Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0003666
The FY 2018 Request for Concept Notes (SFOP0003666) is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) funding opportunity for NGO-led programs that provide protection, assistance, and longer-term solutions for refugees and other vulnerable people affected by conflict in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement funding instrument, meaning PRM typically expects substantial involvement in shaping or overseeing how an awarded project is carried out. The maximum funding amount listed per award is $3,500,000. The notice was posted on January 8, 2018, with an original closing date of February 7, 2018. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 19.519, and the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding.
Programmatically, PRM is looking for concept notes that clearly prioritize refugees and similarly affected populations in the four named countries. While the core focus is on refugees and other vulnerable groups in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey, proposals are also encouraged to be flexible enough to include additional refugee groups where relevant, specifically including African refugees and Palestinian refugees from Syria. A major operational constraint applies to where assistance can be delivered: in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey, proposed activities are limited to people living outside government-run or UNHCR-run camps. Iraq is treated differently, and the restriction to non-camp settings is not applied the same way there, reflecting the different displacement dynamics and response architecture in that country.
A central eligibility and targeting requirement is that PRM will only consider projects where at least 50 percent of the intended beneficiaries are refugees. The one exception is Iraq, where internally displaced persons (IDPs) may be counted toward that threshold, and proposals may also include IDP returnees. This reflects PRM's mandate and the requirement that PRM-funded work remains primarily oriented toward populations displaced by conflict and in need of protection and humanitarian support, rather than broadly defined vulnerable groups. For projects operating in non-camp settings, PRM emphasizes a community-based approach whenever possible, with the idea that assistance should not only reach refugees and displaced people but also help reduce tensions and strengthen resilience in the host communities that share services, housing markets, and local infrastructure with displaced populations.
Beyond direct service delivery, the notice signals an interest in capacity-building for national actors. Applicants are encouraged to incorporate efforts that increase the ability of local governmental institutions and local or national NGOs to respond effectively to refugees and displaced populations. In practice, this often means strengthening systems, training staff, improving referral pathways, expanding local service coverage, or improving coordination and standards so that host-country structures can sustain parts of the response and scale it more efficiently over time.
Sectorally, concept notes must focus on one or more priority sectors identified in the Country-Specific Guidelines, with sector definitions referenced in PRM's General NGO Guidelines. The notice itself does not list the sectors in the excerpt provided, but it makes clear that applicants need to align proposed activities with the specific priorities PRM has defined for each country, rather than submitting general or cross-cutting proposals without a clear fit to those guidelines. In other words, the concept note should be anchored in PRM's stated country priorities and describe activities in sectors PRM has explicitly indicated it wants to fund in that particular context.
The submission rules are also strict about structure and scope. Applicants must submit separate concept notes for each country program, and PRM will not consider regional or multi-country submissions under this request. In addition, PRM will not consider multiple proposals from the same applicant that target the same population in a single country. If an organization has overlapping ideas, it should consolidate them rather than submit several competing notes. PRM also reserves the right to request that an NGO merge two concept notes into a single proposal during the review process, which is a signal that PRM wants coherent, non-duplicative programming rather than fragmented efforts that are hard to manage or coordinate.
Taken together, the opportunity is essentially asking NGOs to propose country-specific, sector-aligned programs for non-camp refugee and vulnerable populations (with Iraq-specific flexibility for IDPs and returnees), demonstrate that refugees/IDPs make up the majority of beneficiaries as required, integrate capacity-building for national actors where possible, and adopt community-based approaches that also support host communities. The overall frame is practical and targeted: PRM is looking for well-justified, country-specific concept notes that fit PRM priorities, avoid duplication, and clearly deliver protection and assistance outcomes for people displaced by conflict.Apply for SFOP0003666
- The Department of State, Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2018 Request for Concept Notes for NGO Programs Benefiting Refugees and Other Vulnerable Populations in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.519.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 08, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 07, 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 $3,500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the FY 2018 Request for Concept Notes (SFOP0003666)?
It is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) funding opportunity for NGO-led programs that provide protection, assistance, and longer-term solutions for refugees and other vulnerable people affected by conflict in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey.
2) Which U.S. government office is offering this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).
3) What funding instrument will be used for awards under this opportunity?
PRM indicates the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement. This means PRM typically expects substantial involvement in shaping or overseeing how an awarded project is carried out.
4) What is the maximum funding amount per award?
The maximum funding amount listed per award is $3,500,000.
5) When was the notice posted and what was the original closing date?
The notice was posted on January 8, 2018, with an original closing date of February 7, 2018.
6) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 19.519.
7) How is this opportunity categorized (funding type)?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding.
8) Which countries are specifically covered by this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is focused on Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey.
9) Who should the proposed programs prioritize?
Concept notes should clearly prioritize refugees and similarly affected populations in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey, consistent with PRM's mandate to support people displaced by conflict and in need of protection and humanitarian support.
10) Are proposals allowed to include additional refugee populations beyond the core focus groups?
Yes. While the core focus is on refugees and other vulnerable groups in the four named countries, proposals are encouraged to be flexible enough to include additional refugee groups where relevant, specifically including African refugees and Palestinian refugees from Syria.
11) Are there restrictions on delivering assistance in camps versus non-camp settings?
Yes. In Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey, proposed activities are limited to people living outside government-run or UNHCR-run camps. Iraq is treated differently, and the restriction to non-camp settings is not applied the same way there.
12) Does PRM require a minimum share of refugees among intended beneficiaries?
Yes. PRM will only consider projects where at least 50 percent of the intended beneficiaries are refugees.
13) Is there an exception to the 50 percent refugee beneficiary requirement?
Yes. The exception is Iraq, where internally displaced persons (IDPs) may be counted toward the 50 percent threshold, and proposals may also include IDP returnees.
14) Can projects target broadly defined vulnerable groups if they are not primarily refugees?
The information provided indicates PRM requires that PRM-funded work remain primarily oriented toward populations displaced by conflict and in need of protection and humanitarian support, rather than broadly defined vulnerable groups. The 50 percent minimum refugee requirement (with the Iraq IDP exception) is a central targeting condition.
15) What approach does PRM emphasize for projects operating in non-camp settings?
For projects in non-camp settings, PRM emphasizes a community-based approach whenever possible, so that assistance reaches refugees and displaced people while also helping reduce tensions and strengthen resilience in host communities.
16) Can host communities be included as beneficiaries?
The notice emphasizes that community-based approaches should help reduce tensions and strengthen resilience in host communities that share services, housing markets, and local infrastructure with displaced populations. However, the project must still meet the requirement that at least 50 percent of intended beneficiaries are refugees (with the Iraq exception allowing IDPs and IDP returnees as described).
17) Is PRM interested in capacity-building activities as part of concept notes?
Yes. Applicants are encouraged to incorporate efforts that increase the ability of local governmental institutions and local or national NGOs to respond effectively to refugees and displaced populations.
18) What types of capacity-building activities are contemplated in the notice?
The notice indicates this can include strengthening systems, training staff, improving referral pathways, expanding local service coverage, or improving coordination and standards to help host-country structures sustain and scale the response more efficiently over time.
19) Do concept notes need to focus on specific sectors?
Yes. Concept notes must focus on one or more priority sectors identified in the Country-Specific Guidelines, with sector definitions referenced in PRM's General NGO Guidelines.
20) Does the notice list the priority sectors directly?
No. In the excerpt provided, the notice does not list the sectors. It states applicants need to align with the priority sectors identified in PRM's Country-Specific Guidelines and use sector definitions referenced in PRM's General NGO Guidelines.
21) Can an applicant submit a general or cross-cutting proposal without anchoring it in country priorities?
The notice indicates concept notes should be anchored in PRM's stated country priorities and describe activities in sectors PRM has explicitly indicated it wants to fund in that particular context, rather than submitting general proposals without a clear fit to the guidelines.
22) Are regional or multi-country submissions allowed?
No. Applicants must submit separate concept notes for each country program, and PRM will not consider regional or multi-country submissions under this request.
23) If an NGO wants to work in more than one of the eligible countries, what should it submit?
The rules require separate concept notes for each country program (for example, one concept note per country where the NGO proposes activities).
24) Can the same applicant submit multiple proposals targeting the same population in a single country?
No. PRM will not consider multiple proposals from the same applicant that target the same population in a single country. Organizations with overlapping ideas are expected to consolidate them rather than submit several competing concept notes.
25) Can PRM ask an NGO to merge concept notes during the review process?
Yes. PRM reserves the right to request that an NGO merge two concept notes into a single proposal during the review process, signaling a preference for coherent, non-duplicative programming.
26) What outcomes or program intent is PRM seeking overall?
Based on the information provided, PRM is seeking country-specific, sector-aligned programs that deliver protection and assistance outcomes (and longer-term solutions) for people displaced by conflict, meet the refugee/IDP targeting requirements, avoid duplication, and incorporate community-based and capacity-building elements where possible.
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