Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS PODGORICA FY20 0005
The COVID-19 Response Fund (Funding Opportunity Number PAS PODGORICA FY20 0005) is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Embassy in Podgorica through the Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Department of State. The purpose of the opportunity is to fund projects in Montenegro that address the secondary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable groups. The announcement emphasizes that vulnerability is interpreted broadly and can include, among others, women, youth, minorities, older adults, and people with disabilities. The focus is not simply on immediate health measures, but on the wider social, economic, educational, and institutional knock-on impacts created or worsened by the pandemic.
Awards are structured as grants with an anticipated 12-month performance period, and projects were expected to start in Summer/Fall 2020. The award ceiling is $20,000 per award, and the opportunity anticipated making up to seven awards. Like many U.S. government Notices of Funding Opportunity, the document is explicit that publishing the notice does not guarantee funding and does not reimburse applicants for proposal preparation costs. The U.S. government also reserves the right to reject any or all submissions.
Eligibility is limited to Montenegrin not-for-profit organizations. This includes civil society and non-governmental organizations, think tanks, educational organizations, and other organizations that can demonstrate reliability and trustworthiness. A key restriction is that each organization may submit only one proposal; submitting more than one makes all proposals from that organization ineligible. Applicants must also meet standard U.S. federal assistance requirements: having a unique entity identifier (at the time, referenced as a DUNS number through Dun and Bradstreet), and maintaining an active registration in SAM.gov. In addition, selected/qualified entities are expected to have an NCAGE code. Applicants must not be listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) within SAM (debarment and suspension rules), and they are encouraged to check that neither they nor any participating entity is excluded.
Applications must be submitted by email to PodgoricaGrants@state.gov, and they must follow the Application Guidelines closely because noncompliant submissions are deemed ineligible. The mandatory package includes: a project proposal using the required application form and aligned with the guidelines; a detailed budget in USD and an accompanying budget narrative (format is flexible, but must clearly justify costs and distinguish eligible vs. ineligible expenses); completed and signed federal forms SF-424 and SF-424A; one-page CVs or resumes for key personnel; and the organization’s registration papers. The proposal is also expected to include a clear monitoring and evaluation approach that explains how success will be measured, using defined indicators and milestones.
Proposals are competitively reviewed by an Embassy merit review panel using a points-based scoring system. The largest weights go to the quality and feasibility of the project idea (20 points) and the project planning/ability to achieve objectives (20 points), reflecting the importance of a clear, workable approach with realistic timelines and well-defined goals. Budget quality is also heavily scrutinized (15 points), with expectations that costs are reasonable, realistic, and well-justified relative to intended results. Monitoring and evaluation is worth 15 points, requiring applicants to specify output and outcome indicators and explain when and how they will be measured. Sustainability (15 points) evaluates whether benefits will last beyond the grant period, while impact (15 points) looks at the likely positive effect on Montenegro, potentially spanning institutions, legislation, education, and outcomes for disadvantaged groups. The Embassy may contact applicants with follow-up questions, and applicants are notified by email if they advance to final review.
For administration, the official award is issued and managed by a Grants Officer, and the signed award document governs what the recipient is authorized to do and when costs can be incurred. Recipients may only start charging expenses to the project on or after the official start date in the signed award document. The Department of State is clear that selection does not imply future funding beyond the awarded period or amount; extensions or increases would be discretionary. Payment arrangements are not fixed in the notice and are instead negotiated with each recipient and then documented in the award agreement. Recipients should also expect both financial and programmatic reporting requirements at intervals specified in the award document.
Cost sharing is not required, which lowers the barrier for smaller organizations. However, if an applicant voluntarily proposes cost share, they are responsible for delivering and documenting it. If the organization includes indirect costs under a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA), the most recent NICRA should be attached as a PDF. Questions about the process are directed to the same program email address, PodgoricaGrants@state.gov.Apply for PAS PODGORICA FY20 0005
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Montenegro in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "COVID-19 Response Fund" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.900.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 13, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 10, 2020. (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 $20,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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COVID-19 Response Fund (PAS PODGORICA FY20 0005) - Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is the COVID-19 Response Fund (Funding Opportunity Number PAS PODGORICA FY20 0005)?
The COVID-19 Response Fund is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Embassy in Podgorica through the Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Department of State. It funds projects in Montenegro that address the secondary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable groups.
2) What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The goal is to support projects that respond to the broader social, economic, educational, and institutional impacts created or worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as they affect vulnerable populations in Montenegro. The focus is not limited to immediate public health measures.
3) What does "secondary effects of COVID-19" mean in this notice?
Based on the notice, secondary effects refer to knock-on impacts beyond immediate health needs, including social, economic, educational, and institutional challenges that arose or became worse because of the pandemic.
4) Who is considered a "vulnerable group" under this opportunity?
Vulnerability is interpreted broadly. The notice lists examples including women, youth, minorities, older adults, and people with disabilities. The list is not presented as exhaustive, meaning other groups may also qualify as vulnerable depending on the project context.
