Open Grant Competition for Intercultural TechCamp for Climate Change in Morocco and Israel

Deadline: 10-Apr-23

The U.S. Embassy Morocco is pleased to announce an open grant competition to award a cooperative agreement to organize a regional Intercultural TechCamp for Climate Change.

The Embassy’s Public Affairs Office invites proposals from established Moroccan associations, committed, and organized climate-change-focused organizations, to implement an Intercultural TechCamp for Climate Change, an initiative designed to bring together young leaders from Morocco and Israel. TechCamp expertise and planning will be provided by the U.S. State Department, and they will carry out project management and content in Morocco and Israel working closely with all participants.

It is designed as a three-phase program to bring together young leaders from Morocco and Israel to:

• Connect on climate change challenges to broaden networks and partnerships to address intensifying environmental threats.
• Strengthen entrepreneurship skills to take effective action.
• Initiate an intercultural exchange around climate solutions.

Funding Information

• Award Amount: $80,000-$100,000 in Morocco
• Number of awards anticipated: 1 in Morocco and 1 in Israel.

Audience: Thirty emerging leaders, aged from 20-35 from Morocco and Israel, from diverse backgrounds. All participants must be proficient in written and spoken English and could include civil society leaders, education leaders, young entrepreneurs, social media influencers, youth network leaders, climate change advocates, students, and young professionals.

Timeline

• The TechCamp will be a hybrid format and designed in three stages so that the participants will benefit from continuous engagement throughout the program:
  • Phase 1: Virtual event to introduce participants and trainers, set common goals, begin team building and cross-cultural communication training – July 2023 (2-3 days).
  • Phase 2: In-person gathering in Morocco focused on “climate change 101” and project creation in September 2023 (6 days).
  • Phase 3: Follow on in-person gathering in Israel three months later allowing participants to further develop their projects on business plans/entrepreneurship/pitching skills – December 2023 (6 days).

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligibility for this NOFO is limited to not-for-profit Moroccan organizations, associations, think tanks, public or private institutions, or civil society organizations with expertise in environmental programming and climate change, a SAM.gov registration and a history of successful programming.
• The implementing partner should meet the specific criteria:
  • Professional capacity and record on previous grants: The implementing partner has expertise in environmental programming, specifically climate change, and has demonstrated its ability to implement the program, including having strong financial management and appropriate personnel. The implementing partner should have:
    • prior experience working with Israeli organizations or be willing to develop a partnership with an Israeli NGO to effectively accomplish the program goals around the global challenge of climate change.
    • knowledge of the media and a strong understanding of the media environment and the ability to influence publics.
  • Project design and preparation: The implementing partner will work, in collaboration with the State Department’s TechCamp team and the U.S. Embassy, on the project scope, main outcomes and outputs including training plans and participants’ projects.
  • Design of training: The Embassy will help the implementer to identify a facilitator in Morocco at the earliest stage of the cooperative agreement. Facilitator will work together with the Embassy and the TechCamp team, across countries, to design cross-cultural trainings and provide support to their respective teams, complementing the cross-cultural trainings with team building and leadership activities.
    •  The implementer will collaborate with U.S. Embassy Morocco in creating graphics and branding templates that will be provided by the U.S. Embassy Morocco.
    • The implementer will identify local photographer/videographer and work closely with Embassy Morocco and TechCamp team to identify subject-matter experts as needed.
  • Program delivery: The implementer will work with an Israeli implementer, as appropriate to organize regional and national events where teams will benefit from additional training and will pitch their projects.
    •  Work with Embassy Morocco to locate a local emcee/facilitator for the workshops.
    • Print hardcopy materials necessary for the workshop.
    • Provide onsite support during the six-day event, managing all logistics and collaborating with Embassy Morocco/Israel’s onsite team and the TechCamp team plus any staffers from respective Embassies.
  • Program participants: The implementer will select target (including under-represented, under-served, and at-risk) cities/regions/populations for recruitment and delivery of the training in coordination with the Public Affairs Section.
  • Logistical support: The implementer will make and should budget for all logistical arrangements to support the TechCamp event, including:
    • Secure and book an appropriate and properly equipped venue, based on specific requirements. Budget should include venue costs for TechCamp.
    • Fund and assist all participants and trainers to secure visas necessary to facilitate their travel to Israel and assist as necessary.
    • Arrange and book all air travel for participants and trainers, including international trainers, if needed. Budget should cover costs of travel for participants and trainers.
    • Arrange all lodging/transportation for all participants and trainers in coordination with international implementers. Budget should cover lodging and local transportation for participants and trainers.
    • Arrange meals for all participants and trainers, including international trainers. Budget should cover full board for participants and trainers.
    • Secure volunteers as needed.
    • Work with security as needed for participants.
    • Ability to disburse funds to individuals (i.e. honorarium to trainers/mentors, small grants for continued engagement).
  • Monitoring and evaluation: The implementer will develop a monitoring and evaluation plan in consultation with Embassy Morocco PAS, to measure the impact of the program on the beneficiaries. The implementer will be responsible for working closely with participants and for sending an update about the participants’ projects six months after the final pitch.
    • Create and keep an updated and detailed budget (using examples provided by U.S. Embassy Morocco) sharing as needed with respective Embassies.
    •  Implementer will provide an interim and final report (Narrative and Financial).
  • Sustainability: The implementer will develop a sustainability plan maintaining close contact with participants and provide mentorship to the beneficiaries, connect them with other project-specific mentors, and include them in future events.
  • Follow on: Support follow-on activities by engaging with respective Embassies and participants following each program phase.
    • During the workshops, participants will be divided into smaller teams, and they will be required to provide a final report.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.