Request for Statements of Interest: Global Support for Women, Peace & Security Implementation by Women-led Civil Society

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About the Organization:

The Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI) has a mandate to promote the rights and empowerment of women and girls through U.S. foreign policy. Headed by an Ambassador-at-Large, the office leads the Department’s efforts to empower women and girls in U.S. diplomacy, partnerships, and programs.

Request for Statements of Interest: Global Support for Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Implementation by Women-led Civil Society

S/GWI announces a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) outlining concepts and capacity to manage a program that will (1) partner equitably with a range of local, women’s civil society organizations1 in no fewer than five countries in three regions to advance locally-designed Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) initiatives, and (2) provide limited, rapid-response WPS support globally. Both components should include optional organizational capacity-building to advance civil society organizations’ core growth and sustainability, as requested by local civil society organizations and approved by S/GWI. Some activities must support women from ethnic and religious minorities and other historically marginalized groups.

Eligible Applicants:

Organizations submitting SOIs must meet the following criteria:

• Be a U.S.- or foreign-based non-profit and non-governmental organization (NGO); or
• Be a private, public, or state institution of higher education; and
• Have existing, or the capacity to develop, active and equitable partnerships with in-country partners, entities, and relevant stakeholders, including NGOs and private sector actors; and
• Have demonstrable experience administering successful and preferably similar programs in size, scope, and focus. S/GWI reserves the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering federal awards. These applicants may be subject to limited funding on a pilot basis.

Public International Organizations (PIOs) are not eligible to apply as prime applicants under this RSOI, though they may partner on a proposal as a sub-awardee.

S/GWI maintains an anti-discrimination policy in all of its programs and activities. S/GWI welcomes SOI submissions irrespective of race, ethnicity, heritage, color, creed, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.

All prime organizations must also continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or application under consideration by a Federal award agency. Please note that a “pending renewal” registration status will not be considered “active.” SAM.gov requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM.gov. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements at the time of application, S/GWI may determine that the applicant is technically ineligible to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

Note: The process for obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration has changed. S/GWI encourages all organizations to begin the process of registering or renewing with SAM.gov as early as possible. The registration process may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks on average.

• If you are based in the United States or pay employees within the United States, prior to registering in SAM.gov you will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, and a UEI number from Dun and Bradstreet.
• If you are based outside of the United States and do not pay employees within the United States, you do not need an EIN from the IRS. Prior to registering in SAM.gov you will need a NATO CAGE (NCAGE) code and UEI number from Dun and Bradstreet.

RSOI Results Framework:

Theory of Change:

If a range of women’s civil society organizations have support for implementing and sustaining locally-designed WPS initiatives, along with rapid-response support to address unanticipated WPS opportunities and challenges11 as they arise, then they will be better able to further the WPS agenda.

Goal:

To grow and sustain the leadership of women’s civil society organizations in advancing women’s safety and meaningful participation in processes related to peace and security and decision-making institutions.

Objectives:

• Support to WPS Initiatives: Partner equitably with a range of local women’s civil society organizations in no fewer than five countries in at least three regions to advance locally-designed WPS initiatives. This will include support for participation in peace processes and other peace and security decision-making institutions as well as engagement on preventing and responding to gender-based violence.
• Rapid-Response Fund: Provide a limited (up to approx. $1 million), global rapid-response fund to ensure women leaders and women’s organizations can respond to unanticipated, high-impact opportunities and challenges as they arise to advance WPS-related priorities.

Both objectives should include optional organizational capacity-building to advance civil society organizations’ core growth and sustainability, when requested by those organizations and agreed to by S/GWI. For both objectives, activities must align with the Congressional directives associated with the funding. For both objectives, S/GWI plans to support and advance the interests of ethnic and religious minority women.

A program proposed under this RSOI must cover both of the above objectives, though it is not required to cover both objectives within a single country or world region.

Funding:

This cooperative agreement will be funded from money appropriated under the “Economic Support Fund” (ESF) heading in the Department of State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act, 2020 (Div. G, P.L. 116-94) (SFOAA). ESF is available for foreign assistance programs supporting economic or political stability.

At least $2,500,000 of the funding available under this RSOI is directed for work to support Women and Girls at Risk from Violent Extremism and Conflict, and at least $2,500,000 of the funding available under this RSOI is directed for work to address GBV. Activities must align with those earmarks

• Estimated Total Program Funding: $5,200,000
• Award Ceiling: $5,200,000
• Award Floor: $5,200,000

Deadline: 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST), February 12, 2021

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