5) Where must projects take place?
Projects are intended to be implemented in Montenegro.
6) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to Montenegrin not-for-profit organizations. The notice includes examples such as civil society and non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and educational organizations, as well as other organizations that can demonstrate reliability and trustworthiness.
7) Can an organization submit more than one proposal?
No. Each organization may submit only one proposal. Submitting more than one proposal makes all proposals from that organization ineligible.
8) What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is USD $20,000 per award.
9) How many awards does the opportunity expect to make?
The opportunity anticipated making up to seven awards.
10) How long is the performance period?
The anticipated performance period is 12 months.
11) When were projects expected to start?
Projects were expected to start in Summer/Fall 2020.
12) Does publishing the notice guarantee funding?
No. The notice explicitly states that publishing the opportunity does not guarantee funding.
13) Are proposal preparation costs reimbursed?
No. The notice states that proposal preparation costs are not reimbursed.
14) Can the U.S. government reject submissions?
Yes. The U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all submissions.
15) How do applicants submit an application?
Applications must be submitted by email to PodgoricaGrants@state.gov.
16) What happens if the application does not follow the guidelines?
The notice emphasizes that applications must follow the Application Guidelines closely. Noncompliant submissions are deemed ineligible.
17) What documents are required in the application package?
The mandatory package includes: (1) a project proposal using the required application form and aligned with the guidelines; (2) a detailed budget in USD and an accompanying budget narrative; (3) completed and signed federal forms SF-424 and SF-424A; (4) one-page CVs or resumes for key personnel; and (5) the organization’s registration papers.
18) What are the budget format requirements?
The budget must be detailed and in USD. The budget narrative format is flexible, but it must clearly justify costs and distinguish eligible versus ineligible expenses.
19) Is monitoring and evaluation (M&E) required?
Yes. The proposal is expected to include a clear monitoring and evaluation approach explaining how success will be measured using defined indicators and milestones.
20) How are proposals reviewed and selected?
Proposals are competitively reviewed by an Embassy merit review panel using a points-based scoring system. The notice describes weighted criteria, with particular emphasis on project quality/feasibility and project planning/ability to achieve objectives.
21) What scoring criteria are used in the merit review?
The notice describes these criteria and point values: quality and feasibility of the project idea (20 points), project planning/ability to achieve objectives (20 points), budget quality (15 points), monitoring and evaluation (15 points), sustainability (15 points), and impact (15 points).
22) What does the "budget quality" criterion focus on?
Budget quality (15 points) focuses on whether costs are reasonable, realistic, and well-justified relative to the intended results.
23) What does the M&E criterion require applicants to include?
Monitoring and evaluation (15 points) requires applicants to specify output and outcome indicators and explain when and how they will be measured.
24) What does "sustainability" mean in the scoring?
Sustainability (15 points) evaluates whether project benefits are likely to last beyond the grant period.
25) What does "impact" mean in the scoring?
Impact (15 points) considers the likely positive effect on Montenegro. The notice indicates impact may relate to institutions, legislation, education, and outcomes for disadvantaged groups.
26) Can the Embassy ask follow-up questions during the review?
Yes. The Embassy may contact applicants with follow-up questions.
27) How will applicants be notified about review progress?
Applicants are notified by email if they advance to final review.
28) Who issues and manages the official award?
The official award is issued and managed by a Grants Officer, and the signed award document governs what the recipient is authorized to do.
29) When can a recipient begin charging costs to the project?
Recipients may only start charging expenses to the project on or after the official start date stated in the signed award document.
30) Does selection mean future funding is guaranteed?
No. The Department of State states that selection does not imply future funding beyond the awarded period or amount. Any extensions or increases would be discretionary.
31) How are payments handled under this grant?
Payment arrangements are not fixed in the notice. They are negotiated with each recipient and documented in the award agreement.
32) What reporting should recipients expect?
Recipients should expect both financial and programmatic reporting requirements at intervals specified in the award document.
33) Is cost sharing required?
No. Cost sharing is not required.
34) What if an applicant proposes cost share anyway?
If an applicant voluntarily proposes cost share, the organization is responsible for delivering and documenting it.
35) Are there federal registration requirements for applicants?
Yes. Applicants must meet standard U.S. federal assistance requirements, including having a unique entity identifier (referenced in the notice as a DUNS number) and maintaining an active registration in SAM.gov.
36) Is an NCAGE code required?
The notice indicates that selected/qualified entities are expected to have an NCAGE code.
37) Are there restrictions related to suspension and debarment?
Yes. Applicants must not be listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) within SAM. Applicants are encouraged to verify that neither they nor any participating entity is excluded.
38) What should an organization do if it has a negotiated indirect cost rate?
If indirect costs are included under a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA), the most recent NICRA should be attached as a PDF.
39) Where should questions be sent?
Questions about the process are directed to PodgoricaGrants@state.gov.
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