[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 55 (Thursday, March 20, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15034-15041]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5672]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6142]


Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Request for 
Grant Proposals: Faith and Community: A Dialogue

    Announcement Type: New Grant.
    Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF-08-24.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number:
    Application Deadline: May 12, 2008.

Executive Summary

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, announces an open 
competition for multiple grants to support international exchange 
projects under the rubric ``Faith and Community: A Dialogue.'' Public 
and private non-profit organizations or consortia of such organizations 
meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 
U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to develop and implement multi-
phased exchanges that bring clerics, scholars of religion, educators, 
and community leaders/activists from countries with significant Muslim 
populations to the United States to interact with their counterparts 
and support reciprocal visits by American clerics, scholars of 
religion, educators, and community leaders/activists representing the 
diversity of the American population.

Authority

    Overall grant-making authority for this program is contained in the 
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-
256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of 
the Act is ``to enable the Government of the United States to increase 
mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the 
people of other countries * * *; to strengthen the ties which unite us 
with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural 
interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United 
States and other nations * * * and thus to assist in the development of 
friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States 
and the other countries of the world.'' The funding authority for this 
program is provided through legislation.

Overview

    The Office of Citizen Exchanges awards grants to American public 
and private nonprofit organizations to

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develop and implement multi-phased exchanges of professionals, 
community leaders, scholars and academics, public policy advocates, 
non-governmental organization activists, and others for periods of 18-
24 months. These exchanges deal with issues of crucial importance to 
the United States and to other countries, they incorporate experiential 
learning as well as theoretical knowledge for all participants, and 
they promote focused problem-solving among counterparts based on gained 
experience and knowledge. A primary goal of this initiative is the 
establishment of international linkages among individuals and 
institutions that will lead to the dissemination of ideas and the 
implementation of cooperative projects. In addition to providing a 
context for professional development and collaborative problem-solving, 
projects funded under this initiative should include focused 
interaction with local citizens in all program communities to 
familiarize American and foreign participants with one another's 
cultural, social, political, and economic realities.
    The initiative ``Faith and Community: A Dialogue'' will support 
international exchanges of professionals who are leaders in their faith 
communities. Participants may be clerics, scholars of religion, 
educators, and community leaders/activists who are recognized for their 
ability to influence their own societies--in the United States and in 
eligible partner countries--through sermons, scholarly writing, 
community leadership, and/or educational activities. The objectives of 
the exchange are (1) to enhance the non-American participants' 
understanding of the role that religion--particularly Islam--plays in 
American communities; (2) to develop a common language for American and 
non-American participants--members of diverse faith communities--to 
examine issues of relevance to their respective societies and to 
develop effective approaches and collaborative projects to address 
those issues; (3) to offer an understanding of Islamic practice within 
a multi-cultural, multi-faith, democratic context, one that explicitly 
differentiates between that which is religious and that which is 
secular; and (4) to broaden the understanding of American scholars, 
clerics, and laypersons of Islam and of its place in diverse, non-
American societies.
    We solicit projects that focus on a particular challenge common to 
faith and community groups in the proposed participating countries. 
Possible issues include: civil discourse and mutual respect in a multi-
faith context; the role of law in resolving conflicts and preserving 
freedom of expression within and among minority/majority, faith-based 
and secular communities; the role of faith communities in providing 
community services; educating for respect and co-existence; the role of 
law in protecting religious and non-religious expression in diverse 
societies; or similar themes of relevance to communities in 
participating countries. In all cases, the proposing institution must 
demonstrate that it has, or can mobilize, American participants with 
intellectual expertise and an interest in international dialogue on the 
selected theme, and it must demonstrate that institutions or 
individuals it identifies as partners in the program are, indeed, 
committed to participating. Proposals should also explain how the 
American organization will identify counterpart experts in 
participating countries.
    The proposal should identify the overall objective of the exchange 
project and describe an exchange that will take place over 18 to 24 
months with several reciprocal exchange visits. The proposal should 
explain how each component of the exchange will build on previous 
components to accomplish the overall project objective.
    A typical program might begin with the travel of one or two 
American scholars/project organizers to designated partner countries to 
deepen their familiarity with the particular issues faced by 
counterpart institutions and communities in those countries, identify 
individuals who might serve as advisers or be selected as participants 
in the project and to gain the interest/commitment of those individuals 
to participate in the exchange. Subsequently, approximately 12-14 non-
American scholars and clerics might come to the United States for a 
period of three to four weeks for a program structured to exchange 
expertise, identify specific issues worthy of further exploration, and 
identify projects to be developed/implemented during subsequent phases 
of the exchange. In the U.S., activities should include interaction 
with American Muslim scholars and leaders, as well as with non-Muslim 
religious leaders and secular institutions related to the theme of the 
project. They should offer an opportunity for American interlocutors to 
speak about the challenges they face and for international participants 
to offer similar perspectives. They should examine issues through 
workshops, discussions, and dialogue, and they should expose 
participants to a range of real-life American community experiences, 
including the possibility of community service or outreach. Finally, a 
group of American scholars and clerics should travel to the home 
countries of the non-American participants, meet with counterparts, 
further refine project plans and, jointly with their counterparts, 
present seminars, conduct workshops, engaging in community service or 
public outreach and press (if appropriate), to expand the network of 
individuals directly affected by the exchange. Similar exchange 
activities would be organized for the following year.
    Throughout the proposed exchange, each phase of the project should 
be designed to build clearly on the accomplishments of the previous 
component and to lead toward overall program objectives. For example, 
if the goal of the project is to open, develop and expand the impact of 
inter-faith dialogue, the proposal should indicate how activities in 
the second year will be organized to include broader groups of people. 
If the project goal is to identify topics for joint action and to work 
together to implement that action--be it the production of texts or a 
joint community service activity--the proposal should indicate how the 
participants selected for each exchange component will build on the 
work of predecessors and undertake the proposed activity. In all 
components of the exchange program, traveling participants should be 
encouraged to interact with local citizens beyond the people actively 
participating in the exchange itself. In addition, ECA encourages all 
proposals to identify how program outcomes will be sustained / expanded 
after project completion.

