The USAID Indonesia Forestry and Climate Support Project (USAID IFACS) is an integrated climate change, sustainable forest management, and low carbon emissions development program implemented collaboratively by the Government of Indonesia and USAID/Indonesia, building on 20 years of joint forest management effort between the Indonesian and US governments. The project was initiated in November 2010 and will be implemented over a four year period. USAID IFACS seeks to reduce the threats of deforestation and climate change, and help the Government of Indonesia (GOI) conserve the country's tropical forests, wildlife, and ecosystem processes (including carbon sequestration). The purpose of the grants program is to support USAID IFACS implementation by providing conservation incentives, increasing local participation, and improving collaboration in the achievement of project results.

Tetra Tech ARD, pursuant to the authority contained in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and USAID Contract #AID-497-TO11-00002, is implementing the USAID IFACS Grants Program. Awards will be administered in accordance with provisions contained in ADS, Section 302.5.6, "Grants Under Contracts," ADS Chapter 303, "Grants and Cooperative Agreements to Non-Governmental Organizations," and/or within the terms of the USAID Standard Provisions applicable to Non-U.S. Non-Governmental Recipients. USAID IFACS will award standard, simplified, and fixed-obligation grants to successful applicants.

The USAID IFACS Grants Program targets non-governmental organizations (NGOs), universities, small and medium scale enterprises, and other civil society organizations operating in the following districts:

• Aceh Selatan
• Aceh Tenggara (with Gayu Lues)
• Katingan (with Pulang Pisau)
• Ketapang (with Melawai and Kayong Utara)
• Sarmi
• Mamberamo
• Mimika
• Asmat

USAID IFACS highly encourages applications from indigenous and Indonesian organizations. Grants up to IDR 850,000,000 may be awarded for projects ending by 1 August 2014. USAID IFACS anticipates issuing grants between one to three years. Projects should address one or more of the following areas:

• Land and forest resource governance including spatial planning: Improving governance of land and forest resources through strengthened natural resource governance capacity, spatial planning implementation, increased multi-stakeholder coordination, and improved implementation of forest management, climate change, and environmental law enforcement mandates.
• Improved management and conservation of forest resources in a changing climate: Reducing and/or mitigating threats that directly and indirectly degrade Indonesian forests, including climate change, and assisting communities to adapt and respond to such change in their management and use of vulnerable forest resources.
• Private sector, local enterprise, and market linkages: Helping local communities increase incomes at the community level through sustainable economic alternatives such as value-added processing.

Illustrative activities include local reforestation initiatives, value-added processing for agricultural and non-timber forest products, agricultural inputs to increase seed quality/tolerance to climate extremes/diversity, small scale sustainable SME products and services, implementation of small scale renewable energy, and other activities that directly support achievement of desired project results. USAID IFACS encourages applicants to reach out to a broad range of community and regional actors and propose creative and innovative approaches and methodology.
Large established organizations will be required to provide between 10 to 25 percent cost share contribution. USAID IFACS will make considerations for the cost share amount for small, less established, and indigenous organizations. Cost sharing includes beneficiary contribution, in cash and in kind, which would be required to implement the program. Cost sharing contributions may include volunteer services provided by professional and technical personnel, and unrecovered indirect costs.

Interested organizations should submit a concept paper not to exceed five pages (excluding the budget). Concept papers must include the information in the concept paper form below:

CONCEPT PAPER FORM

1. Cover Page/Introduction:
a. Name and address of organization;
b. Type of organization (e.g., non-profit, commercial, university, etc.);
c. Contact point (phone and e-mail);
d. Names of other organizations (federal and non-federal as well as any other USAID offices) to whom your organization will/has submitted the application and/or are funding the proposed activity; and
e. Signature of authorized representative of the applicant, authorized to obligate contractually the applicant.

2. Technical Information:
a. Concise title and objective of proposed activity;
b. Discussion of the problem, objectives, method of approach, amount of effort to be employed (staff who will work on this project), anticipated results, and how the work will help accomplish USAID IFACS's mission;
c. A general description of who will benefit from the proposed activity;
d. Sustainability plan
e. Monitoring and evaluation plan
f. Type of support requested (e.g., funds, facilities, equipment, materials, and/or personnel resources); and
g. Gender considerations.

3. Organizational Capacity:
a. Past performance on similar projects;
b. Relevance of staff skills to the proposed program;
c. Ability to cost share (beneficiary contribution, in cash and in kind);
d. Experience in geographic region;
e. Soundness of accounting and procurement practices; and
f. Capacity to adhere to USAID financial guidelines.

4. Supporting Information:
a. Proposed duration of activity;
b. Certificate of Legal Status; and
c. Certification that the concept paper is current, complete, and represents the Grantee's honest assessment of what is required to achieve project objectives.

5. Budget:
a. Please attach a budget of the total amount of grant funding and cost sharing contribution (beneficiary contribution, in cash and in kind).

USAID IFACS will conduct two initial rounds of grant reviews during the twelve months covered by this APS. To be considered for the first round of review, all concept papers must be submitted by 1 September 2011. The second round cutoff date will be 1 January 2012. All subsequent grant reviews will be held depending on the availability of funds and the quality of concept papers received. The closing date for this APS is 31 July 2012.

Applicants whose concept papers are accepted may be invited to attend a full application development workshop at a date to be announced.

