Opportunity Information: Apply for SCAKAB 16 GR 007 SCA 04052016
Apply for SCAKAB 16 GR 007 SCA 04052016
- The DOS-AFG in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Afghanistan’s National Strategic Communications" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.501.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 04, 2016 and posted on Apr 04, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 20, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
Afghanistan's National Strategic Communications is a discretionary grant opportunity issued by DOS-AFG (U.S. Department of State related programming for Afghanistan) aimed at strengthening how the Afghan Government communicates with its citizens, the press, and civil society. The core idea is that weaknesses in national-level communications have fueled public misunderstanding about what the government is doing, and that a more organized, faster, and more transparent communications system would improve public awareness, trust, and responsiveness. The grant supports advisory and capacity-building work that helps the government explain its programs and achievements more clearly while also listening to public concerns and integrating that feedback into future messaging.
The opportunity focuses on a Palace-led, whole-of-government approach, meaning the Afghan Government wants communications to be coordinated across ministries and agencies rather than fragmented or inconsistent. Applicants are expected to help improve effectiveness and efficiency in strategic communications by examining existing structures and processes, identifying gaps, and recommending reforms that make government messaging more cohesive. Particular attention is given to fixing inter-ministerial coordination problems, speeding up the timing of official responses, and building reliable feedback mechanisms so citizen input is not only collected but actually analyzed and used.
A central component is proactive engagement with Afghanistan's free media and civil society. Rather than relying on occasional press statements, the program emphasizes sustained dialogue, routine information sharing, and two-way communication that allows journalists and civil society groups to ask questions, challenge narratives, and provide community-level perspective. In practice, this means the project should help the government become more consistent and professional in how it interacts with media outlets, responds to developing events, and supplies usable information that supports accurate reporting.
Applicants responding to the open competition are asked to propose work that builds on reforms the Afghan Government has already begun. The required objectives are threefold: first, review and assess how the government currently formulates messages and disseminates them (who approves messaging, how it is coordinated, and how it reaches the public); second, analyze citizen feedback to identify public perceptions, concerns, and information gaps; and third, assist in producing content that media can readily use, which can include press materials, briefing products, and other communication outputs designed for timely distribution. The expectation is hands-on advising and practical support that leaves the Afghan Government with stronger internal capacity and better systems, not just short-term public relations deliverables.
Administratively, the opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number SCAKAB 16 GR 007 SCA 04052016 and CFDA 19.501. It is a grant with an award ceiling of $1,200,000, with one award expected. The posting and creation dates are April 4, 2016, and the closing date was May 20, 2016. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with further clarification referenced in the full eligibility notes of the original announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Afghanistan's National Strategic Communications (DOS-AFG)
1) What is the purpose of this grant opportunity?
This discretionary grant opportunity supports work to strengthen how the Afghan Government communicates with citizens, the press, and civil society. The program is based on the idea that weaknesses in national-level communications have contributed to public misunderstanding about government actions, and that more organized, faster, and more transparent communications can improve public awareness, trust, and responsiveness.
2) Which agency is offering the funding?
The opportunity is issued by DOS-AFG, described as U.S. Department of State related programming for Afghanistan.
3) What is the name of the grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Afghanistan's National Strategic Communications."
4) What type of funding is this?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity.
5) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SCAKAB 16 GR 007 SCA 04052016.
6) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 19.501.
7) How much funding is available?
The award ceiling is $1,200,000.
8) How many awards are expected?
One award is expected.
9) What is the overall approach emphasized by the opportunity?
The opportunity emphasizes a Palace-led, whole-of-government approach. This means communications should be coordinated across ministries and agencies rather than being fragmented or inconsistent.
10) What kinds of problems is the program trying to address?
The opportunity highlights weaknesses such as inconsistent national-level messaging, inter-ministerial coordination problems, slow timing of official responses, and inadequate feedback mechanisms that fail to collect, analyze, and use citizen input effectively.
11) What kinds of activities are applicants expected to propose?
Applicants are expected to propose advisory and capacity-building work. This includes examining existing government communications structures and processes, identifying gaps, and recommending reforms to make messaging more cohesive, faster, and more transparent.
12) What does "advisory and capacity-building" mean in this context?
Based on the description provided, it means hands-on advising and practical support that strengthens internal government capacity and systems for strategic communications, rather than focusing only on short-term public relations outputs.
13) What are the required program objectives?
The required objectives are threefold:
- Review and assess how the Afghan Government currently formulates and disseminates messages (including who approves messaging, how it is coordinated, and how it reaches the public).
- Analyze citizen feedback to identify public perceptions, concerns, and information gaps.
- Assist in producing content that media can readily use, including press materials, briefing products, and other communication outputs designed for timely distribution.
14) What does the opportunity say about building on existing reforms?
Applicants are asked to propose work that builds on reforms the Afghan Government has already begun, rather than starting from scratch.
15) What is meant by improving "effectiveness and efficiency" in strategic communications?
The opportunity frames this as making government messaging more cohesive across ministries, improving inter-ministerial coordination, speeding up official responses, and putting reliable feedback mechanisms in place so public input is gathered, analyzed, and incorporated into future messaging.
16) How important is engagement with media and civil society under this grant?
Proactive engagement with Afghanistan's free media and civil society is described as a central component. The program emphasizes sustained dialogue and routine information sharing, with two-way communication rather than occasional press statements.
17) What does "two-way communication" involve according to the opportunity?
Two-way communication includes creating channels where journalists and civil society groups can ask questions, challenge narratives, and provide community-level perspective, and where the government listens to public concerns and integrates that feedback into future messaging.
18) What kinds of communication products might be supported?
The opportunity mentions content that media can readily use, including press materials, briefing products, and other communication outputs designed for timely distribution.
19) Is the goal mainly publicity, or longer-term institutional improvements?
The description emphasizes strengthening internal capacity and improving systems so the Afghan Government is left with better communications structures and processes, not only short-term deliverables.
20) What does "Palace-led" imply in the scope of work?
Based on the text provided, "Palace-led" indicates that the approach is intended to be led at the national executive level and coordinated across the whole government, rather than being managed separately by individual ministries or agencies.
21) What does the opportunity say about response speed and timing?
It specifically calls for speeding up the timing of official responses, indicating that timely communication during developing events is a key focus area.
22) What does the opportunity say about feedback mechanisms?
It calls for building reliable feedback mechanisms so citizen input is not only collected, but also analyzed and used to inform future government messaging.
23) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the full eligibility notes of the original announcement.
24) What are the key dates for this opportunity?
The posting and creation dates are April 4, 2016, and the closing date was May 20, 2016.
25) Is this opportunity still open?
No. Based on the closing date provided (May 20, 2016), the opportunity is closed.
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