Opportunity Information: Apply for NEAPI 09 CA 016 MENA 100209
Apply for NEAPI 09 CA 016 MENA 100209
- The Middle East Partnership Initiative in the community development education law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Saudi Arabia Womens Civic Participation, Judicial Engagement, and Governance and Public Management Fellowships" 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 7, 2009 and posted on Oct 2, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 16, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,400,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $600,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Small businesses.
- Eligible applicants include any registered U.S. or foreign non governmental organization, and U.S. or foreign private institutions or commercial entities.
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Opportunity Summary:
This U.S. government grant opportunity, issued by the Department of State's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) under Funding Opportunity Number NEAPI 09 CA 016 MENA 100209, invited proposals to strengthen womens participation in civic life, improve governance capacity, and support judicial engagement in Saudi Arabia. Structured as a discretionary cooperative agreement, it reflected U.S. foreign policy priorities at the time around expanding womens rights, encouraging civic participation, and promoting rule of law and more accountable institutions. The program was framed explicitly around the idea that long term development and stability depend on good governance, equal administration of justice, and opportunities for citizens, including women and youth, to take part in public life.
The announcement laid out three distinct priority areas that applicants could design projects around. The first, Saudi Womens Civic Participation, focused on building leadership, organizational, management, and civic engagement skills among current and emerging women activists. The goal was practical capacity building for women who might serve as community organizers, public educators, advocates, election supporters, or potentially future candidates, especially as Saudi Arabia showed signs that womens participation in future elections could become possible after women were excluded from the 2005 municipal elections. The opportunity recognized that Saudi women were already increasing their presence in civic and professional spaces, including organizing community groups to work with municipal governments, being appointed to senior positions in ministries and universities, and competing in chambers of commerce elections traditionally dominated by men. Projects under this area would be expected to help translate that momentum into stronger civic infrastructure and more effective participation in local public decision making.
The second area, Saudi Judicial Engagement, aimed to support the modernization of the Saudi judiciary by creating exposure and professional exchange with U.S. legal and governmental institutions. It acknowledged ongoing judicial reforms under King Abdullah, including the establishment of specialized commercial courts and steps to increase autonomy for certain court officials. Because judicial reform was described as a generational effort involving new systems, new courts, and extensive judge training, the grant sought proposals that would give Saudi judges a direct, inside view of how the U.S. court system and federal government operate. Suggested activities included consultations or structured engagements with institutions such as the U.S. Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, federal and district courts, bar associations, and even congressional hearings related to judicial issues. In practice, this priority area was about comparative learning, professional networks, and practical understanding of court administration and rule of law norms in a global legal environment.
The third area, Saudi Governance and Public Management Fellowship, was designed as a fellowship style exchange pairing Saudi municipal or local government leaders and staff with counterparts in major or mid sized U.S. cities facing similar challenges and opportunities. The intent was to expose Saudi participants to more streamlined, constituent responsive local governance models and day to day public management practices that could improve efficiency, service delivery, and responsiveness to residents. The announcement emphasized that the fellowship should connect well with developments inside Saudi Arabia, such as the national governments outreach to local councils for input and the possibility that municipal bodies could take on more responsibilities in coming years. The ideal participant was described as a constituent savvy local leader or staffer, meaning someone positioned to apply lessons learned directly to community facing governance work.
On funding and award structure, MEPI anticipated making three awards with an estimated total program funding level of $1.4 million. Individual awards were expected to fall between a floor of $350,000 and a ceiling of $600,000. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement listed, which typically lowers the barrier to entry for organizations that can implement the work but cannot contribute significant non federal funds.
Eligibility was broad and included U.S. or foreign nongovernmental organizations, private institutions, and commercial entities. The eligible applicant types explicitly listed nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and non 501(c)(3)), public and private institutions of higher education, for profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. The assistance listing referenced CFDA 19.500 (Middle East Partnership Initiative), and the activity categories aligned with community development, education, and law/justice/legal services, which fits the three priority areas.
As a timeline matter, the opportunity was posted on October 2, 2009, created on October 7, 2009, and had a closing date of November 16, 2009, with an archive date of December 16, 2009. For technical access issues, the notice provided a contact for support through a contractor (Quality Support, Inc.) and referenced the NEA grant mailbox for assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this grant opportunity?
