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 Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs > Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration > What We Do > Funding > 2009 Funding Opportunity Announcements
FY 2010 Funding Opportunity Announcement for Reception and Placement Program


Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
Funding Opportunity Announcement
May 21, 2009

Announcement issuance date: Thursday, May 21, 2009
Proposal submission deadline:Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at 12:00pm (noon) EDT.
Proposals submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

ADVISORY: Grants.gov is expected to experience higher than normal volume of activity in the weeks ahead. PRM strongly recommends submitting your proposal early to allow time to address any issues that may arise due to system delays.

Proposed Program Start Dates: October 1, 2009

Duration of Activity: October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010

I. Purpose of the Reception and Placement Program
II. Program Objectives
III. Eligible Applicants
IV. Funding Procedures
V. Refugee Caseload Assignment
VI. Proposal Evaluation Process
VII. Proposal Requirements and Format
VIII. Proposal Submission Requirements
IX. PRM Point of Contact

Reports and Reporting Requirements:

- Program reporting: PRM requires quarterly and final program reports describing and analyzing the results of activities undertaken during the validity period of the agreement.

- Financial Reports: Financial reports are required within thirty (30) days following the end of each calendar year quarter during the validity period of the agreement; a final financial report covering the entire period of the agreement is required within ninety (90) days after the expiration date of the agreement.

Sample Attachment Formats:

Appendix A: Sample Budget Format
Appendix B: Abstract Completion Instructions


Note: As in prior years, the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration has updated the fiscal year (FY) 2010 Reception and Placement (R&P) Program Request for Grant Proposal (RFGP) from earlier RFPGs in order to clarify some provisions and ensure that proposals from applicants have all relevant information. In addition, the format has been altered to some extent to bring the RFGP in line with PRM’s standard grant proposal format. Language from the current Cooperative Agreement (CA) between PRM and participating agencies and language from current program policy documents has been added to clarify the requirements of the program and assist applicants in preparing adequate responses.

Other changes include:

  • Including certain recipients of Special Immigrant Visas in the definition of the population eligible for the R&P Program;
  • Defining the R&P period as an initial 30-day period that can be extended up to 90 days after arrival should more than 30 days be required to complete R&P Program requirements;
  • Allowing applicants to propose a headquarters budget for management of the program;
  • Allowing applicants to reflect more clearly the employment situation for refugees at the affiliate level.


I. Purpose of the Reception and Placement Program
The Reception and Placement (R&P) Program for the initial reception and placement of refugees in the United States is managed by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration of the Department of State (hereinafter referred to as the "Bureau"). The purpose of the R&P Program is to promote the successful reception and placement of all persons who are admitted to the United States under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. For the purpose of this announcement, “refugee” is defined as a person admitted to the United States under section 207(c) of the INA, as amended, or a person to whom eligibility for the resettlement assistance available to individuals admitted under section 207 (c) has been extended by statute.

To accomplish this goal, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) recognizes the desirability for public or private non-profit organizations to provide R&P services and to assist refugees to achieve economic self-sufficiency as quickly as possible. The program goals and objectives set forth in this announcement have been established in accordance with these statutory provisions.

The goals of the R&P Program administered by the Bureau are:

  1. To ensure the ability to receive promptly into the United States all refugees approved for admission under applicable provisions of the INA;
  2. To ensure that all refugees approved for admission to the United States are provided with sponsorship and reception and placement services appropriate to their personal circumstances;
  3. To maintain national capacity for the reception and placement of refugees, in accordance with admissions ceilings determined annually by the President after consultation with the Congress; and,
  4. To assist refugees in achieving economic self-sufficiency in coordination with other refugee services and assistance programs authorized by the INA that enable refugees to be successfully resettled.

The Bureau partners with and provides partial financial support to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to carry out the R&P Program. Participating organizations are expected to combine the Bureau’s financial assistance with existing and projected private resources for the provision of R&P services for refugees admitted to the United States during the period October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010. The R&P service period is defined as an initial 30-day period that can be extended up to 90 days should more than 30 days be required to complete delivery of R&P services. Placement plans requested in this announcement will cover the full fiscal year (i.e., October 1 through September 30).

