Opportunity Information: Apply for AFCOD 16 GR 001 AF 021116
Apply for AFCOD 16 GR 001 AF 021116
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the business and commerce, community development, energy, natural resources, regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Natural Resource Management Transparency in the Democratic Republic of Congo" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.322.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 22, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 01, 2016. (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 $495,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Natural Resource Management Transparency in the Democratic Republic of Congo grant is a discretionary U.S. Department of State funding opportunity administered by U.S. Embassy Kinshasa through the Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund. The core idea behind the fund is to link economic governance with foreign policy goals by promoting market-based accountability, strengthening public financial management, and improving the conditions that support economic stability. In this specific case, the Embassy is looking to expand and deepen transparency and accountability work in the DRCs natural resource sectors, with a particular emphasis on turning existing disclosures into practical civic action and addressing transparency weaknesses in the hydrocarbons sector.
The opportunity builds on earlier transparency efforts in the DRC, especially in mining. The description makes a key point: credible information about the mining sector is increasingly public, but disclosure alone has not solved the problem. There is still a major gap in civil societys ability to interpret, analyze, and use mining revenue information to advocate effectively for reforms and for better public service delivery. The project is designed to help local organizations move from simply having access to data to actually using it to identify revenue shortfalls, spotlight inconsistencies, and push for progressive improvements in how resource revenues are collected, reported, and ultimately used for the public good.
A second central focus is the emerging hydrocarbons sector, where transparency is described as a serious and continuing gap. While mining has seen progress in making information available, hydrocarbons are framed as an area where oversight, public awareness, and fiscal transparency tools have not kept pace with sector development. The grant therefore targets both awareness-raising and practical transparency improvements tied to natural resource revenue management, with hydrocarbons explicitly highlighted as a priority area for closing information and accountability gaps.
Programmatically, the Embassy signals that the project will empower local partners in the DRC. In practice, this implies support for Congolese civil society actors and other in-country stakeholders to strengthen advocacy for mining revenue disclosure, improve the capacity to analyze revenue data, and identify or reduce mining revenue gaps. The intent is not only to improve technical understanding of the numbers, but also to strengthen accountability pathways so that resource revenues are more likely to translate into tangible governance outcomes, including basic services.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a grant (FundingInstrumentType: Grant) with an award ceiling of USD 495,000 and an expectation of a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1). The opportunity is categorized under multiple activity areas, including Business and Commerce, Community Development, Energy, Natural Resources, and Regional Development, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of extractives governance and public finance. The CFDA number listed is 19.322. The opportunity was created June 22, 2016, with an original closing date of August 1, 2016, and it is issued by the Department of State, U.S. Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo under Funding Opportunity Number AFCOD 16 GR 001 AF 021116.
Eligibility is aimed primarily at nonprofit organizations, including U.S. nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (also excluding institutions of higher education), and additional eligible entities referenced in the announcement under an "Others" category that would require checking the full notice text for any special conditions or clarifications.
Overall, the grant is best understood as a targeted investment in fiscal transparency and accountability in the DRCs extractive industries. It seeks to strengthen the ability of local civil society and partners to use already-available mining information more effectively, while also pushing to open up and improve transparency in hydrocarbons before governance problems become entrenched. The expected result is better public understanding and oversight of natural resource revenues, stronger evidence-based advocacy, and pressure for more responsible revenue management tied to development outcomes.
FAQs: Natural Resource Management Transparency in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Grant
What is the Natural Resource Management Transparency in the DRC grant?
It is a discretionary U.S. Department of State funding opportunity administered by U.S. Embassy Kinshasa through the Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund. The grant supports transparency and accountability work in the Democratic Republic of Congo's natural resource sectors, with a focus on making disclosed information usable for civic action and addressing transparency weaknesses in the hydrocarbons sector.
Who is offering and administering this grant?
The grant is issued by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and administered by U.S. Embassy Kinshasa through the Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund.
What is the Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund and how does this opportunity fit within it?
The Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund is designed to link economic governance with foreign policy goals by promoting market-based accountability, strengthening public financial management, and improving conditions that support economic stability. This opportunity applies those goals to the DRC extractives context by strengthening transparency and accountability in natural resource revenue management.
What are the main objectives of this funding opportunity?
The main objectives are to (1) expand and deepen transparency and accountability work in the DRC's natural resource sectors, (2) turn existing public disclosures into practical civic action, (3) strengthen civil society ability to interpret and use mining revenue information, and (4) address major transparency gaps in the hydrocarbons sector.
Which natural resource sectors are emphasized in the opportunity?
The opportunity emphasizes both mining and hydrocarbons. It builds on earlier progress in mining transparency and highlights hydrocarbons as a priority area where transparency and oversight have not kept pace with sector development.
Why does the grant emphasize "turning disclosures into practical civic action"?
Because the announcement notes that credible mining-sector information is increasingly public, but disclosure alone has not solved accountability problems. A key gap remains in civil society's ability to interpret, analyze, and use mining revenue information to advocate for reforms and improved public service delivery.
What problems in the mining sector is the project trying to address?
The project targets the ongoing gap between having access to mining revenue information and being able to use it effectively. It is designed to help local organizations use data to identify revenue shortfalls, spotlight inconsistencies, and advocate for improvements in how resource revenues are collected, reported, and used for the public good.
How does the opportunity describe the hydrocarbons sector in the DRC?
The hydrocarbons sector is described as having a serious and continuing transparency gap. The notice frames hydrocarbons as an area where oversight, public awareness, and fiscal transparency tools have not kept pace with sector development, making it a priority for closing information and accountability gaps.
What kinds of outcomes does the Embassy appear to be seeking?
Based on the description, expected outcomes include stronger public understanding and oversight of natural resource revenues, improved evidence-based advocacy by civil society and partners, and increased pressure for more responsible revenue management that translates into governance outcomes, including basic services.
Does the opportunity prioritize local partners in the DRC?
Yes. The Embassy signals that the project will empower local partners in the DRC, implying support for Congolese civil society actors and other in-country stakeholders to strengthen advocacy and improve the capacity to analyze and use revenue data.
What activities or approaches are implied by the grant description?
The description implies activities such as building capacity to interpret and analyze mining revenue disclosures, supporting advocacy to improve mining revenue disclosure and accountability, identifying or reducing mining revenue gaps, raising awareness and improving transparency in hydrocarbons, and strengthening practical accountability pathways so revenues are more likely to support public benefit.
Is this a grant or a contract?
This opportunity is a grant (FundingInstrumentType: Grant).
What is the maximum award amount for this grant?
The award ceiling is USD 495,000.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is AFCOD 16 GR 001 AF 021116.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 19.322.
When was this opportunity created and what was the closing date listed?
The opportunity was created on June 22, 2016, and the original closing date listed is August 1, 2016.
What activity areas does this grant fall under?
The opportunity is categorized under multiple activity areas: Business and Commerce, Community Development, Energy, Natural Resources, and Regional Development.
Who is eligible to apply based on the information provided?
Eligibility is aimed primarily at nonprofit organizations, including U.S. nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (also excluding institutions of higher education). The announcement also references additional eligible entities under an "Others" category.
Are institutions of higher education eligible?
The eligibility categories listed exclude institutions of higher education for both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status.
What does the "Others" eligibility category mean here?
The opportunity notes an additional "Others" category for eligible entities, but also indicates that applicants would need to check the full notice text for any special conditions or clarifications.
Is the grant focused only on making new data public?
No. A major theme is that information is already increasingly public in mining, and the problem is that disclosure alone has not closed accountability gaps. The opportunity emphasizes enabling civil society and partners to use existing disclosures to drive civic action and reform, while also improving transparency in hydrocarbons where gaps remain significant.
What is the overall purpose of this grant in plain terms?
Overall, it is a targeted investment in fiscal transparency and accountability in the DRC's extractive industries. It aims to strengthen the ability of local actors to use mining information effectively and to increase transparency and oversight in hydrocarbons, with the broader goal of improving how resource revenues are managed and used for public benefit.
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