Geographic Focus

    This initiative is worldwide in scope, with primary focus each year 
on specific regions or countries with significant Muslim populations. 
To assure balance with already existing exchange programs in this 
initiative, we are soliciting proposals focused for the following 
countries / regions in FY08: (1) Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi 
Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and 
Yemen; (2) Senegal, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Guinea, Burkina 
Faso, Chad; and (3) China; (4) Indonesia.
    Specific criteria for proposals focused on each of these countries 
are noted in the appropriate sections below. To be competitive, 
proposals must incorporate an understanding of these issues and outline 
a feasible strategy for addressing them.

[[Page 15036]]

 (1) Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, 
the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen

    Proposals for exchange programs focused on a topic as culturally 
and politically sensitive as interfaith dialogue in these countries 
must be developed in close consultation and collaboration with the 
Public Affairs Section of the relevant American Embassy. Proposals must 
demonstrate that the U.S. implementing institution has the capacity and 
track-record to work with the Mission to establish and maintain contact 
with institutions responsible for religious affairs in the 
participating countries, to include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
Ministry of Religious Affairs, and, if appropriate, the Ministry of 
Education. To initiate the program, proposing organizations are 
encouraged to consider, for example, an exchange of internationally 
recognized scholars of religion as a way of laying the groundwork for a 
ministry-sponsored conference. This preliminary engagement at the 
official level should precede contact with individuals or groups 
involved in grass-roots scholarship or local community activism. All 
proposals should be multi-country, and should involve at least two (2) 
of the countries listed above. The ability to conduct a successful 
program with clear and relevant objectives should guide the country 
selection and/or groupings of participants.
    Applicants should also consult with the ECA officer responsible for 
exchanges with North Africa, Thomas Johnston, tel. 202-453-8162; e-
mail: [email protected].

