Opportunity Information: Apply for APS OFDA 13 000003
Apply for APS OFDA 13 000003
- The Agency for International Development in the disaster prevention and relief sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovative Partnerships for Enhancing End to End Early Warning Systems for Hydrometeorological Hazards in South Asia" 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 Feb 25, 2013 and posted on Feb 25, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 27, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Innovative Partnerships for Enhancing End to End Early Warning Systems for Hydrometeorological Hazards in South Asia" was a USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) funding call designed to strengthen how South Asian communities anticipate, understand, and respond to weather- and water-related hazards. The central idea was not just to fund a single organization to run a project, but to use a relatively modest amount of USAID funding as catalytic support to assemble a partnership that could fix persistent weaknesses in early warning systems from start to finish, meaning from hazard detection and forecasting, to risk communication, to last-mile dissemination, and ultimately to community action and preparedness. The opportunity emphasized improvements to both the content of warnings (accuracy, relevance, clarity, actionability) and the ways warnings reach people (channels, timing, local tailoring, and uptake), with the larger goal of enhancing community resilience to hydrometeorological threats.
A defining feature of the program was its strong preference for bringing in significant non-public resources. USAID explicitly sought partnerships that could add value beyond the grant dollars by contributing private or otherwise non-government resources such as funding, technologies, data systems, expertise, operational capacity, distribution networks, or specialized experience. In practice, this meant proposals were expected to show how multiple partners would work together in a coordinated way, why each partner is uniquely positioned to contribute, and what each partner stands to gain or advance through participation. Rather than treating partners as interchangeable subcontractors, the program aimed to clarify roles and incentives so that the collaboration would function as a true alliance where each party has a reason to stay engaged.
Another major emphasis was sustainability beyond the grant period. USAID signaled that it wanted partnerships capable of continuing after the program ends, including identifying new and innovative solutions for improving early warning effectiveness without relying on additional external donor resources. This points to expectations such as building business models, operational agreements, cost-recovery mechanisms, institutional ownership, or integration into existing national and local systems so that the improvements can persist and scale. The goal was a durable improvement in early warning performance that remains active and useful after the initial OFDA support concludes.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, this was a discretionary grant opportunity under the Disaster Prevention and Relief activity category, listed under CFDA 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas). USAID anticipated making about five awards, with an estimated total funding pool of $2,000,000 and an award ceiling of $400,000 per grant. Cost sharing or matching was not required, even though the program strongly encouraged leveraging substantial non-public contributions through partnership design. Eligible applicants were broad and included small businesses; nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that specific nonprofit category); public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. The funding opportunity number was APS-OFDA-13-000003. It was posted on February 25, 2013, with an original and final closing date of March 27, 2013, and it was archived on April 26, 2013.
For applicants at the time, the practical takeaway was that the strongest proposals would likely have demonstrated an end-to-end approach (not only forecasting or only community outreach), a clear partnership structure with complementary capabilities, credible contributions of non-public resources, and a plan for long-term continuation without further donor dependence. The contact email listed for access issues or inquiries was OFDAAPS_FY13003@ofda.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Innovative Partnerships for Enhancing End to End Early Warning Systems for Hydrometeorological Hazards in South Asia."
Which U.S. government office offered this opportunity?
This was a USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) funding call.
What problem was this grant designed to address?
The opportunity was designed to strengthen how communities in South Asia anticipate, understand, and respond to weather- and water-related hazards by improving early warning systems from start to finish.
What does "end-to-end" early warning systems mean in this opportunity?
What types of hazards were the focus of this program?
The program focused on hydrometeorological hazards, meaning weather- and water-related threats.
Was USAID trying to fund a single organization, or a partnership?
The central idea was to use a relatively modest amount of USAID funding as catalytic support to assemble a partnership that could address persistent weaknesses in early warning systems. The opportunity emphasized a true partnership rather than a single organization acting alone.
What kinds of improvements to early warning systems were emphasized?
The opportunity emphasized improving both (1) the content of warnings and (2) the ways warnings reach people. This included accuracy, relevance, clarity, and actionability of warnings, as well as channels, timing, local tailoring, and community uptake.
What did USAID mean by improving the "content" of warnings?
What did USAID mean by improving how warnings reach people?
USAID emphasized practical aspects of dissemination such as the communication channels used, the timing of warnings, tailoring messages to local contexts, and ensuring people actually receive and act on the information (uptake).
What role did partnerships and non-public resources play in this opportunity?
A defining feature was a strong preference for bringing in significant non-public resources. Proposals were expected to show how partners would contribute value beyond USAID grant dollars, including resources like funding, technologies, data systems, expertise, operational capacity, distribution networks, or specialized experience.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. Cost sharing or matching was not required, even though USAID strongly encouraged leveraging substantial non-public contributions through partnership design.
What would a strong partnership proposal have needed to demonstrate?
Based on the opportunity description, strong proposals would likely have shown: a coordinated partnership with complementary capabilities; clearly defined partner roles; why each partner was uniquely positioned to contribute; and what each partner stood to gain or advance by participating (so the collaboration functions as a true alliance rather than interchangeable subcontracting).
What was the program's position on sustainability after the grant period?
Sustainability beyond the grant period was a major emphasis. USAID indicated it wanted partnerships capable of continuing after the program ends, including identifying new and innovative solutions that do not rely on additional external donor resources.
What kinds of sustainability approaches were implied by the opportunity?
The opportunity pointed to expectations such as business models, operational agreements, cost-recovery mechanisms, institutional ownership, or integration into existing national and local systems so improvements can persist and scale after OFDA support concludes.
What activity category was this opportunity associated with?
This was a discretionary grant opportunity under the Disaster Prevention and Relief activity category.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was listed under CFDA 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas).
How many awards did USAID anticipate making?
USAID anticipated making about five awards.
What was the estimated total funding amount for the opportunity?
The estimated total funding pool was $2,000,000.
What was the maximum award size (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was $400,000 per grant.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included: small businesses; nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that specific nonprofit category); public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses.
Were institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education were eligible. The eligibility list also noted that nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status were eligible, but that category excluded institutions of higher education.
What was the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number was APS-OFDA-13-000003.
When was this opportunity posted?
It was posted on February 25, 2013.
What was the closing date for applications?
The original and final closing date was March 27, 2013.
Is this opportunity still active?
No. The opportunity was archived on April 26, 2013.
What region did the program focus on?
The focus was South Asia.
What were the key practical takeaways for applicants?
The description indicated that the strongest proposals would likely have demonstrated an end-to-end approach (not only forecasting or only community outreach), a clear partnership structure with complementary capabilities, credible contributions of non-public resources, and a plan for long-term continuation without further donor dependence.
How could applicants get help or ask questions about access issues?
The contact email listed for access issues or inquiries was OFDAAPS_FY13003@ofda.gov.
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