Deadline: 14-Feb-24
The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a project to provide employability skills, practice, and job opportunities to at risk youth in Costa Rica.
Project Vision
- This funding will support U.S. government objectives under CARSI. The CARSI initiative is enhancing the capabilities of national law enforcement, border and customs, prosecutorial, judicial, and prison agencies across Central America. These improvements are strengthening partner governments’ ability to fight burgeoning narcotics- and arms-trafficking, gangs and associated street and organized crime, which threatens the security of governments in the region.
Project Goal(s) and Objectives
- The main purpose of this project is to train youth in employability skills and help them secure an internship at a company or business with the possibility of securing paid employment, allowing them to practice the skills they have learned. The target population will be youth from 18 to 35 in the province of Limon, province of Puntarenas, cantonment of San Jose, cantonment of Alajuela, cantonment of Liberia, cantonment of Garabito, cantonment of Heredia, cantonment of Sarapiqui, cantonment of Corredores, cantonment of Cartago, cantonment of Desamparados, cantonment of Alajuelita and cantonment of Nicoya. And in other eight locations that will be determined by the Ministry of Public Security.
- Objective 1: Identify the specific location to carry out the project, contact the municipality and identify possible businesses that are able to provide opportunities for an internship program.
- Activity 1: Identify the specific locations in the province or cantonments mentioned in this grant. This identification must be done with INL and the municipality. Based on the population density of the location, identify the number of students per each location. Minimum 100 people should be train per location.
- Activity 1.2.: Contact the municipality of each location and identify with them and INL, the specific location to do the project.
- Activity 1.3.: Explain to both the municipality/local government and the local businesses the program.
- Activity 2: Contact the local businesses and identify the ones that are willing to offer an internship program.
- Objective 2: Design of training programs for the trades needed by employers.
- Activity 2.1: Create an initial assessment of the registered organizations, private entities, educational institutions, and community stakeholders in local communities and then, create a support network of collaborators in this project.
- Activity 2.2: Create the curricula for the trades. These trades could include, but are not limited to: Customer Service, Good Manufacturing Practices, Warehouse Assistant, General Cleaning, Cleaning of Commercial Premises, General Hospitality Services, Agricultural Operator; Kitchen Assistant; Restaurant Server.
- Activity 2.3: Study the location and identify the trades that are in demand.
- Objective 3: Train individuals between 18 and 35 years old with limited education in a specific trade, soft skills, and personal finances for a minimum of four months.
- Activity 3.1: Registration: Publish the training registration in social media and other locations to ensure broad reach (could be on the municipality’s web page or social media pages)
- Activity 3.2: Training of at least four months in an employability skill (learning a trade) for people between 18 and 35 in each location.
- Activity 3.3: In parallel to learning a trade, training must be provided on soft skills, personal finances, and at the end of the four-month period, students must do an internship.
- Activity 3.4: Plan a graduation for the students and give them a participation certificate (preferably approved or certified by the Costa Rican National Learning Institute INA).
- Objective 4: Install capacity in local governments (municipalities) in the employability training/methodology.
- Activity 4.1.: Share best practices with local governments and train their personnel in the employability methodology and the how to reach out to potential employers for the internship.
- Activity 4.1.1.: Create a manual or tool kit for the municipalities with the process and best practices of the employability methodology and include also the best practice to reach out to potential employers.
- Activity 4.1.2.: Design a workshop for all municipalities involved and Fuerza Publica, to train them in the manual of best practices. Local businesses and other partners might join as well.
Funding Information
- Total available funding: $350,000.00
- Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $250,000.00 to a maximum of $350,000.00
- Length of performance period: 36 months
- Anticipated program start date: May 2024
- Number of awards anticipated: 1 award
Project Activities and Deliverables
- By the end of the three years of the project, the selected applicant is expected to:
- Have identified the specific locations to deliver the trainings within the province and cantonments mentioned in this NOFO.
- Have reached out to each municipality to explain the project, as well as identified the local businesses that will provide the internship opportunities to the students.
- Have identified the trades that they will teach to the students.
- Have trained at least 100 people per location.
- Have recruited the students (participants) including the principles of equality (please refer to page 10 of this NOFO). Proposal should include training to marginalized or excluded groups, at least 75% of the beneficiaries should be part of these groups (women, African descendant, LGTBQ+, migrants, indigenous communities, etc.). Grantee must develop statistic to track this information and include it in the quarterly reports.
Participants and Audiences
- The target population will be youth from 18 to 35 in the province of Limon, province of Puntarenas, the cantonment of San Jose, cantonment of Alajuela, cantonment of Liberia, cantonment of Garabito, cantonment of Heredia, cantonment of Sarapiqui, cantonment of Corredores, cantonment of Cartago, cantonment of Desamparados, cantonment of Alajuelita and cantonment of Nicoya. Another 8 locations are going to be determined by the Ministry of Public Security.
Priority Region/Country: Costa Rica
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs);
- Foreign-based non-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs);
- U.S.-based educational institutions;
- Foreign-based educational institutions
- Applicants must also meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply to this NOFO:
- Have experience working in Costa Rica;
- Have a local team that will develop the project;
- Trainings must be delivered in person;
- Have experience training in “trades”; and
- Have experience working with local municipalities and local businesses.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
