Opportunity Information: Apply for OFDA FY09 002 APS
Apply for OFDA FY09 002 APS
- The Agency for International Development in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2009 Horn Food Price Crisis Response for Ethiopia" 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 Oct 28, 2008 and posted on Oct 28, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 27, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $30,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $30,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The FY 2009 Horn Food Price Crisis Response for Ethiopia was a USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) funding opportunity aimed at responding to the effects of the global food price crisis on highly vulnerable populations in Ethiopia. The program was designed as an Annual Program Statement (APS) that anticipated making multiple awards through cooperative agreements, with a strong focus on selected zones in three regions: Oromiya, Somali, and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples (SNNP) region. The central premise of the opportunity is that while emergency inputs can prevent immediate deterioration, repeated year-after-year assistance at rising costs is not a sustainable solution; therefore, OFDA signaled an interest in approaches that not only meet urgent humanitarian needs but also reduce the underlying drivers of food insecurity over time.
The opportunity framed vulnerability in the Horn of Africa in terms of three primary livelihood groups: pastoral households, agro-pastoral households, and marginal farming households. These groups are especially exposed to shocks such as drought, market volatility, and rising food prices, because they often have limited savings, limited access to stable markets, and livelihoods that depend heavily on rainfall, grazing conditions, and livestock health. Within that context, the APS encouraged interventions that could help households avoid negative coping strategies (like distress livestock sales, pulling children from school, or reducing food intake) while simultaneously positioning communities to recover and become more resilient.
USAID/OFDA described three broad goals for projects funded under this APS. First, proposals were expected to stabilize humanitarian indicators in food-insecure households through assistance that protects existing assets. In practical terms, this usually implies short-term, life-sustaining or shock-mitigating activities that keep families from losing the key resources they rely on to survive and earn income, such as livestock, basic productive tools, seed stocks, or access to water. Second, projects were expected to rebuild livelihoods and strengthen household resilience to future shocks by diversifying and creating assets. This goal goes beyond immediate relief and points toward activities that help households broaden income sources, restore productive capacity, and accumulate resources that make them less likely to fall into crisis when the next drought or price spike occurs. Third, the APS emphasized improving economic opportunities through stronger market linkages that support the dominant agricultural and livestock sectors. This reflects an intent to connect producers more effectively to buyers and services, reduce market barriers, and improve how households participate in local and regional economies, particularly in areas where livestock and agricultural trade are central to livelihoods.
From an administrative and funding perspective, this was a discretionary opportunity using cooperative agreements as the funding instrument, meaning USAID anticipated substantial involvement in guiding or collaborating during implementation compared with a standard grant. The activity category was listed as Agriculture, consistent with the focus on food security, livelihoods, and market-related solutions, even though the underlying driver was a humanitarian crisis. The announcement expected approximately five awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $30,000,000. The ceiling for an individual award was also listed as $30,000,000, and the floor was $0, indicating flexibility in award size and the possibility of funding a wide range of proposed budgets depending on merit and fit. Cost sharing or matching was not required, reducing barriers for organizations that might not have access to significant non-federal funds.
Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity was open to a wide range of entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full announcement text. The APS was posted on October 28, 2008, and the application closing date was April 27, 2009 (with an archive date of May 27, 2009). The listing was associated with CFDA number 98.001, USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas. For applicants who had difficulty accessing the full announcement, the point of contact provided was Pamela Scott, Grants Specialist, reachable by phone at 202-661-9371 or by email at pascott@usaid.gov.
Overall, the opportunity reflects a hybrid approach that sits between emergency humanitarian assistance and longer-term recovery: it recognizes the immediate harm caused by food price shocks while pushing partners to design interventions that protect assets, rebuild and diversify livelihoods, and strengthen market participation in Ethiopia's pastoral, agro-pastoral, and marginal farming areas within the targeted regions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): FY 2009 Horn Food Price Crisis Response for Ethiopia (USAID/OFDA APS)
What is the FY 2009 Horn Food Price Crisis Response for Ethiopia opportunity?
It is a USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) funding opportunity created to respond to the impacts of the global food price crisis on highly vulnerable populations in Ethiopia. The opportunity was issued as an Annual Program Statement (APS) and anticipated making multiple awards through cooperative agreements.
Which USAID office issued this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was issued by USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA).