II. Program Objectives for FY 2010
  1. To ensure that R&P core services and basic needs support are made available in a relevant language[1] to refugees through nationwide networks of affiliated offices;
  2. To promote the placement of all refugees in areas conducive to the attainment of economic self-sufficiency;
  3. To promote refugee placement through agencies that maximize the use of private resources and programs;
  4. To promote effective resettlement through community involvement including coordination with ethnic and other community-based organizations and through consultation and coordination with state and local public agencies involved in assisting refugees;
  5. To ensure that each refugee receives the following R&P basic needs support and core services according to standards included in the Cooperative Agreement and its attachments within the specified time frame, and that provision of such services is well documented in case files:
    1. Sponsorship assurance;
    2. Pre-arrival planning;
    3. Reception;
    4. Basic needs support for at least 30 days, including the provision of: decent, safe, and sanitary housing; essential furnishings; appropriate food and food allowances and other basic necessities; necessary clothing; assistance applying for social security cards; assistance registering children in school; and transportation to job interviews and job training;
    5. At least one home visit, other than the initial housing orientation visit, within the first 30 days by affiliate staff, co-sponsor or other designated representative and a second home visit to permanent housing if the refugee moves from temporary housing within the R&P period;
    6. Case management and development and implementation of individualized plans during the initial 30-day period;
    7. Community and other orientation;
    8. Assistance in obtaining health screening and other necessary health and mental health services;
    9. Assistance in obtaining employment services;
    10. Assistance in obtaining appropriate benefits, other social service programs, and English as a Second Language instruction;
    11. Assistance to refuge minor children.
  6. To maintain the capability and flexibility to receive and place new caseloads, including refugees with special needs and to shift program and staff resources to reflect changing refugee populations; and
  7. To ensure effective monitoring of local affiliates performing R&P services in accordance with the Cooperative Agreement and its attachments.
III. Eligible Applicants

The Bureau intends to award a limited number of Cooperative Agreements (CA) for FY 2010 to well-qualified non-profit organizations able to offer a range of services in multiple locations across the United States. This will include applicants that have demonstrated satisfactory performance under previous agreements with the Bureau and/or applicants that meet the selection criteria described below and have demonstrated the capacity to provide required services. Applicants should understand that participation in the FY 2009 R&P Program is neither a pre-condition for nor a guarantee of continued participation in FY 2010.

In order to be considered for participation in the program, applicants must:

  1. Be well-established social service providers with demonstrated case management expertise and experience managing a network of offices that provide reception and placement or similar services to refugees or other migrant populations in the United States;
  2. Have been in operation for at least three full years in 501(c)(3) non-profit status; and
  3. Document the availability of private financial resources to contribute to the program.

Failure to satisfy any of the three required qualifications above will preclude further consideration for participation in the program.

IV. Funding Procedures

Under current funding procedures, each agency with which the Bureau enters into a Cooperative Agreement (CA) is provided $900 for each refugee it sponsors who arrives in the United States during the period of the CA and is verified to have been placed and assisted by the agency. The grant is intended to supplement the private resources available to the applicant and may be used only at the local affiliate level and only for the direct benefit of refugees and for the delivery of services to refugees in accordance with program requirements as described in the CA and its attachments. In addition, the Bureau funds national R&P Program management costs according to separately negotiated and approved budgets based on the applicant’s sponsorship capacity.

The annual ceiling for refugee admissions is established by the President following consultations with the Congress towards the end of FY 2009. The FY 2010 appropriation and refugee ceiling have not yet been determined. For planning purposes, applicants should use the FY 2009 admissions ceiling as a baseline, although that may not necessarily be the ceiling that will be set by the President for FY 2010. As in previous years, applicants should base their placement plans provided to PRM in response to this RFPG on the anticipated capacity of their network of local affiliates, which will have consulted with resettlement partners in their communities in order to ensure that the placement plans are reasonable and appropriate. Should the FY 2010 Presidential Determination and appropriation processes result in ceilings that are different from the total capacity that has been proposed by all approved applicants, the Bureau will work with all approved applicants, as necessary, to develop a revised plan, as it has in previous years.

V. Refugee Caseload Assignment

Cases will be assigned to each approved applicant through a process administered on behalf of the Bureau by the Refugee Processing Center (RPC), 1401 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22209.

The number of refugees assigned to an approved applicant will be determined by the Bureau, in accordance with the needs of the Admissions Program, taking into account ceilings established by the FY 2010 Presidential Determination, the capacity of the applicant and its affiliates, placement recommendations of state and local officials, the applicants’ demonstrated ability to implement its proposed placement plan, and past performance. The Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) cases requesting R&P services will be allocated to the approved applicants in the manner of “free” refugee cases.

New applicants should provide a reasonable estimate of the applicant’s placement capacity for new refugee arrivals.

VI. Proposal Evaluation Process
The Bureau will conduct a formal, competitive review of all proposals submitted in response to this funding announcement. A review panel will evaluate submissions based on the below-referenced proposal evaluation criteria.

In order to provide applicants with timely feedback, the Bureau will inform applicants of the panel’s decision to recommend or not recommend funding the proposed activities, and may request revised proposals and/or budgets based on feedback from the panel. The Bureau will follow up with formal notifications to applicants of final decisions taken by Bureau Management.

The panel will evaluate proposals to determine whether and to what extent the applicant's plan for refugee reception and placement meets the R&P Program's goals and objectives.

The panel will evaluate eligible proposals according to the following ranking factors (100 points possible):

  1. Documented headquarters organizational capacity to manage a network of affiliates in multiple locations; demonstrated coordination and established relationships between headquarters and affiliates; demonstrated accountability for performance outcomes (20 points)
  2. Proposed placement plan which is well-supported by documented local affiliate capacity to provide quality, language-appropriate reception and placement services for arriving refugees of diverse backgrounds and which reflects the organization’s ability to shift program and staff resources in response to changing refugee populations. Evidence of coordination and consultation with community-based organizations and state and local public agencies providing services to refugees. Evidence of community support for the local affiliates and for the refugee program. Explanation of how the R&P agency and affiliate network will respond to an increased or decreased resettlement need while ensuring the required level of service to all refugees. (35 points)
  3. Documented headquarters capacity to train and monitor affiliate offices in accordance with established program requirements and performance standards. (20 points)
  4. Documented capacity to contribute significant private resources to the R&P Program at both headquarters and local levels. Detailed and cost-effective headquarters budget. (25 points)

VII. Proposal Requirements and Format

Applicants should report all data in terms of the federal fiscal year (i.e., October 1 through September 30).

Proposal Format:

Applicants should adhere to the following guidelines when preparing proposals:

  • All documents in the proposal should have the following page layout: 8.5 inch by 11 inch pages with one-inch margins.
  • All documents in the proposal must be in 12-point Times New Roman font.
  • All pages of the proposal must be numbered. Page numbers should restart at “page 1” for each separate file/attachment (Word, Excel, or PDF Document) that is submitted.
  • Proposals should be no longer than specified in this section. Applications that fail to adhere to page limitations will automatically be disqualified.
  • Sections within each narrative should be sequential.
  • Abstracts for individual affiliate and sub-office sites are to be arranged in alphabetical order, first by state (not by abbreviation), then by city within each state where the office is located. All offices should be identified by location (State, City) and PRM code (e.g. FLXXX01). For all Washington, D.C. locations, please use “Washington” for the city, and “District of Columbia” for the state.

Required Forms and Information and Sample Formats:

Required Forms (Instructions accompany each form in the electronic Grant Application Package):
  1. OMB Standard Form 424 (Version 02)-- Application for Federal Assistance
  2. OMB Standard Form 424 A -- Budget Information - Non Construction Programs
  3. OMB Standard Form 424 B -- Assurances - Non Construction Programs
Other Required Information (Instructions are detailed below):

A. Project Narrative
B. Budget (National Management Budget)
C. Budget Narrative
D. Affiliate/Sub-office Abstracts
E. FY 2009 Proposed Consolidated Placement Plan
F. Three-year Affiliate Monitoring Plan
G. R&P Headquarters Staff
H. Headquarters Organizational Chart
I. Supporting documentation for new or closing sites as attachments, if applicable
J. Letters of Support for Out-of-State Placement Exceptions, if applicable
K. Current U.S.G. Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement
L. If the organization has not previously received funding from PRM prior to the U.S.G. fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, copies of 1) the most recent external financial audit, 2) non-profit tax status under IRS 501 (c)(3), 3) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number, and 4) Employer ID number (EIN)/Federal Tax Identification. If your organization has never applied for PRM funding before and is not registered with the government-wide Central Contractor Registry (CCR) and/or does not have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number you will need to get a DUNS number and then register with CCR before you can submit a proposal to Grants.gov. The CCR and DUNS registration process can take some time so we recommend you start as early as possible.

Sample Attachment Formats:
Sample formats of the following documents are provided in the online version of this announcement. Please note that the format used in each of these samples is suggested, not mandatory. There will not be a penalty for submissions prepared in alternate formats, as long as all required information is provided.


A. Project Narrative
The Project Narrative must contain the following: 

 

  • Sections I – V of the Project Narrative should be subtitled and numbered to correspond with the required information sections below. If any individual section of information is not applicable, that fact should be specifically stated.
  • Sections I – II of the narrative should not exceed 9 pages. Section III of the narrative should not exceed 2 pages. Section IV of the narrative should not exceed 1 page. Section V of the narrative should not exceed 3 pages.
  • Note that page numbers should be sequential for the entirety of the Project Narrative and should not restart with each section of required information.
  • Submit the Project Narrative as an attachment by selecting the “Project Narrative Attachment Form” in the Grant Application Package.

Section I. Organizational Structure
Each applicant should describe its organizational structure and how the applicant headquarters is organized to manage the R&P network. The applicant should describe the network that will provide R&P services, including the number of affiliates and sub-offices; the overall management of this structure and coordination that occurs; and its relationships with affiliates and sub-offices. Describe any recent or anticipated changes in headquarters management, operations, or policies.

Section II. Network Management and Oversight

• Affiliate Network and Placement Procedures

All proposals should contain a description of how new refugee groups and refugees with special needs (e.g., victims of torture, women-headed households, Class A medical cases, unaccompanied minors or minors traveling without their biologic or legally adoptive parents) will be accommodated within the proposed network.

