The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) is offering a grant for NGO programs supporting returning refugees in Afghanistan.

More than 5.6 million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan since 2002. Although returns were lower last year, UNHCR still assisted 54,000 refugees during 2009. Large numbers of refugee returnees have indicated that the lack of economic opportunities prevent them from fully reintegrating upon return to their areas of origin. To respond to these concerns of recent returnees and to assist those contemplating return, the Bureau will focus on supporting the durable resettlement and reintegration of returnees, including through promotion of sustainable livelihoods and economic development in provinces hosting sizeable numbers of returnees. These programs should address needs not covered by UNHCR or other international organizations supporting refugee returns.

PRM will accept proposals from any NGO providing humanitarian assistance, although, given budgetary constraints, priority will be given to proposals from organizations that can demonstrate:

– a working relationship with UNHCR, current UNHCR funding, and/or a letter of support from UNHCR for the proposed activities and/or overall country program (this letter should highlight the gap in services the proposed program is designed to address);

– a proven track record in providing proposed assistance both in the sector(s) and specified location(s);

– evidence of coordination and transition planning to early recovery and/or development activities with international organizations (IOs) and other NGOs working in the same area or sector as well as – where applicable – local authorities;

– a concrete implementation plan with well-conceived objectives and indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and reliable, time-bound and trackable (SMART), have established baselines, and at least one outcome or impact indicator per objective;

– a budget that is appropriate for meeting the objectives and demonstrates co-funding by non-US government sources;

– appropriate targeting of beneficiaries in coordination with UNHCR and other relevant organizations.

– adherence to relevant international standards for humanitarian assistance. See FY2010 General PRM NGO Guidelines for a complete list of sector-specific standards.

Country Specific Instructions:

In FY10, PRM’s funding priority is to support communities of significant refugee return and to ensure that humanitarian assistance programming is effectively – and quickly – transitioned into early recovery and/or development activities that will continue to sustain basic services and livelihoods opportunities for current and future returnees. Within communities of return, consideration will also be given to program elements that address the needs of extremely vulnerable groups, such as widows and female-headed households, including gender-based violence prevention and response, as appropriate. All projects should seek to address the protection and assistance needs of women and girls.

The following activities are priority areas for PRM in FY10:

a. Income-generating activities targeted to market opportunities and/or micro-finance institutions available in return communities (short-term cash for work programs without linkages to more sustainable income-generating activities will not be considered for funding in FY10);

b. Vocational training in marketable skills and, as necessary, provide the required tool set for the profession (stand alone vocational training not linked to income-generating activities or job placement programs will not be considered for funding in FY10)

c. Provision of or improved access to basic health services, including maternal/child health care and comprehensive reproductive health services, combined with capacity building or sustainability measures such as health care worker training and provision of supplies and equipment;

d. Primary school construction or rehabilitation, combined with capacity building or sustainability measures such as teacher training and provision of materials and equipment;

e. Prevention of and response to gender-based violence (GBV);

f. Water and sanitation systems creation, rehabilitation, and repair, especially if in conjunction with previously mentioned livelihoods and/or education programs.

IOs/NGOs are encouraged to propose programs that are multisectoral. PRM will consider a broad range of activities, but priority will be given to programs that include one or more of the elements from the above categories. It is important to have an effective and practicable exit/transition strategy as it is unlikely that follow-on funding will be available. Although PRM anticipates the majority of awards will be provided for Afghan returnee support, submissions may include activities which cover emergency needs of Pakistani refugees in Afghanistan.

International organizations (IOs) that are engaged in programs relevant to the assistance addressed by this PRM funding announcement should ensure that these programs are made known to PRM on or before the closing date of this funding announcement so that PRM can evaluate all IO and NGO programs for funding consideration.

Transition Strategy/Coordination Preferences:
Programs must include a description of how program activities will fit into a phased transition strategy to locally available services, early recovery and/or development programs supported by the international community, or to self-reliance strategies. Programs should also include clear and effective plans for moving from relief to early recovery under local or national structures. PRM will give particular consideration to NGOs that may be able to present projects that either coordinate with, or are already incorporated in the Afghanistan Humanitarian Action Plan (HAP) 2010, the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS),, the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), and/or the National Solidarity Programme (NSP). All projects should seek to address the particular needs of women and children and indicators should disaggregate by gender and age group. Programs specifically targeted to address needs of women should coordinate with the National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan (NAWPA) 2008 – 2018.

To highlight transition strategies incorporated into the proposals, NGOs must include at least one objective with indicators, including one impact indicator, which highlights how overall activities will be transitioned to locally available services, early recovery and/or development programs supported by the international community, or to self-reliance strategies.

To ensure PRM-funded NGO programs are coordinated with UNHCR on refugee return programming, NGOs are encouraged to request comments from UNHCR on planned activities supporting refugee returns in Afghanistan. Applicants may send their draft proposals via e-mail to the following UNHCR Afghanistan Points of Contact: Country Representative Ewen Macleod at Macleod@unhcr.org and Assistant Program Representative Anatoli Poujai at poujai@unhcr.org. Applicants are encouraged to reference these communications with UNHCR either within the narrative or attached as an annex to the proposal so that panel review members are aware of efforts being made on coordination.
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For more details on this specific opportunity, please click the “Full Announcement” Grants.gov link. For PRM’s general NGO guidelines, please go to the Funding Opportunities page of PRM’s website: http://www.state.gov/g/prm/c27111.htm. After you’ve read both documents, please contact Program Officer Linda Muncy at MuncyLH@state.gov or 202-663-1019 (or at 202-453-9387 after May 17) with any questions. Funding opportunity announcements and PRM’s general NGO guidelines are also on PRM’s website.