Opportunity Information: Apply for SCS 800 23 GR 002 WHA 120623
The U.S. Embassy in San Jose is offering a discretionary grant opportunity called Strengthening Government Through Civil Society Engagement to support democratic institutions, accountability, and good governance in Costa Rica. The funding comes from Fiscal Year 2023 Economic Support Funds (ESF), with up to $1,000,000 available in total across all awards. Projects are expected to run for 12 to 24 months, with an anticipated start date of June 1, 2024. The Embassy expects to make roughly three to five awards, with individual awards ranging from $150,000 to $500,000, as long as funds remain available. Applications must be submitted by February 19, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (Washington, D.C.).
Programmatically, the opportunity is framed around Pillar II of the U.S. Root Causes Strategy (RCS): combating corruption, strengthening democratic governance, and advancing the rule of law. The Embassy is looking for proposals led by civil society organizations that actively work in partnership with government counterparts, including subnational entities such as municipalities. In practical terms, proposals should align with one or more of the following regional governance and security-related aims: helping create safer communities, disrupting the movement of criminals and contraband within and across Central America, strengthening the capacity and accountability of Central American governments, restoring effective state presence and services in communities considered at risk, and improving coordination among countries in the region as well as with international partners and donors to address shared security threats. Applicants can propose a combination of these approaches as long as the project logic is clear and consistent with the governance-focused intent of the funding.
A key expectation is that proposals include specific, measurable objectives and indicators so progress can be tracked and credibly demonstrated during implementation. This is not meant to be a purely aspirational civic engagement effort; the Embassy is signaling that it wants clearly defined outcomes and a way to measure whether activities are actually strengthening institutions, improving accountability, or expanding effective governance in targeted areas.
There are also important restrictions on what the grant money can and cannot support. Funds under this NOFO cannot be used for law enforcement activities, for training members of law enforcement, or for providing social services. That means projects need to stay on the civil society engagement and governance strengthening side of the line, such as transparency initiatives, accountability mechanisms, human rights protections through institutional strengthening, improved civic participation in decision-making, or structured collaboration between civil society and municipal or national government actors, rather than direct policing support or service delivery.
The Embassy highlights three priority outcome areas that represent the clearest fit for competitive proposals. First are initiatives that strengthen democratic institutions in ways that promote and protect human rights. Second are efforts that expand civil society's role in environmental governance, suggesting interest in public participation, oversight, transparency, and accountability in environmental decision-making. Third are projects that build more capable governance in the coastal provinces of Puntarenas and Limon, with an emphasis on social inclusion, which points to governance reforms and participatory models that better incorporate historically underserved or vulnerable communities in local decision-making and public administration.
Eligibility is broad but defined. The Embassy invites applications from qualified U.S. nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations, including those with 501(c)(3) status, as well as overseas-based NGOs. It also welcomes applications from U.S.-based and overseas-based public or private institutions of higher education and from public international organizations. As is typical for a competitive NOFO, the Embassy retains full discretion to fund some, all, or none of the submitted proposals and may decide the final award amounts within the stated range. The legal authority cited for the funding is the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number SCS 800 23 GR 002 WHA 120623, CFDA 19.750, with an award ceiling of $500,000 and up to five expected awards.Apply for SCS 800 23 GR 002 WHA 120623
- The U.S. Mission to Costa Rica in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthening Government Through Civil Society Engagement" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.750.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-12-06.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-19. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Strengthening Government Through Civil Society Engagement and is offered by the U.S. Embassy in San Jose.
Who is offering the funding?
The funding is offered by the U.S. Embassy in San Jose through a discretionary grant opportunity.
What country is the program focused on?
This opportunity is focused on Costa Rica.
What is the overall purpose of the grant?
The grant is intended to support democratic institutions, accountability, and good governance in Costa Rica through civil society engagement with government counterparts.
What is the funding source and fiscal year for this opportunity?
The funding comes from Fiscal Year 2023 Economic Support Funds (ESF).
How much total funding is available?
Up to $1,000,000 is available in total across all awards, as long as funds remain available.
How many awards does the Embassy expect to make?
The Embassy anticipates making roughly three to five awards.
