Deadline: 13-Mar-23
The United States African Development Foundation (USADF), an independent agency of the United States Government, is seeking applications from organisations that have the expertise and experience to provide technical assistance and support to grassroots groups who are seeking or are recipients of funding from USADF.
The prospective Partner organisation will be based in Windhoek. USADF has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade (MIT) in Namibia to promote the development of farmer cooperatives, producer associations, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and increase their competitiveness in national, regional, and international markets.
USADF’s Country Program office in Windhoek provides on-going support to projects that have been financed and continues to develop new projects in a participatory manner with local small and medium-sized enterprises that show potential to create employment opportunities, generate incomes, and have broad social impact beyond the project activity.
Funding criteria for USADF’s projects emphasize the following principles:
- community participation and ownership;
- significant economic and social impact on low-income communities; and
- impact commensurate with the level of investment, sustainability, and potential for replication of the activity.
Objectives
- Build self-supporting, sustainable local community development agencies that provide technical assistance and support to grassroots groups.
- Establish strategic linkages with national and local governments, other donor agencies, and the local private sector to support sustainable grassroots development.
- Encourage the utilization of participatory development “best practices.”
What they do
- USADF supports micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs, farmers’ cooperatives, associations, and community-based organizations, especially those reaching underserved rural communities, engaged in economic and social development activities.
- The Foundation is reestablishing a funding program in Namibia in 2023 working with the Namibian Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).
Eligibility Criteria
- Through this RFA, USADF seeks applications from not-for-profit organisations and for-profit firms that are willing to forego profits that would be interested in partnering with USADF to strengthen their own capacity and have the core competency and experience needed to assist small enterprises and community-based economic interest groups in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of community-based enterprise development and expansion projects. Applicant organisations must have experience providing technical assistance, training, organisational management skills, marketing analysis, and production and planning to indigenous community groups and businesses to ensure that their economic activities are financially sustainable, benefit low-income communities, and meet performance targets.
- USADF will award a one-year cooperative agreement grant, which may be renewable for up to five years of service depending on performance during the initial year and each subsequent year of the cooperative agreement. USADF does not award profit under assistance instruments. However, all reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, which are related to the cooperative agreement program and are in accordance with United States Government regulations may be paid under the cooperative agreement.
- Core experiences/competencies required to serve as USADF Partner in Namibia: Applicants must have experience providing technical assistance and training, and possess strong skills in organizational and financial management, business development, marketing analysis, monitoring and evaluation, and production and planning. It is imperative that applicants for the position are familiar with participatory development methods and have the ability to work with grassroots groups to help them develop and implement their own business strategies.
- The prospective Partner organization will either be based in Windhoek, or if based elsewhere will have an office in Windhoek. The authority for this RFA is found in the African Development Foundation Act. USADF partners with host country entities to ensure that the Foundation’s Grant Applicants and Grantees have access to the support services they may need to successfully plan and implement their self-help economic development activities.
- USADF established the Community Development Institutions Program in support of a public purpose rather than the acquisition by USADF of services from an organization. Accordingly, USADF has determined that an assistance instrument (a cooperative agreement in this case), rather than a contractual instrument, is the most appropriate mechanism for the implementation of this Program. An assistance instrument is used when the principal purpose of the relationship between USADF and the other party or parties is the transfer of funds, services, or anything of value to the Grantee in order to accomplish a public purpose, through support or stimulation of the Grantee’s own program or project.
- USADF anticipates awarding one renewable 12-month cooperative agreement for a total possible length of five years. The cooperative agreement will be awarded in Namibian Dollars. USADF reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications it receives in response to this RFA. Please refer to the Program Description for a complete statement of goals and expected results.
For more information, visit USADF.
