Deadline: 14-Aug-20
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs’ (OES) Office of Environment, Conservation, and Water announces the Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) for a program on international cooperation on shared waters. The agreement will use U.S. Fiscal Year 2019 Economic Support Funds.
A Cooperative Agreement for up to $950,000 U.S. Dollars (USD) in FY 2019 Economic Support Funds (ESF) awarded for a multi-donor partnership mechanism to support cooperation on shared waters that leverages U.S. diplomatic and financial support, promotes coordination between development partners on shared waters, and ensures the sustainability of the programs beyond the period of U.S. support. The program on international water cooperation will improve coordination and cooperation over shared waters in regions where water is, or may become, a source of conflict. The program’s goal is to build political will and advance cooperative processes on shared waters where the lack of political commitment/engagement is an impediment to cooperative action. Meeting this goal will increase shared prosperity and regional security. The initial period of performance will be for three years (36 months). Funding authority rests in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.
The program’s goal is to build cooperative relationships among stakeholders (including governments, regional organizations, media, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)) to create, enable, or reinforck cooperation and/or collaboration over shared waters, particularly in areas where political impediments limit cooperation. While the program should be global in its overarching approach, individual efforts to build cooperation may vary by region and occur through existing institutions, platforms, or organizations or through creating new formal or informal platforms for engagement. Meeting this goal should increase shared prosperity and regional security. Applicants are expected to build cooperative relationships in at least three transboundary or shared water areas. At least one shared water area must be in the Indo-Pacific region.
Objectives
The primary objective is to establish, enhance, or lay the groundwork for formal or informal inter-governmental dialogue, institutional arrangements, and/or technical processes for shared water management decision-making that are endorsed by key stakeholders and/or financially supported by governments. This objective must include:
- improved cooperative governance structures (i.e. river basin organizations or regional governmental cooperation) with sustained interaction between public governing bodies and a wide variety of stakeholders (e.g., non-governmental organizations, private sector, foundations, and academic institutions) that are inclusive, transparent, and equitable and/or
- interactive processes that support joint problem-solving, science-based decision-making, data sharing, negotiation, and conflict resolution and which sustainably distribute costs and benefits related to basin management and development, as agreed to by the stakeholders.
A secondary objective is improved coordination of diplomatic and development efforts around international cooperation on shared waters. This objective must include:
- mobilizing regional development partner (i.e. donors or multilateral institutions) capacities, interests, and support towards a coordinated, unified, inclusive, and effective long-term strategy for supporting transboundary water cooperation and/or
- reinforcing the benefits of cooperation through collaborative capacity-building activities, shared development projects, and/or mutually-beneficial investments that deliver tangible benefits.
Funding Information
One cooperative agreement will be awarded for the implementation of this project, pending availability of funds. Up to $950,000 in FY19 Economic Support Funds is available for this project. The beriod of performance will be 36 months. Funding authority rests in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. All award decisions are contingent upon the availability of funding. Additional funding may be available to continue or expand selected activities funded in this cycle. Eligible competitive proposals may be considered for support if additional funds are made available in FY 2020.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility is limited to U.S. Non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, or overseas-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations, U.S. or overseas private/state institutions of higher education, and public international organizations.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=328001