARY
The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) and the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI) announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) from organizations interested in submitting proposals to support and address the specific challenges and needs of women in Iraq. The Department of State recognizes that women’s empowerment and equal and active civic involvement are key components of a thriving society. Secretary Clinton stated, “Women and girls are one of the world’s greatest untapped resources. Investing in the potential of women to lift and lead their societies is one of the best investments we can make. [The] studies that have shown when a woman receives even just one year of schooling, her children are less likely to die in infancy or suffer from illness or hunger, and more likely to go to school themselves.” The Department is therefore deeply committed to ensuring that women’s rights are fully integrated into U.S. foreign policy.

To address the concerns and needs of women in Iraq, DRL and S/GWI announce an open competition for assistance from the U.S. Department of State’s Fiscal Year 2010 Economic Support Funds (ESF) from organizations interested in submitting proposals for projects that focus on immediate support to promote women’s human rights and the inclusion of women in the social, political, and economic fabric of Iraqi society. Organizations should have a demonstrated capacity to work in Iraq on issues related to women and proposals should provide measurable outcomes and clearly explain how their proposed projects would address needs not covered by existing or other planned programs in Iraq. Applicants are also highly encouraged to identify local partners and NGOs in Iraq for segments of their proposed work plan. This request for proposals does not guarantee funding and is subject to approval by the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues; the Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; and the Office of Acquisitions Management.

PLEASE NOTE: DRL and S/GWI strongly urge applicants to access www.grants.gov to obtain a username and password immediately. It may take up to a week to register with grants.gov. Please see the section entitled, “DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS” below for specific instructions.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
Organizations are invited to submit proposals that provide a compelling country-oriented rationale and comprehensively describe and develop program concepts and capacity to manage projects. Applications should outline how to ensure the greatest possible degree of support among Iraqis for the stated objectives. An organization may submit a maximum of two proposals in response to this solicitation.

I. Economic Empowerment:

• Projects that identify, recruit, and train Iraqi women and girls in basic literacy, entrepreneurship, and practical career-building skills that enable them to engage in economic activity with competitive and practical skills reflecting cultural and market conditions.
• Projects that build training programs with a focused follow-on component regarding job placement and assistance, particularly partnering with Iraqi NGOs that have demonstrated the capacity to provide results-oriented training on career-building skills and job placement support; partnership and coordination with the private sector are also encouraged.
• Projects that assist in securing micro-loan opportunities from other sources to encourage practical and innovative small and medium businesses.
• Projects that promote public-private partnerships and provide training programs for Iraqi women in business and entrepreneurship, including entry level and middle-management skills.

Proposals in Section I must focus directly on one or more of the bulleted program areas. Proposals cannot combine activities from this section with those outlined in Section II: Civil Society, Human Rights, and Justice Sector. Approximately $5 million is available for programs addressing this section. Proposals should not request less than $500,000 or more than $1,000,000.

II. Civil Society, Human Rights, and Justice Sector:

Women in Justice: Training for lawyers, judges, prosecutors, and community organizations at the local, regional and national levels; and/or job placement support in relevant national and local agencies and civil society related to this field.

Combating Violence Against Women: Training on monitoring and combating Violence Against Women, geared towards lawyers, judges, prosecutors, and community organizations at the local, regional, and national levels; supporting the inclusion of women in the judiciary process and legal system in Iraq and increasing their access to justice; supporting the inclusion and effectiveness of women in the police force and working with existing institutions to appropriately address issues and crimes affecting women, including “honor crimes,” domestic violence and female genital mutilation; and providing timely referral and access to direct victim assistance.

Leadership Training: Identifying and preparing women as voters, candidates, government officials, community leaders, and advocates for women’s inclusion in all levels of government; increasing the effectiveness and influence of female provincial council leaders and newly-elected female members of the Council of Representatives.

Capacity Building: Increasing support for women’s rights through media advocacy skills, public outreach, and capacity building, particularly focused on reaching out to grassroots women who would not ordinarily receive training on women’s rights.

Proposals in Section II must focus directly on one or more of the defined program areas. Proposals cannot combine activities from this section with those outlined in Section I: Economic Empowerment. Approximately $5 million is available for programs addressing this section. Proposals should not request less than $500,000 or more than $1,000,000.

