PGO Request for SSH Proposals | PGO MRT FY2023

Opportunity Information: Apply for PGO MRT FY2023

The U.S. Embassy Nouakchott, through the Department of State Program and Grants Office (PGO), is inviting full proposals for its Ambassador's Special Self-Help (SSH) small grants program under funding opportunity number PGO-MRT-FY2023 (CFDA 19.220). The overall purpose is to support small, community-driven development projects in Mauritania that promote socioeconomic activities and produce quick, visible benefits at the local level. This program is designed to highlight U.S. foreign assistance in a practical way while filling gaps that may not fit within larger, more structured U.S. assistance programs.

Funding for this round totals $60,000, with an expected five awards (the notice also references five to ten grants depending on funds). Individual project budgets are intended to be small, typically ranging from $6,000 to $12,000, and proposals are not allowed to exceed the $12,000 ceiling. Awards are made as grants. The notice lists a period of performance of 12 to 16 months for the overall award framework, while also emphasizing that SSH projects themselves are meant to be short-term and fast to implement, generally less than one year, reflecting the program's focus on immediate community impact.

Eligible applicants are locally based entities such as local communities, cooperatives, associations, local NGOs, and municipalities. A key requirement and core principle of the SSH program is community ownership and participation: projects must be initiated locally, managed at the local level, and include meaningful community contributions. Those contributions can take the form of cash, labor, or in-kind materials, and they are meant to reinforce self-reliance so communities can sustain the results and replicate similar initiatives in the future without depending entirely on outside funding.

The program's objective is intentionally broad but centered on practical socioeconomic improvements. In line with the SSH model, the Embassy is looking for proposals that solve a specific local problem with a modest budget, deliver concrete results quickly, and visibly benefit the community. The program is also meant to be flexible, allowing the Ambassador to respond directly to community-identified needs while supporting U.S. mission priorities in Mauritania.

Key dates are clearly defined. Questions about the opportunity must be submitted by 11:59 PM EDT on July 24, 2024, and complete applications are due by 11:59 PM EDT on August 6, 2024. The Embassy anticipates notifying selected applicants and completing award signing around September 2024. For technical questions and application guidance, applicants are directed to contact Nouakchottgrants@state.gov. The notice also stresses that applicants should read the full solicitation package carefully and start required steps immediately to ensure submission by the deadline.

• The U.S. Mission to Mauritania in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "PGO Request for SSH Proposals" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.220.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-06-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-06. (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 $12,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for PGO MRT FY2023

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: