Implementation of Policy - The Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative

American foreign policy may be debated in Congress - often in ideological colors - but what really matters is what actually happens.  I came across these two requests for applications (RFA) that give a glimpse of the implementation phase of policy.  I have no idea of the context of these two - what else the State Department and others are doing, who will actually get funds from this and what they'll do with them - or what sort of impact these programs will have.  But they do give a little sense of two programs that the US government is trying to implement to improve conditions in the Middle East with some detail.  And they do indicate a long term strategy, because these programs won't pay dividends (except for the people who get the grants) for a while. 

Program Number:   04070
Title:            Tomorrow's Leaders II Scholarship Program and Recruitment                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Sponsor:          Department of State

SYNOPSIS:
 The Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (NEA/PI) announces an open competition for proposals to enhance and expand educational opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa. Education is a priority for the Administration, and President Obama has called for an increased emphasis on building partnerships through expanding exchanges and increasing scholarship opportunities for students from this region. With this program announcement the sponsor seeks to promote mutual understanding and respect through innovative projects that provide university-level scholarship and internship opportunities at select institutions of learning in the Middle East and North Africa.

Deadline(s):      01/05/2010
Established Date: 11/03/2009
Follow-Up Date:   11/01/2010
Review Date:      11/03/2009

Contact:          Ms. Jessica Baker                                                                                  

Address:          2201 C Street NW
                  Washington, DC 20520     
                  U.S.A.                                
E-mail:           nea-grants@state.gov

Program URL: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=CVGCKwKFLCFhgWMB8Pvl6Z5SQCcBycPyRTQ4Pb6P8DncGtQyV40h!-1163459943?oppId=50028&mode=VIEW
Tel:              202-776-8500                 
Fax:              202-776-8445       
Deadline Ind:     Receipt                                               
Deadline Open:    No
                   


Award Type(s):    General Project
                  Projects Outside the U.S.


Citizenship/Country of Applying Institution:
                  Any/No Restrictions

Locations Tenable:    African/South African/Sub-Saharan African Institution
                  Middle/Near Eastern Institution


Appl Type(s):     Colleges/Universities
                  Non-Profit


Target Group(s):  NONE
Funding Limit:    $0   SEE BELOW
Duration:         0
Indirect Costs:   Unspecified
Cost Sharing:     No
Sponsor Type:     Federal


Geo. Restricted:  NO RESTRICTIONS                                        

CFDA#:            19.500    

OBJECTIVES:
 A) Tomorrow?s Leaders Scholarships II:  This priority area implements the second phase of a scholarship program for Arab students from underserved backgrounds. Successful applicants will provide an American-accredited education which will create a strong foundation for a cadre of civic-minded, intellectually able, and professionally skilled university students, well-prepared to become future community and business leaders. The Tomorrow?s Leaders Scholarships II (TLII) program will partner with host universities to provide four- to- five year academic matriculation and community service opportunities for secondary school graduates from the Middle East and North Africa who are from diverse and socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and whose academic merit and other credentials would qualify them for admission to a university program of study but whose limited financial resources preclude attendance. The TLII project emphasizes the
identification of highly motivated male and female students with demonstrated English language ability and leadership potential. Proposals under this priority area support full four- to- five year scholarships for at least 12 students per class cohort. Strategies to leverage program resources through more students and cost-sharing are strongly encouraged. 

 B) Recruitment for Tomorrow?s Leaders Scholarships II: Under Priority Area B, NEA/PI is soliciting applications from organizations to conduct the recruitment portion of TLII. Currently, 'Tomorrow's Leaders' students are recruited and screened by a single recruitment implementing partner, with the final selection of scholarship
recipients resting with each of the host universities. Applicants under this priority area should be prepared to recruit students for all awards made under priority area A. Proposals under this priority area should include a plan to advertise and recruit qualified scholarship recipients consistent with the profile articulated in priority area A. Submissions should describe how the applicant will
assess the suitability of potential scholarship recipients for the rigors of TLII, including the potential recipients' future leadership plans, as well as the recipients' commitment to the program.

ELIGIBILITY
 Eligible applicants for priority area A include any US-registered, US-accredited universities or colleges; applicant institutions must have the ability to provide a minimum of three years of the program in the Middle East or North Africa. Applicants for priority area B include any registered U.S. or foreign non-profit organization.

FUNDING
 The sponsor anticipates making six awards: five for the Tomorrow's Leaders Scholarship II Project, and one for the recruitment. Applicants to priority area A Tomorrow Leaders II Program may propose initial performance periods for up to six years.  Applicants to priority area B Recruitment for Tomorrow?s Leaders II Program may propose initial performance periods of up to two years.  NEA/PI
encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost-sharing from additional sources in support of this project.  The sponsor anticipates $7,250,000 in available funidng. Source: Grants.gov (10/28/09). (cmb)

KEYWORDS:         Africa
                  Middle/Near East
                  Higher Education
                  Grants.gov
                  Grants.gov/S2S


*********************************************************************************
Program Number:   04345
Title:            Youth Entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa Program Announcement                                                                                                                                                                              

Sponsor:          Department of State

SYNOPSIS:
 The Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (NEA/PI) announces an open competition for projects that support youth entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa.

Deadline(s):      11/30/2009
Established Date: 11/03/2009
Follow-Up Date:   11/01/2010
Review Date:      11/03/2009

Contact:          Ms. Jessica Baker                                                                                  

Address:          2201 C Street NW
                  Washington, DC 20520                        U.S.A.                                
E-mail:           nea-grants@state.gov

Program URL: http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=203ZKwZF9PvzJ1FjSJtB1GVz6fl1M2zrTYy08jcJqvf3Xt5fXpqx!-1163459943?oppId=50035&mode=VIEW
Tel:              202-776-8500                 
Fax:              202-776-8445       
Deadline Ind:     Receipt                                               
Deadline Open:    No
                   


Award Type(s):    General Project
                  Projects Outside the U.S.


Citizenship/Country of Applying Institution:
                  Any/No Restrictions

Locations Tenable:    African/South African/Sub-Saharan African Institution
                  Middle/Near Eastern Institution


Appl Type(s):     Private Institution/Organization
                  For-Profit


Target Group(s):  NONE
Funding Limit:    $0   SEEBELOW
Duration:         0
Indirect Costs:   Unspecified
Cost Sharing:     No
Sponsor Type:     Federal


Geo. Restricted:  NO RESTRICTIONS                                        

CFDA#:            19.500    

OBJECTIVES:
 Sustainable progress requires opening spaces for innovation and creativity. Expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs is critical to helping address unemployment, supporting economic development, and furthering civic engagement in the Middle East and North Africa. We are asking applicants to develop projects to foster a culture of entrepreneurship in youth. Illustrative, but not necessarily
comprehensive, aspects might include entrepreneurial skill-building, idea generation, business incubation, competition, access to capital, access to employment, and development of entrepreneurship networks (including possibly virtual networks) to connect entrepreneurs with each other as well as with a broader range of stake-holders. NEA/PI's desired outcomes are, inter alia, improved opportunities for business development, accelerated sustainable job creation, expanded economic
opportunities, and entrepreneurship stakeholders connected in partnerships and networks across the region. Projects should encourage innovation and creativity ? in both new and traditional sectors. Projects may also support the development of social entrepreneurship, applying business-like efficiency, innovation, and sustainability to tackling pressing social problems.

 NEA/PI seeks applications that would address the varying status of entrepreneurship in the economies of the region: those that have significant economic resources or are well developed in some respects but are still building a local culture of entrepreneurship, those without significant economic resources that must use entrepreneurship to tap into comparative advantages and create niche markets, and those that fall somewhere in between these two poles. Most responsive
projects will address the needs of economies and populations that lack strong traditions of entrepreneurship and will specify how and where they will have the greatest impact, particularly with respect to youth (defined for purposes of this RFA as males and females from 16 to 35 years of age).

Applicants must demonstrate: familiarity with the economic and demographic challenges facing the region (including the increasing number of youth who will seek employment); capacity and expertise in fostering entrepreneurial development; and the ability to help translate innovation into economic activity. Applicants must also
describe how they will measure positive outcomes in the areas of job creation, business startup, and income generation. Applicants should propose measurable results in the short, medium, and long-term, with the understanding that these efforts should continue beyond any funding under the program announcement.

ELIGIBILITY
 Eligible applicants include any registered U.S. or foreign non-governmental organization, and U.S. or foreign private institutions or commercial entities.

FUNDING
 The sponsor anticipates making two awards ranging from $500,000 to $1,500,000.  Source: Grants.gov (10/29/09). (cmb)

KEYWORDS:         Africa
                  Middle/Near East
                  Entrepreneurship
                  Entrepreneurship Education
                  Grants.gov
                  Grants.gov/S2S
                  Children/Youth




Sometimes I think it is useful to just put stuff up, even if I don't understand the context or meaning and just don't have enough information to speculate.  It adds, in this case, factual information about what one agency in the US State Department is trying to do.  It gives me something to think about and maybe it will become more relevant when I get some other information later on.  Or maybe a reader can add some context to this.