All organizations submitting proposals are encouraged to include:

• Isolated, disabled, and/or illiterate women in project scope and outreach. DRL and S/GWI strongly encourage applicants to reach out to rural women in diverse regions throughout the country.
• Projects that support and strengthen project implementation and sustainability through buy-in and partnerships with the Government of Iraq and/or local communities.
• Projects that demonstrate awareness of cultural sensitivities and address initiatives to ensure the safety of participants.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Proposals should conform to DRL’s posted March 2010 Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI), available at http://www.state.gov/g/drl/p/psi_2010/index.htm.

Submissions in response to this RFP must address proposed priorities included in this document. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of the announcement and PSI will not be considered.

For all application documents, please ensure:
1) All pages are numbered, including budgets and attachments,
2) All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and
3) All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.
Complete applications should include the following for proposal submission:

1. Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424a (Budget Summary) and SF424b (Assurances), as directed on grants.gov.

2. Table of Contents (not to exceed one [1] page in Microsoft Word) that includes a page-numbered contents page, including any attachments.

3. Executive Summary (not to exceed one [1] page in Microsoft Word) that includes:
a) the country,
b) name and contact information for the project’s main point of contact,
c) a one-paragraph “statement of work” or synopsis of the program and its expected results,
d) a concise breakdown of the project’s objectives and activities,
e) the total amount of funding requested and program length, and
f) a brief statement on how the project is innovative, sustainable, and will have a demonstrated impact.

4. Proposal Narrative (not to exceed ten [10] pages in Microsoft Word). Please note the ten-page limit does not include the Table of Contents, Executive Summary, Attachments, Detailed Budget, Budget Narrative or NICRA. Applicants may submit multiple documents in one Microsoft Word file, i.e., Table of Contents, Executive Summary, Proposal Narrative, and Budget Narrative in one file or as separate, individually submitted files. Submissions should address the four specific criteria (Quality of Program, Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives, Multiplier Effect/Sustainability, and Institution’s Record and Capacity). Details about these criteria are described in the Review Process section below.

5. Budget Narrative (preferably in Microsoft Word) that includes an explanation/justification for each line item in the detailed budget spreadsheet, as well as the source and description of all cost-share offered. For ease of review, it is recommended that applicants order the budget narrative as presented in the detailed budget. Primarily Headquarters- and Field-based personnel costs should include a clarification on the roles and responsibilities of key staff. In addition, it is recommended that budget narratives address the overall cost-effectiveness of the proposal, including any cost-share offered (see below for more information on cost-sharing and cost-effectiveness).

6. Detailed Line-Item Budget (in Microsoft Excel or similar spreadsheet format) that includes three [3] columns including DRL and S/GWI request, any cost sharing contribution, and total budget (see below for more information on budget format). A summary budget should also be included using the OMB approved budget categories (see SF-424 as a sample). See the PSI for more information on budget format. Costs must be in U.S. Dollars.

7. Attachments (not to exceed seven [7] pages total, preferably in Microsoft Word) that include the following in order:
a) Pages 1-2: Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (see PSI for more information on this section).
b) Page 3: Roles and responsibilities of key program personnel with short bios that highlight relevant professional experience. Given the limited space, CVs are not recommended for submission.
c) Page 4: Timeline of the overall proposal. Components should include activities, evaluation efforts, and program closeout.
d) Page 5-7: Additional optional attachments. Attachments may include additional timeline information, letters of support, memorandums of understanding/agreement, etc. For applicants with a large number of letters/MOUs, it may be useful to provide a list of the organizations/government agencies that support the program rather than the actual documentation.

8. If your organization has a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be sent as a .pdf file. This document will not be reviewed by the panelists, but rather used by program and grant staff if the submission is recommended for funding. Hence, this document does not count against the submission page limitations. If your proposal involves sub-grants to organizations charging indirect costs, and those organizations also have a NICRA, please submit the applicable NICRA as a .pdf file (see the PSI for more information on indirect cost rate).

Organizations must also fill out and submit SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B forms as directed on www.grants.gov. Please refer to the PSI for directions on how to complete the forms.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

DRL and S/GWI will not consider proposals that reflect any type of support, for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization, whether or not elected members of government.

The bulk of project activities must take place in Iraq and last between 18 and 36 months. U.S.-based activities, study tours, scholarships, or exchange projects will not be deemed competitive. Projects that have a strong academic, research, or conference focus will not be deemed competitive. Projects that focus on commercial law will also not be rated as competitive.

Awards are contingent on the availability of funds. DRL and S/GWI have approximately $10 million in ESF available for grant awards and intend to consider funding section I and section II equally. Grants are expected to range approximately between $500,000 and $1 million. All awards will support program and administrative costs required to implement the program. DRL and S/GWI anticipate making grant awards in fall 2010.