Deadline: 5-May-21
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for a Leader with Associate Award (LWA) cooperative agreement from qualified entities to implement the Civil Society and Media – Strengthened Together and Advancing in New Directions (CSM-STAND) program.
CSM-STAND programming aims to foster independent civic forces enhance civic engagement, and build vibrant, resilient, and self-reliant civil society and media sectors. USAID will accomplish this by strengthening civil society advocacy, monitoring and service delivery, and preserving the space for citizen voice and participation through a variety of modalities tailored to meet context-specific needs and opportunities. Further recognizing the rise of virtual and global threats, CSM-STAND will focus on context specific responses, including transnational or regional programs as necessary. These efforts will contribute to the overall strengthening of democratic civic culture in USAID partner countries.
The theory of approach for this activity is: IF civil society and independent media strengthening interventions are implemented and supported with state-of-the-art technical guidance and resources that take into account evolving trends, new lessons learned, and the latest programming innovations in the sector, AND these timely interventions are able to adapt based on shared cross-learning within this global civil society mechanism, THEN USAID will be able to employ more impactful, sustainable, and effective approaches to improve civil society capacity, elevate citizens’ voices, and promote self-reliance.
Objectives
The purpose of CSM-STAND is to identify and foster effective approaches to strengthen civic engagement and independent media and increase the use of these approaches by USAID Missions, civil society, and independent media actors in support of DRG-related and other development results. CSM-STAND will strengthen civil society and media’s capacities to represent citizen interests; hold governments and private sector actors accountable through advocacy, oversight, and outreach; prevent conflict; and promote resilience. To this end, CSMSTAND will advance overarching outcomes, including:
- Civil society and independent media capacity and sustainability expanded;
- Civil society and independent media legitimacy and recognized role in representing citizen concerns strengthened;
- Greater citizen and civic participation to advance democratic governance, accountability, and transparency;
- Civic space, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and access to information protected and expanded; and
- State-of-the-art learning, cutting-edge technical resources, and adaptable program options developed, disseminated, and utilized.
Funding Information
- USAID intends to award one (1) Leader with Associate Award (LWA) Cooperative Agreement pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity. Subject to funding availability and at the discretion of the Agency, USAID intends to provide up to $2,500,000 in total USAID funding over a five year period for the Leader Award. The ceiling for this program is up to $452,500,000 ($2,500,000 for the Leader Award and up to $450,000,000 for Associate Awards and buy-ins from USAID Missions, Bureaus, and other Operating Units).
- The anticipated period of performance is five (5) years.
Eligible Applicants
- Eligibility for this NOFO is not restricted.
- U.S. and non-U.S. non-governmental organizations are eligible to apply.
- USAID welcomes applications from organizations that have not previously received financial assistance from USAID.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=332421