Administrative Support – American Spaces in Sri Lanka
ID: 354165Type: Posted
Overview

Buyer

U.S. Mission to Sri Lanka (DOS-LKA)

Award Range

$50K - $100K

Eligible Applicants

Nonprofits Without 501(c)(3) Status

Funding Category

Other

Funding Instrument

Cooperative Agreement

Opportunity Category

Discretionary

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

Yes
Timeline
    Description

    The U.S. Mission to Sri Lanka is offering a funding opportunity for administrative and programmatic support of American Spaces in Sri Lanka, specifically targeting the American Corner Kandy and the American Center Colombo. The initiative aims to enhance cultural exchanges and public diplomacy by empowering youth, promoting democratic values, and fostering U.S.-Sri Lanka relations through various educational and cultural programs. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations and civil society entities registered in Sri Lanka, with a total funding amount of $100,000 available for this cooperative agreement, which is expected to be awarded to a single grantee. Interested parties must submit their proposals by July 7, 2024, and can direct inquiries to the Grant Management Team at ColomboPDGrants@state.gov.

    Point(s) of Contact
    Files
    Title
    Posted
    The Applicant Organizational Information Sheet is a comprehensive document required for organizations seeking federal grants or entering cooperative agreements. It collects critical information about the organization’s nature, governance, financial processes, and compliance with federal regulations. Applicants must provide their organization’s name, type, incorporation status, and leadership details, including the Program Director and Financial Officer. Key sections also gauge the organization’s governance structure, including Board of Directors approval, employee count, and registration with Dun and Bradstreet and the System for Award Management. Financial management aspects inquire about the organization’s accounting system, fiscal year-end, and mechanisms for tracking expenditures, ensuring compliance with federal financial management standards. Additionally, the document assesses the organization’s history with audits, previous federal funding experience, and any criminal convictions or tax liabilities. Overall, the form serves as a thorough verification tool for government agencies to assess potential funding recipients, ensuring they meet the necessary regulatory and financial criteria required for federal awards and grants. This underscores the importance of rigorous accountability in public funding processes.
    The document outlines the Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) required by the federal government for grantees to track the progress and outcomes of their projects. It serves as a crucial management tool aligning with the goals and objectives specified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The PMP necessitates a detailed description of how the grantee plans to monitor and evaluate project performance, including key personnel involved, management structures for monitoring activities, methodologies for data collection (such as surveys or focus groups), and any relevant technologies employed. The plan should feature a Theory of Change, utilizing If-Then statements or diagrams to depict causal relationships between activities and expected outcomes. Additionally, the data sheet within the PMP requires grantees to specify objectives, activities, indicators, and tracking methods to assess progress against predefined targets, segmented by quarterly reporting. This document is part of federal grants or requests for proposals, emphasizing the importance of accountability and systematic evaluation within federal funding initiatives. It underscores that the PMP is a dynamically evolving component of the project, subject to approval by the responsible Monitoring and Evaluation specialist before finalizing funding arrangements.
    The PAS M&E Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) document serves as a guideline for grantees involved in federal and state initiatives, providing instructions for effectively completing the PMP template. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining transparency and conciseness in the PMP. Key concepts include evaluation, monitoring, the theory of change, goals, objectives, outcomes, outputs, activities, and indicators—all essential for measuring a program's success and impact. Grantees are advised to ensure consistency between the PMP and their proposals, select appropriate indicators based on SMART criteria, and justify these indicators clearly. They should utilize various data collection methods and thoroughly document progress through quarterly reports detailing targets and actual outcomes. The document’s main purpose is to support the successful implementation and assessment of funded programs, highlighting the significance of structured performance monitoring and evaluation in achieving desired programmatic goals while adhering to grant requirements. This systematic approach is vital for fostering accountability and improving program effectiveness in government-funded projects.
    The document outlines a funding opportunity proposal for an unidentified organization, detailing a budget framework with a total calculated cost of $0.00 across various categories. The budget is segmented into personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contractual costs, and other direct expenses, all currently valuing at zero. Under personnel, international and local staff are listed but not quantified, while similar categorization exists for fringe benefits and all cost components. The proposal does not provide any specifics regarding equipment or travel expenses, indicating that potentially no funding requirements have been established. This structure exemplifies the standard format seen in government Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and federal grant applications, where clear delineation of costs is essential for transparency and accountability. The document highlights the need for detailed budget planning, reflecting the framework mandatory for submissions within governmental funding processes, despite all indicated costs being zero.
    The U.S. Department of State, through the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for administrative and programmatic support of American Spaces in Sri Lanka. The total funding available is $100,000, with a proposal deadline of July 7, 2024. The project aims to enhance cultural exchanges and public diplomacy by supporting two American Corners—Kandy and Colombo—operated under a cooperative agreement with significant input from the Embassy. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and civil society organizations registered in Sri Lanka; for-profit entities cannot apply. The focus areas for programming include promoting U.S.-Sri Lanka relations, youth leadership, democracy, human rights, and English language and skills enhancement. Grantees will be expected to provide administrative support, ensure operational maintenance of the spaces, implement a variety of programming, conduct outreach, and oversee reporting obligations. Additional responsibilities include maintaining compliance with U.S. government standards and fostering diversity and inclusion in service delivery. Overall, this funding opportunity is designed to bolster U.S. public diplomacy efforts by supporting cultural and educational initiatives in Sri Lanka, with aims to empower youth and promote democratic values.
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