NGO Programs benefiting Refugees in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey

Deadline: 5-Jan-24

The Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration is seeking concept notes for NGO programs benefiting Refugees in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkiye.

Program Areas

• Proposed program concept notes must align with one or more of the following program areas.
  • Humanitarian Protection and Assistance
  • Interim and Durable Solutions

Country-specific Guidelines

• Iraq Country-Specific Guidance
  • For programs in Iraq, PRM will accept no more than two (2) concept notes per applicant. If an applicant intends to submit more than one application, each application must reach a different target population of concern as described in the bullets below Concept notes for any of these target populations are equally welcome and PRM does not place priority on one target population over another.
  • For projects focusing on Iraqi IDPs/returnees, Iraqi IDPs and returnees must collectively make up at least 50 percent of total program participants. Of that 50 percent, projects must not focus solely on returnees.
  • For projects focusing on assisting refugees/asylum seekers, refugees and asylum seekers must make up more than 50 percent of total program participants.
  • For projects focusing on both Iraqi IDPs/returnees and refugees/asylum seekers, refugees/asylum seekers and Iraqi IDPs/returnees must collectively make up more than 50 percent total program participants.
  • PRM will consider projects in all settings [inside or outside camps or informal settlements, in communities or urban areas, and/or in areas of return] and regions of the country.
  • NGO projects should seek to fill gaps and should not duplicate existing activities or programming conducted by international organizations or other NGOs. PRM welcomes concept notes from eligible local organizations and concept notes that include partnerships with local organizations.
  • PRM encourages consortia concept notes (for all sectors listed below) that would operate in multiple locations and across multiple sectors, provided such work supports an integrated program approach.
  • Iraq Sectors
    • Sectors for Projects Focusing on Iraqi IDPs/Returnees and for Projects Focusing on Both Iraqi IDPs/Returnees and Refugees/Asylum Seekers/Stateless Persons:
      • Protection
        • Protection: Child Protection
        • Protection: Gender Based Violence (GBV)
      • Protection: Legal
      • Protection: Socio-cultural Inclusion and Social Cohesion (Note: Socio-cultural Inclusion and Social Cohesion programming can be integrated in concept notes, but PRM will not accept concept notes that solely focus on Socio-cultural Inclusion and Social Cohesion programming for IDPs and returnees)
      • Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
      • Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment
    • Sectors for Projects Focusing on Refugees/Asylum Seekers:
      • Protection
        • Protection: Child Protection
        • Protection: Gender Based Violence (GBV)
        • Protection: Legal
        • Protection: Socio-cultural Inclusion and Social Cohesion
      • Health
      • Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
      • Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment
      • Shelter
  • Funding limits
    • Proposed program concept notes must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.
      • Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $1,500,000 per year
      • Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $4,000,000 per year
    • Note: Funding ceilings and floors pertain to the PRM cost per year.
  • Duration of Activity
    • Program plans for 12-24 months will be considered. (24 months is preferred.)
  • Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development
    • PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to select as many as 10 concept note submissions to be developed into full proposals through this announcement.
  • Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total
    • Pending funding availability, PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to award up to approximately $15,000,000 total through the directed NOFO for this country.
• Jordan Country-Specific Guidance
  • PRM will accept no more than one (1) concept note per applicant, although an applicant can submit more than one concept note if part of a consortium. Please note, however, that PRM is not likely to select projects from the same applicant for multiple awards or select an additional project from an applicant that currently has a PRM-funded multi-year project that will continue into the next fiscal year.
  • PRM will consider projects outside camps, in communities or urban areas.
  • As the primary population of concern for this notice of funding opportunity, refugees [and/or stateless persons] must constitute at least 50 percent of the program participants for each objective of the program, and the majority of the refugee population should be Syrian refugees. However, PRM may also consider programs in Jordan that target a majority of non-Syrian refugees [/stateless persons] if there is strong evidence to suggest that the needs of an underserved refugee[/stateless] population continue to be largely unmet.
  • NGOs should not seek to begin new activities that cannot be sustained absent future U.S. funding. PRM encourages concept notes that include partnerships with local organizations.
  • NGOs should be prepared to provide a strong sustainability plan, including local capacity building and an exit strategy, which will be required if the applicant is invited to submit a full proposal.
  • PRM welcomes programs that operate in multiple locations and across multiple sectors, provided such work supports an integrated program approach. PRM encourages community-based programming with multisectoral elements.
  • In line with the NGO Guidelines, the provision of cash & voucher assistance, capacity strengthening, and non-food items will be considered if integrated in a program focused on one or more of the below sectors.
  • PRM will prioritize education programming that addresses key educational gaps disproportionately affecting refugees and that demonstrate a clear linkage with the child protection response and national education policy priorities.