Applicants with existing programs should include a narrative description of plans to adjust affiliate network capacity to meet fluctuations in arrivals and respond to increased or decreased need while ensuring the required level of service to all refugees. Describe the process used by applicants to compile the affiliate abstracts and to ensure the information in the abstracts reflects the commitment of the affiliate, in consultation with state and local officials, to support the proposed capacity and fulfill the R&P requirements for all refugees placed in each location. Applicants with existing programs should cite their FY 2008 network-aggregate 90-day employment statistic for all employable adults including the total number of employable adults, and 180-day employment outcome for free-case employable adults including the total number of employable adults. Applicants should also include network-aggregate out-migration data for FY 2008 including the total number of arrivals.

The radius for placement by affiliates is restricted to 100 miles within the same state for predestined and geographic cases and 50 miles within the same state for free cases. If an applicant proposes to place predestined and geographic cases outside the 100-mile in-state radius, provide a rationale and a list of such sites. If a participating applicant proposes to place predestined and geographic cases in a different state (regardless of distance) than that in which their affiliate is located, the applicant must submit in PDF a letter of support from the state refugee coordinator of the state of intended placement. Placement of cases assured as free beyond the 50-mile in-state restriction is not permitted.

Please list all affiliate and sub-office sites opened and closed during FY 2009 as well as proposed new sites and sites planned for closure in FY 2010. Applicants planning to close existing sites should provide as additional attachments in Grants.gov: a plan for completion of services for all active R&P cases; a plan for the disposition of all R&P records and case files (to be retained for a period of no less than three years), including a plan to transfer files to the affiliate designated to receive active cases; a projected timeline for ceasing activities; and a copy of the R&P agency’s notice of closure letter to the state refugee coordinator.

New Sites
For all applicants, the Bureau will consider requests to open new sites if accompanied by appropriate documentation. Documentation should be submitted as additional attachments in Grants.gov.

Required documentation: All applicants should provide a statement of rationale for new sites including the number of proposed refugee placements at each location and evidence of coordination with state and local officials and other refugee service providers. The rationale should include justification for placement of the proposed refugee groups including employment opportunities which are related to the resettlement of each proposed refugee group, available low-cost housing, detail on existing ethnic communities, staff and community language capacity, and available English-as-a-Second Language resources. The rationale should be accompanied by: a completed abstract; evidence of private support, including projected funding sources and levels; a letter of support from the proposed site’s governing entity; a letter of support from the state refugee coordinator; a list of existing community resources available to R&P clients at the proposed site and a letter of support from partnering agencies; an explanation of the proposed management structure at the new location; a time line for the opening of the proposed site and implementation of program activities; and a detailed training plan for R&P staff which includes a list of R&P topics to be covered. During the proposal review process, PRM may request additional information.

• Network Oversight and Training

The applicant should identify headquarters staff who perform oversight of their affiliates’ delivery of services, and on-site affiliate monitoring functions. Applicants should describe monitoring practices, procedures, and how problems identified during applicant or PRM monitoring are addressed. Provide a brief description of network training events related to R&P conducted during FY 2009 and planned for FY 2010, including the purpose of each training, the desired outcome(s), and mechanisms for ensuring appropriate staff receive(d) the training.
Include a brief description of applicant fraud prevention strategies and activities, including how the applicant informs refugees about the importance of combating fraud.

Section III. Loan Collection

Applicant should describe how its collection of refugee transportation loans system and procedures enable it to comply with the responsibilities set forth in the Cooperative Agreement and those set forth in the separate Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The description should address each of the Cooperative Agreement and IOM MOU responsibilities and how each one is met or not met by the system. Should a responsibility not yet be met by the collection system, please provide specific information on proposed changes and when such changes will be implemented to fully meet the requirements. For example, does the system include appropriate procedures to successfully trace addresses? Are social security numbers recorded in the loan collection files? Are past due loan notes transferred to IOM in accordance with the steps set forth in Annex II of the IOM contract? Confirm the number of full and part-time staff devoted to the loan collection effort during the current year and the number expected to be devoted under a new agreement.

Note: Only applicants approved for loan collection may be assigned loans for collection; should new R&P agencies be identified and funded as a result of this announcement, they should not assume that their future number of assigned refugees will be sufficient to operate an individual loan collection program.

Section IV. Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) Foster Care Program Applicants Only
If an applicant is currently participating in the placement of unaccompanied refugee minors into foster care and wishes to continue these placements in FY 2010, the proposal should describe headquarters procedures for placing and assuring such cases during FY 2010 and list participating affiliates. Applicants should also provide Affiliate Abstracts for each foster care site.

Section V. New Applicants Only

Please provide all information required above as well as:

  • A narrative describing the history and development of the organization, its background in social service activities, particularly with refugee clients or other migrant populations and experience with and capacity to sponsor refugees of various ethnic backgrounds. Specifically, new applicants should address how their agency envisions providing language-appropriate services to arriving refugees throughout its proposed network.
  • A detailed headquarters staffing plan that describes the R&P Program management function each individual will perform.
  • Evidence of at least three years of operation in a non-profit 501(c)(3) status.
  • Letters of support from refugee service providers in the proposed location and state refugee coordinator.
  • Copies of recent evaluations of other federal or state-funded programs may be requested by the Bureau as evidence of capacity to provide required services.

