Opportunity Information: Apply for APS OFDA 13 000001

  • The Agency for International Development in the disaster prevention and relief sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Building Disaster Resilient Communities in Southern Africa" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001 USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Jan 30, 2013 and posted on Jan 11, 2013.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 11, 2013 Concept papers are due by February 15, 2013 to determine if full applications will be requested by OFDA.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $6,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $6,500,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:

Building Disaster Resilient Communities in Southern Africa (Funding Opportunity Number APS OFDA 13 000001) was a USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) grant opportunity aimed at strengthening the ability of vulnerable communities in Southern Africa to withstand, adapt to, and recover from shocks. The opportunity sat within the Disaster Prevention and Relief category and was designed to fund practical approaches that reduce disaster risk while improving everyday wellbeing, especially for populations already targeted by ongoing agriculture and nutrition investments.

At the center of the solicitation was a clear push to make prior and current development gains more durable by adding complementary programming in areas that commonly undermine food security and nutrition during crises. OFDA was specifically seeking innovative but proven interventions that either (A) build on substantial existing agriculture and nutrition interventions by layering in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programming plus community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) for the same at-risk groups, or (B) go a step further by fully integrating agriculture and food security activities with WASH measures that reduce waterborne disease and with CBDRM efforts that improve preparedness for natural hazards. In other words, applicants were encouraged to either fill critical gaps around WASH and local disaster risk management for communities already receiving agriculture and nutrition support, or to propose more tightly integrated, multi-sector resilience packages that link food systems, health protection (through WASH), and preparedness into one coherent approach.

The logic behind the call was that nutrition and agricultural progress can be fragile if households lack safe water, sanitation, and hygiene practices, since waterborne illness can directly reduce nutrient absorption and increase vulnerability, especially among children and pregnant or lactating women. Likewise, even strong livelihoods programming can be set back quickly by floods, droughts, and other recurrent hazards if communities do not have local systems for risk analysis, preparedness planning, early action, and coordinated response. OFDA therefore signaled that competitive proposals would not treat these areas as separate silos, but would show how WASH and disaster risk management activities reinforce agriculture, food security, and nutrition outcomes and help communities stay on track during shocks.

This was a discretionary grant opportunity with an estimated total funding amount of $6,500,000 and an award ceiling also listed as $6,500,000, with an award floor of $0. USAID anticipated making about five awards. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement stated, which generally lowers barriers to entry for organizations that can demonstrate strong technical capacity but may not be positioned to provide significant non-federal match.

Eligibility was broad and included nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), private and public institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The assistance listing was CFDA 98.001, USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas, reflecting that this was an overseas assistance program administered by USAID.

In terms of process and timing, the announcement was posted January 11, 2013, with concept papers due February 15, 2013 as a screening step to determine whether OFDA would invite full applications. The closing date for the opportunity was July 11, 2013, and the archive date was August 10, 2013. Applicants who had trouble accessing the full announcement were directed to contact OFDA via OFDAAPS@ofda.gov.

Overall, the opportunity was essentially a resilience-focused call that tried to connect the dots between food security, nutrition, WASH-related disease prevention, and community-level disaster preparedness. The strongest proposals would be expected to show evidence that the approaches were already validated in similar settings, demonstrate how activities would be coordinated around the same high-risk populations, and make a convincing case that integrating these sectors would reduce vulnerability and protect development gains when disasters occur.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Building Disaster Resilient Communities in Southern Africa."

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is APS OFDA 13 000001.

Which U.S. government office offered this opportunity?

This was a USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) grant opportunity.

What category does this opportunity fall under?

The opportunity sat within the Disaster Prevention and Relief category.

What is the main purpose of the funding?

The purpose was to strengthen the ability of vulnerable communities in Southern Africa to withstand, adapt to, and recover from shocks, while also improving everyday wellbeing.

What types of shocks or hazards was the program concerned with?

