Hastening Transition to Democracy in Cuba

The summary for the Hastening Transition to Democracy in Cuba 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 Agency for International Development, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Hastening Transition to Democracy in Cuba: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Office of the Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean (AA/LAC), is seeking applications from qualified Applicants for funding of cooperative agreement assistance agreements. The purpose of this APS is to support programs that expand the reach and impact of independent civil society in Cuba, and thereby hasten a peaceful transition to democracy. The authority for this APS is found in: The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, section 109 and section 202; in Section 1705 (g) of the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992; and is authorized in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 as amended. The purpose of the LAC Cuba FY 2007 APS is to implement recommendations contained in the July 2006 Report of the Presidential Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba II (CAFC II). Applicants may find the report on the State Department website (www.cafc.gov. The Recipient will be responsible for ensuring achievement of the program objective to encourage democracy in Cuba by peaceful means. Please refer to the Program Description in Section A for a complete statement of goals, objectives, and expected results. As described in Section A of the APS, Applicants will propose programs intended to furnish non-financial assistance and provide other non-financial support for Cuban individuals and independent non-governmental, civil society organizations to break the information blockade and expand democracy-building efforts in Cuba. USAID endorses cost-sharing as an important principle in USAID-Recipient relationships. Please note: Under this APS there is no mandatory minimum cost share. However, Applicants are encouraged to contribute cost share to improve program sustainability and increase overall program impact. Awards shall be made to eligible U.S. nongovernmental organizations ( 501 (c ) 3 NGOs) and accredited U.S. colleges and universities in accordance with 22 CFR 226 and USAIDs Standard Provisions for U.S. Nongovernmental Recipients. Pursuant to 22 CFR 226.81, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments. However, all reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the grant program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (22 CFR 226, OMB Circular A-122 for non-profit organization, OMB Circular A-21 for universities, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31 for-profit organizations), may be paid under the grant. Subject to the availability of funds, USAID intends to make several awards of up to $1,000,000.00 each for a period of up to two years. Funding requests should range from $100,000 to $1,000,000, for expenditure between one and two years. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and all applications must be submitted by September 30, 2007. USAID reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted. The required method of submission/receipt of applications is electronically via www.Grants.gov, which provides a single source for Federal government-wide competitive grant opportunities. This APS and any future amendments can be downloaded from that Web Site. The address is http://www.grants.gov. In order to use this method an Applicant must first register on-line with Grants.gov. If you have difficulty registering or accessing the APS, please contact Grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726 for technical assistance. If you decide to submit an application, USAID must receive the application electronically via www.Grants.gov, by the closing date indicated at the top of this cover letter. Applications can be submitted at any time before the closing date. The Applicant must notify the USAID contact person as soon as the application is submitted, but no later than the closing date so that the electronic application can be retrieved by USAID. To be eligible for award, the applicant must provide all required information in its application, including the requirements found in any attachments to the Grants.gov opportunity. It is the responsibility of the Recipient of the application document to ensure that it has been received from the website in its entirety and USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes. Issuance of this APS does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government, nor does it commit the Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. Final award of any resultant grant(s) cannot be made until funds have been fully appropriated, allocated, and committed through internal USAID procedures. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential Applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award. Applications are submitted at the risk of the Applicant; should circumstances prevent award of a cooperative agreement, all preparation and submission costs are at the Applicant's expense.