B. Budget (National Management Budget FY 2010)
The R&P Program represents a long-standing public-private partnership, and is funded from a combination of public and private resources. A sample budget format is provided as an appendix to this announcement. The sample format includes columns reflecting the Bureau (federal) and other (non-federal) funding sources as well as the total funding need. The budget summary requires each applicant to provide a breakdown of sources of non-federal funding and the amounts. This breakdown should correspond to the amount of non-federal funding included in the budget. The budget should follow the suggested budget format listed in appendix A.

C. Budget Narrative (Maximum 4 pages.)
The Budget Narrative should describe in full detail each of the items included in the National Management Budget for FY 2010. The Budget Narrative should thoroughly and clearly: describe each item; correspond with the information, comments, and figures provided on the Excel budget format; be easy to understand; demonstrate cost reasonableness; and reflect calculations that are mathematically correct and comply with guidelines and limitations.

D. Affiliate and Sub-Office Abstracts (Maximum 4 pages each.)

Applicants must submit an abstract for each affiliate office and sub-office, existing or proposed. The affiliate and sub-office abstracts should follow the abstract completion instructions listed in appendix B using the sample format provided here. All abstracts should be uploaded to Grants.gov as one continuous PDF file. New applicants and/or new sites need not complete sections that request information from FY 2008 and FY 2009.

Each affiliate or sub-office abstract should present information pertaining only to activities of that specific office and should not include data related to activities corresponding to partner agencies (at joint sites), sub-offices, or administering affiliates. Abstracts representing jointly operated affiliates must contain information in all fields regarding only the sponsoring agency’s activities; it should not reflect a combination of partner agencies’ information.

Applicants with refugee foster care programs should submit an abstract for each URM site, clearly labeling the R&P Program "URM" and including information related solely to URM resettlement.

For submission with the R&P proposal, abstracts for individual affiliate and sub-office sites are to be arranged in alphabetical order, first by state (not by abbreviation), then by city within each state where the office is located. NOTE: For all documents and attachments, affiliates and sub-offices should be arranged in this order. All offices should be identified by location (State, City) and PRM code (e.g. FLXXX01). For all Washington, D.C. locations, please use “Washington” for the city, and “District of Columbia” for the state.

Please interfile the abstracts as a single electronic document in this fashion.

  • Each sequential abstract should begin on a new page.
  • Each affiliate and sub-office abstract is limited to 4 pages.
  • If a sub-office is located in a different state than its administering affiliate, the sub-office Abstract should be positioned by state rather than with its administering affiliate.

E. FY 2010 Proposed Consolidated Placement Plan
Applicants are asked to submit a proposed consolidated placement plan for FY 2010 that describes each affiliate or sub-office’s proposed arrivals based on a projection of pre-destined cases and its capacity to resettle geographic and free cases. Applicants are urged to submit the proposed placement plan as a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet similar to that of the sample format provided.

Affiliate and sub-office names are to be arranged in alphabetical order, first by state (not by abbreviation), then by city within each state where the office is located. NOTE: For all documents and attachments, affiliates and sub-offices should be arranged in this order. All offices should be identified by location (State, City) and PRM code (e.g. FLXXX01). For all Washington, D.C. locations, please use “Washington” for the city, and “District of Columbia” for the state.
The affiliate and sub-office cities on the placement plan must match the office location cities on the abstracts. Placement plans should include separate columns for each state and city. Each currently existing site must also be identified by its PRM affiliate code number. Foster care sites should be listed separately.

F. Three-Year Affiliate Monitoring Plan

Applicants are asked to provide their three-year onsite affiliate monitoring plan, beginning with sites monitored in FY 2009 (including those proposed for the remainder of the fiscal year) and continuing through FY 2011. Applicants are encouraged to submit the three-year onsite monitoring plan as a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet similar to that of the sample provided.
  • When submitting this information, the applicant should list all affiliates and sub-offices. Sites should be listed by state and city in alphabetical order (one city per line).
  • Affiliate codes are those assigned by the PRM Refugee Processing Center.
  • Please include all sites, including those which resettle fewer than 25 refugees per year. Sites with fewer than 25 refugees expected in FY 2009 need not be scheduled for monitoring in FY 2010. Rather, please note “fewer than 25 refugees” (see sample format). The Bureau recognizes that this monitoring plan is subject to change.
  • Only note official, on-site R&P monitoring visits on the plan. This may include scheduled monitoring visits, visits resulting from a change in affiliate director, or special circumstances that warrant an otherwise out-of-sequence visit. Do not include visits for the sole purpose of technical assistance and/or training.
  • Applicants should not include foster care sites.

