Opportunity Information: Apply for NEAPI 10 AW 022 MENA 032910
Apply for NEAPI 10 AW 022 MENA 032910
- The Middle East Partnership Initiative in the community development law, justice and legal services other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "MEPI Regional Office Annual Program Statement" 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 Oct 1, 2011 and posted on Mar 29, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 1, 2011 Applications will be received on a rolling basis and will be reviewed on the basis of their fullness, coherence, clarity, and attention to detail.. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
- 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.
- NEA/PI encourages applications from committed and organized civil society organizations.
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Opportunity Summary:
The MEPI Regional Office Annual Program Statement is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity offered through the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Regional Offices Local Grants program. It is designed to support locally driven projects led by civil society actors, including non-governmental organizations and universities, with an overall goal of strengthening civil society and encouraging homegrown reform efforts that promote pluralism, participation in public life, and broad-based prosperity. The program emphasizes practical, community-oriented initiatives that expand the reach, capacity, and effectiveness of civil society, while also fostering new economic opportunities, improving access to and quality of education, and advancing the empowerment of women.
At the core of this opportunity is MEPI's interest in projects that grow or connect a community of reform-minded individuals and organizations. Proposals are expected to align with at least one of MEPI's stated priorities: building grassroots capacity among NGOs, women's groups, and professional associations; creating meaningful civic and democracy-focused opportunities for youth ages 12 to 17 (especially hands-on public service and volunteering that lets young people experience civic participation directly); developing networks that link NGOs, civil society, government, and the business community to encourage political participation; increasing women's participation in public life at local, regional, and national levels; supporting good governance initiatives that include transparency and anti-corruption elements; strengthening the rule of law through legal reform, legal rights education, and professional legal training in ways that enable a vibrant and engaged civil society; and increasing public awareness and engagement on current political issues, including voter education and advocacy skill-building for individuals and groups.
The types of activities MEPI typically funds are applied and action-oriented rather than purely academic or symbolic. Examples include community service projects that model democratic decision-making and encourage volunteerism, public education initiatives that incorporate democratic practices, the formation of task forces that develop and then pursue a concrete plan of action, and workshops or professional meetings that are clearly part of a broader project strategy and contribute directly to defined outcomes. The emphasis throughout is on activities that produce real participation, durable skills, and sustainable local capacity rather than one-off events.
The announcement also draws clear boundaries around what MEPI local grants generally do not support. The program typically avoids funding social welfare projects, start-up expenses for new organizations, routine operating costs, capital improvements, and purchases such as furniture, office decor, or vehicles. It generally does not fund stand-alone centers unless they are part of a broader, well-justified project design, nor does it pay to complete activities that were started with other funding. To protect neutrality and avoid politicization, MEPI will not support projects that appear partisan, back individual candidates, or support a single-party electoral campaign, and it excludes political party activities. It also usually does not support academic or analytical research unless it is embedded within a larger action project, and it excludes scholarships, most international travel unless specifically justified, and citizen exchange programs. Other excluded areas include one-off conferences or roundtables that are not tied to a larger program, medical or psychological research and clinical studies, direct provision of health care services, commercial or profit-making ventures, cultural performances or festivals, language training courses, and entertainment or hospitality costs such as receptions, ceremonies, alcohol, cocktail parties, or guided tours.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offering either grants or cooperative agreements under CFDA 19.500 (Middle East Partnership Initiative). Awards are expected to range from $25,000 to $100,000, and there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted in the posting, with an explicit encouragement for applications from committed and organized civil society organizations. Applications were accepted on a rolling basis during the period of performance of the announcement and reviewed based on the completeness of the submission and the quality of the proposal narrative, including coherence, clarity, and attention to detail. For questions or access issues related to the full announcement, the listed contacts are Matthew Singer (ABUDHABIMEPI@state.gov) and Jed Dornburg (MEPI_MEDREGION@state.gov).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): MEPI Regional Office Annual Program Statement (Local Grants)
1) What is the MEPI Regional Office Annual Program Statement?
It is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity offered through the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Regional Offices Local Grants program. It supports locally driven projects led by civil society actors with the overall goal of strengthening civil society and encouraging homegrown reform efforts.
2) What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The overall goal is to strengthen civil society and encourage homegrown reform efforts that promote pluralism, participation in public life, and broad-based prosperity.
3) Who is this grant designed to support?
The opportunity is designed to support locally driven projects led by civil society actors, including non-governmental organizations and universities.
4) What kinds of project approaches does MEPI emphasize?
MEPI emphasizes practical, community-oriented initiatives that expand the reach, capacity, and effectiveness of civil society. The program also highlights projects that foster new economic opportunities, improve access to and quality of education, and advance the empowerment of women.
5) What does MEPI mean by "locally driven" and "homegrown reform"?
Based on the announcement, the focus is on projects led by local civil society actors and designed to encourage reform efforts rooted in the community, with an emphasis on pluralism, public participation, and broad-based prosperity.
6) Do proposals need to align to specific MEPI priorities?
Yes. Proposals are expected to align with at least one of MEPI's stated priorities.
7) What are MEPI's stated priority areas for this opportunity?