(2) Senegal, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, 
Chad

    Proposals for these countries should focus on the issue of how 
religion influences personal and group identities, how identity shapes 
approaches to community outreach and activism, and how religious groups 
provide community services, particularly in countries and regions of 
widely diverse populations. These eight countries comprise 215 million 
people, predominantly Muslims. French is the official language in many 
of these countries, they are very diverse ethnically and 
linguistically, and the most populous country, Nigeria, is anglophone. 
We seek proposals that will clarify the influence of religion in the 
midst of such diversity, and will bring together American and African 
partners in planning and providing community services. Proposed program 
objectives should encourage different religious groups to respect 
diverse opinions and identities and interact constructively, without 
violence. Both single-country and multi-country project proposals are 
welcome. The proposed program should not only introduce religious 
leaders in the United States and West Africa to each other and build 
mutual understanding among them through personal interactions, but 
should also encourage them to design at least one follow-on project in 
community services to be jointly conducted. Projects might address 
needs involving health, conflict management, special education, 
poverty, orphans, or others where religious communities can be helpful, 
and should allow partners in this grant program to learn from, and 
assist, each other. ECA encourages proposed programs to lay the 
groundwork for sustained contact and joint action after the grant 
period is completed. Grant applicants should consult with the Public 
Affairs Section of the relevant overseas U.S. Embassy to test their 
ideas and get advice on local conditions and possible partners.
    Applicants should also consult with the ECA officer responsible for 
exchanges with Africa, Curtis Huff, tel. 202-453-8159; e-mail: 
[email protected].

(3) China

    For proposed projects in China, ECA is especially interested in 
programs that discuss how religious beliefs define ethnic minorities 
and how religious practices interact with the sense of belonging to a 
distinct community. Most likely to prove feasible are projects that 
target a combination of academics from the National Minorities 
University, officials from the State Administration for Religious 
Affairs, and scholars and religious leaders from western China. Note 
carefully: In addition to the majority Han Chinese, the Government of 
the People's Republic of China recognizes 55 other ``nationalities,'' 
or ethnic groups, numbering approximately 105 million people. These 
groups live outside the central and costal regions in the northwest, 
north, northeast, south, and southwest areas. Each of the 55 
``nationalities'' has unique, defining characteristics, such as 
language, culture, or religion, shared by the members of the group and 
not shared with other ``nationalities'' or with the Han Chinese. 
Proposed programs for China must demonstrate how the proposed project 
will accomplish its stated objective, while understanding and 
respecting these distinctions. Proposals must also demonstrate a 
significant and established relationship with a host institution within 
China and must present a detailed, coherent strategy to ensure a 
substantial program for Chinese participants in the U.S. portion of the 
program. Exchange projects focused on Muslim audiences in China are 
particularly sensitive and are subject to Chinese government 
intervention. Close consultation and cooperation with the Public 
Affairs Section of the American Embassy is essential in developing the 
program and should be envisioned at all stages in implementing proposed 
programs that result in an award.
    Applicants should consult with the ECA officer responsible for this 
exchange with China, Howard (Clint) Wright, tel. (202) 453-8164; e-
mail: [email protected].

(4) Indonesia

    For Indonesia, ECA seeks proposals that explore the links between 
religious educational institutions and their communities. Specifically, 
project objectives should focus on building effective partnerships 
between community leaders and activists and the administrators of 
private, secondary-level religious boarding schools (Pesantren). 
Programs should enable the participants to:
     Acquire an understanding of important elements of civil 
society. This includes concepts such as volunteerism, the idea that 
American citizens are responsible for acting at the grassroots level to 
deal with social and educational problems, and an awareness of respect 
for the rule of law in the United States.
     Understand the importance of education in creating 
conditions for a free market economy. This includes awareness of 
private enterprise and an appreciation of the role of the entrepreneur 
in economic growth.
     Develop an appreciation for American culture, an 
understanding of the diversity of American society, and increased 
tolerance and respect for others with differing views and beliefs.
     Gain leadership capacity that will enable participants to 
initiate and support activities in their home countries that focus on 
development and community service.
    Applicants should consult with the ECA officer responsible for 
exchanges with Indonesia, Raymond Harvey, tel. 202-453-8163; e-mail: 
[email protected].