  • PRM’s health care focus in Jordan is on health services not already covered by existing programs and/or provided by the public healthcare system. PRM can also support projects that help refugees access health services that are already established.
  • In the livelihoods sector, PRM will prioritize sustainable, impact-driven, market-based projects that seek to measurably improve the economic well-being of program participants.
  • Jordan Sectors
    • Protection
      • Protection: Child Protection
      • Protection: Gender Based Violence (GBV)
      • Protection: Legal
    • Health
    • Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
    • Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment
    • Shelter
  • Funding Limits
    • Proposed program concept notes must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.
      • Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $750,000 per year
      • Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $3,000,000 per year
      • Funding floor per year for a consortium (lowest $ value): $1,000,000 per year
      • Funding ceiling per year for a consortium (highest $ value): $4,000,000 per year
    • Note: Funding ceilings and floors pertain to the PRM cost per year.
  • Duration of Activity
    • Program plans for one, two, or three years will be considered (two-year programs are preferred but PRM may consider three-year programs for well-established organizations with a track record of program success and a concrete sustainability plan).
  • Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development
    • PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, selecting as many as eight concept notes to be developed into full proposals through this announcement. PRM further anticipates selecting up to five proposals to be awarded.
  • Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total
    • Pending funding availability, PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, awarding up to approximately $12 million (first year only if multi-year proposals approved) through the directed NOFO for Jordan.
• Lebanon Country-Specific Guidance
  • PRM will accept no more than one (1) concept note per applicant.
  • As the primary population of concern for this notice of funding opportunity, refugees must constitute at least 50 percent of the program participants for each objective of the program, and the majority of the refugee population must be Syrian refugees. PRM highly encourages programs that identify and include the most vulnerable refugee populations from all nationalities within their programs, in line with the “one refugee approach,” outlined in the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP). PRM also welcomes the inclusion of stateless populations.
  • NGO concept notes seeking to assist Syrian refugees should be in line with activities in the latest Lebanon country chapter of the 3RP and closely coordinated with any other appeals for humanitarian assistance in Lebanon. PRM encourages concept notes that have been developed in consultation with local communities and leverage meaningful partnerships with local organizations.
  • PRM welcomes programs that operate in multiple locations and across multiple sectors, provided such work supports an integrated program approach. PRM encourages community-based programming with multisectoral elements, including protection, shelter, and WASH components.
  • Projects in all sectors should adhere to the relevant Working Group’s guidance and Standard Operating Procedures.
  • In line with the NGO Guidelines, the provision of cash and voucher assistance, capacity strengthening, and non-food items will be considered if integrated in a program focused on one or more of the below sectors.
  • In the education sector, PRM prioritizes support to help children prepare for, enter, participate, and succeed in formal education and to assist youth who may be unlikely to participate in formal education to obtain the necessary skills to transition to adulthood. Proposed activities should align with national education plans and priorities and sector guidelines, such as nonformal education and retention support, and cash for both non-formal and formal education programming.
  • In the health sector, PRM prioritizes support provided through existing health care institutions, including primary healthcare centers (PHCCs) through a comprehensive package of care.
  • For WASH activities, PRM will only consider emergency WASH activities that cover critical gaps during periods of transition and are well-integrated in programs addressing multisectoral communal needs, such as shelter, waste management, and service provision.
  • In the shelter sector, PRM prioritizes community-based and multi-sectoral interventions, including through cash for rent, shelter rehabilitation, and communal improvement activities.
  • For livelihoods activities, capacity building and vocational training must be market-based and linked to income generating activities, including through home-based business or micro small medium enterprise support. Proposed activities must demonstrate strong linkages to the protection sector and partners and amplify the impact of any support provided through protection sector organizations.
  • Lebanon Sectors
    • Protection
      • Protection: Child Protection
      • Protection: Gender Based Violence (GBV)
      • Protection: Legal
    • Education
    • Health
    • Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
    • Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
    • Shelter
    • Livelihoods
  • Funding Limits
    • Proposed program concept notes must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.
      • Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $500,000 per year
      • Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $3,000,000 per year
      • Funding floor per year for a consortium (lowest $ value): $1,000,000 per year
      • Funding ceiling per year for a consortium (highest $ value): $4,000,000 per year
    • Note: For purposes of consortia applying for PRM funding in Lebanon, and to support localization, PRM requires at least one of the three partners to be local/national NGOs.
  • Duration of Activity
