Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA OAA 14 000012
Apply for RFA OAA 14 000012
- The Agency for International Development in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "New Alliance ICT Extension Challenge Fund" 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 Jun 17, 2014 and posted on Mar 25, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 22, 2014 Competition under this RFA has two phases, Phase I Concept Note and Phase II Full Application (PLEASE NOTE full application to be submitted upon invitation only). RFA Phase I Concept Note Questions deadline FOR COUNTRIES OF MOZAMBIQUE AND SENEGAL ONLY The deadline for Questions has been extended from April 10, 2014 to June 9, 2014 by 500pm ET (Washington, DC local time). Please send questions to ict@usaid.gov. RFA Phase I Concept Note Submission Deadline) FOR COUNTRIES OF MOZAMBIQUE AND SENEGAL ONLY The deadline for concept note submissions has been extended from April 24, 2014 to June 30, 2014 by 500pm ET (Washington, DC local time). RFA PHASE II (Full Application submission deadline) FOR COUNTRIES OF ETHIOPIA, GHANA, MALAWI AND TANZANIA Full Applications are due on or about June 27, 2014. FOR COUNTRIES OF MOZAMBIQUE AND SENEGAL Full Applications are due on or about August 22, 2014. The exact time and date for receipt of full applications will be communicated to Phase I Successful Applicants by the Agreement Officer. PLEASE CAREFULLY REVIEW AMENDMENTS #03 AND #04 FOUND ON GRANTS.GOV IN THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT SECTION.. (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 $1,700,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- PLEASE REVIEW ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS BELOW For Awards for Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique and Senegal, eligible applicants must be an NGO (not for profit organization) a private business, services or consulting firm or a college, university or foundation. For profit businesses must waive profits and/or fees to be eligible to submit a Concept Note or Application. USAID strongly encourages applications from applicants that lead a group organizations, to the extent a group is needed, that combines experience across types of ICT modes, such as mobile phone based services, Internet based information portals, television, content delivery services, video, radio and GPS as well as those that have experience in ICT enabled agriculture extension services as well as marketing (i.e., using mass and other marketing techniques to convince target users to change behavior similar to what has been used in the health sector to convince targeted audiences to change their health related habits). Sub grantees have the same eligibility requirements as an Applicant but they can also be government entities such as public agriculture extension or advisory service units or entities owned by a government (at least 50 of ownership is held by government). For Tanzania, not for profit agencies such as Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Universities, and government entities are encouraged to submit concept papers and applications. A government entity may be the proposed lead Awardee or proposed sub grantee. If the applicant is a for profit agency or include a for profit agency as a proposed sub grantee, the applicants are strongly encouraged to review the IFAD procedures for financing from the grant programme accessible at http://www.ifad.org/gbdocs/eb/102/e/EB 2011 102 R 28.pdf to ensure proposed costs are eligible for IFAD grant financing. IFAD reserves the right to require additional time before awarding the grant if required.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The New Alliance ICT Extension Challenge Fund is a competitive grant/cooperative agreement opportunity designed to support information and communications technology (ICT) services that strengthen agriculture extension and advisory systems in support of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. The fund is backed by New Alliance partners, led by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DfID). For Tanzania specifically, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is expected to finance the award through its grant program, with the important caveat that the Tanzania award depends on IFAD internal review and approval under IFAD grant policy. USAID, DfID, and IFAD sit on the Fund Steering Committee, and the announcement notes that additional donors could join later and that a Fund Advisory Group may be created in the future.
Geographically, the program targets six New Alliance countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, and Tanzania. USAID anticipates making up to one three-year cooperative agreement per country for five countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, and Senegal), while IFAD plans to select one awardee for Tanzania under its own procedures. In total, the opportunity anticipates up to six awards. The overall purpose is to deploy ICT-enabled services that help drive food security outcomes by improving how farmers and other value-chain actors receive and use actionable information. While the notice does not list specific required interventions in the excerpt provided, it clearly frames ICT-enabled extension as the core theme, including tools and channels that can scale information delivery, improve advisory quality, and encourage adoption of improved practices.