What is the minimum and maximum award size?
Individual awards are expected to range from $150,000 to $500,000, with an award ceiling of $500,000, subject to funds availability and Embassy discretion.
How long should proposed projects run?
Projects are expected to run for 12 to 24 months.
What is the anticipated project start date?
The anticipated start date is June 1, 2024.
When is the application deadline?
Applications must be submitted by February 19, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (Washington, D.C.).
What strategic framework does this opportunity align with?
The opportunity is framed around Pillar II of the U.S. Root Causes Strategy (RCS), focused on combating corruption, strengthening democratic governance, and advancing the rule of law.
Who should lead proposals under this opportunity?
The Embassy is looking for proposals led by civil society organizations that actively work in partnership with government counterparts, including subnational entities such as municipalities.
Do projects need to involve government partners?
Yes. A clear expectation is that proposals involve civil society working in partnership with government counterparts, including at the municipal/subnational level.
What kinds of approaches does the Embassy want to see (regional aims)?
Proposals should align with one or more of these governance and security-related aims:
- Helping create safer communities
- Disrupting the movement of criminals and contraband within and across Central America
- Strengthening the capacity and accountability of Central American governments
- Restoring effective state presence and services in communities considered at risk
- Improving coordination among countries in the region and with international partners and donors to address shared security threats
Can an applicant combine multiple approaches in one proposal?
Yes. Applicants can propose a combination of the listed approaches, as long as the project logic is clear and consistent with the governance-focused intent of the funding.
What does the Embassy expect regarding objectives and measurement?
Proposals are expected to include specific, measurable objectives and indicators so progress can be tracked and credibly demonstrated during implementation. The Embassy is signaling that it wants clearly defined outcomes and a way to measure whether activities are strengthening institutions, improving accountability, or expanding effective governance.
Is this meant to be a general civic engagement or awareness project?
The Embassy indicates it is not looking for purely aspirational civic engagement efforts. The expectation is for clearly defined outcomes with measurable indicators tied to governance and institutional strengthening results.
What activities are explicitly not allowed with these funds?
Funds under this NOFO cannot be used for:
- Law enforcement activities
- Training members of law enforcement
- Providing social services
What types of activities are implied as a better fit for this funding?
While proposals must remain within the opportunity's governance focus, the Embassy suggests stronger alignment with efforts such as transparency initiatives, accountability mechanisms, human rights protections through institutional strengthening, improved civic participation in decision-making, and structured collaboration between civil society and municipal or national government actors (as opposed to policing support or service delivery).
What are the top priority outcome areas for competitive proposals?
The Embassy highlights three priority outcome areas:
- Strengthening democratic institutions in ways that promote and protect human rights
- Expanding civil society's role in environmental governance (including participation, oversight, transparency, and accountability in environmental decision-making)
- Building more capable governance in the coastal provinces of Puntarenas and Limon, with an emphasis on social inclusion
Are there geographic priorities within Costa Rica?
Yes. The Embassy specifically calls out the coastal provinces of Puntarenas and Limon as priority areas, with an emphasis on social inclusion and strengthening local governance.
Is environmental governance an eligible focus area?
Yes. One of the stated priority outcome areas is expanding civil society's role in environmental governance, including public participation, oversight, transparency, and accountability in environmental decision-making.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes:
- Qualified U.S. nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations (including those with 501(c)(3) status)
- Overseas-based NGOs
- U.S.-based and overseas-based public or private institutions of higher education
- Public international organizations
Does the Embassy have discretion over which proposals are funded?
Yes. The Embassy retains full discretion to fund some, all, or none of the submitted proposals and may decide final award amounts within the stated range.
What is the legal authority for this funding?
The legal authority cited is the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SCS 800 23 GR 002 WHA 120623.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 19.750.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $500,000.
How does the opportunity define a strong fit in practical terms?
A strong fit is a proposal that stays on the civil society engagement and governance strengthening side of the line, works in partnership with government counterparts (including municipalities), aligns with the RCS Pillar II governance and anti-corruption intent, and includes measurable objectives and indicators to demonstrate real institutional or accountability improvements.
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