This is a U.S. Department of State Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) funding opportunity issued under Funding Opportunity Number NEAPI 09 CA 016 MENA 100209. It invited proposals focused on Saudi Arabia to strengthen women's participation in civic life, improve governance capacity, and support judicial engagement.
2) What type of award is being offered?
The announcement described the award as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
3) What is the program trying to achieve overall?
The program was framed around the idea that long-term development and stability depend on good governance, equal administration of justice, and opportunities for citizens, including women and youth, to participate in public life. The stated emphasis aligned with expanding women's rights, encouraging civic participation, and promoting rule of law and accountable institutions.
4) What are the priority areas applicants could propose under?
The announcement laid out three distinct priority areas:
- Saudi Women's Civic Participation
- Saudi Judicial Engagement
- Saudi Governance and Public Management Fellowship
5) What kinds of projects fit the "Saudi Women's Civic Participation" priority?
This area focused on practical capacity building for current and emerging women activists. Projects were expected to build leadership, organizational, management, and civic engagement skills that could support roles such as community organizers, public educators, advocates, election supporters, or potentially future candidates.
6) Why did the announcement emphasize women's civic participation at that time?
The opportunity referenced signs that women's participation in future elections could become possible after women were excluded from the 2005 municipal elections. It also noted that Saudi women were already increasing their civic and professional presence (for example, organizing community groups that work with municipal governments, being appointed to senior positions in ministries and universities, and competing in chamber of commerce elections).
7) What was the intended outcome for women's civic participation projects?
The expectation was that projects would help translate growing momentum into stronger civic infrastructure and more effective participation in local public decision-making.
8) What does the "Saudi Judicial Engagement" priority area support?
This area aimed to support modernization of the Saudi judiciary by providing exposure and professional exchange with U.S. legal and governmental institutions. The announcement described judicial reform as a generational effort requiring new systems, new courts, and extensive judge training.
9) What types of activities were suggested for judicial engagement?
Suggested activities included consultations or structured engagements with U.S. institutions such as the U.S. Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, federal and district courts, bar associations, and congressional hearings related to judicial issues.
10) What was the core purpose of the judicial engagement activities?
The priority area emphasized comparative learning, professional networks, and practical understanding of U.S. court operations, federal government processes, and norms related to court administration and the rule of law in a global legal environment.
11) What is the "Saudi Governance and Public Management Fellowship" priority area?
This area was designed as a fellowship-style exchange pairing Saudi municipal or local government leaders and staff with counterparts in major or mid-sized U.S. cities facing similar challenges and opportunities.
12) What is the fellowship meant to accomplish?
The intent was to expose Saudi participants to more streamlined, constituent-responsive local governance models and day-to-day public management practices that could improve efficiency, service delivery, and responsiveness to residents.
13) Who is the ideal participant for the governance and public management fellowship?
The announcement described an ideal participant as a "constituent-savvy" local leader or staffer who is positioned to apply lessons learned directly to community-facing governance work.
14) How was the fellowship expected to connect to developments inside Saudi Arabia?
The announcement emphasized alignment with developments such as national government outreach to local councils for input and the possibility that municipal bodies could take on more responsibilities in the coming years.
15) How much funding was anticipated under this opportunity?
MEPI anticipated an estimated total program funding level of $1.4 million.
16) How many awards were expected?
The announcement anticipated making three awards.
17) What was the expected award size?
Individual awards were expected to range from $350,000 (floor) to $600,000 (ceiling).
18) Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement did not list a cost sharing or matching requirement.
19) Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included U.S. or foreign nongovernmental organizations, private institutions, and commercial entities. Eligible applicant types explicitly listed:
- Nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3))
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
20) What CFDA/assistance listing was referenced?
The assistance listing referenced CFDA 19.500 (Middle East Partnership Initiative).
21) What activity categories did this opportunity align with?
The activity categories aligned with community development, education, and law/justice/legal services, matching the three priority areas described in the announcement.
22) When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on October 2, 2009, created on October 7, 2009, and had a closing date of November 16, 2009.
23) When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date listed was December 16, 2009.
24) Who was listed for technical support or access issues?
For technical access issues, the notice provided a contact for support through a contractor (Quality Support, Inc.) and referenced the NEA grant mailbox for assistance.
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