Funding is offered under a discretionary program and uses a cooperative agreement as the primary instrument type (with Tanzania handled as an IFAD grant). The funding activity category is framed under food security. The award ceiling listed is $1,700,000, with no stated award floor. Cost sharing or matching is not required. The opportunity is associated with CFDA 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas) and is published under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-OAA-14-000012.
The application process is structured in two phases. Phase I requires submission of a concept note, and only applicants invited after Phase I are allowed to submit a Phase II full application. The original schedule included a questions deadline of April 10, 2014 and a concept note deadline of April 24, 2014 (both tied to Eastern Time/Washington, DC local time), with full applications due June 19, 2014. Subsequent amendments extended deadlines for Mozambique and Senegal, moving the questions deadline to June 9, 2014 and the concept note deadline to June 30, 2014, and indicating full applications for those two countries were due on or about August 22, 2014. For Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania, full applications were due on or about June 27, 2014, with the precise receipt time for invited applicants to be communicated by the Agreement Officer. The notice also emphasizes reviewing amendments posted on Grants.gov, indicating that applicants needed to track updates carefully. Questions were directed to ict@usaid.gov.
Eligibility depends on the country. For USAID-funded awards (Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, and Senegal), eligible lead applicants include non-profit NGOs, private businesses and consulting/service firms, colleges or universities, and foundations. A key restriction applies to for-profit entities: to submit, they must waive profits and/or fees. USAID also encourages applications led by organizations that can assemble a consortium with complementary experience across multiple ICT delivery modes and content channels. Examples explicitly mentioned include mobile phone-based services, internet portals, television, content delivery services, video, radio, and GPS. Beyond technical delivery capability, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate experience in ICT-enabled agricultural extension and in marketing approaches that drive behavior change, drawing an analogy to mass and behavior-change marketing techniques used in the health sector to shift household practices.
Rules for sub-awards are also spelled out. Sub-grantees must meet the same eligibility requirements as the prime applicant, with an added allowance: sub-grantees may include government entities, such as public agricultural extension or advisory service units, or entities at least 50 percent owned by a government. Tanzania differs: for the IFAD-funded award, non-profit organizations, universities, and government entities are encouraged to apply, and a government entity may serve as either the lead awardee or a sub-grantee. If for-profit organizations are involved in the Tanzania proposal, applicants are urged to consult IFAD grant financing rules to confirm cost eligibility, and IFAD reserves the right to take additional time before making the award if needed.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a country-focused challenge fund intended to identify one strong implementer per target country to scale or strengthen ICT-enabled agricultural extension services over a three-year period. It emphasizes practical ICT channels, measurable adoption and behavior change, and partnerships that combine technology delivery with extension expertise and user-focused outreach, all in service of the New Alliance food security and nutrition agenda.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the New Alliance ICT Extension Challenge Fund?
It is a competitive grant/cooperative agreement opportunity intended to support information and communications technology (ICT) services that strengthen agricultural extension and advisory systems under the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition.
2) What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The overall purpose is to deploy ICT-enabled services that improve how farmers and other value-chain actors receive and use actionable information, with the intent of driving food security outcomes. The opportunity frames ICT-enabled extension as the core theme, including tools and channels that can scale information delivery, improve advisory quality, and encourage adoption of improved practices.
3) Which countries are targeted by the program?
The program targets six New Alliance countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, and Tanzania.
4) How many awards are expected, and what is the award approach by country?
Up to six awards are anticipated in total. USAID anticipates making up to one three-year cooperative agreement per country for five countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, and Senegal). For Tanzania, IFAD plans to select one awardee under its own procedures.
5) Who are the backers/partners behind the fund?
The fund is backed by New Alliance partners led by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DfID). For Tanzania specifically, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is expected to finance the award through its grant program (subject to IFAD internal review and approval under IFAD grant policy).
6) Who oversees the fund?
USAID, DfID, and IFAD sit on the Fund Steering Committee. The announcement notes that additional donors could join later, and a Fund Advisory Group may be created in the future.
7) What type of funding instrument is used?
For the USAID-funded countries, the primary instrument is a cooperative agreement under a discretionary program. Tanzania is handled as an IFAD grant.
8) What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling listed is USD 1,700,000.
9) Is there a minimum (floor) award amount stated?
No award floor is stated in the information provided.
10) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. Cost sharing or matching is not required.
11) What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is framed under food security.
12) What is the CFDA number and the Funding Opportunity Number?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 98.001 (USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas) and is published under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-OAA-14-000012.
13) How does the application process work?
The application process is structured in two phases. Phase I requires submission of a concept note. Only applicants invited after Phase I may submit a Phase II full application.
14) What were the original key deadlines?
The original schedule included a questions deadline of April 10, 2014 and a concept note deadline of April 24, 2014 (tied to Eastern Time/Washington, DC local time), with full applications due June 19, 2014.
15) Were any deadlines amended or extended?
Yes. Subsequent amendments extended deadlines for Mozambique and Senegal, moving the questions deadline to June 9, 2014 and the concept note deadline to June 30, 2014, and indicating full applications for those two countries were due on or about August 22, 2014.
16) When were full applications due for Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania?
For Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania, full applications were due on or about June 27, 2014. The precise receipt time for invited applicants was to be communicated by the Agreement Officer.
17) What time zone applies to the listed deadlines?
The schedule references Eastern Time/Washington, DC local time for the questions and concept note deadlines in the original schedule.
18) Where should applicants look for official updates and amendments?
The notice emphasizes reviewing amendments posted on Grants.gov and indicates applicants needed to track updates carefully.
19) Where were questions about the opportunity directed?
Questions were directed to ict@usaid.gov.
20) Who is eligible to apply as a lead applicant for USAID-funded awards?
For USAID-funded awards (Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, and Senegal), eligible lead applicants include non-profit NGOs, private businesses and consulting/service firms, colleges or universities, and foundations.
21) Are for-profit organizations allowed to apply as lead applicants for USAID-funded awards?
Yes, but with a key restriction: to submit, for-profit entities must waive profits and/or fees.
22) Does the opportunity encourage consortium applications?
Yes. USAID encourages applications led by organizations that can assemble a consortium with complementary experience across multiple ICT delivery modes and content channels.
23) What types of ICT channels or delivery modes are explicitly mentioned?
Examples explicitly mentioned include mobile phone-based services, internet portals, television, content delivery services, video, radio, and GPS.
24) What kind of experience is encouraged beyond technology delivery?
Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate experience in ICT-enabled agricultural extension and in marketing approaches that drive behavior change, drawing an analogy to mass and behavior-change marketing techniques used in the health sector to shift household practices.
25) What are the eligibility rules for sub-awards (sub-grants) under USAID-funded awards?
Sub-grantees must meet the same eligibility requirements as the prime applicant, with an added allowance: sub-grantees may include government entities (such as public agricultural extension or advisory service units) or entities at least 50 percent owned by a government.
26) How is Tanzania different from the other countries in terms of funding and eligibility?
Tanzania is expected to be financed by IFAD through its grant program (subject to IFAD internal review and approval). For Tanzania, non-profit organizations, universities, and government entities are encouraged to apply, and a government entity may serve as either the lead awardee or a sub-grantee.
27) Are for-profit organizations allowed in Tanzania proposals?
If for-profit organizations are involved in the Tanzania proposal, applicants are urged to consult IFAD grant financing rules to confirm cost eligibility.
28) Is the Tanzania award guaranteed once selected?
No. The announcement includes an important caveat that the Tanzania award depends on IFAD internal review and approval under IFAD grant policy, and IFAD reserves the right to take additional time before making the award if needed.
29) What is the anticipated period of performance?
USAID anticipates a three-year cooperative agreement per country for the USAID-funded countries. The opportunity is described overall as supporting implementation over a three-year period.
30) What is the opportunity trying to identify in each country?