All Regions

    For all regions, exchange proposals focusing on two or more 
countries in a region and those focusing on single-country exchanges 
are equally welcome. The Office of Citizen Exchanges

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encourages applicants to be creative in planning project 
implementation. As noted above for each region, exchanges should go 
beyond general scholarly comparison to address the concrete issues 
faith groups confront in defining themselves, in relating to their own 
communities, and in reaching out to broader communities that may or may 
not share their faith. Proposed programs may focus on inter-faith 
dialogue and include activities encouraging respect for and among 
diverse groups and communities, or they may focus primarily on specific 
issues faith communities face in dealing with concrete challenges of 
life in multi-lingual, multi-ethnic, multi-communal societies. The 
program may include activities designed to exchange information and 
knowledge and share expertise, but it should also include experiential 
learning by exposing participants to real-life issues confronted in the 
participating countries. ECA strongly encourages the project objectives 
to include a tangible product such as a web dialogue, publication, 
study guide, educational outreach material, etc. to be used in local 
communities. Proposals should identify any partner organizations and/or 
individuals overseas or in the United States with which/whom they are 
proposing to collaborate, demonstrate the commitment of that individual 
or group to participate, and justify the collaboration on the basis of 
the proposed partner's experience, accomplishments, etc.

Selection of Participants

    Applications should include a description of a focused, merit-based 
process for selecting exchange participants. Applicants should plan to 
consult with the Public Affairs Sections of U.S. Embassies in selecting 
participants, with the Embassy retaining the right to nominate 
participants, to advise the grantee regarding participants recommended 
by other entities, and to issue visas.

Public Affairs Section Involvement

    Although project administration and implementation are the 
responsibility of the grantee institution, the grantee is expected to 
inform the PAS in participating countries of its operations and 
procedures and to coordinate with PAS officers in the development of 
project activities. The PAS should be consulted regarding country 
priorities, political and cultural sensitivities, security issues, and 
logistic and programmatic issues, in addition to its role in 
participant selection as outlined in the previous section.
    In addition, the Public Affairs Sections (PAS) of the U.S. 
Embassies often play an important role in project implementation. The 
PAS will initially evaluate project proposals, and, once a grant is 
awarded, it may, in consultation with the grantee organization, 
coordinate planning with the grantee organization and in-country 
partners, facilitate in-country activities, nominate participants and 
vet grantee nominations, observe in-country activities, and debrief 
participants. The PAS will also evaluate project impact. The Office of 
Citizen Exchanges is responsible for producing and signing DS-2019 
Forms. These forms will be provided to the foreign participants by the 
U.S. Embassies as part of the process of obtaining the necessary J-1 
visas for entry to the United States. Grantee organizations must submit 
data on proposed participants to ECA electronically.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: 2008.
    Approximate Total Funding: $2.53 million.
    Approximate Number of Awards: Six.
    Anticipated Award Date: July 2008.
    Anticipated Project Completion Date: Summer 2010.

III. Eligibility Information

    III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public 
and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described 
in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
    III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or 
maximum percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau 
encourages applicants to provide the highest possible level of in-cash 
or in-kind cost sharing and funding in support of its programs, and 
those that provide cost sharing that represents 20% or more of the 
total cost of the exchange will receive priority consideration. When 
cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant 
must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal 
and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost sharing may be 
in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For accountability, 
you must maintain written records to support all costs that are claimed 
as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal 
government. Such records are subject to audit. The basis for 
determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in 
accordance with OMB Circular A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.23--Cost 
Sharing and Matching. In the event you do not provide the minimum 
amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's 
contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
    III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements:
    (a) Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less 
than four years experience in conducting international exchanges be 
limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA anticipates awarding, in the 
course of this competition, grants ranging from $350,000 to $500,000 to 
support program and administrative costs required to implement this 
exchange program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years 
experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to 
receive an award under this competition.
    (b) Technical Eligibility: Proposals must comply with the 
requirements included in this Request for Grant Proposals in order to 
be considered technically eligible for consideration in the review 
process.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Note: Please read the complete announcement, either at http://www.exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps or in the Federal Register 
before sending inquiries or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 
deadline has passed, Bureau staff may not discuss this competition 
with applicants until the proposal review process has been 
completed.

