Deadline: 30 June 2019
Applicants are invited to apply for the Strengthening Watershed and Irrigation Management (SWIM), USAID-funded program for Afghanistan implemented by AECOM that aims to support sustainable, agriculture-led economic growth by increasing the sustainable and productive use of water and strengthening water resource management.
The key objective of the SWIM grants program is to engage Afghan partners and build local capacity of DAILs, RBAs, DDAs, CDCs, Water user associations, Irrigation associations, forestry associations, Women Groups, Local Cooperative, and farmers in watershed management through the implementation of watershed restoration works, the prevention of watershed degradation, and canal maintenance.
Grant Information
- Subject to the availability of funds, SWIM anticipates awarding approximately up to AFN 159,375,000.00 in grants, through multiple awards.
- Each grant award will range from AFN 750,000.00 to AFN 11,250,000.00. Each grant will have a maximum period of performance of 12 months.
Illustrative Activities
- An inter-ministerial training program in participatory watershed management.
- Development of a methodology for managing natural resources management conflicts.
- Educating water users and local water managers about sustainable water harvesting.
- Engaging farmers upstream and downstream in the management of the watershed through establishing rotational grazing practices.
- Reforestation projects implementation in watershed areas undergoing rehabilitation.
- Ensuring farming practices, particularly on upper watershed farms, which limit the amount of soil loss and soil salinization. High sediment-producing farming practices will present problems for downstream landowners.
- Erosion control efforts, including, buffer strips. Softer measures include erosion control matting, silt fencing, or many others.
- Cleaning of sediment from canals, lining canals, installing improved turnouts (i.e., more efficient and less vulnerable to flooding), and improving weirs, drop gates and control mechanisms.
- Women’s garden irrigation systems.
- Climate change education
Eligibility Criteria
- SWIM will consider concept papers from registered non-U.S. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and for-profit organizations willing to forego profit. Organizations legally restricted from receiving U.S. Government funded assistance will not be considered. In addition, applicants should:
- Be legally recognized and registered in Afghanistan. Registration documents and statutes must be submitted.
- Not affiliated with a political party nor engaged in any political activities.
- Not focused solely on religious activities.
- Eligible organizations could include, for example, NGOs, civil society organizations, universities or indigenous organizations Afghan community organizations, women and youth groups/organizations and associations. To meet minimum eligibility criteria for grant competition, concept papers must:
- Support programs/activities consistent with and linked to expected results and objectives
- Support activities within the project’s target function areas (watershed rehabilitation and watershed management);
- Be submitted by registered Afghan organizations, (both for-profit and non-profit. Afghan organizations should be registered under Afghan Law. Unregistered organizations are not eligible for SWIM grant funding unless special circumstances warrant specific approval by USAID to that effect. Individuals are not eligible for grant funding, so any microenterprise that applies for grant funding must possess a national Tax Identification Number (TIN) and any requisite permits, licenses, and registrations required.
- The SWIM’s grants team will screen all concept papers to ensure compliance with all minimum eligibility requirements.
How to Apply
Interested applicants should submit the soft copy of any concept paper in PDF format, signed and stamped by the applicant via email at the address given on the website.
For more information, please visit http://www.acbar.org/rfq/7734.jsp