Economic Recovery Grant 2021 | SFJ60021GR3011

Opportunity Information: Apply for SFJ60021GR3011

The Economic Recovery Grant 2021 (Funding Opportunity Number SFJ60021GR3011) is a U.S. Department of State grant administered by the U.S. Mission to Fiji that funds practical, innovative projects designed to help Pacific island communities recover economically from the impacts of COVID-19. The overall intent is to support resilient, medium- and long-term economic recovery initiatives that align with the United States vision for a free, prosperous, and open Indo-Pacific, with particular attention to rebuilding livelihoods and improving economic connectivity after the pandemic disrupted growth and employment across the region. While the opportunity is run out of the U.S. Embassy in Fiji, proposed activities must deliver clear benefits to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and/or Tuvalu.

The Embassy is looking for proposals that show creativity and real-world feasibility, not one-off activities with only short-term outputs. Strong applications are expected to present well-structured plans with medium- and long-term objectives, and to demonstrate how the project will contribute to economic growth and resilience over time. Priority is also placed on proposals that help increase trade with the United States and on approaches that use online or virtual platforms to improve services, expand market access, or strengthen delivery of goods. All proposals must support U.S. Embassy Goal #3, which emphasizes sustained economic prosperity rooted in open-market policies, high-standard investment, increased connectivity, improved natural resource management, and free, fair, and reciprocal trading relationships.

Funding is intended for local or regional non-profit entities. Awards should be budgeted between USD 25,000 and USD 40,000, with a maximum (award ceiling) of USD 40,000, and the Embassy anticipated making about two awards. Projects must fit at least one of the program focus areas: supporting tourism and communities dependent on tourism; improving skills for women and youth in entrepreneurship and tourism; helping develop non-traditional businesses (often meaning diversification beyond typical tourism-linked models); strengthening local entrepreneurs abilities related to international trade and selling into overseas markets; and running campaigns that rebuild traveler confidence in tourism. Across these themes, the Embassy is clearly signaling interest in efforts that help businesses and communities adapt to new market realities, regain demand, and build capabilities that can endure beyond immediate recovery.

Eligibility is geared toward locally registered NGOs and not-for-profit organizations, groups, or associations, particularly those that can demonstrate experience managing grants. The program explicitly excludes proposals submitted by businesses and proposals primarily designed to generate profit for the applicant. It also will not consider requests over USD 40,000, proposals that do not directly benefit one or more of the eligible countries listed, or proposals that fail to address the Embassy stated economic prosperity goal. Applicants should also pay close attention to cost rules: the grant will not fund proposals that include operating costs or salaries above 10 percent of the total budget unless the organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). (Stipends and honoraria are noted as exempt from that specific cap.) In practice, that means budgets should be weighted toward program activities and direct project costs rather than overhead.

Applications must be organized in a specific sequence and kept within word limits, which suggests the Embassy values clear, disciplined project design. A complete submission includes a cover sheet (project title and applicant organization name), a brief summary of up to 150 words describing the need, the approach, and desired outcomes, and a point of contact with full address, phone number, and email. The main project description is capped at 1,500 words and should lay out the project structure, medium- and long-term objectives, the plan to achieve them, how the work advances Embassy Goal #3, and a project timeline. Applicants are also expected to justify their methodology choices, such as why they would use a training-of-trainers model rather than training end beneficiaries directly. Additional required sections include a target beneficiaries description (up to 250 words), a short organizational background (up to 200 words) emphasizing accomplishments, external resources, and prior grant management experience, a line-item budget in the required categories (with the note that additional budget detail may be requested later), and up to 200 words of optional additional information that strengthens the case.

The deadline for submission was August 13, 2021 (original closing date), and completed applications were to be emailed to PDsuva@state.gov.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Fiji in the regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Economic Recovery Grant 2021" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 18, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 13, 2021. (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 $40,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for SFJ60021GR3011

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: