Deadline: 20 May 2020
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for cooperative agreements and grants from qualified entities to implement the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program.
ASHA contributes to United States foreign policy interests by funding institutions that foster a positive image of the United States around the world. ASHA’s mandate, which is distinct from other development programs within USAID, is to focus on public diplomacy and fostering American values, ideas and practices.
ASHA’s program is a critical component of the U.S. Government’s public diplomacy efforts, which aim to further U.S. foreign policy goals and objectives, advance national interests, and enhance national security by informing and influencing foreign publics and by expanding and strengthening the relationship between the people and Government of the United States and citizens of the rest of the world.
ASHA provides assistance to overseas schools, libraries, hospital centers, and centers of excellence to highlight American ideas and practices, to provide concrete illustrations of the generosity of the American people, to further U.S. Government public diplomacy, and to catalyze collaboration between U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries.
ASHA funds grants and cooperative agreements to existing partnerships between organizations founded or sponsored by United States citizens (“U.S. Organizations,” or “USOs”) and civil society institutions overseas (“Overseas Institutions,” or “OSIs”). These partnerships enable OSIs to benefit from the expertise and experience of USOs while ensuring projects are locally owned and sustained. These partnerships also help mitigate investment and construction risk and allow for all parties to leverage investments to maximize the potential benefits of a project.
Strategic Vision
ASHA’s Strategic Vision FY 2019-FY2023 addresses the following:
- Aligns with two components of the vision outlined in the U.S. State Department–USAID Joint Strategic Plan (2018-2022):
- (Goal 3.3): Increase partnerships with the private sector and civil society organizations to mobilize support and resources and shape foreign public opinion
- (Goal 2.2): Promote healthy, educated and productive populations in partner countries to drive inclusive and sustainable development, open new markets and support U.S. prosperity and security objectives.
- Emphasizes public diplomacy and mutual understanding using a more targeted approach of awareness, attitude shift, and/or action.
- Aligns with cross-cutting Agency priorities of Gender Equity and Inclusion; Science, Technology, Innovation and Partnerships; supporting The Journey to Self-Reliance; and Private Sector Engagement.
Funding Information
Award Ceiling: $2,000,000
Duration
- ASHA expects to fund selected applications and make awards in calendar year 2020 (as soon as funds become available). Awards for applications that include only durable commodities have a 8 period of performance of two years from the date of award.
- Awards for applications that include construction or renovation have a period of performance of four years from the date of award.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Eligibility for this RFA is restricted to any U.S. not-for-profit non-governmental entity (e.g. “NGOs,” foundations, and similar). ASHA will not accept applications from individuals or foreign entities.
- Each application must identify whether it is an applicant whose work is primarily focused on the Middle East. For purposes of this RFA, the Middle East includes the following countries and territories: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, West Bank & Gaza, Israel and Yemen. Applicants that incorrectly self-identify will not receive consideration for funding under this RFA. To be eligible for the Middle East set aside, applicants must also have ten or more years of experience in the Middle East region, and have had the same local partner for at least the past ten years.
- Each application must clearly identify only one USO (the applicant) and only one OSI partner (the applicant’s sub-awardee). An application cannot include more than one USO, or more than one OSI. An application identifying multiple USOs, or multiple OSIs will be deemed ineligible.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=325580