Opportunity Information: Apply for OES OMM 15 001

  • The Ocean and International Environmental Scientific in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Promoting mercury free processing in sub Saharan Africa Artisanal and Small scale Gold Mining sector" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.017 Environmental and Scientific Partnerships and Programs.
  • This funding opportunity was created on May 19, 2015 and posted on May 19, 2015.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 29, 2015 No Explanation. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $100,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: For profit organizations other than small businesses Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
  • Eligibility is limited to non profit/nongovernmental organizations subject to section 501 (c) (3) of the U.S. tax code, L3Cs, foreign non profit organizations, educational institutions, and public international organizations. Applicants must supply evidence that they have significant experience working on ASGM programs in Africa.
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Opportunity Summary:

The grant opportunity titled "Promoting mercury free processing in sub Saharan Africa Artisanal and Small scale Gold Mining sector" (Funding Opportunity Number: OES OMM 15 001) was a discretionary U.S. government grant aimed at reducing or eliminating mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) across sub-Saharan Africa. The central goal was to design and test a pilot model that could be sustained over time and replicated in other locations, with a focus on practical, on-the-ground approaches to mercury-free or mercury-reduced gold processing. The opportunity sat in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category and was administered by the Ocean and International Environmental Scientific office, reflecting an environmental health and pollution-reduction emphasis with international program implementation.

Funding was limited and targeted, with an expectation of a single award. The estimated total funding available was $100,000, with an award ceiling of $100,000 and an award floor of $70,000. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowered the barrier for qualified organizations to apply and suggested the program was structured to support pilot-stage work where requiring matching funds could slow participation. The assistance listing referenced CFDA number 19.017, "Environmental and Scientific Partnerships and Programs," indicating the award fit within a broader portfolio of environmental and scientific cooperation efforts.

Eligibility requirements were relatively specific and experience-driven. While the general eligible applicant categories included for-profit organizations other than small businesses, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, the detailed eligibility language narrowed this in practice. Eligibility was limited to nonprofit/nongovernmental organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code, L3Cs, foreign nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and public international organizations. Beyond organizational type, applicants had to provide evidence of significant experience working on ASGM programs in Africa, signaling that the funder prioritized implementers with established regional presence, relationships, and technical credibility in artisanal mining contexts rather than newcomers or purely academic proposals without field experience.

In terms of timing and status, the opportunity was posted and created on May 19, 2015, with an original and current closing date of June 29, 2015. It was archived on July 29, 2015. This timeline indicates a relatively short application window of about six weeks, typical of some specialized federal funding calls, and it is no longer open for applications.

For applicants or stakeholders seeking the official full announcement or needing technical help accessing the posting, the listing directed users to the Grants.gov Contact Center (1-800-518-4726, available 24/7 except federal holidays) and the support email at support@grants.gov. The opportunity also referenced an additional information link with the same title as the announcement, implying that more detailed program guidance, submission requirements, and evaluation criteria were available through the full notice on Grants.gov when it was active.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Promoting mercury free processing in sub Saharan Africa Artisanal and Small scale Gold Mining sector."

2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is OES OMM 15 001.

3) What was the main purpose of this grant?

The central purpose was to reduce or eliminate the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) across sub-Saharan Africa by supporting practical, on-the-ground approaches to mercury-free or mercury-reduced gold processing.

4) What kind of work was the program trying to support?

The program emphasized designing and testing a pilot model for mercury-free (or mercury-reduced) gold processing. The pilot was intended to be realistic in field settings, sustainable over time, and replicable in other locations.

5) What region and sector did this opportunity focus on?

This opportunity focused on the ASGM sector in sub-Saharan Africa.

6) Was this a research grant or an implementation grant?

The opportunity sat in the "Science and Technology and other Research and Development" activity category, but its stated goal emphasized practical implementation: an on-the-ground pilot model that could be sustained and replicated.

7) Which U.S. government office administered the grant?

The grant was administered by the Ocean and International Environmental Scientific office, reflecting an environmental health and pollution-reduction emphasis with international program implementation.

8) What was the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The assistance listing referenced CFDA 19.017, "Environmental and Scientific Partnerships and Programs."

9) How much funding was available?

The estimated total funding available was $100,000.

10) What was the award ceiling (maximum award amount)?

The award ceiling was $100,000.

11) What was the award floor (minimum award amount)?

The award floor was $70,000.

12) How many awards were expected?

Funding was limited and targeted, with an expectation of a single award.

13) Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement.

14) Who was eligible to apply (general categories)?

General eligible applicant categories included for-profit organizations other than small businesses, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status.

15) Who was eligible to apply (as described in the detailed eligibility language)?

The detailed eligibility language limited eligibility to nonprofit/nongovernmental organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code, L3Cs, foreign nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and public international organizations.

16) Did applicants need specific experience to be considered eligible?

Yes. Applicants had to provide evidence of significant experience working on ASGM programs in Africa, indicating the funder prioritized established implementers with regional presence and practical credibility in artisanal mining contexts.

17) Did the opportunity prioritize any particular approach to reducing mercury?

Based on the description, priority was placed on practical, field-tested approaches that either eliminated mercury or reduced its use in gold processing, with an emphasis on sustainability and the ability to replicate the model elsewhere.

18) When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted (and created) on May 19, 2015.

19) What was the application deadline?

The original and current closing date was June 29, 2015.

20) Is this grant opportunity still open?

No. The opportunity was archived on July 29, 2015, and is no longer open for applications.

21) How long was the application window?

From posting on May 19, 2015 to the closing date of June 29, 2015, the application window was about six weeks.

22) Where could applicants find the full official announcement?

The listing referenced an additional information link with the same title as the announcement and indicated that more detailed guidance, submission requirements, and evaluation criteria were available through the full notice on Grants.gov when it was active.

23) Who should be contacted for technical help with accessing the posting on Grants.gov?

The listing directed users to the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 (available 24/7 except federal holidays) and to support@grants.gov.

24) What does it mean that this was a discretionary U.S. government grant?

Based on the description, the program was offered as a discretionary grant, meaning funding decisions were made through a competitive or agency-driven selection process rather than being automatically awarded by formula.

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