U.S. Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program 2024 | DOS MSU SSH FY24

Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS MSU SSH FY24

The U.S. Ambassador's Special Self-Help Program 2024 is a small-grants opportunity run by the U.S. Embassy Maseru under the U.S. Department of State (Bureau of African Affairs). It is designed to fund practical, community-initiated projects in Lesotho that can be completed within a short timeframe (generally one year) and that measurably improve basic economic and social conditions at the village or community level. The program is meant to be grass-roots and responsive, giving the Embassy a way to support locally identified priorities that communities can realistically manage, operate, and maintain after the grant ends.

Projects are expected to be high-impact and quick to implement, with benefits reaching a meaningful number of people within the grant period and without needing repeat funding from this same program. Priority is given to proposals that clearly come from the community's own initiative, match local aspirations, and avoid functioning as a technical assistance effort (the grant is not intended to start, continue, or supplement ongoing technical assistance programs). The notice also highlights a strong interest in community-level water and sanitation improvements that are broadly accessible, reliable, and economically sustainable, with an emphasis on services that support health, security, and prosperity (and not household-level or agriculture-focused water issues). In addition, the program welcomes projects that provide social assistance or that serve vulnerable or at-risk populations, such as people with disabilities, orphans, children and at-risk youth, ethnic minorities, older adults, female-headed households, and other socially excluded groups.

The funding supports tangible, durable inputs and small-scale infrastructure that communities can use and maintain. Examples of allowable costs include certain agricultural inputs like seeds and supplies (but explicitly excluding fertilizers and chemical products like pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides), water-related infrastructure such as wells, latrines, pumps, boreholes, water tanks, and fish ponds, and school-related needs such as desks, chairs, laboratory equipment, and library items. The program can also fund communal equipment used for construction or local production (for example brick-making machines), durable goods for schools and health facilities (such as stoves, refrigerators, or clinic washing machines), and small construction projects like building classrooms or community centers.

At the same time, the program sets clear restrictions. It will not fund renovations of facilities that have fallen into disrepair due to neglect or lack of funding, and it will not support activities that have unmitigated negative environmental impacts (with examples like dams or roads through forest lands). Purely religious or church-centered projects are not eligible, although projects affiliated with faith groups may be funded if they genuinely serve the broader community without discrimination based on religion. Military and law enforcement related activities are excluded, including anything tied to police, prisons, or similar functions. The grant also cannot be used for pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides; national-level sports or arts uniforms and instruments; student bursaries; salaries for existing positions; recurring education or training needs; vehicles or tractors; routine office supplies and office equipment like computers or photocopiers; or support to private businesses.

Applicants should plan for cost sharing. A 10 percent cost share or match is required and can be provided through cash, materials, and/or labor, making community contribution part of the eligibility picture. The award ceiling is USD 10,000, and the Embassy anticipates making around eight awards, subject to available funding. Awards are issued as grants under CFDA 19.220 (community development). Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, schools, NGOs, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, orphanages, and health facilities.

The application window opened January 8, 2024, with applications accepted until April 8, 2024 (the source listing also shows an original closing date of April 19, 2024, but applicants should follow the Embassy's stated submission deadline in the notice and confirm if needed). Applications must be complete and on time; late submissions, incomplete packages, or missing documents will be rejected. Application guidelines can be requested by emailing grantsmaseru@state.gov or collected at the U.S. Embassy Maseru main gate. The Special Projects Office may also request additional documentation beyond what is listed, and selected applicants should be prepared for pre-award steps such as a site visit, revisions responding to review panel conditions, and providing bank account and other administrative details before a federal award is finalized.

All materials must be in English, and budgets must be in U.S. dollars (with costs also estimated in Maloti using an exchange rate of 1 USD to 16 Maloti, as specified). Pages must be numbered, and the proposal should directly address the opportunity's goals and objectives. A complete application package must include the appropriate federal forms (SF-424 plus either the construction set SF-424C and SF-424D, or the non-construction set SF-424A and SF-424B), a cover page, table of contents, and a proposal narrative (the notice references a page limit and indicates the review panel will only read up to the stated limit). The narrative is expected to be detailed enough for a reviewer unfamiliar with the community to understand exactly what will be done and how it will be carried out. It should include an organizational background and relevant experience, the project methods and design, clear goals and SMART objectives (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound), a description of activities tied to each objective, and a management plan describing roles, reporting lines, and communication. Applicants must also identify partners, explain how results will be sustained after the grant ends, include a risk analysis (likelihood, impact, and mitigation actions), and provide a monitoring and evaluation plan describing how outputs and outcomes will be tracked (including data collection tools like surveys, interviews, or focus groups, and whether any external evaluation will be used). A one-page timeline is required (monthly or quarterly), along with a detailed budget and a budget justification narrative explaining each cost.

Required attachments include the SF forms, the detailed budget and narrative justification, CVs or resumes for key personnel, price quotations for items or services the grant would pay for, the organization's constitution, a list of committee or board members with contact information, a simple map/directions to the project site from a major road, project bank account details, and proof of land ownership or formal permission to use the land where the project will be implemented (such as a lease agreement or land deed). Applications missing any of these required elements are considered technically ineligible.

Finally, applicants must complete federal registration requirements before applying. Every prime applicant organization must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in SAM.gov. The Embassy may not review or award funds to applicants without these registrations, and SAM registration can take 4 to 8 weeks, so organizations are urged to start early. A DUNS number is not required anymore, and organizations outside the U.S. that do not employ staff in the U.S. do not need an EIN from the IRS, but they still must obtain a UEI in order to register in SAM.gov.

• The U.S. Mission to Lesotho in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program 2024" 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 2024-01-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-19. (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 $10,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for DOS MSU SSH FY24

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