Opportunity Information: Apply for NEAPI 08 CA 007 MENA 110107
Apply for NEAPI 08 CA 007 MENA 110107
- The Middle East Partnership Initiative in the business and commerce employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Economic Initiatives Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.500 Middle East Partnership Initiative.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 5, 2007 and posted on Nov 1, 2007.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 29, 2007. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $10,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Eligible applicants include any U.S. or foreign registered non governmental organization, U.S. or foreign private institutions or commercial entities, and U.S. state or local governments. NEA/PI encourages applications from partnerships or consortia including local organizations. For the purposes of this RFA, partnership is defined as a negotiated arrangement among organizations that provides for a substantive, collaborative role for each of the partners in the planning and implementation of a project.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Economic Initiatives Program is a competitive grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of State's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), through the Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (NEA/PI). It funds projects that advance economic reform and development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by helping small and medium sized enterprises grow, encouraging job creation, and supporting individuals and groups advocating for greater economic openness and freedom. The announcement is structured as a request for applications and is aimed at organizations that can show both technical capability and real regional experience, with applicants expected to clearly spell out their core competencies in economic reform and describe their country and regional expertise.
Projects can be proposed under one or more of three priority program areas. The first area, Economic Governance, focuses on strengthening the rules, systems, and public accountability that shape commercial life. MEPI is looking for partners who can improve government transparency and accountability tied to commercial transactions and economic decision making. Typical activity themes include government economic transparency, commercial law reform, monetary and fiscal policy support, strengthening regulatory systems, financial sector development, and anti corruption efforts. The common thread is improving how economies are governed so that markets function more fairly and predictably, and so that public institutions are more answerable to citizens and businesses.
The second area, Organization Strengthening, is about building the capacity and effectiveness of civil society and business membership organizations across MENA. MEPI is seeking implementers who can help local, national, and regional organizations become stronger operators and more credible advocates for reform. The scope includes legal and regulatory reform advocacy, building coalitions and networks that push economic reform (including mechanisms for international dialogue), and mobilizing business leaders including businesswomen around economic and political reform issues. It also includes increasing the political participation and policy engagement of chambers of commerce and other business groups, improving oversight of public economic institutions, and helping business organizations develop strategies to become locally supported and financially sustainable rather than dependent on outside funding.
The third area, Trade Capacity Building, targets the practical ability of public and private sector actors in selected MENA countries to participate in bilateral and multilateral trade policy discussions and negotiations. MEPI is particularly interested in partners who can provide technical assistance related to ongoing World Trade Organization accessions and efforts connected to U.S. Middle East Free Trade Area processes. In practice, this area tends to emphasize training, advisory support, and institution building so stakeholders can engage effectively with counterparts and navigate trade rules, negotiations, and implementation requirements.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, the opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning the government typically anticipates substantial involvement in guiding or collaborating during the project rather than simply issuing a hands off grant. The total estimated funding is $10,000,000, with individual awards ranging from $250,000 (floor) to $3,000,000 (ceiling). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement stated. The funding activity category is Business and Commerce, Employment, Labor and Training, and the CFDA program number listed is 19.500 (Middle East Partnership Initiative).
Eligibility is broad. Applicants may be U.S. or foreign registered non governmental organizations, U.S. or foreign private institutions or commercial entities, and U.S. state or local governments. MEPI explicitly encourages applications from partnerships or consortia that include local organizations, and it defines a partnership as a negotiated arrangement in which each partner has a substantive, collaborative role in planning and implementation, not just a symbolic affiliation. Applicants are expected to demonstrate both functional expertise (what they can do) and regional or country specific competence (where they can do it effectively), and they may submit proposals covering one or multiple priority areas.
The broader context is MEPI's role as a Presidential initiative intended to promote political, economic, and educational reform and to empower women in the Middle East and North Africa through results oriented programming. MEPI frames economic reform as linked to more open economies, better educational opportunities, and increased political freedom, and it emphasizes building sustainable reform through partnerships that connect Arab and U.S. civil society and engage with governments where appropriate. The specific opportunity details are identified under Funding Opportunity Number NEAPI 08 CA 007 MENA 110107, titled Economic Initiatives Program, posted November 1, 2007, with an application closing date of November 29, 2007, and an archive date of December 29, 2007. For further information, the program directs readers to the MEPI website (http://www.mepi.state.gov) and provides a contact for access issues (Jessica Baker, phone 202 776 8500) as well as the NEA Grants Mailbox.
Economic Initiatives Program (MEPI) - FAQs
1) What is the Economic Initiatives Program?
