U.S. Embassy in Nepal

Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO)
U.S. Higher Education Alumni Mentor & Guidance Counselor Training Program

Deadline: 07/09/2019

A. Background

Embassy Kathmandu’s Public Affairs Section (PAS) is soliciting proposals from interested non-profit organizations to implement a U.S. Higher Education Alumni Mentor and Guidance Counselor Training Program.  The deadline for submitting this proposal is 07/09/2019.  The U.S. Embassy Kathmandu will select an organization to run this program, with the goal of running a training of trainers (ToT) program implemented by U.S. higher education alumni, some of whom will also serve as designated mentors to students in select secondary high schools.  The selected organization will be expected to plan, organize and implement the project over the course of a year to increase the strategic outreach efforts of EducationUSA across Nepal.  Please carefully follow all instructions below before applying.

B. Program description and Requirements
PAS Kathmandu will oversee the organization which will:

• First phase: Organize a two-day conference to train 20 U.S. alumni and 20 guidance counselors from the Kathmandu area as U.S. higher education mentors who will lead skill-building activities with Nepali students interested in studying in the U.S.
• Second phase: Out of the 20 trained alumni, up to 5 will travel out of the valley to at least three different provincial states to train other Nepali guidance counselors on the U.S. college application process. These guidance counselors will then deliver accurate information and resources to students and parents from their local institutions.

The proposed program will take place in cities across Nepal over the course of one year:

• Number of participants: 20 U.S. university alumni participants
• Guidance counselors from Kathmandu and other major cities of Nepal
• Age group: recent graduates from U.S. universities
• Gender: 50% female participation
• Proposed cities: Kathmandu and two other cities from other provinces
• Program partners: Colleges, universities and American Corners across three cities
• Create digital resources in both English and Nepali on studying in the U.S. targeted towards student and parent populations.

The proposed project will:

• Increase the number of informed alumni to serve as mentors to students interested in studying in the U.S.
• Foster strategic mentor/mentee pairings to cultivate informed families and students better prepared to apply for study in the U.S.

C. Audience:
Alumni of U.S. educational institutions, guidance counselors, students and parents

D. Funding
Subject to availability of funds, the U.S. Embassy will provide funding to cover all costs of the project.  Although cost-sharing or matching is encouraged, it’s not mandatory.

Award amount: Award may range from a minimum of $30,000 to a maximum of $40,000.

Length of performance period: 1 year from the contract signing date. 

E. Application Procedure and Deadline

For proposals to be considered, you must include the following information on the organization’s letterhead. Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible:

• Summary page: Cover sheet stating the applicant’s name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.
• Organization contact information
• Organizational description and capacity (1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program)
• DUNS number: In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier (Data Universal Numbering System/DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet), as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section H for information on how to obtain these registrations.
• Project narrative and methodology
• Project goals, objectives, activities, justification and sustainability plan
• Implementation timeline
• Monitoring and evaluation plan to measure impact of activities
• Budget in U.S. dollars and Budget Justification Narrative

Proposals should be submitted in English via email no later than 07/09/2019 to culturektm@state.gov with the subject line.
“Proposal for U.S. Higher Education Alumni Mentor & Guidance Counselor Training Program”

F. Eligibility

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

All U.S. and Nepali organizations with experience in educational outreach and training of trainers registered as:

• Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations
• Public and private educational institutions
• Public international organizations and governmental institutions

This experience should be documented in the organization’s proposal.  Organizations must provide proof of registration and non-profit status with their proposal application.  U.S.-based organizations should submit a copy of their IRS determination letter.  Nepal-based organizations should submit a copy of their certificate of registration from the appropriate government organization.

G. Other Eligibility Requirements
Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.

H. Required Registrations
Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in the System for Award Management (SAM) is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.” Additionally, no entity listed on the EPLS can participate in any activities under an award.  All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the EPLS in SAM to ensure that no ineligible entity is included.

All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations.  All are free of charge:

• Unique entity identifier from Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS number)
• SAM.gov registration

Step 1: Apply for a DUNS number

DUNS application: Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet. If your organization does not have one already, you may obtain one by calling 1-866-705-5711 or visiting http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

Step 2: After receiving the DUNS number, proceed to register in SAM.gov by logging onto: https://www.sam.gov.  SAM registration must be renewed annually. 

I. Reporting Requirements

The selected grantee will be expected to provide regular updates through emails and will be required to submit programmatic and financial reports on a quarterly basis.  Additionally, the organization must submit an excel spreadsheet containing all financial transactions to the U.S. Embassy at the close out of the project.

If you have any questions/concerns, please write to culturektm@state.gov or call at 01-423 4176.