Opportunity Information: Apply for SCS 800 18 GR 001 WHA 032818
The U.S. Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica issued this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to support projects that strengthen government performance by deepening civil society engagement. The grant is positioned under broader U.S. policy goals in Central America, especially the U.S. Strategy for Central America and the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI). In practical terms, the embassy is looking to fund initiatives that help build stronger institutions, reinforce the rule of law, protect human rights, and reduce the harms associated with organized crime, while also supporting prevention-oriented work that keeps at-risk youth away from gangs and promotes community-based approaches to citizen security.
Funding is structured as a discretionary grant competition managed by the Department of State, U.S. Mission to Costa Rica (CFDA 19.750). The embassy planned to make up to five awards, with total funding not to exceed $1,261,667 across all awards. Individual awards could be as high as $300,000. Projects were expected to begin around September 30, 2018, and the performance period for any single project could not exceed two years. The notice also makes clear that the Department of State is not required to fund any proposal and reserves the right to fund some, all, or none of the applications, as well as to decide the final award amounts.
The core program objective is governance-focused: civil society organizations should provide support that improves basic services delivered by local, municipal, or central government. The embassy specifically prioritizes proposals where civil society groups work alongside government entities to improve, expand, or complement public service delivery, with a strong preference for efforts that reach vulnerable or marginalized communities. Geographic targeting matters as well; proposals are encouraged to focus on areas outside Costa Rica's Central Valley, implying an interest in strengthening service delivery and accountability in regions that may be underserved compared to the capital region.
The types of activities the embassy highlights are intentionally broad but centered on practical improvements in service delivery and accountability. Illustrative examples include community and neighborhood education or training programs (including after-school initiatives), projects that increase citizen participation with government and judicial institutions to improve local security, efforts that strengthen transparency and e-government capacity, and other interventions intended to improve a government's ability to provide basic services. Across these possibilities, the underlying theme is that civil society should not operate in isolation; proposals should show a clear approach for constructive collaboration with government systems while also empowering residents to engage with and hold those systems accountable.
A significant requirement is monitoring and evaluation: applicants are expected to include a methodology to survey beneficiaries before and after project activities. The purpose is to demonstrate measurable change using both quantitative and qualitative indicators, such as shifts in access to services, user satisfaction, awareness of rights and procedures, participation in civic processes, perceptions of transparency, or other outcomes tied to improved governance and service delivery. This emphasis signals that competitive proposals would likely need a credible results framework, baseline and endline data collection plans, and a clear explanation of how findings will be used to improve implementation.
Eligibility covers a range of implementers, including U.S. nonprofits (including those with 501(c)(3) status), non-U.S.-based NGOs, and U.S. or non-U.S. public and private institutions of higher education. The opportunity was published March 28, 2018, with an original application deadline of May 28, 2018. The legal authority cited for the funding is the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. Overall, the opportunity is designed for organizations that can combine on-the-ground community engagement with practical partnerships across government, while producing credible evidence that their work improves services and strengthens citizen-government accountability relationships.Apply for SCS 800 18 GR 001 WHA 032818
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Costa Rica in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) 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 Mar 28, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 28, 2018. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: 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, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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