| Fact Sheet Released by the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration Washington, DC October 17, 2003 FY 2003 PRM Guidelines for NGO Projects: Relief for Iraqi Refugees and ReturneesIntroduction
The Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM)
The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) has primary responsibility within the U.S. Government for formulating U.S. foreign policy on refugee and migration issues, and for administering U.S. refugee assistance and admissions programs. In this capacity, PRM has the lead role within the State Department in responding to complex humanitarian situations around the world. The Bureau also is responsible for policy leadership on the U.S. Government’s international population policies and programs, and it serves as the focal point within the U.S. Government for multilateral coordination of international migration policies and programs.
PRM’s primary refugee assistance and admissions goals relate to protection and the achievement of durable solutions. A key PRM objective is to guarantee that refugees and returnees worldwide have access to basic, life-sustaining resources in ways that meet internationally accepted standards of care in shelter, food supply, nutrition, water supply, sanitation, and public health. PRM’s program priorities include the promotion of refugee and returnee women’s equal access to resources -- and their participation in managing those resources. PRM also focuses considerable attention on meeting the special needs of refugee and returnee children. PRM supports the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR's) guidelines, including those on the protection of refugee women and children.
PRM relies mainly on UNHCR and other international organizations (IOs) to provide the basic framework of assistance to refugees and returnees, but it traditionally funds a number of NGO programs directly to fill critical gaps.
Iraq’s Refugee Situation
The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and UNHCR have agreed that the conditions inside Iraq are not yet conducive to large-scale, assisted returns. But as security improves and infrastructure is rehabilitated, it is expected that Iraqis who became refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) over the past three decades could begin to return in larger numbers. In fact, Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries and some IDPs inside Iraq have begun to return spontaneously. Currently, Iraqi refugees in the region live in Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, and Iran, with smaller numbers living in Saudi Arabia and Syria.
NGO Proposals
UNHCR is the lead coordinating agency for humanitarian assistance to Iraqi refugees and returnees. Its role is expanded in northern Iraq to include return and reintegration assistance for IDPs. Return and reintegration assistance to IDPs in central and southern Iraq is primarily a UNOHCI responsibility, but UNHCR will play a significant role. Nevertheless, the UN cannot cover all refugee/returnee needs and looks to NGOs to fill critical gaps, in close coordination with UNHCR and UNOHCI. PRM will review, on a rolling basis, NGO proposals for activities that address those gaps. Priority will be given to proposals that serve refugees and persons of concern to UNHCR, but proposals to serve other populations may also be considered. Proposals supported by UNHCR will be favored. PRM will also consider IDP-related proposals for implementation inside Iraq when these projects receive co-funding from other UN organizations or the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Proposals to PRM should describe measures that ensure that women and children will have access to the program. They should also describe how NGOs will meet the needs of the most vulnerable. Proposals must include a copy of the NGO's Code of Conduct (which should reflect the IASC's six core principles), and a brief discussion of how the Code of Conduct will be reflected in the project implementation.
These guidelines are intended to help NGOs prepare proposals that target PRM’s current funding priorities and follow the required proposal format. PRM will accept proposals from any NGO that follows these guidelines, but priority will be given to proposals from those organizations with an established presence in the region and that effectively demonstrate their ability to achieve the project goals. A proven track record in providing assistance to Iraqis is desirable, but not mandatory. Proposals must present evidence of coordination with UNHCR and other lead international organizations and should also be coordinated with relevant governments and/or the Coalition Provisional Authority. NGOs that have never received PRM funding must be prepared to demonstrate that their organizations meet the financial and accounting requirements of the U.S. Government before they will be eligible to receive PRM funding. Proposals that are not consistent with the guidance herein may be rejected without review.
Due to current funding limitations, PRM will give priority to proposals seeking contributions of less than $1 million dollars.
Current Funding Priorities
At the present time, PRM seeks to focus its Iraq funding on the following activities, in this order of priority:
PRM expects that some NGO projects inside Iraq would target mixed communities composed of refugees, IDPs, and members of local populations. Proposed projects should target communities in which at least 50% of the beneficiary population is expected to be refugees or returning refugees. NGOs are encouraged to propose programs that include a mix of elements from the above categories. Although the list is not intended to be exclusive or binding, and PRM remains open to considering a broad range of NGO activities, priority will be given to programs that include one or more of these elements. PRM will gladly review informal, brief concept papers prior to a full proposal if NGOs are unsure whether or not the proposed activity is consistent with PRM’s current priorities. Submitting Proposals PRM will evaluate and fund proposals on an as-needed basis; therefore, there is no fixed deadline for submission. Proposals should be written in font size no smaller than 11 point and be no longer than 20 pages, including budgets and annexes. Remember: long proposals are not necessarily better. Each official submission to PRM must include a signed, dated cover letter on NGO letterhead, and the three USG-required certifications mentioned below (available from PRM/Washington upon request; and these are not included in the 20-page limit). Applicants should mail submissions from their Headquarters to PRM at the Washington, DC address listed below, and send an electronic copy of the full proposal by e-mail. The PRM addressee must be made aware that the proposal is on its way, or the package risks being turned away by Diplomatic Security. Questions can also be addressed to the individuals listed below. Please address proposals or questions to: Gina Costante Iraq: Jordan: Proposal Format
Proposals submitted to PRM must be written according to the following format. Proposals that do not follow the format will not be considered. Please include 3 copies along with the original.
I. Executive Summary
The executive summary should include the following information and be limited to one page:
This section should provide the rational and justification for the proposal as follows: A. Background B. Analysis C. Profile of the Target Population D. NeedShow how this proposal fills a gap in UNHCR’s coverage of the beneficiary population.III. Program Goals and Objectives A. Program Goal B. Indicators IV. Program Description This is the core of a proposal. It should clearly and concisely outline the implementation plan for each objective including those elements described below, as appropriate. It should reflect a thorough understanding of the problem described in Section II. A. Implementation Plan B. Suggested Elements 1. Context-Specific Programming 2. Beneficiary Interaction and Capacity Building 3. Coordination Efforts 4. Proposals must include a copy of the NGO’s Codes of Conduct (which should reflect the IASC’s six core principles), and a discussion of how the codes of conduct will be reflected in project implementation. V. Management and Security A. Program management 1. Describe the organization’s management structure. Describe how this structure will be used to achieve the stated objectives. B. Security 1. Describe the current security situation in the region of the program’s operation. VI. Monitoring and Performance Measurement A. Monitoring Plan
Establish, where possible, baseline and expected performance targets for each objective. VII. Budget Include a detailed budget that is broken down by each objective of the proposed program. Staffing and office needs often cannot be easily allotted to specific objectives and can be given for the whole program, if more appropriate. Be sure the budget also includes a breakdown of the dollar amount requested from PRM, the dollar amount(s) coming from other sources (including your own organization) and the dollar amount of in-kind contributions. Indicate clearly the funding source for each activity. The budget must also be accompanied by a summary budget of the major line items and a budget narrative. VIII. Administrative Requirements All submissions must include the following:
If the organization has not previously received funding from PRM, copies of 1) the most recent external financial audit, 2) incorporation papers and 3) confirmation of non-profit tax status.
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