Project: Turkish, Armenian and American Youth Leadership Development I. Funding Opportunity Description:Purpose: The goals of the Turkish-Armenian-American Youth Leadership Development Project are to 1) to explore relevant aspects of youth culture including the educational system, the role of youth NGOs, volunteerism, environmental protection, multiculturalism and community development 2) To provide opportunities for Turkish, Armenian, American and other participants to learn about each others cultures, perceptions, values and dreams3) To examine the role of the individual in society and broaden the understanding of identity and inter-ethnic tolerance and understanding; 4) To forge lasting links among the Turkish, Armenian and American participants that will help serve to dispel misunderstandings and create mutually beneficial collaborative relationships; 5) To prepare participants with new skills and tools for application and implementation of cross-border projects in their home communities. A successful project will be one that nurtures a cadre of youth to be actively engaged in addressing issues of mutual concern to Turks, Armenians and Americans in their schools and communities upon their return home and are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become citizen activists. Participants will be engaged in a variety of activities such as workshops, simulations, seminars, collaborative artistic activities, athletic activities and community outreach programs that are designed to achieve the programs stated goals. Regular opportunities for participants to interact with each other, share perceptions and ideas, learn about each others cultures and find areas of mutual concern which they can address together and then continue to work on after returning to their home communities should be included. The applicant should present a program plan that allows the participants to thoroughly explore American, Turkish and Armenian society and culture and youth involvement in school/community efforts in a creative, memorable, and practical way. Activities should be designed to be replicable and provide practical knowledge and skills that the participants can apply to school and civic activities at home. Applicants should outline their project teams capacity for doing projects of this nature, focusing on three areas of competency: (1) provision of leadership and civic engagement programming, (2) age-appropriate programming for youth, and (3) work with individuals from Turkey and Armenia. Applicants should be prepared to work with the US Embassies in Yerevan and Ankara on student selection. The project should begin in September, 2010 with participant selection. Selected participants will participate in several months of internet-based activities prior to the physical exchange. The U.S. exchange component should take place in Summer, 2011 (from late June through late August). Applicants should propose the period of the exchange, but the exact timing of the project may be altered through the mutual agreement of the Department of State and the grant recipient. The U.S. exchange component should be 3-4 weeks in duration. The exchange programs taking place in Armenia and Turkey should be one week in duration each (preferably back to back) and take place 3-6 months following the U.S. exchange. All three exchanges (the initial U.S. program, the Armenian program and the Turkish program) should include multiple day homstays in which at least one participant from each of the three countries in represented in each homestay setting. All participants must participate in all three exchange venues (US, Armenia and Turkey) The participants will be 25 Turkish and 25 Armenian high school students between the ages of 16 and 18 who have demonstrated superior progress in terms of English language skills and an active interest community development and engagement. They will be partnered with 25 American students from the same age cohort with similar community-oriented experiences. In pursuit of the goals outlined above, the program provided by the U.S. grantee organization will include the following:Pre-program briefings and on-line activities open to all participants.A welcome orientation. Design and planning of activities which provide a substantive 3-4 week U.S. based program on youth leadership and community activism through both academic and extracurricular components. Activities can take place in camp settings, educational institutions and/or community settings. It is crucial that programming involve mixed groups of Turkish, Armenian and American participants whenever possible. Opportunities for participants to work with their American, Turkish and Armenian peers on programs and projects of mutual interest that serve to foster youth leadership skills and lead to community service program plans that will be implemented when they return home. Design and planning a 1 week program in Armenia for all 75 participants and a 1 week program in Turkey for all 75 participants during which they learn about each others communities and assess how their jointly developed plans have been implemented. These programs must be designed to maximize opportunities for participants to work in mixed nationality groups and exchange ideas and experiences. Logistical arrangements, home stays, disbursement of stipends/per diem, local travel, and travel between sites when applicable.A closing session to summarize the projects activities and prepare participants for their return home. Follow-on activities in Turkey, Armenia and the U.S. that serve to reinforce the programs stated goals and maintain contact among the participants from the three participating countries. The proposal must demonstrate how the stated goals will be met. Applicant organizations should identify their own specific objectives and measurable outcomes based on these program goals and the project specifications provided in this solicitation. The proposal narrative should also provide detailed information on major program activities. Additional important program information and guidelines for preparing the narrative are included in the Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI). Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to the other documents in the solicitation for further information. II. Award Information:Type of Award: Grant AgreementFiscal Year Funds: 2010Approximate Total Funding: $525,000, pending availability of fundsApproximate Number of Awards: OneApproximate Average Award: $525,000Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, proposed start date is September 1, 2010Anticipated Project Completion Date: April, 2012 III. Eligibility Information: III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3). III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the U.S. Embassies in Turkey and Armenia encourage applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs. Please note that cost sharing is one of the criteria by which proposals will be judged.When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23 - Cost Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, States contribution will be reduced in like proportion. III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: U.S. Government grant guidelines require that organizations with less than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in funding. The U.S. Embassies in Turkey and Armenia anticipate awarding one grant, in an amount up to $525,000 to support program and administrative costs required to implement this exchange program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition. The U.S. Embassies in Turkey and Armenia encourage applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs. IV. Application and Submission InformationNote: Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Embassy staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal review process has been completed. IV.1 Contact Information to Request an Application Package: Please contact U.S. Embassy in Turkeys Public Affairs Section Contact Information: Craig Dicker e-mail:
[email protected]; telephone: +90-312-457-7438 +90-312-457-7438 ; fax: +90-312-457-7366; address: 110 Ataturk Blvd., 06100 Kaviklidere, Ankara, Turkey or U.S. Embassy in Armenias Public Affairs Section: Thomas Mittnacht: mail
[email protected]; telephone: +374-10-49-4691 +374-10-49-4691 ; address: 1 American Ave, 0082 Yerevan, Armenia The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal SubmissionInstruction (PSI) document which consists of required application forms, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation. It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria and budget instructions tailored to this competition. IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded at the Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov. or at the U.S. Embassy-Ankaras web site: http://turkey.usembassy.gov/cultural_educational_events.html Please read all information before downloading. IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission section below. IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-5711 1-866-705-5711 . Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the appropriate box of the SF 424 which is part of the formal application package. IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, proposal narrative and budget. Please Refer to the Solicitation Package. It contains the mandatory Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) document and the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation (POGI) document for additional formatting and technical requirements. IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not received a grant or cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of State in the past three years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible. IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information when preparing your proposal narrative: IV.3d.1 Adherence To All Regulations Governing The J Visa The Public Affairs Sections of the U.S. Embassies in Ankara and Yerevan are the official program sponsors of the exchange program covered by this RFGP, and an employee of the Embassy will be the "Responsible Officer" for the program under the terms of 22 CFR 62, which covers the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 62, organizations receiving grants under this RFGP will be third parties "cooperating with or assisting the sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor's program." The actions of grantee program organizations shall be "imputed to the sponsor in evaluating the sponsor's compliance with" 22 CFR 62. Therefore, the Department of State expects that any organization receiving a grant under this competition will render all assistance necessary to enable the Embassy to fully comply with 22 CFR 62 et seq. The Public Affairs Sections of the U.S. Embassies in Ankara and Yerevan place critically importance on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program organizations and program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that the applicant is prepared to assist the Embassies in meeting all requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62. If your organization has experience as a designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et. seq., including the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other requirements. The grantee will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program. A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://exchanges.state.gov IV.3d.2 Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines Pursuant to the Department of States authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and representative of the diversity of American political, social, and cultural life. "Diversity" should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass differences including, but not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, and disabilities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and in program content. Please refer to the review criteria under the 'Support for Diversity' section for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into your proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides that "in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy," the Department of State "shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries." Public Law 106 - 113 requires that the governments of the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in the selection process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible. IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation Proposals must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the projects success, both as the activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Embassies recommend that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes to original project objectives. The Embassies expect that the grantee will track participants or partners and be able to respond to key evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, learning as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of the program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions in which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation plan should include indicators that measure gains in mutual understanding as well as substantive knowledge. _______________ VII. Agency Contacts_____For questions about this announcement, contact: Craig Dicker, Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy, Ankara;
[email protected]; +90-312-457-7438 +90-312-457-7438 or Tom Mittnacht, Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy, Yerevan:
[email protected]; +374-10-49-4691 +374-10-49-4691 Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Embassy staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal review process has been completed.