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How to Find USAID Contracts and Grants Funding Opportunities

By Guest Writer on July 1, 2011

usaid funding

USAID generally undertakes direct assistance programs to benefit developing countries through competitive grants and cooperative agreements. This ensures that all activities are concentrated on specific objectives to maximize impact and that they are consistent, mutually reinforcing, and draw support from the best available sources.

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USAID Grants for Local NGOs

USAID recognizes that non-governmental organizations (NGOs), both U.S.-based and local, are often at the forefront of meeting human need on a local level. USAID funds NGOs both directly and indirectly to fulfill specific country goals in every region and sector.

Research other NGOs working in your same issue area and region for potential collaboration. USAID looks to fund projects that show collaboration between small NGOs and also projects which involve sub-partners, or implementing partners. Often the fastest track to USAID funding for an NGO is through an existing partner (who would serve as an intermediary) as a sub-grantee. This can happen one of two ways:

  • Asking a prime partner to sub-grant funding to you from an existing grant or cooperative agreement
  • Asking a prime partner to write you into a new proposal to USAID as a sub-grantee.

Visit Grants.gov to find and apply for federal grants. You may want to sign up for the International GrantStation Insider. This monthly newsletter provides the latest information on new funding programs and upcoming grant deadlines, as well as general information that benefit all grant-seekers.

USAID Contracts for Local Businesses

To be eligible to compete for USAID funds, your company must secure the following registrations. They are free, but it takes time and preparation to complete each registration correctly.

  • Data universal numbering system (DUNS) identification
  • Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code (for U.S. organizations) or NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code (for non-U.S. organizations)
  • System for Award Management (SAM) registration.

When USAID posts solicitations, notices of contract opportunities and corresponding solicitations are available at SAM.gov, the single source for federal procurement opportunities. Notices of federal grant and cooperative agreement opportunities for project funding are listed there.

USAID Advice on Winning New Funding

Get to Know USAID.

Visit the Where We Work page to see if USAID and your organization are currently working in the same country. USAID plays an active and critical role in the promotion of U.S. foreign policy interests through its assistance programs. Investments happen through USAID Missions in over 80 countries. Ensure that your organization’s goals align with the USAID priorities for that country.

Establish a relationship with the USAID Mission in the countries where you work; set up meetings with them and invite them to see your operation. Around 80 percent of all USAID funding is disseminated through Missions.  You may also want to talk to officials at USAID headquarters in Washington who focus on specific issues that work through one of the Operating Units or Bureaus.

Visit WorkwithUSAID.org which helps prospective and existing partners access innovative tools and resources so they can learn how to better compete for funding. Read about ongoing programs and successful development partnerships.

USAID New Partners Initiative

USAID New Partners Initiative seeks to lower the barriers faced by nontraditional partners—including local actors, U.S. small businesses, faith-based organizations, cooperatives, diaspora groups, and civil society organizations—so that the Agency can embrace the diverse potential of the partnering community in pursuit of our shared development goals.

NPI strives to increase locally-led development with support to prospective partners in overcoming the informational imbalance typically faced by groups that have not directly received USAID funding when they compete with organizations that have. NPI helps make Agency information, resources, and funding opportunities more transparent and accessible to all of our potential partners.

Check the Business Forecast.

USAID issues a Business Forecast that shares some of the opportunities we will be making available throughout the year from our Washington D.C. headquarters and from Missions worldwide.

Sign up for Notification Services.

Information on how to register for notification services can be found on the SAM.gov and Grants.gov home pages. You will receive notices on pre-solicitation materials, the solicitation itself, modifications to solicitations, and general procurement announcements.

Note US Federal Regulations & Policies

If you wish to work with USAID as a development partner in any location around the world, you must be familiar with U.S. federal regulations that govern the way USAID conducts its business.

  • USAID executes all direct procurement in accordance with ADS 302, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and USAID’s supplement to the FAR, the USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR).
  • USAID executes assistance in accordance with ADS 3032 CFR 200, and 2 CFR 700.

More Funding Opportunities

Do you want to apply for USAID grants for humanitarian aid projects? Get startup investments for a technology business? Or learn how to win more contracts? Then please sign up now to get our email updates. We are constantly publishing new funding opportunities every Monday.

