Section I. Funding Opportunity DescriptionThe U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section in New Delhi is soliciting proposals for grants that fall into the area specified in Section II below from individuals, non-governmental organizations, and other legally-recognized non-profit institutions that meet Indian and U.S. technical and legal requirements to develop and implement educational and cultural programs as specified in Section II below. Information about the Public Affairs Section can be found at: http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/.Section II. Building U.S. India Cultural Connections Through DanceConnecting Indians with the U.S. using dance, this project aims to show the vibrancy and innovative creativity of U.S. society. It explores the commonalities and differences between India and the United States through the medium of contemporary dance (and may make references to traditional dance forms). It would involve at least one American dancer or choreographer, or a dance company of American, Indian, or mixed composition. It should highlight creative expression, possibly in several media, and strengthen the cultural relationship between India and the U.S. While the project will showcase performance, it should also include an educational component in order to make the work and the cultural dialogue accessible to young Indians and those unfamiliar with contemporary dance. The proposal should specify any required materials or equipment for the performances and workshops. Optimal programs are multi-faceted, e.g. they provide opportunities for further interaction, and utilize amplification tools such as social media to engage a greater number of Indians. The project should be between two and four weeks in length on-the-ground in India, and would involve travel and activity in multiple locations to be determined by the U.S. Mission in India.Outreach beyond the largest cities in India and beyond elite audiences should be built into this project as we also have the following programming goal: Increase community engagement and build institution-to-institution linkages by developing empowerment programs targeted to youth, women, and underserved communities in the skills necessary to participate in the growing Indian economy, especially beyond the capital and the major cities where the U.S. Embassy and its U.S. Consulates are located. The extent to which this project has the effect of creating lasting relationships between U.S. and Indian institutions, the more highly it will be rated.Lastly, local publicity should be part of this cultural program in order to address the following goal: expand media engagement and increase awareness of U.S. Public Diplomacy cultural and educational programs through the creative and effective use of traditional and social media. This should be done in coordination with the U.S. Embassy (and American Center) in New Delhi, and the U.S. Consulates in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad.Section III. Award Information1. Funding Type and Amount: Cooperative Agreement or Grant Minimum (Floor) Award Amount: $15,000 Maximum (Ceiling) Award Amount: $75,000The U.S. Embassy New Delhi Public Affairs Section reserves the right to award less or more than the funds described under circumstances deemed to be in the best interest of the U.S. government.2. Project and Budget Periods: Grant projects generally should be completed in one year or less. The Public Affairs Section will entertain applications for continuation grants funded under these awards, beyond the initial budget period, on a noncompetitive basis, subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State.Section IV. Basic Eligibility Information:1. Non profit. The U.S. Embassy New Delhi Public Affairs Section only accepts applications from U.S. and Indian organizations that are legally registered not-for-profit civil society/non-governmental organizations/think tanks with at least two years of experience designing and implementing programs in India.2. Proper and complete registrations and rights. Applicants must acquire all required registrations in the United States and India. All intellectual property considerations and rights must be fully met in the United States and India.3. Additional requirements may apply.Section V. Application Submission and DeadlineSee How to Apply (http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant_faqs.jsp#applying) on Grants.gov for complete details on requirements, and note the following highlights:1. Register. Organizations not registered with Grants.gov should register well in advance of the deadline. It can take weeks to finalize registration (sometimes longer for non-U.S. based NGOs) to get the required registration numbers. To register with Grants.gov, organizations must first receive a DUNS number and register with the Central Contract Registry (CCR), a process which can also take weeks.2. Submit proposal. Proposals must be submitted to Grants.gov and to the following email address
[email protected]. The subject line of your email should be as follows:Applicant Organization name NDRFP12-01 DanceDo not wait until the last minute to submit your application on Grants.gov. Applicants who have done so in the past and experienced technical difficulties were not able to meet the deadline. We recommend that organizations, particularly first-time applicants, submit applications via Grants.gov early to avoid last-minute technical difficulties that could result in an application not being considered.If you encounter technical difficulties with Grants.gov please contact the Grants.gov Help Desk at
[email protected] or by calling 1-800-518-4726 in the U.S.Applications must be submitted by an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) of the applicant organization. Having proposals submitted by agency headquarters helps to avoid possible technical problems. Non-AOR personnel submitting applications will be rejected in Grants.gov.Pursuant to U.S. Code, Title 218, Section 1001, stated on OMB Standard Form 424 (SF-424), Department of State is authorized to consolidate the certifications and assurances required by Federal law or regulations for its federal assistance programs. Please refer to the link below for a list of certifications and assurances:http://fa.statebuy.