    IV.1. Obtaining an Application Package:
    The Application Package comprises this Request for Grant Proposals 
and a Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) document, consisting of 
required application forms and standard guidelines for proposal 
preparation. The Solicitation Package may be downloaded from: http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm. Please read all 
information before downloading. Alternatively, an electronic 
application package may be obtained from grants.gov. Please see section 
IV.3f for further information.
    IV.2. To receive a hard copy of the Application Package via U.S. 
Postal Service, contact Thomas Johnston, Office of Citizen Exchanges, 
ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF, Room 216, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 453-8162; E-mail: 
[email protected]. Please refer to Funding Opportunity Number ECA/
PE/C/NEA-AF-08-24 on all inquiries and correspondence.

[[Page 15038]]

    IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all 
instructions in the Solicitation Package. The original and ten copies 
of the application should be submitted per the instructions under 
IV.3f. ``Application Deadline and Methods of Submission'' section.
    IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the U.S. Government. This number is a nine-digit 
identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. 
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a 
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Please ensure that your DUNS number is included in the 
appropriate box of the SF-424 which is part of the formal application 
package.
    IV.3b. All proposals must contain an executive summary, a proposal 
narrative (not to exceed 20 double-spaced pages), and a budget. Please 
refer to the Application Package, containing the mandatory PSI 
document, for additional formatting and technical requirements.
    IV.3c. You must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of 
application. If your organization is a private nonprofit that has not 
received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three 
years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS 
within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation 
to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. Failure to 
do so will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.
    IV.3d. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your proposal narrative:
    IV.3d.1. Adherence To All Regulations Governing The J Visa: The 
Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs is the official program sponsor of the exchange program covered 
by this RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau will be the ``Responsible 
Officer'' for the program under the terms of 22 CFR 62, which covers 
the administration of the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa program). 
Under the terms of 22 CFR 62, organizations receiving grants under this 
RFGP will be third parties ``cooperating with or assisting the sponsor 
in the conduct of the sponsor's program.'' The actions of grantee 
program organizations shall be ``imputed to the sponsor in evaluating 
the sponsor's compliance with'' 22 CFR 62. Therefore, the Bureau 
expects that any organization receiving a grant under this competition 
will render all assistance necessary to enable the Bureau to fully 
comply with 22 CFR 62 et seq.
    The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs places great 
emphasis on the secure and proper administration of Exchange Visitor (J 
visa) Programs and adherence by grantee program organizations and 
program participants to all regulations governing the J visa program 
status. Therefore, proposals should explicitly state in writing that 
the applicant is prepared to assist the Bureau in meeting all 
requirements governing the administration of Exchange Visitor Programs 
as set forth in 22 CFR 62. If your organization has experience as a 
designated Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor, the applicant should 
discuss their record of compliance with 22 CFR 62 et seq., including 
the oversight of their Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible 
Officers, screening and selection of program participants, provision of 
pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of 
participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, recordkeeping, 
reporting and other requirements.
    A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of 
Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://exchanges.state.gov, or from: United States Department of State, Office 
of Exchange Coordination and Designation, ECA/EC/ECD-SA-44, Room 734, 
301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: (202) 203-5029, 
FAX: (202) 453-8640.
    IV.3d.2. Diversity, Freedom and Democracy Guidelines: Pursuant to 
the Bureau's authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-
political character and should be balanced and representative of the 
diversity of American political, social, and cultural life. 
``Diversity'' should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass 
differences including, but not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, 
religion, geographic location, socio-economic status, and disabilities. 
Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this 
principle both in program administration and in program content. Please 
refer to the review criteria under the ``Support for Diversity'' 
section for specific suggestions on incorporating diversity into your 
proposal. Public Law 104-319 provides that ``in carrying out programs 
of educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not 
fully enjoy freedom and democracy,'' the Bureau ``shall take 
appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such 
programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries.'' 
Public Law 106-113 requires that the governments of the countries 
described above do not have inappropriate influence in the selection 
process. Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their 
program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.
    IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Proposals must include 
a plan to monitor and evaluate the project's success, both as the 
activities unfold and at the end of the program. The Bureau recommends 
that your proposal include a draft survey questionnaire or other 
technique plus a description of a methodology to use to link outcomes 
to original project objectives. The Bureau expects that the grantee 
will track participants or partners and be able to respond to key 
evaluation questions, including satisfaction with the program, learning 
as a result of the program, changes in behavior as a result of the 
program, and effects of the program on institutions (institutions in 
which participants work or partner institutions). The evaluation plan 
should include indicators that measure gains in mutual understanding as 
well as substantive knowledge.
    Successful monitoring and evaluation depend heavily on setting 
clear goals and outcomes at the outset of a program. Your evaluation 
plan should include a description of your project's objectives, your 
anticipated project outcomes, and how and when you intend to measure 
these outcomes (performance indicators). The more that outcomes are 
``smart'' (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and 
placed in a reasonable time frame), the easier it will be to conduct 
the evaluation. You should also show how your project objectives link 
to the goals of the program described in this RFGP.
    Your monitoring and evaluation plan should clearly distinguish 
between program outputs and outcomes. Outputs are products and services 
delivered, often stated as an amount. Output information is important 
to show the scope or size of project activities, but it cannot 
substitute for information about progress towards outcomes or the 
results achieved. Examples of outputs include the number of people 
trained or the number of seminars conducted. Outcomes represent 
specific results a project is intended to achieve and are usually 
measured as an extent of change. Findings on outputs and outcomes 
should both be reported, but the focus should be on outcomes.
    We encourage you to assess the following four levels of outcomes, 
as they relate to the program goals set out

[[Page 15039]]

in the RFGP (listed here in increasing order of importance):
    1. Participant satisfaction with the program and exchange 
experience.
    2. Participant learning, such as increased knowledge, aptitude, 
skills, and changed understanding and attitude. Learning includes both 
substantive (subject-specific) learning and mutual understanding.
    3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to apply knowledge in 
work or community; greater participation and responsibility in civic 
organizations; interpretation and explanation of experiences and new 
knowledge gained; continued contacts between participants, community 
members, and others.
    4. Institutional changes, such as increased collaboration and 
partnerships, policy reforms, new programming, and organizational 
improvements.

    Please note: Consideration should be given to the appropriate 
timing of data collection for each level of outcome. For example, 
satisfaction is usually captured as a short-term outcome, whereas 
behavior and institutional changes are normally considered longer-
term outcomes.

    Overall, the quality of your monitoring and evaluation plan will be 
judged on how well it (1) specifies intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 
descriptions of how each outcome will be measured; (3) identifies when 
particular outcomes will be measured; and (4) provides a clear 
description of the data collection strategies for each outcome (i.e., 
surveys, interviews, or focus groups). (Please note that evaluation 
plans that deal only with the first level of outcomes [satisfaction] 
will be deemed less competitive under the present evaluation criteria.)
    Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. All 
data collected, including survey responses and contact information, 
must be maintained for a minimum of three years and provided to the 
Bureau upon request.
    IV.3e. Please take into consideration the following information 
when preparing your budget:
    IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit a comprehensive budget for the 
entire project, including travel. There must be a summary budget as 
well as breakdowns reflecting both administrative and program budgets. 
Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, 
phase, location, or activity to provide clarification. Budgets that 
limit administrative costs to approximately 25% of the funding sought 
from ECA will be given priority consideration.
    IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the program include the following:
    (1) Direct program expenses.
    (2) Administrative costs.
    (3) Allowable indirect costs.
    Please refer to the Solicitation Package for complete budget 
guidelines and formatting instructions.
    IV.3f. Application Deadline and Methods of Submission:
    Application Deadline Date: May 12, 2008.
    Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF-08-24.

Methods of Submission

    Applications may be submitted in one of two ways:
    (1) In hard-copy, via a nationally recognized overnight delivery 
service (i.e., DHL, Federal Express, UPS, Airborne Express, or U.S. 
Postal Service Express Overnight Mail, etc.), or
    (2) Electronically through http://www.grants.gov.
    Along with the Project Title, all applicants must enter the above 
Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF-424 contained in the mandatory 
Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) of the solicitation document.
    IV.3f.1 Submitting Printed Applications
    Applications must be shipped no later than the above deadline. 
Delivery services used by applicants must have in-place, centralized 
shipping identification and tracking systems that may be accessed via 
the Internet and delivery people who are identifiable by commonly 
recognized uniforms and delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on or 
before the above deadline but received at ECA more than seven days 
after the deadline will be ineligible for further consideration under 
this competition. Proposals shipped after the established deadlines are 
ineligible for consideration under this competition. ECA will not 
notify you upon receipt of application. It is each applicant's 
responsibility to ensure that each package is marked with a legible 
tracking number and to monitor/confirm delivery to ECA via the 
Internet. Delivery of proposal packages may not be made via local 
courier service or in person for this competition. Faxed documents will 
not be accepted at any time. Only proposals submitted as stated above 
will be considered.

