Deadline: 14-Aug-23
The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) announces an open competition for the Integration of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ukraine.
Russia’s unprovoked aggression since 2014 has forced millions of people in Ukraine to leave their homes and find shelter in other parts of the country, becoming IDPs. The number of IDPs rose exponentially after Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. As of May 2023, more than 5 million people are considered IDPs in Ukraine, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). CSO’s programming support to IDPs since 2020 has focused on local conflict resolution between IDPs and their host communities, integrating the perspectives of IDPs into local government planning, and developing the advocacy and leadership skills of IDPs, particularly youth and women.
The goal of this program is to support IDPs while guiding capable and responsive support structures in Ukraine that can increase IDP resilience and support Ukraine’s national recovery. This program will support IDPs with integrating into their host communities through building government capacity, increasing engagement and conflict resolution skills between IDPs and their hosts, and training media to decrease bias. Furthermore, the program will support emerging leaders among both IDPs and their host communities and align with Ukraine’s national recovery efforts.
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $3,950,617
- Award Floor: $3,900,000.
- The period of performance is 12 months with an anticipated start date of September 2023.
Program Activities
- This program will be implemented over a 12-month period. Below are illustrative objectives and corresponding activities.
- Note: CSO would like to benefit from the applicant’s knowledge, experience, and creativity in determining how to meet the goal
- Initial Phase: Applicants must provide a plan for how they will conduct an initial analysis to guide new interventions under this program to support IDPs based on evidence appropriate to the post February 2022 context.
- Note: Applicants should have sufficient experience working in Ukraine to begin some program activities at or near program launch.
- Activities during the Initial Phase could include but are not limited to:
- An inclusive baseline assessment for monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) that identifies gaps and opportunities in the current response and in Ukraine’s national recovery.
- Roundtables and/or focus groups with IDPs, host community members, government, and civil society on current and expected needs for IDPs.
- A mapping exercise of relevant government, non-government, and international stakeholders.
- Objective 1: Engage planning processes so that Government of Ukraine – at all levels – provides resources to integrate IDPs with their host communities and to prevent exploitation, including human trafficking.
- Activities under Objective 1 could include but are not limited to:
- Conducting workshops that connect IDPs to integration and counterexploitation resources.
- Facilitating capacity building for Ukraine’s policymakers, at local and national levels, to incorporate and advance IDP reintegration into their host communities or in returns to their original communities as applicable.
- Convening groups that incorporate government, non-government, IDP and host community members for developing and monitoring local integration plans.
- Supporting initiatives that build the capacity of the Government of Ukraine – at all levels – to support, for example, target groups facing intersectional on the bases of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability.
- Activities under Objective 1 could include but are not limited to:
- Objective 2: Support IDPs and host communities achieve and sustain integration, by incorporating IDP and host community input and – where appropriate – prioritizing conflict resolution and mitigation goals.
- Activities under Objective 2 could include but are not limited to:
- Workshops that develop conflict resolution skills among IDPs and host communities at the local level.
- Small grants that address gaps and opportunities identified in objective 1.
- Activities that build social cohesion and provide mental health/psychosocial support for IDPs and host community members.
- Training of trainers and leadership development programs for IDPs and host community members who have demonstrated experience in conflict resolution, particularly since the beginning of Russia’s invasion in 2014.
- Information campaigns to mobilize public opinion in favor of support for IDPs and host communities and to inform IDPs of their rights.
- Support to entrepreneurial ventures that incorporate IDPs with their host communities and provide benefits to IDPs and host communities.
- Interventions that build understanding of IDPs facing intersectional challenges on the basis gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disability.
- Activities under Objective 2 could include but are not limited to:
Geographic Regions/Populations
- Geographic Focus – The program must be implemented in Ukraine, specifically government-held areas. CSO and the implementer will determine target geographic areas in coordination with other U.S. government agencies and partners, including humanitarian organizations providing similar assistance to support and reintegrate IDPs. Areas may be changed in consultation with the Grants Officer based on conditions in-country.
- Target groups – Beneficiaries should include both IDPs and host community members who are adults and children; the implementer should determine the appropriate minimum age, consistent with do no harm principles and parental consent. Beneficiaries’ diversity should be representative of the IDP population displaced by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, and their host communities. Special considerations should be made to ensure women and girls meaningfully participate in program activities. Implementers should take into consideration potential language barriers and means to mitigate them.
Eligibility Criteria
- CSO welcomes applications from U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or education institutions having a 501(c) (3) status with the IRS; commercial entities; for profit organizations; overseas non-governmental organizations; Foreign Public Entities and Public International Organizations (PIOs).
- Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.