The announcement lists priorities that include:
- Building grassroots capacity among NGOs, women's groups, and professional associations
- Creating meaningful civic and democracy-focused opportunities for youth ages 12 to 17, especially hands-on public service and volunteering
- Developing networks linking NGOs, civil society, government, and the business community to encourage political participation
- Increasing women's participation in public life at local, regional, and national levels
- Supporting good governance initiatives that include transparency and anti-corruption elements
- Strengthening the rule of law through legal reform, legal rights education, and professional legal training to enable a vibrant, engaged civil society
- Increasing public awareness and engagement on current political issues, including voter education and advocacy skill-building for individuals and groups
8) Is there a youth focus in this program?
Yes. One of the stated priorities is creating meaningful civic and democracy-focused opportunities for youth ages 12 to 17, with an emphasis on hands-on public service and volunteering that allows young people to experience civic participation directly.
9) Are women's empowerment and women's public participation supported?
Yes. The announcement emphasizes advancing the empowerment of women and includes increasing women's participation in public life at local, regional, and national levels as a stated priority.
10) What types of activities does MEPI typically fund?
MEPI typically funds applied, action-oriented activities rather than purely academic or symbolic efforts. Examples given include community service projects that model democratic decision-making and encourage volunteerism, public education initiatives incorporating democratic practices, formation of task forces that develop and then pursue a concrete plan of action, and workshops or professional meetings that are part of a broader strategy and contribute directly to defined outcomes.
11) Does MEPI support workshops and professional meetings?
Yes, when they are clearly part of a broader project strategy and contribute directly to defined outcomes. The emphasis is on activities that produce real participation, durable skills, and sustainable local capacity rather than one-off events.
12) Does MEPI fund one-off conferences or roundtables?
Generally no. The announcement notes that one-off conferences or roundtables that are not tied to a larger program are excluded.
13) Does MEPI fund academic or analytical research?
Generally no, unless the research is embedded within a larger action project. The announcement indicates that purely academic or analytical research is typically not supported.
14) What kinds of projects are generally NOT supported by MEPI local grants?
The announcement lists several categories that MEPI typically avoids funding, including social welfare projects, start-up expenses for new organizations, routine operating costs, capital improvements, and purchases such as furniture, office decor, or vehicles.
15) Can the grant pay for capital improvements or major purchases?
Generally no. The announcement states MEPI local grants typically avoid funding capital improvements and purchases such as furniture, office decor, or vehicles.
16) Can the grant cover routine operating costs?
Generally no. Routine operating costs are listed among the types of expenses MEPI typically avoids funding.
17) Does MEPI fund start-up expenses for new organizations?
Generally no. Start-up expenses for new organizations are listed as typically not supported.
18) Does MEPI fund stand-alone centers?
It generally does not fund stand-alone centers unless they are part of a broader, well-justified project design.
19) Can MEPI funding be used to complete activities that started under other funding?
Generally no. The announcement states it does not pay to complete activities that were started with other funding.
20) Are partisan or political party activities eligible?
No. To protect neutrality and avoid politicization, MEPI will not support projects that appear partisan, back individual candidates, or support a single-party electoral campaign, and it excludes political party activities.
21) Does the program support voter education or advocacy skill-building?
Yes. Increasing public awareness and engagement on current political issues, including voter education and advocacy skill-building for individuals and groups, is listed as a stated priority (with the boundary that projects cannot be partisan or support political parties or candidates).
22) Are scholarships supported?
No. Scholarships are listed among excluded areas.
23) Is international travel allowed under this opportunity?
Most international travel is excluded unless specifically justified, according to the announcement.
24) Are citizen exchange programs supported?
No. Citizen exchange programs are listed among excluded areas.
25) Does MEPI fund health care services or medical research?
No. The announcement excludes medical or psychological research and clinical studies, and it also excludes the direct provision of health care services.
26) Are commercial or profit-making ventures eligible for support?
No. Commercial or profit-making ventures are listed among excluded areas.
27) Are cultural performances, festivals, or language training courses funded?
No. The announcement excludes cultural performances or festivals and language training courses.
28) Are entertainment or hospitality costs allowed?
No. The announcement excludes entertainment or hospitality costs such as receptions, ceremonies, alcohol, cocktail parties, or guided tours.
29) What type of award instrument is used?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity that may be awarded as either a grant or a cooperative agreement.
30) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 19.500 (Middle East Partnership Initiative).
31) What is the expected award size?
Awards are expected to range from $25,000 to $100,000.
32) Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement is stated in the posting.
33) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted in the posting, and applications are explicitly encouraged from committed and organized civil society organizations.
34) Were applications accepted on a specific deadline?
Applications were accepted on a rolling basis during the period of performance of the announcement.
35) How were applications reviewed?
Applications were reviewed based on the completeness of the submission and the quality of the proposal narrative, including coherence, clarity, and attention to detail.
36) What is MEPI looking for in a strong proposal narrative?
Based on the evaluation description provided, strong proposals are complete and present a high-quality narrative that is coherent, clear, and attentive to detail, while aligning to at least one MEPI priority and emphasizing practical, action-oriented outcomes.
37) Who can be contacted for questions or access issues related to the full announcement?
The listed contacts are Matthew Singer (ABUDHABIMEPI@state.gov) and Jed Dornburg (MEPI_MEDREGION@state.gov).
38) What is MEPI's overarching theme across the supported activities?
The emphasis throughout is on real participation, durable skills, and sustainable local capacity, including growing or connecting a community of reform-minded individuals and organizations.
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