Deadline: 10-Jun-21
The U.S. Embassy Niamey announces this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the 2021 Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund (FTIF): Improving Fiscal Transparency in Mining and State-Owned Enterprises of Niger for Citizen Revenue and Services.
Program Objectives
- Objective 1: Niger’s citizens gain more benefits from the growth in revenues from the extractive industries
- Objective 2: Niger’s citizens gain more benefits through tax revenue and direct services from improved SOEs financial management.
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $280,000
- Award Floor: $100,000
- Period of Performance: 12 Months
Main Activities
To achieve the goals and expected results, the program could include the following:
- TV and radio programing in French and local languages to inform citizens on the budget process, financial management, and consequences of a lack of fiscal transparency in extractive industries. Events could include regional analysis/comparison between the planed budget, executed budget and the regional or communal development plan. It will provide a basis for public reaction on important points missed and recommendations for improvements.
- TV and radio programing in French and local languages to inform citizens of the governance and operation of SOEs relevant to daily life, including direct engagement with government and SOE representatives.
- Distribution of educative information on budget, extractive industries and SOEs management issues through an information guide and interactive website
- Collaborating with budget experts to train National Assembly members, journalists and CSOs to scrutinize budget documentations and SOEs information.
- Establishing or revitalizing of local community groups to advocate for the realization or improvement of proposed public services.
- Establishing or revitalizing of local community groups in mining regions to follow up with the regular allocations and efficient use of the 15 percent mining royalties.
- Advocacy by CSOs for the publication of comprehensive, timely, and accurate data on the practices of SOEs through engagement with elected government representatives, SOE representatives, and media.
Expected Results
Specific results could include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Increased fiscal literacy among citizens who are educated on their rights as taxpayers to receive public services and extractives industries revenues.
- Enhanced capacity of civil society organizations and National Assembly members to perform detailed budget analysis and hold government institutions accountable.
- Improved tax collection from extractives industries revenue and compliance with applicable laws and procedures for awarding contracts and licenses for natural resource extraction.
- The governance and financial management of SOEs strengthened to offer better services and reduce opportunity for corruption and mismanagement.
Priority Region: All regions of Niger
Eligibility Criteria
The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- International and local non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or consortiums of NGOs
- Technically eligible submissions are those which:
- arrive electronically to www.Grants.gov by the designated deadline;
- have heeded all instructions contained in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), including registrations and length and completeness of submission; and
- do not violate any of the guidelines stated in the solicitation and this document. For-profit and commercial firms are not eligible to apply in response to this NOFO.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=332665