G. R&P Headquarters Staff

Applicants should submit information on R&P headquarters staff and their proposed responsibilities on a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet similar to that of the sample provided. List on this attachment all headquarters staff members working on R&P, the hours per week each spends performing R&P duties, a description of the R&P duties performed, and funding source.

VIII. Proposal Submission Requirements:

See “Applicant FAQs” section on Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov/help/applicant_faqs.jsp#applying) for complete details on requirements, and note the following highlights below:

  • PRM’s CFDA number for Refugee Admissions Programs is 19.510.
  • Proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov. Organizations not registered with Grants.gov should sign up well in advance of the July 21, 2009 deadline as it can take more than two weeks for a registration to be finalized (and up to two months longer for non-U.S. based NGOs to get the required registration numbers).
  • Do not wait until the last minute to submit an application on Grants.gov. Applicants who have done so in the past and experienced technical difficulties were not able to meet the deadline. Note: Grants.gov is expected to experience high than normal volume of activity in the near future. PRM strongly recommends submitting proposals early to avoid submission delays. PRM recommends that organizations - particularly first-time applicants - submit applications via Grants.gov no later than one week before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical difficulties that could result in an application not being considered.
  • Proposals that are incomplete and/or fail to respond to all required elements of this program announcement will not be validated by the Grants.gov system. In the event that an applicant’s proposal is not validated, the applicant must revise and resubmit the proposal. Applicants should be aware that revisions and submissions must be completed prior to the closing date and time. Also note that if the Bureau requests revisions or amendments to the proposal post-submission, these documents will become part of the Cooperative Agreement.

  • Once submitted, Grants.gov will send applicants via e-mail a notice of receipt of proposal documents. If correctly and completely submitted, an additional notification “validating” receipt or rejecting (with errors noted) of the proposal will be e-mailed to the applicant. Once received by the Bureau, an applicant will receive a final notification of receipt by the Agency from Grants.gov. An applicant who has not received Grants.gov validation within 48 hours of submitting the proposal and prior to the announcement closure should immediately notify PRM Program Officer Susan Kyle at (202) 663-1051 or kylesf@state.gov.

  • If an applicant encounters technical difficulties with Grants.gov contact the Grants.gov Help Desk at support@grants.gov or by calling 1-800-518-4726. Applicants who are unable to submit applications via Grants.gov due to Grants.gov technical difficulties and who have reported the problem(s) to the Grants.gov help desk and received a case number and had a service request opened to research the problem(s), should contact PRM Program Officer Susan Kyle at (202) 663-1051 or kylesf@state.gov to determine whether an alternative method of submission is appropriate.
  • Applications must be submitted under the authority of the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) at the applicant organization. Submission of proposals should be closely coordinated between agency’s local, regional and headquarter offices. Having proposals submitted by agency headquarters helps to avoid possible technical problems.

NGOs that have not received PRM funding prior to the U.S. Government fiscal year ending September 30, 2004 must be prepared to demonstrate that they meet the financial and accounting requirements of the U.S. Government by submitting copies of 1) the most recent external financial audit, 2) proof of non-profit tax status including under IRS 501 (c)(3), as applicable, 3) a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, and 4) an Employer ID (EIN)/Federal Tax Identification number.
  • Budget must include a specific breakdown of funds being provided by other USG agencies, other donors, and your own organization (where applicable). The Bureau places great value on multi-lateral support for resettlement programs.

IX. PRM Point of Contact:

Should non-profit organizations have technical questions related to this announcement, contact the PRM staff listed below prior to proposal submission. (Note: Answers to technical questions from PRM do not indicate a commitment to fund the program discussed.):

  • PRM Program Officer Susan Kyle (kylesf@state.gov; 202-663-1051), Washington, D.C.


Appendix A: Sample Budget Format
The following provides guidance for the preparation of the national headquarters budget submissions using the sample Excel format provided.

Note that in the sample summary format some basic program information is requested in addition to the summary budget figures (on two separate tabs in the sample Excel workbook). Budget information is required by quarter, and applicants should provide real quarterly budgets, factoring in special events such as conferences or training.

Applicants with current R&P Cooperative Agreements with the Bureau should include the FY 2009 estimated spending per line item and provide a rationale in the budget narrative supporting the difference between FY 2009 estimated expenditure and FY 2010 proposed amount.

The FY 2010 Request for Grant Proposals (RFGP) for the Reception and Placement (R&P) Program includes the requirement that each proposing applicant submit a line item budget for FY 2010 national headquarters costs by quarter.
Applicants should submit a detailed budget of proposed FY 2010 national management costs, by quarter, following the instructions below.

Personnel and Fringe Benefits

This section of the budget should list individuals whose responsibility it is to oversee the provision of authorized R&P basic needs support and core services. Costs should include salaries and benefits of full-time and part-time program and administrative personnel associated with supervising the provision of R&P basic needs support and core services. Provide salary and Full-time Equivalent (FTE) for each individual. Fringe benefits should be provided as a single line item, representing total cost for all R&P staff listed. Personnel whose costs are included in an applicant's overhead base may not be included here.

