Deadline: 21-Aug-20
The Embassy of the United States in Tashkent has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to assist the Ministry of Finance of Uzbekistan in reinforcing recent progress in enhancing fiscal transparency and provide support to the government in improving the disclosure and transparency of public finance information consistent with international standards by regularizing the Ministry’s publication of budget information in a format that is easily accessible and understandable to the public.
Program Objectives
- Objective 1: Develop and disseminate future Citizens’ budgets, which are simplified versions of a budget document that use informal language and friendly formats to facilitate better understanding of the key budget elements to general audience. Citizens’ budgets are less technical and incorporate visual elements to help non-specialist readers understand information on the budget and basics of the budget process, budget execution, the draft budget, state programs, public hearings and other information.
- Objective 2: Increase public knowledge and understanding of Uzbekistan’s budget and budgetary process through public outreach.
- Objective 3: Support Uzbekistan in joining the International Budget Partnership by meeting the requirements for membership and ensure Uzbekistan’s participation in the Open Budget Survey. The Survey is the world’s only independent, comparative assessment of the three pillars of public budget accountability: transparency, oversight, and public participation.
- Objective 4: Increase the capacity of parliament members, civil society, mass media and others in the area of parliamentary and public oversight over the budget revenues and expenditures to manage the budget process in a transparent and accessible manner.
Expected Results
Expected Results include:
- Establish a new national budget format “citizens budget” that will allow untrained members of the public to understand how their tax money is being allocated.
- A successful public outreach campaign related to Uzbekistan’s budget and budgetary process through social media and television that reaches an estimated 10 million people.
- Uzbekistan joins the International Budget Partnership and participates in the Open Budget Survey.
Main Activities
To achieve these objectives, programs should include the following activities:
- Develop a Citizens Budget product that can be sustained by the Ministry of Finance.
- Support civil society and the general public’s participation in the budgetary process by conducting an awareness-raising campaign about the Citizens Budget and inviting input.
- Print, publish, and promote the Citizens Budget within civil society.
- Upgrade the “Open Budget” web portal and strengthen its functionality and reporting capabilities. Improve the website interface and other features to make it more user-friendly.
- Develop mobile versions of the “Open Budget” web portal to provide better access to budget information and to facilitate involvement of the public and civil society into the budgetary process.
- Support preparatory work to conduct an Open Budget Survey in Uzbekistan.
- Prepare Uzbekistan’s government representatives in joining the International Budget Partnership by helping them meet the requirements and sustain their membership.
Conduct capacity development activities for various targeted groups, including parliament members, civil society, mass media and others in the area of parliamentary and public oversight over the budget revenues and expenditures.
Funding Information
- Funding Amount: $ 375,000 US Dollars
- The period of performance will be approximately 24 months
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility is limited to U.S. Non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, and overseas-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=327927
