Opportunity Information: Apply for 7200AA20APS00016
This USAID opportunity, run through the Bureau for the Middle East, calls for partnership concept papers focused on strengthening religious and ethnic freedom and inclusion across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It is framed as a response to the U.S. President's Executive Order on Advancing Religious Freedom and is grounded in long-standing U.S. legal and policy commitments, including the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016. The problem statement behind the solicitation is that persecution, discrimination, violent extremism, weak governance, insecurity, and poor economic conditions have contributed to displacement and to the shrinking presence of smaller, vulnerable religious and ethnic communities in their historic homelands. The U.S. approach reflected here ties protection of minority rights to broader stability goals, arguing that pluralistic, multi-ethnic, multi-religious societies with respected human rights are more peaceful and resilient.
A core feature of the solicitation is its emphasis on locally driven, grassroots initiatives that can demonstrate sustainable, long-term impact rather than short-lived or purely external interventions. USAID is explicitly looking for creative partnership ideas and wants applicants to show meaningful local ownership. Concept papers are expected to either come from local partners directly or clearly explain how the applicant will engage local organizations in a central role, including as sub-partners. Another key theme is expanding the partner base by encouraging new and under-utilized development actors, on the logic that a more diverse set of implementers brings better networks, perspectives, and solutions. Regardless of the approach, proposals must draw a direct line between the proposed activities and the Bureau for the Middle East program objectives described in the announcement.
Programmatically, the opportunity lays out several broad objective areas and gives examples of what USAID would consider responsive activities. One major objective is addressing government-related constraints on religious and/or ethnic minorities. Illustrative activities here include meeting urgent needs of individuals or communities targeted due to religion, belief, or practice; improving health services and outcomes for at-risk minority populations affected by mass atrocities such as genocide or ethnic cleansing; and delivering essential services and reconstruction in communities that have been persecuted. It also highlights rule-of-law and rights protection measures, such as training lawyers who specialize in defending vulnerable minority communities, advocating for legal and policy instruments that protect freedom of religion or belief (and pushing back against restrictive laws or policies), and promoting democratic participation among minority populations so they have a stronger voice in civic and political life.
A second objective focuses on social constraints, recognizing that even where formal laws exist, minorities can still face societal hostility, exclusion, and threats. Suggested activities include coalition-building with local grassroots NGOs and faith-based organizations to combat xenophobia and strengthen societal acceptance, developing or refining early warning and response systems to improve protection for at-risk groups, and supporting interfaith and interethnic dialogue. The dialogue component is not presented as symbolic; it is tied to practical outcomes such as community building, religious tolerance, countering hate speech, and spreading messages of peace that reduce the likelihood of violence and retaliation.
A third objective addresses economic constraints that can trap minority communities in long-term vulnerability. USAID points to efforts like advancing private sector investment and entrepreneurship within minority communities, as well as promoting inclusive economic growth more broadly. Examples include vocational training, leadership development that helps people access dignified employment, and support to small- and medium-sized enterprises to improve competitiveness, grow revenues, and create jobs. The overall intent is to reduce economic marginalization that can make communities more likely to emigrate or become targets of exploitation, and to help minorities remain and rebuild viable lives in their places of origin.
A fourth objective area targets education and health constraints, particularly barriers that limit equal access and inclusion for minority children and youth. The opportunity highlights work with local schools to ensure teaching methods, assessments, and outreach practices are inclusive of all religious and ethnic groups, and it encourages finding points in both school-day and after-school settings where tolerance and inclusion can be modeled and reinforced. It also emphasizes inclusion across formal, non-formal, and privately sponsored education environments, and calls for partnerships with Ministries of Education and non-government institutions to make inclusion a priority and improve school culture and learning quality. The framing suggests USAID views education systems as one of the most durable levers for reducing discrimination over time.
A fifth objective area is preserving or rehabilitating cultural heritage sites connected to religious and/or ethnic minority communities, treating heritage as both a protection and inclusion issue. Example activities include educational workshops, public awareness campaigns to promote understanding and confront discrimination, community commemorations, and conferences that produce concrete deliverables supporting wider engagement on interfaith issues. It also mentions follow-on community initiatives that grow out of intercultural or interreligious dialogue and partnership, plus sustainable heritage projects that also enhance employability, signaling interest in heritage-related programming that creates livelihoods and local incentives to protect shared history.
In terms of the basic funding details provided, this opportunity is listed as USAID Funding Opportunity Number 7200AA20APS00016 under CFDA 98.001. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional clarifications in the full announcement. USAID anticipated up to six awards, with an award ceiling of $800,000. The posting date was July 14, 2020, and the original closing date was August 10, 2020. Overall, the opportunity is structured to attract partnership-driven, locally grounded concept papers that tackle legal, social, economic, educational, health, and cultural heritage barriers facing religious and ethnic minorities, with a clear expectation that proposals show how they will translate inclusion and freedom-of-belief principles into practical, protective, and lasting results on the ground.Apply for 7200AA20APS00016
- The Agency for International Development in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "CALL FOR PARTNERSHIP CONCEPT PAPERS FOR RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC FREEDOM AND INCLUSION IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 14, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 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 $800,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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