If an employee works 100% of the time on the R&P Program, that employee should be listed as 1.0 FTE. If an employee works less than 100% of the time on the R&P Program, the FTE and funding level for the employee should be prorated appropriately. Applicants are reminded that any employee charged directly to the R&P program must complete time sheets demonstrating that the claimed amount of time was actually devoted to working on the R&P Program versus other responsibilities.

Travel

This section of the budget should include travel costs related to the R&P Program for the purposes of attending allocations meetings, travel to affiliate offices to conduct R&P monitoring or training, and attending national R&P conferences and relevant Bureau meetings. Relevant Bureau meetings are convened by the Bureau, and may include, but are not limited to, R&P Program meetings, workshops, and Regional, Minors, Allocations, and Cultural Orientation Working Groups. Travel costs for applicant advisory committee meetings and/or RCUSA meetings should not be included. No international travel costs may be included in this budget. Provide a brief description of the travel in the comments section (for example, number of trips for what purpose at a cost of $xx per trip). For each trip, include purpose of trip, departure and arrival cities, number of travelers, and duration of trip/number of days. Travel costs listed should include local taxi fares, POV mileage, airfares, per diem and lodging (when required for overnight trips).

Equipment/Furniture

This section of the budget should include equipment costs directly attributable to the R&P Program. Provide separate estimates for expendable and non-expendable equipment and furnishings, with explanation in the comments section. Non-expendable equipment is that which has a useful life of one year or more and an acquisition cost of $5000 or more per unit.

Office Supplies

This section of the budget should include supply costs directly attributable to the R&P Program. Items listed in this section would include (as examples) stationery, copier paper, envelopes, paper clips, pens, pencils, file folders, or other small items generally used within one (1) year or less.

Professional Fees

This section of the budget should include contractual costs directly attributable to the R&P Program. Provide and delineate the information according to appropriate category (e.g. computer consultant, program consultants, services of certified public accountants, etc. whose work is directly related to R&P). Applicants are reminded that contracts not dedicated entirely to the R&P Program may not be charged to the program.

Space/Utilities

This section of the budget should include space and utilities costs directly attributable to the R&P Program. Provide estimated costs for such items as rental or lease of office space, telephone service, postage and courier service, electricity, heat, water, and custodial and maintenance services – all for the appropriate share of the applicant’s costs in these categories devoted to the R&P Program.

Other

This section of the budget should include costs directly attributable to the R&P Program not covered by any of the previous categories. Such costs must be individually itemized and explained. Some examples of costs that might appear in this section include subscriptions, briefing and orientation materials, and conference registrations.

Overhead

This section should include only those charges resulting from the application of a U.S. Government (U.S.G) approved indirect cost rate to recover an appropriate portion of an applicant’s indirect costs. Applicants with an approved negotiated indirect cost rate should submit via PDF attachment a copy of the most recent approved U.S.G. negotiated indirect cost rate agreement to support the rate reflected in this category.

Applicants are reminded that headquarters costs not dedicated entirely to the R&P Program may not be charged to the program.

Appendix B: Abstract Completion Instructions

Successful applicants will be required to submit additional affiliate and sub-office contact information during the post-award process. Applicants will be required to inform the Bureau throughout the year of any address or leadership changes.

National Agency: The name of the national agency.

Office State: The state in which the affiliate is located.

Office City: The city in which the affiliate is located.

Affiliate Name: The name of the office where R&P services are provided.

Address: The street address of the office where R&P services are provided and files maintained.

Affiliate Code: For existing affiliates and sub-offices, enter the PRM affiliate code assigned by the Refugee Processing Center.
180-Day Employment Outcome (Free cases): The applicant must provide FY 2008 180-day employment outcomes for all free case refugee arrivals for each site that resettles free case refugees.

180-Day Employment Outcome (All cases): Applicants that track employment outcomes for all employable refugees at 180 days are invited to provide that information for FY 2008 on the Abstract.

180-Day Out-migration Outcome (Free cases): The applicant must provide FY 2008 180-day out-migration outcomes for all free case refugee arrivals for each site that resettles free case refugees.

Joint Sites: If the office operates as a joint site, provide the acronym of the other R&P agency or agencies that co-manage the office. Please consult with the co-managing agency or agencies to ensure that caseload and FTE statistics are well-coordinated and not double-counted. Information on Abstracts for jointly-operated affiliates must reflect only the sponsoring agency’s activities; it should not represent a combination of partner agencies’ information.

Sub offices/Administering Offices: The Abstract should clearly indicate whether the office is an administering or sub-office and identify management relationships with administering or sub-offices. The Bureau defines a sub-office as an office, operating under management supervision of an affiliate office, that provides R&P services and stores client case files during the R&P period.