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12 Comments to “How to Find USAID Contracts and Grants Funding Opportunities”

  1. EMMANUEL SOROGO says:

    I need notification for USAID Programs. Many thanks for your help.

  2. JASMIN BETIS says:

    good job

  3. Anonymous says:

    Thanks to USAID, I have seen you work in different grants fields, working on health and the positive it has on needy people. May God keep you going.

    There are still more bright and capable poor children looming within the country. I have met two poor bright boys, one desperate because he is on and off from school and the parents are without alternative, the other one did not even join form one and had passed very well, these two cases have bothered me to-date, I myself am struggling to make ends meet to educate mine and so it is impossible to help much.

  4. M Asif Mansha says:

    please send us contact nbr ASAP

  5. Mary Yap Tago M.D. says:

    We are a small NGO implementing the CHE(Community Health Education Program in 8 sites in the Philippines since 2007 using the entry point TB DOTS of the NTP (National Tuberculosis Program of the Department of Health in the Philippines). However, the project has ended last December 2011. The stakeholders were caught off guard, they wanted the program to continue. Although there were commitments from our end to continue the follow up for sustainability, to scale up to the neighboring communities were deemed impossible due to financial constraints. Currently we are looking for funding sources to be able to multiply what we have started especially the response of the different stakeholders were very much evident.
    We plan to implement the CHE Program to be able to contribute the Millennium Development Goal of WHO.

  6. Anonymous says:

    JOJO SHAAHU FOUNDATION is a non Governmental, not for profit organization, that envisions a challenge free and self sustaining society where the less privileged group have a source of livelihood and are free from ignorance, disease and environmental hazards. The Foundation works in four (4) thematic areas namely: – Health and HIV/AIDS, Girl Child Education, Governance and Policy as well as Youth Empowerment. So far, the Foundation has carried out activities such as: – advocacy visits, collaborating with other NGOs to carryout activities such as wolrd hand wash day,orphans and vulnerable children identification, assessment and enrollment and also, Peer Education in the area of HIV awareness and Prevention

  7. gyakuna says:

    We are a NGO – Save The Children Australia implementing the Community Based Health Care Program in 800 villages of East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea. we train Village Health Workers or volunteers to give basic treatment for malaria, diarrhoea and skin diseases. we also do matenal and child health program through village birth attendant who help provide basic antenatal care to pregnant mothers and assist them during child birth especially in areas where there is no formal health care available. this program is an initiative of the PNG’s National Department of Health funded by NZAID and will cease by September 2012. The stakeholders were concerned and want the project to continue as the commmunities have expressed positive impacts it has on the lives of rural people. Currently we are looking for funding sources to continue this valuable program.
    We plan to implement thisProgram to be able to contribute to the Millennium Development Goal of WHO.

  8. arif farooq says:

    Dear SIR

    I am maintaining a very small dairy form in a village in punjab province.I want to enhance the bussiness to support my children education &good living.
    How can I get some assistance from usaid.

    with regads
    arif

  9. mercy chebet says:

    Following the information i got from a friend whom you helped her through her studies i thought of it as a great opportunity to request the same.

    I am a second year in the university of Jomo Kenyatta taking bachelor of business information technology.It has been with great sacrifice and struggle that i have managed to be there following the fact that my parents are separated and i have three siblings behind me.

    I would appreciate your help and I am looking forward to you reply.Thank you.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Teenager’s single mother is becoming a popular reality in many countries in Africa and propulsed them away from being productive as they end up not being able to carry on with their studies. Depending on the opposite sex to survive they face the biggest challenge of contracting HIV by becoming prostitutes, drug dealers and that causes a desequilibria in the community. Africa Welfare is willing to attend to the matter through education. We need funding.

    Faithfully Yours;

    Mr. M. KALUME

  11. John Norotouw says:

    I just returned to Papua Province in Indonesia after living for 28 years in Papua New Guinea as political refugee.
    I realized that many people of Papua still living below standard and poor.
    I therefore plan to develop Cacao Plantation in my village near Jayapura regency but I dont have fund to start it. I believe with this project I will be able to help people arond those villages to find job also blocks to work and earn income.
    I have formed small company, “CV. JAYAPURA PUTRA PERKASA” to find assistance interms of Fund also Advise.
    I therefore seek USAID to help me.
    Thank you very much.

    John Norotouw

  12. thanx to usaid ua services are of high assitance globally and may God bless u