    Important note: When preparing your submission please make sure 
to include one extra copy of the completed SF-424 form and place it 
in an envelope addressed to ``ECA/EX/PM''.

    The original and ten (10) copies of the application should be sent 
to: U.S. Department of State, SA-44, Bureau of Educational and Cultural 
Affairs, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF-08-24, Program Management, ECA/EX/PM, 
Room 534, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547.
    Applicants submitting hard-copy applications must also submit the 
``Executive Summary'' and ``Proposal Narrative'' sections of the 
proposal in text (.txt) format on a PC-formatted disk. The Bureau will 
provide these files electronically to the appropriate Public Affairs 
Section(s) at the U.S. embassy(ies) for its (their) review.
    IV.3f.2--Submitting Electronic Applications.
    Applicants have the option of submitting proposals electronically 
through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation 
packages are available at Grants.gov in the ``Find'' portion of the 
system. Please follow the instructions available in the `Get Started' 
portion of the site (http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
    Several of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process could 
take several weeks. Therefore, applicants should check with appropriate 
staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this RFGP 
to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov.
    Once registered, the amount of time it can take to upload an 
application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the 
size of the application and the speed of your internet connection. 
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you not wait until the 
application deadline to begin the submission process through 
Grants.gov.
    Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and 
submission to: Grants.gov Customer Support, Contact Center Phone: 800-
518-4726, Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern Time, e-
mail: grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Applicants have until midnight (12 a.m.), Washington, DC time of 
the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been 
uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above 
deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the 
application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the 
grants.gov system, and will be technically ineligible.
    Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail from grants.gov upon 
the successful submission of an application. ECA will not notify you 
upon receipt of electronic applications.

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    It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via 
the Grants.gov Web portal to ensure that proposals have been received 
by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for 
data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.
    IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of Applications: Executive Order 
12372 does not apply to this program.

V. Application Review Information

    V.1. Review Process
    The Bureau will review all proposals for technical eligibility. 
Proposals will be deemed ineligible if they do not fully adhere to the 
guidelines stated herein and in the Solicitation Package. All eligible 
proposals will be reviewed by the program office, as well as the Public 
Diplomacy section overseas, where appropriate. 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. Final funding decisions are at the 
discretion of the Department of State's Assistant Secretary for 
Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final technical authority for grant 
awards resides with the Bureau's Grants Officer.

Review Criteria

    Technically eligible applications will be competitively reviewed 
according to the criteria stated below.
    Quality of the Program Idea: Proposals should be substantive, well 
thought out, focused on issues of demonstrable relevance to all 
proposed participants, and responsive to the exchange suggestions and 
guidelines provided above.
    Implementation Plan and Ability to Achieve Objectives: A detailed 
project implementation plan should establish a clear and logical 
connection between the interest, the expertise, and the logistic 
capacity of the applicant and the objectives to be achieved. The plan 
should discuss in concrete terms how the institution proposes to 
achieve the objectives. Institutional resources--including personnel--
assigned to the project should be adequate and appropriate to achieve 
project objectives. The substance of workshops and site visits should 
be included as an attachment, and the responsibilities of U.S. 
participants and in-country partners should be clearly delineated.
    Institutional Capacity: Proposals should include an institutional 
record of successful exchange programs, with reference to responsible 
fiscal management and full compliance with reporting requirements. The 
Bureau will consider the demonstrated potential of new applicants and 
will evaluate the performance record of prior recipients of Bureau 
grants as reported by the Bureau grant staff.
    Post-Grant Activities: Applicants should provide a plan for 
sustained follow-on activity (building on the linkages developed under 
the grant and the activities initially funded by the grant) after grant 
funds have been expended. This will ensure that Bureau-supported 
projects sustainable and are not isolated events. Funds for all post-
grant activities must be in the form of contributions from the 
applicant or sources outside the Bureau. Costs for these activities 
should not appear in the proposal budget but should be outlined in the 
narrative.
    Project Evaluation/Monitoring: Proposals should include a detailed 
plan to monitor and evaluate the project. Competitive evaluation plans 
will describe how the applicant organization will measure results, 
defined in both qualitative and quantitative terms, and will include 
draft data collection instruments (surveys, questionnaires, etc.) in 
Tab E. Successful applicants will be expected to submit a report after 
each project component is concluded or semi-annually, whichever is less 
frequent.
    Cost Effectiveness and Cost Sharing: Administrative costs should be 
kept low. Proposal budgets should provide evidence of any cost sharing 
offered, comprised of cash or in-kind contributions. Cost sharing may 
be derived from diverse sources, including private sector contributions 
and/or direct institutional support.
    Support of Diversity: Proposals should demonstrate support for the 
Bureau's policy on diversity. Features relevant to this policy should 
be cited in program implementation (selection of participants, program 
venue, and program evaluation), program content, and program 
administration.

