Deadline: 9 March 2020
USAID/Kosovo seeks concept papers from eligible prospective Kosovo or U.S. organizations and from its implementing partners of ongoing projects to propose innovative and effective approaches that that will promote the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others, including through equal access to employment that is freely chosen in a labor market and work environment that is open, inclusive, and accessible to persons with disabilities and strengthen the capacity of local Disabled Persons Organizations – DPOs.
Theme
Employment and Economic Empowerment: Countries that can mobilize the economic contributions of all members of society – including persons with disabilities – are more likely to be successful in their Journey to Self-Reliance. However, in many countries persons with disabilities remain an untapped resource, as they continue to face societal barriers that inhibit their ability to participate fully as drivers of economic growth and innovation
Illustrative activities are included below, however other innovative ideas are welcome:
- Advancing workforce development so that persons with disabilities have the skills and training necessary to secure jobs, including by:
- Promoting access by persons with disabilities to apprenticeships, internships, and other proven skills development interventions, especially those that have previously been restricted by policy or practice to non-disabled job-seekers or that have not been available in the open labor market.
- Forging linkages with business and industry to ensure that training and skill development for persons with disabilities respond to actual business and industry needs and are provided by the private sector to the extent possible.
- Fostering entrepreneurship for persons with disabilities so that persons with disabilities have access to capital, markets, technical assistance, and networks on an equal basis with others, including by:
- Ensuring access by persons with disabilities to microfinance or microcredit programs, bank loans and other forms of financial credit, especially as an intervention to catalyze business start-up.
- Connecting persons with disabilities to mentors and networks that can promote job-related skills and access to information.
- Promoting enabling environments so that legal, regulatory, and cultural barriers that constrain persons with disabilities from being able to fully and freely participate in the economy are removed, mitigated, or avoided as applicable, including by:
- Reforming legislative, regulatory, and policy frameworks that promote segregated approaches to employment of persons with disabilities, fail to prohibit nondiscrimination and/or mandate reasonable accommodation, or that facilitate persons with disabilities being paid less than their non-disabled counterparts in comparable jobs.
- Promoting access to information so that employers understand their legal obligations with respect to prospective and current employees with disabilities, and how best to comply, as well as ensuring robust monitoring and enforcement by appropriate authorities.
- Reforming legislative, regulatory, and policy frameworks that hinder the ability of persons with disabilities to effectively exercise autonomy over their own financial affairs.
Funding Information
- Subject to the availability of funds, USAID/Kosovo may award one individual/or may add to existing programs grant / cooperative agreement in the range from $300,000 to $500,000 for small fund programs and from $500,000 – $1,000,000 for large fund programs per individual grant / cooperative agreement.
- The duration of the proposed program(s)/activity(ies) should be within 24-36 months.
- The anticipated start date for this activity is on or about July 31, 2020.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applications should be from qualified U.S. or Kosovo entities, such as private, non-profit organizations (or for-profit companies willing to forego profits), including private voluntary organizations, universities, research organizations, professional associations, and relevant special interest associations.
- Local DPOs are strongly encouraged to submit project concepts.
- Preference will be given to qualified DPOs and/or any of the above organization types that directly collaborate with and/or award sub-grants to DPOs while meeting the requirements for funding.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=324164