The solicitation emphasized recurrent natural hazards that can quickly undermine development gains, including floods, droughts, and other recurring shocks.

How does this opportunity connect disaster resilience with food security and nutrition?

The call was designed to make agriculture and nutrition gains more durable by adding complementary programming in areas that commonly undermine food security and nutrition during crises, especially WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) and community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM).

What is the rationale for including WASH activities in resilience programming?

The solicitation highlighted that nutrition and agricultural progress can be fragile when households lack safe water, sanitation, and hygiene practices. Waterborne illness can reduce nutrient absorption and increase vulnerability, particularly among children and pregnant or lactating women.

What is the rationale for including community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM)?

OFDA signaled that even strong livelihoods and food security programming can be set back quickly by recurrent hazards unless communities have local systems for risk analysis, preparedness planning, early action, and coordinated response.

What kinds of interventions was OFDA looking for?

OFDA was specifically seeking innovative but proven interventions that reduce disaster risk while improving day-to-day wellbeing, with strong linkages across agriculture/food security, nutrition, WASH, and CBDRM.

What were the two main programming approaches encouraged by this solicitation?

Applicants were encouraged to propose either: (A) WASH programming plus CBDRM layered onto substantial existing agriculture and nutrition interventions for the same at-risk groups; or (B) fully integrated programming that combines agriculture and food security activities with WASH measures that reduce waterborne disease and with CBDRM efforts that improve preparedness for natural hazards.

Does the solicitation prefer stand-alone sector proposals or integrated approaches?

The solicitation signaled that competitive proposals would not treat WASH, disaster risk management, agriculture/food security, and nutrition as separate silos. Instead, proposals were expected to show how these areas reinforce each other to protect outcomes during shocks.

Who were the intended beneficiaries?

The opportunity focused on vulnerable, high-risk communities in Southern Africa, particularly populations already targeted by ongoing agriculture and nutrition investments.

What is the estimated total funding amount available?

The estimated total funding amount was $6,500,000.

What is the award ceiling?

The award ceiling was listed as $6,500,000.

What is the award floor?

The award floor was listed as $0.

How many awards did USAID anticipate making?

USAID anticipated making about five awards.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement was stated for this opportunity.

What type of grant opportunity was this (mandatory or discretionary)?

This was described as a discretionary grant opportunity.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility included nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), private and public institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.

What is the assistance listing (CFDA) number for this program?

The assistance listing was CFDA 98.001, USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas.

When was the announcement posted?

The announcement was posted on January 11, 2013.

Was there a concept paper stage?

Yes. Concept papers were due February 15, 2013 as a screening step to determine whether OFDA would invite full applications.

What was the closing date for the opportunity?

The closing date was July 11, 2013.

When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date was August 10, 2013.

How could applicants get help if they could not access the full announcement?

Applicants were directed to contact OFDA by email at OFDAAPS@ofda.gov.

What would a strong proposal be expected to demonstrate?

Based on the solicitation description, the strongest proposals would be expected to show that approaches were already validated in similar settings, explain how activities would be coordinated around the same high-risk populations, and make a convincing case that integrating these sectors would reduce vulnerability and protect development gains when disasters occur.

What does "innovative but proven" mean in the context of this call?

The call emphasized approaches that were creative and forward-leaning while still being validated in similar settings, rather than purely experimental ideas disconnected from evidence or prior implementation.

What does "layering" WASH and CBDRM onto existing programs mean here?

In this solicitation, layering referred to building on substantial existing agriculture and nutrition interventions by adding WASH programming and CBDRM activities for the same at-risk groups, to close key resilience gaps without treating the sectors as separate efforts.

What does "fully integrating" sectors mean in this opportunity?

Fully integrating meant proposing a coherent package where agriculture and food security activities, WASH measures to reduce waterborne disease, and CBDRM preparedness efforts are intentionally designed to work together to reduce vulnerability and help communities maintain progress during shocks.

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