The Economic Initiatives Program is a competitive grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of State's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) through the Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (NEA/PI). It supports projects that advance economic reform and development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), including efforts that help small and medium sized enterprises grow, encourage job creation, and support individuals and groups advocating for greater economic openness and freedom.
2) Who is offering this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of State, Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), through NEA/PI.
3) Is this a grant or another type of award?
This opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement generally means the U.S. government anticipates substantial involvement in guiding or collaborating during the project, rather than providing a hands off grant.
4) How much total funding is available?
The total estimated funding for this opportunity is $10,000,000.
5) What is the typical funding range per award?
Individual awards are expected to range from $250,000 (floor) to $3,000,000 (ceiling).
6) Is cost sharing or a match required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated in the information provided.
7) What is the CFDA program number for this opportunity?
The CFDA program number listed is 19.500 (Middle East Partnership Initiative).
8) What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is Business and Commerce, Employment, Labor and Training.
9) What region is this program focused on?
The program focuses on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
10) What kinds of outcomes is MEPI trying to support through this program?
MEPI frames its work around advancing economic reform and development by strengthening economic openness and freedom, supporting enterprise growth and job creation, and building sustainable reform through partnerships that connect Arab and U.S. civil society while engaging with governments where appropriate.
11) What are the priority program areas applicants can propose under?
Applicants may propose projects under one or more of three priority program areas: (1) Economic Governance, (2) Organization Strengthening, and (3) Trade Capacity Building.
12) What does the Economic Governance priority area cover?
Economic Governance focuses on strengthening rules, systems, and public accountability that shape commercial life. MEPI seeks partners who can improve government transparency and accountability tied to commercial transactions and economic decision making.
13) What are examples of typical activities under Economic Governance?
Typical themes include government economic transparency, commercial law reform, monetary and fiscal policy support, strengthening regulatory systems, financial sector development, and anti corruption efforts, all aimed at making markets function more fairly and predictably and making public institutions more answerable to citizens and businesses.
14) What does the Organization Strengthening priority area cover?
Organization Strengthening focuses on building the capacity and effectiveness of civil society and business membership organizations across MENA, helping them become stronger operators and more credible advocates for reform.
15) What are examples of typical activities under Organization Strengthening?
Examples include legal and regulatory reform advocacy, coalition and network building that pushes economic reform (including mechanisms for international dialogue), mobilizing business leaders including businesswomen around economic and political reform issues, increasing political participation and policy engagement of chambers of commerce and other business groups, improving oversight of public economic institutions, and helping business organizations develop strategies to become locally supported and financially sustainable rather than dependent on outside funding.
16) What does the Trade Capacity Building priority area cover?
Trade Capacity Building focuses on strengthening the practical ability of public and private sector actors in selected MENA countries to participate in bilateral and multilateral trade policy discussions and negotiations.
17) What trade related efforts does MEPI highlight under Trade Capacity Building?
MEPI expresses particular interest in technical assistance related to ongoing World Trade Organization accessions and efforts connected to U.S. Middle East Free Trade Area processes.
18) Can an application cover more than one priority area?
Yes. Applicants may submit proposals covering one or multiple priority areas.
19) What is MEPI looking for in applicants?
MEPI is looking for organizations that can demonstrate both technical capability and real regional experience. Applicants are expected to clearly describe core competencies in economic reform and to explain their country and regional expertise.
20) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes U.S. or foreign registered non governmental organizations, U.S. or foreign private institutions or commercial entities, and U.S. state or local governments.
21) Are partnerships or consortia encouraged?
Yes. MEPI explicitly encourages applications from partnerships or consortia that include local organizations.
22) How does MEPI define a "partnership" for this opportunity?
MEPI defines a partnership as a negotiated arrangement in which each partner has a substantive, collaborative role in planning and implementation, not just a symbolic affiliation.
23) What is the Funding Opportunity Number and title?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NEAPI 08 CA 007 MENA 110107, and the title is Economic Initiatives Program.
24) When was the opportunity posted and when did applications close?
The opportunity was posted on November 1, 2007, and the application closing date was November 29, 2007.
25) What is the archive date?
The archive date listed is December 29, 2007.
26) Where can applicants find more information?
Further information is available on the MEPI website at http://www.mepi.state.gov.
27) Who can be contacted for access issues or help related to this opportunity?
The information provided lists Jessica Baker (phone 202 776 8500) as a contact for access issues, and also references the NEA Grants Mailbox.
28) How does MEPI describe its broader mission in the region?
MEPI is described as a Presidential initiative intended to promote political, economic, and educational reform and to empower women in the Middle East and North Africa through results oriented programming.
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