Pathways Challenge Grants Request for Applications | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the name of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is the Pathways Challenge Grants Request for Applications (RFA), a competitive grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of State administered by the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA).

2) What initiative does this funding support?

The grant supports the Pathways to Prosperity in the Americas initiative, a multilateral effort among 15 partner countries (including the United States) focused on exchanging best practices and advancing policy approaches that expand economic opportunity.

3) Which U.S. government office is administering the award?

The award is administered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA).

4) What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA number?

The funding opportunity number is WHAP-WHAAQPPC-13-004, and the CFDA number listed is 19.750.

5) What is the total funding amount for the award?

The planned total award amount was exactly $3,861,386 (funded with FY2012 Economic Support Funds).

6) Is the award amount a range or a fixed amount?

The funding amount was fixed: both the funding floor and the funding ceiling were the same amount, $3,861,386.

7) How many awards did WHA plan to make?

WHA planned to make a single grant award totaling $3,861,386.

8) Could WHA still decide to fund more than one applicant, or none at all?

Yes. WHA stated it reserved the right to fund one, multiple, or none of the applications depending on what was submitted and on final fund availability.

9) What was the anticipated start date?

The anticipated start date was September 2013.

10) What was the maximum project period?

The project period could not exceed three years.

11) What is the overall purpose of the award?

The purpose was to help Pathways partner countries identify practical, solvable challenges tied to inclusive economic growth and then run structured public competitions to surface innovative, scalable solutions.

12) What is the Challenge Framework mentioned in the announcement?

In advance of the October 2013 ministerial meeting in Panama, Pathways partner countries created a Challenge Framework organized around the initiative's four pillars. Under the framework, the grantee would support competitions that define one challenge per pillar, solicit solutions, test promising ideas in real-world settings, and develop strategies to expand successful approaches beyond pilot sites.

13) How many challenges were expected to be defined through the competitions?

The competitions were designed to define one challenge per pillar, for a total of four challenges aligned with the four pillars.

14) Who could propose solutions in these competitions?

The competitions were expected to solicit solutions from public, private, and nonprofit actors.

15) What happens to the most promising ideas identified through the competitions?

The most promising ideas were expected to be tested in real-world settings through demonstration projects, and then supported with strategies for scaling beyond pilot sites.

16) Was the prime recipient expected to issue subawards?

Yes. A central feature of the grant was the requirement that the recipient subaward and manage a substantial portion of the total funds.

17) About how much funding was expected to be subawarded?

The selected recipient was expected to issue and oversee approximately $2,250,000 in subgrants.

18) How many subgrants were anticipated?

Approximately four subgrants were anticipated.

19) Where were the subgrants expected to be implemented?

The subgrants were expected to be implemented in one of the 13 eligible Pathways countries (excluding the United States and Canada).

20) Which countries were specifically identified as locations for primary beneficiaries?

The subawards had to be structured so that the primary beneficiaries were located in one or more of the following countries: Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru.

21) What does it mean that the prime awardee needed to function as a grantmaker?

It means the prime recipient was expected to operate not only as a program implementer, but also as an entity with strong systems for competition management, selection processes, subgrant administration, monitoring, and compliance.

22) What kind of design process was emphasized for working with finalists or winners?

The announcement emphasized a participatory design process, with the recipient working closely with Pathways Challenge Competition finalists and/or winners to refine concepts into implementable demonstration projects.

23) What types of evaluation or learning products were expected?

The award emphasized learning and evidence, including producing one or more Triple Bottom Line Return on Investment (ROI) studies that consider economic outcomes alongside social and environmental value.

24) What is meant by a Triple Bottom Line ROI study in this opportunity?

In this opportunity, Triple Bottom Line ROI refers to analysis that considers economic outcomes together with social and environmental value.

25) What was required regarding scaling successful demonstration projects?

The grantee was expected to identify effective scale-up strategies for each demonstration project, including how successful pilots could be expanded, replicated, financed, or institutionalized after initial testing.

26) What is the Pathways Clearinghouse and what role does it play?

The Pathways Clearinghouse is a mechanism administered by the Organization of American States (OAS). It was described as a primary channel for documenting lessons learned, sharing results from demonstration projects, and circulating recommended scaling approaches across Pathways countries and stakeholders.

27) Which organization administers the Pathways Clearinghouse?

The Organization of American States (OAS) administers the Pathways Clearinghouse.

28) Does the grant focus only on launching pilots, or also on dissemination?

It focuses on both. The design emphasizes creating a pipeline from ideas to evidence (including ROI studies) to broader adoption, supported by knowledge sharing through the Pathways Clearinghouse.

29) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants included U.S.-based nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and both private and public (state-controlled) institutions of higher education.

30) Was cost-sharing or matching required?

No. The announcement stated there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

31) What activity categories did the opportunity align with?

The activity categories aligned with business and commerce, employment/labor/training, and environment.

32) When was the opportunity posted and what were the key dates?

The opportunity was posted May 18, 2013. The application deadline was June 19, 2013, and the archive date was July 19, 2013.

33) Where was the next ministerial meeting referenced in the announcement?

The announcement referenced the next ministerial meeting in Panama in October 2013.

34) Who was listed as the program contact for questions?

The program contact listed was Aaron Spencer (Strategy and Resources Unit, Office of Policy, Planning, and Coordination, WHA). The email provided was SpencerAE@state.gov and the phone number provided was 202-647-8851.

35) Who should be contacted for technical access issues?

For technical access issues, the announcement referenced the GrantSolutions help desk at help@grantsolutions.gov.