    • Program plans for one or two years will be considered (two-year programs preferred).
  • Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development
    • PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, selecting as many as ten (10) concept note submissions to be developed into full proposals through this announcement. PRM further anticipates selecting up to eight (8) proposals to be awarded.
  • Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total
    • Pending funding availability, PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, awarding up to approximately $19 million (first year only if multi-year proposals approved) total through the directed NOFO for Lebanon.
• Turkiye Country-Specific Guidance
  • PRM will accept no more than one (1) concept note per applicant, although an applicant can submit more than one concept note if part of a consortium. Please note however that PRM will likely not select the same applicant for multiple awards if part of both a consortium and its own award application. If the applicant has an ongoing project with PRM Turkiye that continues into the next fiscal year, the likelihood of PRM selecting the NGO for additional project is unlikely.
  • PRM welcomes submissions that support all refugee, asylum-seeking, and stateless populations in Turkiye, including Syrians and non-Syrians, as part of the 50 percent target population base.
  • In line with the NGO Guidelines, provision of cash & voucher assistance, capacity strengthening, and non-food items will be considered if integrated in a program that includes one or more of the below sectors.
  • For livelihoods programs, priority will be given to activities that link training to sustainable, income-generating employment opportunities, including job placements and sustainability of businesses. As with all proposed programming, livelihoods activities should fill critical gaps or needs currently not covered by other donors or local or national actors, such as NGOs, UN agencies, or development actors.
  • PRM’s health care focus in Turkiye is on health services not covered by existing programs funded by other donors and/or provided by the Ministry of Health, as well as programs targeting persons with disabilities. PRM does support, however, projects that help support refugees’ access to health services that are already established.
  • PRM encourages projects targeted at the education sector, particularly youth in secondary or vocational school, at-risk of dropping out, with special needs, or in higher education, provided they fill critical gaps or needs not covered by other NGOs, UN partners, and other development actors. Such programs should ensure coordination with and address how such efforts complement and support national or local efforts by the Ministry of National Education and other partners like UNICEF.
  • It is increasingly important to ensure visibility for U.S. government funding whenever possible in Turkiye. Events, community centers/infrastructures, and/or projects supported with PRM funding should give visibility to U.S. government support.
  • Localization: Given the high capacity and experience of local and national organizations in Turkiye, and as part of PRM’s commitment to a localization agenda, PRM will carefully review applications that international NGOs have developed with and are implementing through local partners, to better appreciate the added value of international staff and INGO costs.
  • Turkiye Sectors
    • Protection
      • Protection: Legal
      • Protection: Child Protection
      • Protection: GBV
      • Protection: Socio-cultural Inclusion and Social Cohesion
    • Education
    • Health
    • Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
    • Economic Empowerment
      • Economic Empowerment: Livelihoods
      • Economic Empowerment: Agriculture and Food Security
    • Shelter
    • Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
  • Funding limits
    • Proposed program concept notes must not be less than the funding floor and not more than the funding ceiling per year or they will be disqualified.
      • Funding floor per year (lowest $ value): $1,000,000 per year
      • Funding ceiling per year (highest $ value): $3,000,000 per year
    • Note: Funding ceilings and floors pertain to the PRM cost per year.
  • Duration of Activity
    • Program plans for 12, 24, or 36 months will be considered (24 months preferred but PRM may consider 36 months for well-established organizations with a track record of program success and a concrete sustainability plan).
  • Anticipated Number of Selections for Full Proposal Development
    • PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to select as many as 10 submissions to be developed into full proposals through this announcement.
  • Anticipated Amount to be Awarded Total
    • Pending funding availability, PRM anticipates, but cannot guarantee, to award up to approximately [$10 million] total through the directed NOFO for this country.

Geographic Regions/Populations

• Concept note activities should primarily support all refugee, asylum-seeking, stateless, and displaced populations in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkiye. Because of PRM’s mandate to provide protection, assistance, and sustainable solutions for refugees, stateless persons, and victims of conflict, concept note proposals should only contain those programs that include a target participant base of at least 50 percent refugees for each objective of the program.

Eligibility Criteria

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education (U.S.-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of non-profit tax status).
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education (overseas-based NGOs must be able to demonstrate proof of registration in country of domicile); and
• International Organizations. International multilateral organizations, such as United Nations agencies, should not submit concept notes through Grants.gov in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Multilateral organizations that are seeking funding for programs relevant to this announcement should contact the PRM Program Officer on or before the closing date of this announcement.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.