Iraqi Women s Democracy Initiative

The summary for the Iraqi Women s Democracy Initiative grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Other Agency, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Iraqi Women s Democracy Initiative: DEPARTMENT OF STATE Public Notice Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor with the Office of the Senior Coordinator for International Women?s Issues: Request for Grant Applications: Iraqi Women?s Democracy Initiative SUMMARY The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) with the Office of the Senior Coordinator for International Women?s Issues (G/IWI) announce an open competition for assistance awards. Organizations may submit applications that focus on the immediate promotion of women?s full political and economic participation in Iraq. We are particularly interested in proposals that focus on the current political transition in Iraq, including legal and constitutional advocacy and participation in local, regional, and national elections. Applicants are also encouraged to demonstrate how their proposed projects would address needs not covered by other existing or planned programs in Iraq. Up to $10,000,000 may be available under the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund (IRRF) for projects that address our objectives as rapidly and effectively as possible, under the specific area headings outlined below. We anticipate awarding between 5 - 15 grants in amounts of $500,000 - $2,000,000. However, applicants may suggest whatever scope of work best meets their relevant capabilities, or indicate a range of possibilities. Applicants are also encouraged to identify suggested partners, particularly inside Iraq, for specific segments of their suggested work plan. SPECIFIC AREAS AND OBJECTIVES All projects must focus directly on Iraqi women?s political and/or economic participation, as promoted under one or more of the following specific areas. At the same time, applications should consider how to ensure the greatest possible degree of support by Iraqis generally for these objectives. ? Leadership Training: identifying, recruiting and preparing women as voters, candidates, government officials, and advocates, ? Entrepreneurship Training: educating women to run businesses and other organizations., ? Media Training: preparing women as journalists and professionals working in radio, television and print media, ? Coalition-building: increase coordination and cooperation among Iraqi women, women?s groups and their supporters, ? Advocacy: of women?s involvement in legal, constitutional, electoral, governance, political, judicial, economic and related institutions and processes, and ? Democracy Education and Awareness programs: for both women and men, at the leadership and also at the grass-roots levels, to facilitate the above. Itemized objectives and supporting programs under these broad area headings may include: 1. Identifying, recruiting, training, and enhancing the participation of Iraqi women leaders. Support programs that will trainwomen and develop concrete projects enabling them to be more effectively and fully involved in the political, economic, and decision-making processes at all levels, focusing on increasing their political, leadership, managerial and entrepreneurial skills, practical experience, and successful results. 2. Support for developing a national coalition of Iraqi women?s groups, empowering women through networks of women, women?s groups and their supporters. Increase coordination and cooperation among groups and organizations that aim to enhance the voice of Iraqi women in the reconstruction process. 3. Promote public-private partnerships and establishing mentoring programs for Iraqi women leaders. 4. Support for Iraqi women?s inclusion in the judiciary, constitutional process, overall legal system, and government institutions. 5. Promotion of media coverage by women and of women?s role in reconstruction efforts in Iraq. Training of women journalists, including programs in communication technologies. 6. Promotion of women?s legal equality with an emphasis on support for constitutional and electoral experts, an independent judiciary, legal defense assistance and defense lawyers. 7. Addressing the particular political problems of poor, isolated, or illiterate women, and the need to reach out to these groups. 8. Promotion of the compatibility of democracy with Islam and increased political engagement with Islamic advocates of women?s rights. BACKGROUND DRL and G/IWI support innovative, cutting-edge programs which uphold democratic principles, support and strengthen democratic institutions, promote human rights, including women?s human rights, and advance women?s economic participation in countries and regions of the world that are geo-strategically important to the U.S. We prefer to fund projects that have an immediate impact but that also have potential for continued funding. Projects must not duplicate or simply add to efforts by other entities. PROJECT CRITERIA ? Project implementation should begin as soon as possible. ? Projects should not exceed two years in duration. Shorter projects with more immediate outcomes may receive preference. ? Project activity should take place abroad, and should aim to take place in Iraq unless otherwise specified in the description. ? Projects that have a strong academic or research focus will not be given priority. ? Projects should include detailed plans for evaluation and assessment of impact; plans may utilize qualitative and/or quantitative methods and should address both project outputs and outcomes. ? Projects should include a brief follow-on plan for possible sustainability after the IRRF funds have been fully disbursed. In order to avoid the duplication of activities and programs, proposals should also indicate knowledge of similar projects being conducted in the regions and how the submitted proposal will complement them. APPLICANT/ORGANIZATION CRITERIA Organizations applying for a grant should meet the following criteria: ? Have demonstrated experience administering successful projects in the country/region in which it is proposing to administer a project, or in the specific subject matter of the proposal sought. ? Have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with in-country organization(s). ? Organizations that have not previously received and successfully administered U.S. Government grant funds will be subject to additional scrutiny before an award can be granted. ? Non-U.S. organizations must have a U.S. bank account in order to receive funding. NOTE: Organizations are welcome to submit more than one proposal, but should know that DRL wishes to reach out to as many different organizations as possible with its limited funds. BUDGET GUIDELINES Please refer to the DRL Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for complete budget guidelines and formatting instructions. DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS All proposals must be received at the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on May 30, 2004. Please refer to the PSI for specific delivery instructions. REVIEW PROCESS The Bureau will acknowledge receipt of all proposals and will review them for eligibility. Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the guidelines stated herein and in the PSI. Eligible proposals will be subject to compliance with Federal and Bureau regulations and guidelines and forwarded to Bureau grant panels for advisory review. Proposals may also be reviewed by the Office of the Legal Adviser or by other Department elements. REVIEW CRITERIA Eligible applications will be competitively reviewed according to the criteria stated below. Further explanation of these criteria is included in the PSI. These criteria are not rank-ordered and all carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation: quality of the program idea; program planning and ability to achieve program objectives; multiplier effect/impact; program evaluation plan; institution's record/ability/capacity; and cost-effectiveness. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT The office of G/IWI, Dr. David Pollock on all inquiries and correspondence (see contact information below). Please read the complete Request for Proposals announcement on the DRL website announcement before sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFP deadline has passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal review process has been completed. TO DOWNLOAD A SOLICITATION PACKAGE VIA INTERNET The Solicitation Package consists of this RFP plus the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI). The PSI contains detailed award criteria, specific budget instructions, and standard guidelines for proposal preparation. The PSI may be downloaded from the HRDF section on the Bureau's website. See URL below. NOTICE The terms and conditions published in this RFP are binding and may not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory information provided by the Bureau that contradicts published language will not be binding. Issuance of the RFP does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds. Awards made will be subject to periodic reporting and evaluation requirements. Final technical authority for assistance awards resides with the Office of Acquisition Management's Grants Officer. NOTIFICATION Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures.