Deadline: 3-Apr-23
The USAID Energy Secure Philippines (ESP) Activity is looking for a Partner that can develop, launch, and sustain innovative actions that strengthen and promote the role of women in energy resilience and security.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) 2022 Policy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment affirms that gender equity and equality and women’s empowerment are fundamental for the realization of human rights and key to effective and sustainable development outcomes. For societies to thrive, women and girls, men and boys, and gender diverse individuals must have equal and safe access to and control over resources such as education, health care, capital, technology, water and sanitation services, land, markets, and justice. They also must have equal rights and opportunities as business owners, citizens, peacebuilders, and leaders.
The Updated GEWE Plan contains strategic actions that:
- respond to the changing needs of women and girls because of the COVID-19 pandemic and align with the updated priorities of the PDP 2017-2022;
- move the country closer to the achievement of the PPGD’s long-term vision of gender equality and women’s empowerment;
- safeguard the gains that have been achieved towards inclusion, gender equality and women’s empowerment; and
- respond to the call to action by civil society and the development community in the Philippines for the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) to lead a whole-of government approach to mainstreaming gender equality and the rights of women and girls in recovery and resilience efforts.
Aims
- Specific to energy concerns, the Philippine GEWE Plan aims to
- improve access to available energy sources among rural households;
- reduce gap in the employment of women and men in the energy sector;
- provide safe and healthy work conditions for women in the sector; and
- improve representation of women as stakeholders and decision-makers in energy development.
Objectives
- To further leverage and harness the significant role of women in energy innovation, this call for applications aim to support grants that:
- Strengthen institutions, organizations, networks, or enterprises that promote competition in the energy market. Applicants are encouraged to work with women-based or women-led organizations with projects or initiatives in energy innovation that show potential of becoming viable in the near term. Start-ups and established small & medium enterprises are encouraged to apply. This objective puts focus on institutional strengthening geared towards demand aggregation, retail competition, and retail electricity supply;
- Scale-up and/or replicate energy efficiency and conservation initiatives. This objective would involve initiatives that relate to demand side management, energy efficient appliances or technology, green buildings/materials, and the like. Applications maybe in the form of actual projects, campaigns, or a combination of both. In any mode, measurements of efficiency gains will be expected. The role of women, both as energy consumer and efficiency advocate, need to be clearly presented.
- Integrate the productive use of energy with innovative financing and business modeling. Various experiences in renewable energy development have indicated that women, women formed groups, and women-led organizations are effective in starting up and sustaining enterprises that combine renewable energy and alternative financing. This objective will support renewable energy and financing initiatives in productive applications that include but are not limited to food production, education, water, services, and many others. Applicants are encouraged to start with existing projects or enterprises that show potential to scale up or integrate with a bigger value chain. Application geared to support women led initiatives in off-grid areas and marginalized sectors are highly encouraged.
- Mobilize information technology, social medial, and creatives to promote energy security and resilience. Social media, information technology, and creatives have proven to be effective means to deliver messages and influence behavior. This can be applied to promote RE and EE as well.
- Applicants are encouraged to propose activities, events, or campaigns that are innovative and that can create impact and high visibility. Applications may include elements of social / sectoral mobilization, online strategic influencing, performances, and publications. Systematic communication approaches are expected in this objective.
- Increase and strengthen the participation of women in mentoring, training, and education programs focused on renewable energy and/or energy efficiency. This objective will involve trainings, education fairs, production of online modules, and applied studies—all geared towards increasing the access of women to energy knowledge and skills. Applicants are expected to assess current opportunities for women and determine gaps or needs. From the assessment, feasible interventions that can address the gaps or needs will be identified, and will further guide the grant activities.
Funding Information
- In accordance with ADS 302 and ADS 303, the total value of any individual grant to a U.S. organization, if any, must not exceed $100,000. This limitation does not apply to grant awards to non-U.S. organizations.
Targets by the Numbers
- 500 MW of new additional electricity generating capacity
- $750 MILLION of private sector investments leveraged
- 3 Utility Improvement/Reliability Plans implemented
- 6 Advanced Energy Systems Frameworks developed and implemented
- 5 Local Energy Codes adopted by LGUs
- 5 Lgus Integrated under the EVOSS ACT.
Approaches
- An integrated implementation approach is being done to affect this Theory of Change. To help deliver the desired impact in its 5 years of activity life, USAID ESP is pursuing the following approaches:
- Scaling-Up Markets for Advanced Energy Systems,
- Fostering Inclusive Growth and Investment,
- Building Resilient Systems, and
- Empowering Consumer Choice.
Eligibility Criteria
- This grant prioritizes applications from women-led or women-based groups, organizations, or enterprises, and they can be start-ups or established entities. Partnerships and collaboration with more mature institutions and companies is highly encouraged. Applicants and their partners must have:
- Demonstrated experience working in women led initiatives, and experience in the energy sector will be advantageous.
- Sound technical approach, understanding of local context, and qualified proposed personnel.
- Demonstrated financial capacity or a functional financial system that can manage or accommodate a large USG grant
- Cost realistic budget
- All Energy Secure Philippines grant support may not be extended to the following:
- Organizations that are not legally registered
- Any entity that has been found to have misused USAID funds in the past (unless specifically approved by USAID contracting officer)
- Any entity that will have conflict of interest by participating in the call for grants
- Political parties, groupings, or institutions or their subsidiaries and affiliates
- Any entity whose name appears on the List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and Non-procurement Programs
- Any entity with a member that appears on the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Blocked Persons list
- Any entity with members directly or indirectly involved in money laundering, acts of terrorism, gambling, prostitution and child trafficking, drugs.
Ineligible
- All Energy Secure Philippines grant funds cannot be utilized for the following activities;
- Purchases of restricted goods, such as agricultural commodities, motor vehicles, pharmaceuticals, contraceptive products, pesticides, used equipment and fertilizers without the previous approval by the USAID Contracting Officer through RTI.
- Prohibited goods under USAID regulations, including but not limited to police or law enforcement equipment, abortion equipment and services, weather modification equipment, luxury goods, and gambling equipment.
- Purchases of goods or services restricted or prohibited under the prevailing USAID source/origin/ nationality and other regulations; or from countries or suppliers as may be identified by USAID’s consolidated list of debarred, suspended, or ineligible subcontractors. This includes prohibitions under Section 889 (a) (1) (b) which states specific telecommunications technology providers not allowed for US funding.
- Construction, infrastructure, renovation, and rehabilitation projects. Definition of
- “Construction” for purposes of this manual means: construction, alteration, or repair (including dredging and excavation) of buildings, structures, or other real property and includes, without
- limitation, improvements, renovation, alteration and refurbishment. The term includes, without limitation, roads, power plants, buildings, bridges, water treatment facilities, and vertical structures.
For more information, visit USAID.