Democracy Commission Small Grants Program

Description

Background: The U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section (PAS) in Ashgabat is soliciting proposals for grants from Turkmen civil society and independent media organizations that focus on one of the priority areas/themes specified below. Applicants should pay close attention to the Public Affairs Section’s goals, priority program areas, and target audiences when developing their proposals. Theme: Advancing Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Deteriorating socioeconomic conditions in Turkmenistan have led to increased cases of poverty and a higher percentage of low-income individuals. Cities outside of the capital, in particular, have seen an increased number of people living below the poverty line. Despite laws set in place by the Turkmen government to promote small business development, the lack of business expertise, corruption, and limited financial support from the government remain significant challenges to bolstering civil society and small businesses efforts to support women, and disadvantaged groups. This funding opportunity seeks to address the following challenges: · lack of capacity of local entrepreneurs in small business management · insufficient support for women’s economic empowerment. Proposed projects should seek to address one of two challenges above by leveraging local, state, and civil society stakeholders to strengthen and/or establish strategies to advance economic empowerment and promote entrepreneurship for low-income families. Project Goal: · Improvement of the economic situation of women, youth, and other disadvantaged groups from low-income families in Turkmenistan. Project Audience(s): · Women, disadvantaged groups, and local entrepreneurs Project Objectives (Project proposals may address one or more of these objectives): 1) Increase awareness of property legal rights and regulations around business ownership in Turkmenistan for disadvantaged groups, holding at least three sessions with a reach of 100 women. 2) Develop a network of Turkmen entrepreneurs to help women and members of disadvantaged groups gain employment and start their own businesses. 3) Increase small business management capacity skills of 50 women, and new entrepreneurs Eligibility Information Local Turkmen Not-for-profit organizations, registered in the Ministry of Justice of Turkmenistan. For this announcement, only Turkmenistan-based organizations are eligible to apply.  Cost sharing or matching is not required for this funding opportunity. Pre-award costs are not an allowable expense for this funding opportunity. This award does not allow: · Commercial activity or specific businesses/startup; · Projects relating to partisan political activity; · Conferences abroad or individual trips abroad; · Charitable or development activities; including direct social services; · Construction projects; · Projects that support specific religious activities; · Fund-raising campaigns; · Lobbying for specific legislation or programs · Medical, scientific research or surveys; · Art or cultural projects; · Commercial projects; or · Projects that duplicate existing projects Application and Submission Information: Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible. Content and Form of Application Submission Please ensure: 1. Proposal clearly addresses the goals, audiences, and objectives of this notice. 2. All documents are in English. 3. All budgets are in U.S. dollars. 4. All pages are numbered. 5. All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper. 6. All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins. 7. All applicant authorized signatures are provided where indicated on the various, required forms. Application Deadline: All applications must be received by June 7, 2021. For the purposes of determining if an award is submitted on time, PAS will utilize the time-stamp provided by Grants.gov. This deadline is firm and is not a rolling deadline. If organizations fail to meet the deadline noted above their application will be considered ineligible and will not be considered for funding. Application Submission Process: There are two application submissions methods available to applicants. Applicants may submit their application using Submission Method A or Submission Method B outlined below. · Submission Method A: Submit all application materials directly to the following email address: PASAshgabatGrants@state.gov. Applicants opting to submit applications via email to PASAshgabatGrants@state.gov must include the Funding Opportunity Title and Funding Opportunity Number in the subject line of the email. · Submission Method B: Submit all application materials through Grants.gov. For those opting to apply through Grants.gov, thorough instructions on the application process are available at http://www.grants.gov. For questions relating to Grants.gov, please call the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or visit https://www.grants.gov/support.html. Please note that PASAshgabatGrants@state.gov is unable to assist with technical questions or problems applicants experience with Grants.gov. Required Registrations Applicants utilizing Grants.gov must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. Registering with Grants.gov is a one-time process; however, it could take as long as two weeks to have the registration validated and confirmed. Please begin the registration process immediately to ensure that the process is completed well in advance of the deadline for applications. Until that process is complete, you will not be issued a user password for Grants.gov, which is required for application submission. There are four steps that you must complete before you are able to register: 1. Step 1: Apply for a DUNS number and an NCAGE number (these can be completed simultaneously) a. DUNS application: Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet, if your organization does not have one already, you may obtain one by calling 1-866-705-5711 or visiting http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform b. NCAGE application: Application page here (but need to click magnifying glass and then scroll down to click new registration) https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx i. Instructions for the NCAGE application process:https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf 1. For help from within the U.S., call 1-888-227-2423 2. For help from outside the U.S., call 1-269-961-7766 ii. Email NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil for any problems in getting an NCAGE code. After receiving the NCAGE Code, proceed to register in SAM by logging onto: https://www.sam.gov/ 2. Step 2: Once DUNS and NCAGE are obtained, continue to SAM registration on www.SAM.gov 3. Step 3: Once SAM registration is confirmed, continue to Grants.gov organization registration http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html.Organizations must maintain an active SAM registration (www.SAM.gov) with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or an application under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. SAM registration must be renewed annually. Given the volume of applications, review may take up to 90 days, and we are unable to individually confirm receipt of proposals. 4. Step 4: Register yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR); and be authorized as an AOR by your organization on www.grants.gov Applicants must acquire all required registrations and rights in the United States and Turkmenistan. All intellectual property considerations and rights must be fully met in the United States and Turkmenistan. The full version of the NOFO is attached to this funding opportunity.

Eligibility

Grants.gov lists this opportunity under eligibility category code 25. These codes correspond to applicant types (state/local government, tribal organization, nonprofit, educational institution, individual, small business, etc.) defined in Grants.gov's own eligibility reference. See the current Grants.gov eligibility categories or check the official listing below for this opportunity's exact eligibility statement.

Agency Contact

Key Dates