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=161&menu_id=682. English. Applications are accepted in English only. Final grant agreements and any subsequent amendments will be concluded in English.3. Proposal plus SF-424. When submitting a proposal, applicants are required to fill out a detailed budget and the Federal Assistance Application Standard Form 424. See two attachments U.S. EMBASSY NEW DELHI GRANTS PROGRAM- SUGGESTED APPLICATION FORMAT and SF-424. While the grant proposal format is somewhat flexible, we recommend you use the template as a starting point, and add additional information as necessary. Please insert Applicant Organization name NDRFP12-01 Dance in the header, along with page numbers, on every page of your application.At the minimum, your proposal should include: Cover sheet: Provide an executive summary of the project description (no more than one page) with reference to the amount and duration of the funding request. Description and justification: Applicants must submit a full description of the organizations and project, including goals and objectives. Describe innovative aspects of the project. Include résumés for project partners and key personnel. List those organizations, cooperating entities, consultants, or other key individuals who will work on the project, along with a short description of the nature of their effort or contribution. Activities: Outline a plan of action that describes the scope and detail of how the proposed work will be accomplished. Account for all functions or activities identified in the application. Cite factors that might accelerate or slow down the work and state reasons for taking the proposed approach rather than alternatives. Describe any unusual features of the project, such as design or technological innovations, reductions in cost or time, or extraordinary social and community involvement. Accomplishments, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainability: Provide quantitative monthly or quarterly projections of the accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity such as the number of people to be served and the number of activities accomplished. When accomplishments cannot be quantified by activity or function, list them in chronological order to show the schedule of accomplishments and their target dates. Describe how you plan to monitor progress, and determine overall success and impact of the program. Note how you expect the impact of the project will be sustained over time, and by whom. Budget: Provide a detailed budget of every cost associated with the project. The more information and detail that you provide about the proposed budget, with a budget narrative, the better we can determine the viability and completeness of your proposal. For the budget line item indirect costs or administrative overhead, any figure you provide without a specific breakout will be returned for additional information or rejected. If your organization has an approved Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or NICRA, please note that on your application and provide supporting documentation.Section VI. Review and Selection Process1. Criteria. Each application submitted under this announcement will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the criteria enumerated in Section VII below. The criteria are designed to assess the quality of the proposed project, and to determine the likelihood of its success. The criteria are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application. Applications will be reviewed on the basis of their fullness, coherence, clarity, and attention to detail. Points are awarded only to applications that are responsive within the context of this program announcement.2. Acknowledgement of receipt. Applicants will receive acknowledgment of receipt of their proposal. A technical review panel will review the proposal and, based upon the criteria noted below, assess the general qualification. A qualitative determination will be made regarding the programs proposed area of activity and the Missions strategic goals, and those proposals that are deemed to be the best fit will be given additional consideration. A proposal that is approved but not funded will be kept on file for one year should the panel wish to reconsider, or if additional resources become available.3. Follow up notification. Organizations whose applications were not approved or funded will be notified in writing.Section VII. Application Evaluation Criteria1. Goals and objectives. The project is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results. The project addresses one or more of the Mission India objectives and priority public diplomacy program areas as noted in Section II above. The applying organization demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provide milestones to indicate progress toward Public Affairs Section goals. (20 points)2. Innovation. Applicant clearly describes how its proposal will address the requested program within the proposed time frame and articulates an innovative strategy or plan. (15 points)3. Organizational capacity. The organization demonstrates expertise in one or more of U.S. Embassy New Delhi Public Affairs Section priorities and demonstrates the ability to perform the proposed activities. Where project partners are included, the applicant details each partners respective role, provides partner organization information and résumés for all persons responsible for the project and its financial administration. (15 points)4. Budget and narrative justification. The budget and narrative justification are complete and reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The plan for services and related cost estimates is realistic. (25 points)5. Monitoring and evaluation. The proposal outlines in detail how program success and impact will be determined, and may include pre and post program analysis. (15 points)6. Sustainability. The project builds capacity and demonstrates sustainable capacity-building. The proposal describes how activities will be carried on after the grant program ends which may include (but not be limited to) continued involvement of stakeholders; future commitment of funding; on-going training; planned meetings of program participants. (10 points)Section VIII. Award Administration1. Award notices: The grant award or cooperative agreement shall be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The Grants Officer is the U.S. government official delegated the authority by the U.S. Department of State Procurement Executive to write, award, and administer grants and cooperative agreements. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document and it will be provided to the recipient. The grantee is likely to interact mostly with a Grants Officer Representative (GOR).2. Anticipated time to award: Applicants of successful proposals will generally be notified within 90 days after the submission deadline.3. Reporting requirements: All awards issued under this announcement require both program and financial reports on a frequency specified in the award agreement. The disbursement of funds may be tied to submission of these reports in a timely manner. All other details related to award administration will be specified in the award agreement. The point of contact for questions or issues related to the administration of the grant will be specified in the award agreement.