South Sudan Integrated Youth Engagement Activity

Deadline: 28-Feb-22

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for a Cooperative Agreement from qualified entities to implement the South Sudan Integrated Youth Engagement Activity (IYEA).

Through the Integrated Youth Engagement Activity (IYEA), USAID/South Sudan seeks to support a program that builds the capacity of vulnerable youth and empowers them to lead healthy, engaged, and productive lives in their communities.  USAID intends to make one (1) award to the applicant who best meets the objectives of this funding opportunity based on the merit review criteria.

Objectives and Outcomes

• Skills: Access to functional literacy, numeracy, soft and life skills (including social emotional skills and wellbeing) programs for vulnerable and marginalized out-of-school youth increased
  • Expected Outcomes Results
    • Enhanced readiness of young people to engage in sustainable livelihood activities.
    • Youth trained apply literacy and numeracy skills in their daily activities.
    • Instructors and facilitators use improved methods/skills to deliver their training.
    • Youth suffering from significant adverse experiences or marginalized backgrounds practice socio emotional, coping, and problem-solving skills.
• Income: Entrepreneurial, employment and vocational opportunities for youth expanded.
  • Expected Outcomes Results
    • Improved youth access to market-driven products and services that can enhance their income opportunities or that of their households.
    • Trained youth apply their knowledge and skills to create small scale enterprises or cooperatives.
    • Private vocational training institutions provide demand-driven, relevant and employable Skills to Learners.
• Health: Foster behavior change among youth to make positive adolescent reproductive health choices and cultivate equitable gender norms.
  •  Expected Outcomes Results
    • Improved parenting and family communication skills for strengthened intra-family support.
    • Reduced adolescent pregnancies in targeted communities.
    • Increased female participation in household-level decision-making processes
• Youth Contributions: Improved social cohesion among youth and their communities by supporting safe spaces for productive and civic engagement activities.
  • Expected Outcomes/Results
    • Inter- and intra-community social bonding among youth strengthened.
    • Increased capacity for youth-responsive services.
    • Improved civic participation by young people in community development.
    • Increased use of safe spaces by youth to share and promote positive development values.
    • Improved safe public spaces for youth.

Funding Information

USAID intends to award one (1) Cooperative Agreement pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity. Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the Agency, USAID intends to provide no more than $43,500,000 in total USAID funding over a four (4) year period.

Geographic Focus

IYEA will be implemented in the five states and 13 counties of the USAID/South Sudan Strategic Framework in a phased approach, drawing upon continuous learning and ensuring the activity’s flexibility to adjust as needed. This may include adjustments in technical and/or geographic approach. Aligning with the Mission’s goals and the priorities of the GRSS Ministry of Youth, the Office of Vice President for Youth and the Gender Cluster18, USAID/South Sudan will support the recipient’s efforts in:

• Eastern Equatoria State: Kapoeta North and Budi Counties
• Jonglei: Akobo, Duk, Pibor, and Uror counties
• Unity: Leer, Mayendit, and Panyijar counties
• Upper Nile: Baliet and Ulang counties and
• Western Bahr-el Ghazal: Jur River and Wau counties

Specific locations within the 13 counties will be determined during the implementation stage especially during the inception phase. USAID and the Recipient will determine the counties designated as high priority, medium priority, and low priority and specific intervention locations will be based on the following considerations:

• Areas with high numbers of out of school children and youth;
• Conflict affected and hard to reach counties;
• Reported utilization and engagement of youth in criminal activities;
• Reported levels of idle and disengaged youth;
• Areas with highest rates of gender-based violence against youth;
• Areas with high rates of adolescent pregnancy
• Cattle rustling and revenge killings.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility for this NOFO is not restricted.

USAID welcomes applications from organizations that have not previously received financial assistance from USAID. Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for federal financial assistance on the same basis as any other organization and are subject to the protections and requirements of Federal law.

Successful applicants must have established financial management, monitoring and evaluation processes, internal control systems, and policies and procedures that comply with established U.S. Government standards, laws, and regulations. This means that the applicant must possess, or have the ability to obtain, the necessary management and technical competence to conduct the proposed activity. The applicant must agree to practice mutually agreed-upon methods of accountability for funds and other assets provided or funded by USAID.

In the absence of a positive risk assessment, an award can ordinarily not be made. However, in rare cases, an award can be made with “Specific Conditions” (e.g., additional non-standard award requirements designed to minimize the risk presented to USAID of making an award to an NGO for which a positive risk assessment cannot be made), but only where it appears likely that the applicant can correct the deficiency in a reasonable period.

For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=337536