Affiliate Staff: Staff information should be expressed in full-time equivalents (FTE). A full-time equivalent is determined by adding the number of hours each person devotes to R&P activities each week and dividing by 40. Thus, if four people each devote five hours per week to R&P, the resulting FTE is 0.5. Provide information on FY 2009 and FY 2010.

R&P Staff Paid by R&P Funds (FTE): The number of FTEs working on R&P who are paid from R&P funds (calculated according to example above).

R&P Staff Paid by Other Funds (FTE): The number of FTEs working on R&P who are paid from other (normally private) funding sources.

R&P Staff to Refugee Client Ratio: The ratio of total FTEs working on R&P to the projected number of arrivals for FY 2009 and FY2010

Caseload Statistics: Provide statistics for refugees assured as free, geographic, and pre-destined that the affiliate agreed to resettle according to the following instructions.

FY 2009 (projected): If the affiliate was a participant in the FY 2009 R&P program, provide the total number of actual arrivals projected for the entirety of the fiscal year. Note: The number projected is not necessarily the number proposed last year. Include SIVs in the free NE/SA numbers and describe in question #7 below.

FY 2010 (proposed): The affiliate’s proposed arrivals based on a projection of pre-destined cases and its capacity to resettle geographic and free cases. Include SIVs in the free NE/SA numbers and describe in question #7 below.

FY 2009 Average Monthly Rent: Provide the average monthly rent for one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments obtained for refugees in FY 2009.

FY 2009 Average Hourly Starting Wage: Provide the average starting hourly wage earned by refugees resettled by the affiliate in FY 2009.

Narrative: The narrative portion of the abstract should include answers to the following questions. Please number each response. The questions below do not need to be repeated in your response.

1. Provide a brief history of the local R&P affiliate/sub-office, including how long it has been a participant in the R&P Program, traditional caseload, and any recent or anticipated changes in leadership or program.

2. Describe and enumerate the financial contributions from all sources developed by the affiliate in FY 2009 and proposed for FY 2010 to support the R&P Program. Information on Abstracts for jointly-operated affiliates must reflect only the applicant agency’s activities; it should not represent a combination of partner agencies’ information. Include only those resources to be used for R&P activities. Describe resources available to meet unplanned emergency or critical needs of refugees.

R&P Contributions Only

Possible Type of Donor

FY 2009 Estimated Cash

FY 2009 Estimated
In-kind Value

FY 2010 Projected Cash

FY 2010 Projected In-kind Value

Foundations/Corporations

Faith-based/Community-based Organizations

Fees for Service

Individuals

Volunteer Hours/Miles

State/County/Local Government

Headquarters

Affiliate/Sub-office

Other:

TOTALS

TOTALS PER CAPITA

3. For existing or proposed free case sites, briefly describe why the community is a good location for resettling free case refugees. Include an assessment of availability of appropriate housing, public transportation, and employment opportunities.

4. List other short- and long-term resettlement and integration services available at this site and in this community. If this site is able to serve special needs cases, describe what type of special needs cases it can serve and how it is able to do so.

5. Describe the date, content, and result of consultative discussions undertaken by the affiliate with State and local officials in preparing this proposal. For new sites, include evidence of informing local affiliates, other service providers, and the state refugee coordinator of your plans.

6. Describe how the site will meet the appropriate language interpretation needs of the caseload proposed for FY 2010. Include how the site will have available, through staff or within the community of resettlement, persons who can communicate with the refugees in a common language and who can assist with the provision of services as needed on a daily basis during the R&P period.

7. If the site expects to resettle refugee groups from regions new to the resettlement location, please provide an assessment of the site’s capacity for resettling the anticipated new ethnicities. State how many of the projected FY 2010 free NE/SA arrivals will be SIVs.

8. If official co-sponsors are involved in R&P services, provide the number of co-sponsors, who they are, and how many cases they assisted in FY 2008.

9. Describe the average length of time it took for employable refugees to gain employment in FY 2008 and FY 2009. Describe how the affiliate ensures refugees have access to employment opportunities. Provide the most recent statistics on employment outcomes for free-case refugees for FY 2009. For existing sites with employment outcomes below 75% at 180 days for employable free-case refugees, describe the rationale for this site as a placement option for refugees.

10. Describe how in-migration and out-migration affect R&P service delivery. For existing sites with free-case out-migration rates greater than 15% at 180 days, describe the nationalities, case type, cause of the out-migration (if known), and what strategies have been implemented to reduce future out-migration.

11. For applicants that also hold contracts with the Office of Refugee Resettlement to provide foster care services to URM children: Answer questions 1-7 above in reference to the URM foster care program. Do not answer questions 8-10. Instead, briefly describe how foster care families are selected, trained, and supported.


[1] As set forth in existing Cooperative Agreements, the agency or affiliate will have on staff, or available from within the community of resettlement, persons who can communicate with the refugee in a common language and who can assist with the provision of services as needed and will be available to the refugee on a daily basis during the R&P period.

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