VI. Award Administration Information

    VI.1a. Award Notices:
    Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by 
Congress, allocated, and committed through internal Bureau procedures. 
Successful applicants will receive an Assistance Award Document (AAD) 
from the Bureau's Grants Office. The AAD and the original grant 
proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the 
only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. 
Government. The AAD will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer and 
mailed to the recipient's responsible officer, identified in the 
application.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of 
the application review from the ECA program office coordinating this 
competition.
    VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements:
    Terms and Conditions for the Administration of ECA agreements 
include the following:

Office of Management and Budget Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles for 
Nonprofit Organizations.''
Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles for 
Educational Institutions.''
OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian 
Governments.''
OMB Circular No. A-110 (Revised), Uniform Administrative Requirements 
for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, 
Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
OMB Circular No. A-102, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants-
in-Aid to State and Local Governments.
OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-
profit Organizations.

    Please reference the following Web sites for additional 
information: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants, http://exchanges.state.gov/education/grantsdiv/terms.htm#articleI.
    VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You must provide ECA with a hard copy 
original plus one copy of the following reports:
    1. Semi-annual program and financial reports, which include a 
description of program activities implemented in the course of the six-
month period and an accounting of expenditures.
    2. A final program and financial report no more than 90 days after 
the expiration date of the award.
    3. Grantees will be required to provide reports analyzing their 
evaluation findings to the Bureau in their regular program reports. 
(Please refer to IV. Application and Submission Instructions (IV.3.d.3) 
above for Program Monitoring and Evaluation information.
    All data collected, including survey responses and contact 
information, must be maintained for a minimum of three years and 
provided to the Bureau upon request.
    All reports must be sent to the ECA Grants Officer and ECA Program 
Officer listed in the final assistance award document.

[[Page 15041]]

    Organizations awarded grants will be required to maintain specific 
data on program participants and activities in an electronically 
accessible database format that can be shared with the Bureau as 
required. As a minimum, the data must include the following:
    (1) Name, address, contact information and biographic sketch of all 
persons who travel internationally on funds provided by the grant.
    (2) Itineraries of international and domestic travel, providing 
dates of travel and cities in which any exchange experiences take 
place. Final schedules for in-country and U.S. activities must be 
received by the ECA Program Officer at least three work days prior to 
the official opening of the activity.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For questions about this announcement, contact: Thomas Johnston, 
Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF, Room 216, U.S. Department 
of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20547, Telephone: 
(202) 453-8162; E-mail: [email protected].
    Correspondence with the Bureau concerning this RFGP should 
reference the title and number ECA/PE/C/NEA-AF-08-24.
    Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or 
submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff 
may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal 
review process has been completed.

VIII. Other Information

Notice

    The terms and conditions published in this RFGP 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 RFGP 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 per section VI.3 
above.

    Dated: March 12, 2008.
C. Miller Crouch,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 
Department of State.
[FR Doc. E8-5672 Filed 3-19-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-05-P