What type of funding mechanism was used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
The funding instrument was a cooperative agreement. This signals that USAID anticipated substantial involvement in guiding and collaborating during implementation compared with a standard grant.
What was the main problem the APS aimed to address?
The APS aimed to address the effects of the global food price crisis on vulnerable households in Ethiopia, especially where repeated year-after-year emergency assistance was not considered a sustainable solution. The opportunity encouraged approaches that meet urgent humanitarian needs while also reducing underlying drivers of food insecurity over time.
Was this opportunity focused only on emergency relief?
No. While it recognized the need for immediate, life-sustaining support, it also emphasized recovery and longer-term resilience, including livelihood rebuilding and improved market participation.
Which regions and areas in Ethiopia were a strong focus for this APS?
The APS had a strong focus on selected zones in three regions: Oromiya, Somali, and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples (SNNP) region.
Which livelihood groups were highlighted as most vulnerable in the Horn of Africa context?
The APS framed vulnerability around three primary livelihood groups: pastoral households, agro-pastoral households, and marginal farming households.
Why were pastoral, agro-pastoral, and marginal farming households emphasized?
These groups were described as especially exposed to shocks like drought, market volatility, and rising food prices due to limited savings, limited access to stable markets, and livelihoods that depend heavily on rainfall, grazing conditions, and livestock health.
What kinds of harmful coping strategies did the APS aim to help households avoid?
The APS referenced negative coping strategies such as distress livestock sales, pulling children from school, or reducing food intake. Proposed interventions were encouraged to help households avoid these outcomes.
What were the three broad project goals described in the APS?
The APS described three broad goals: (1) stabilize humanitarian indicators in food-insecure households by protecting existing assets; (2) rebuild livelihoods and strengthen household resilience to future shocks by diversifying and creating assets; and (3) improve economic opportunities through stronger market linkages that support the dominant agricultural and livestock sectors.
What does "stabilize humanitarian indicators by protecting existing assets" mean in practical terms?
It refers to short-term, life-sustaining or shock-mitigating activities designed to keep families from losing key resources they rely on for survival and income. The APS gave examples of assets such as livestock, basic productive tools, seed stocks, or access to water.
What does the APS mean by rebuilding livelihoods and strengthening resilience?
This goal goes beyond immediate relief and points to activities that help households broaden income sources, restore productive capacity, and accumulate resources so they are less likely to fall into crisis during future droughts or price spikes.
What does "improving economic opportunities through stronger market linkages" involve?
It reflects an intent to connect producers more effectively to buyers and services, reduce market barriers, and improve participation in local and regional economies, especially in areas where livestock and agricultural trade are central to livelihoods.
What was the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category was listed as Agriculture, consistent with its focus on food security, livelihoods, and market-related solutions, even though the underlying driver was a humanitarian crisis.
How many awards were expected under this APS?
The announcement expected approximately five awards.
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount was $30,000,000.
What were the floor and ceiling amounts for individual awards?
The ceiling for an individual award was listed as $30,000,000 and the floor was listed as $0. This indicated flexibility in award size and the possibility of funding a wide range of proposed budgets depending on merit and fit.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. Cost sharing or matching was not required.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity was open to a wide range of entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement text.
What does it mean that this was a discretionary opportunity?
It means awards were not automatic or formula-based; funding decisions were made based on the competitive or merit-based review process and alignment with the APS objectives, using cooperative agreements.
When was the APS posted and when did it close?
The APS was posted on October 28, 2008, and the application closing date was April 27, 2009.
What was the archive date for this opportunity?
The archive date listed was May 27, 2009.
What CFDA number was associated with this listing?
The listing was associated with CFDA number 98.001, USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas.
Who was the point of contact for applicants who had trouble accessing the full announcement?
The point of contact provided was Pamela Scott, Grants Specialist.
How could applicants contact the point of contact?
Applicants could reach Pamela Scott by phone at 202-661-9371 or by email at pascott@usaid.gov.
How did the APS balance immediate humanitarian needs with longer-term objectives?
The APS emphasized that emergency inputs can prevent immediate deterioration, but repeated assistance at rising costs is not sustainable. It therefore encouraged interventions that protect assets in the short term while also rebuilding and diversifying livelihoods and strengthening market linkages to reduce underlying drivers of food insecurity over time.
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