It is described as a country-focused challenge fund intended to identify one strong implementer per target country to scale or strengthen ICT-enabled agricultural extension services.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification)
Next opportunity: Notice of Intent to Award Partnership to conduct vital signs monitoring
Previous opportunity: Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III Silicon Carbide (Sic) Fiber Production for Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Project
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA OAA 14 000012
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA OAA 14 000012) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Syria Supporting civil society and religious communities, and promoting inclusive peacebuilding and reconciliation. Apply for DRLA DRLAQM 14 034 Funding Number: DRLA DRLAQM 14 034 Agency: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $1,350,000 |
| BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT Apply for APS 168 14 000001 Funding Number: APS 168 14 000001 Agency: Agency for International Development Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| DOI Project #AC94A, Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief remove the Hughesville Dam on the Musconetcong River in Pohatcong Township, NJ Apply for F14AS00131 Funding Number: F14AS00131 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $945,000 |
| Indonesia Cooperation and Awareness for Citizen Rights FY 2013 Apply for DRLA DRLAQM 14 036 Funding Number: DRLA DRLAQM 14 036 Agency: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| DOI Project # NE011 Muddy Creek Wetland Restoration Project, Chatham, MA Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Apply for F14AS00132 Funding Number: F14AS00132 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $3,385,800 |
| Demonstration Arts and Cultural Preservation Project Apply for P14AS00053 Funding Number: P14AS00053 Agency: National Park Service Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Strengthening Media Initiative (SMI) Apply for RFA 114 14 000007 Funding Number: RFA 114 14 000007 Agency: Georgia USAID Tbilisi Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $5,100,000 |
| FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO Programs Benefiting Sri Lankan Refugees in India Apply for PRM PRMOAPNE 14 006 Funding Number: PRM PRMOAPNE 14 006 Agency: Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $1,100,000 |
| Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund (FTIF) Apply for EBAQ EBAQM 14 001 Funding Number: EBAQ EBAQM 14 001 Agency: Economic and Business Affairs Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Border Needs Assessment TAT Apply for FY14COLONIASTAT Funding Number: FY14COLONIASTAT Agency: Utilities Programs Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| DOI Hurricane Sandy Project #NE033 Parkers River Yarmouth MA Replace Bridge and Restore Tidal Flow Apply for F14AS00137 Funding Number: F14AS00137 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $3,346,200 |
| DOI Project # DNRSS Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Coastal and Shoreline Monitoring at USFWS NE Reg. Coastal Refuges Reporting on Storm Impacts and Implementation of Updated Procedures. Apply for F14AS00146 Funding Number: F14AS00146 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $64,640 |
| DOI Project #CB085 Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Restore tidal marsh at Nanticoke River and Pocomoke Sound, MD Apply for F14AS00149 Funding Number: F14AS00149 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $497,000 |
| Place Names of the Upper Kuskokwim Apply for P14AS00068 Funding Number: P14AS00068 Agency: National Park Service Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $42,500 |
| FY 2014 The U.S./Pakistan Professional Partnership Program for Journalists in Urdu Apply for ECA ECAPEC 14 051 Funding Number: ECA ECAPEC 14 051 Agency: Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $900,000 |
| FY 2014 YALI Connect Camps Program in sub Saharan Africa Apply for ECA ECAA 14 003 Funding Number: ECA ECAA 14 003 Agency: Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $485,000 |
| Notice of Intent to Award Outdoor Nation Northeast Campus Clubs Apply for NPS 14 NERO 0012 Funding Number: NPS 14 NERO 0012 Agency: National Park Service Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $51,000 |
| FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcement for NGO programs benefiting refugees in Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Tanzania. Apply for PRM PRMOAPAF 14 010 Funding Number: PRM PRMOAPAF 14 010 Agency: Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| DOI Project #NE010 Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Restore Round Hill Salt Marsh, Dartmouth MA Apply for F14AS00152 Funding Number: F14AS00152 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $2,070,000 |
| USAID/Cambodias Civil Society Annual Program Statement Apply for APS 442 14 000001 Funding Number: APS 442 14 000001 Agency: Cambodia USAID Phnom Penh Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA OAA 14 000012", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.