Full applications will be due two weeks after the completion of the application development workshop.

An invitation to the application development workshop does not indicate a grant award. Awards will be made only after submission and evaluation of a full application reviewed by USAID IFACS Review and Evaluation Committee, according to the following criteria:
1. Strategic fit with USAID IFACS (40 points)
- Contribution toward USAID IFACS required tasks and activities (per contract)
- Sustainability of project results
- Geographically strategic
- Anticipated benefits to the beneficiaries
2. Technical approach (30 points)
- Clearly defined problem statement
- Clearly outlined goals
- Innovative technical approach
- Potential obstacles identified and solutions provided
3. Organizational capabilities (20 points)
- Past performance on similar projects
- Relevance of staff skills to the proposed program
- Experience in geographic region
- Soundness of accounting and procurement practices
- Capacity to adhere to USAID financial guidelines
4. Gender considerations (10 points)
- Focus on women's issues
- Impact on women's participation
5. Cost effectiveness (not scored)
(Maximum 100 Points)

All applicants must receive a minimum score of 70 points to be considered for funding. USAID IFACS reserves the right to conduct discussions and negotiations with applicants on technical and financial content prior to final selection. Tetra Tech ARD reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.
.

Concept papers should be submitted by e-mail to APS1@ifacs.or.id or by mail to USAID IFACS at:

Luciana Barliantari
USAID IFACS
Wisma GKBI 12th Floor, Suite 1210
Jl. Jendral Suridman No. 28
Jakarta Pusat 10210

Please include the name and telephone number of the person in your organization who will be the contact person for the concept paper. Concept papers will be reviewed as they are received and awards made based on review period described above.

Further details on how to apply for funding are available through either of the USAID IFACS offices at addresses above. Tetra Tech ARD reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.

Please contact the USAID IFACS Jakarta Office by telephone at (62-21) 574 0565 for full information and a version of the above in Bahasa Indonesia.

Informasi lengkap dan APS versi Bahasa Indonesia dapat diperoleh dengan menghubungi kantor USAID IFACS Jakarta di nomor Telephone (62-21) 5740565.

Closing Date: August 19,2011:

UN Women is the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, formerly known as UNIFEM. The General Assembly voted unanimously on 2nd July 2010 to create a new entity to accelerate progress in meeting the needs of women and girls worldwide. The establishment of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women – known as UN Women – is a result of years of negotiations between UN Member States and advocacy by the global women’s movement. It is part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact.

UN Women became operational on 1st January 2011 and was officially launched on 24th February 2011.

UN Women Pakistan supports the Government of Pakistan in fulfilling its national and international commitments on Gender Equality. Placing the realization of women's human rights and security at the centre of all of its efforts, UN Women focuses its attention on women’s protection, prevention and participation concerns as per the Government of Pakistan’s priorities defined in the National Plan of Action and the National Policy on Development and Empowerment of Women. 

More Information:

http://unwomen.org.pk/index.php/unifem/News/Call-for-Proposal-UN-WOMEN-PAKISTAN-GENDER-BASED-VIOLENCE-SURVEY-FOR-WOMEN-AND-PEACE-PROGRAM-WPP

The Global Greens Coordination (GGC) is calling for ideas and proposals from all sections of the Global Greens family to help prepare for the third Global Greens Congress, the first in Africa.

As movements in north Africa take the lead in the democratic struggle, the Dakar Congress will be an opportunity to learn from and exchange with the African Greens.  A Global Green response is needed to address the challenges of a growing global food crisis, widespread government inaction on climate change and looming economic threats.  Congress 2012 will bring together Green experts, activists, and politicians from around the world to formulate a Global Green agenda for the second decade of the 21st century. 

The themes for Dakar 2012 will be:

The GGC is inviting all groups that are part of the Global Greens family* to put forward ideas for speakers, workshops and side-meetings, proposals for resolutions including for possible common global projects, and other suggestions for consideration by the organising group.  These should preferably fit within the agreed themes but may cover other issues as well.

More Information:

http://www.globalgreens.org/congress2012-call-for-proposals

Nominations are now open for the second edition of the ‘Water for Life’ UN-Water Best Practices Award. The nomination period is open from 30 June to 30 September 2011.

The United Nations Office to Support the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” 2005-2015/UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication (UNW-DPAC) and the UN World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) organize the “Water for Life” UN-Water Best Practices Award.

The purpose of the Award is to promote efforts to fulfil international commitments made on water and water-related issues by 2015 through recognition of outstanding best practices that can ensure the long-term sustainable management of water resources and contribute to the achievement of internationally agreed goals and targets contained in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

The Award is open to projects or programmes achieving particularly effective results in the field of water management or in raising awareness in water issues.

The prize is awarded yearly in two categories, one in ‘best water management practices’ and another one in ‘best participatory, communication, awareness-raising and education practices’.

In accordance with selected theme for next World Water Day, this edition’s focus is on “Water for food security”. Only best practices/projects which have considered this theme will be eligible.

The prize will be awarded at a special ceremony on World Water Day, 22 March and consists of an invitation to participate in the UN event celebrated on the occasion of World Water Day, a video produced on each of the winning best practice categories and a certificate especially designed for the award. 

More Information:

http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/waterforlifeaward.shtml