Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0001609
This FY 2017 Notice of Funding Opportunity (SFOP0001609) from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) invites eligible nonprofit organizations to propose programs that support refugees and asylum seekers living in South Africa, with a clear emphasis on urban settings. The opportunity is designed around the reality that many displaced people in South Africa live in cities rather than camps, so proposals are expected to focus on practical protection and service-access challenges in major urban centers, specifically Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria. PRM is looking for projects that help refugees and asylum seekers meet basic needs while also strengthening longer-term self-reliance and reducing dependency on emergency aid.
A central theme of the notice is capacity building and community strengthening. Applicants are expected not only to deliver services, but also to build the capacity of national (local) organizations and community structures to better address refugee and asylum seeker needs. The goal is to improve the ability of communities and local systems to respond over time, rather than relying on stand-alone short-term interventions. Projects should be grounded in a community-based approach that recognizes the needs of both refugees and host communities, aiming to reduce tensions and encourage more sustainable, inclusive solutions in shared urban environments.
The notice also stresses that proposals should make a deliberate effort to find and support refugees who are not easily visible to service providers, described as "hidden" refugees. This includes outreach strategies to locate individuals or groups who may be isolated, undocumented, afraid to approach institutions, or otherwise disconnected from support networks. In addition, PRM expects applicants to map and build upon existing services rather than duplicating them. That means identifying what is already available in the community, including government-provided services, and designing activities that connect people to those services through accurate information, referrals, navigation support, and advocacy when access is blocked in practice.
Another key requirement is that programs must have a clear and defensible method for identifying and assisting the most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers. PRM is looking for transparent criteria and processes for vulnerability targeting, rather than informal or ad hoc selection. This typically implies structured intake, needs assessment, protection case management where appropriate, and documented prioritization approaches that can be explained and monitored. The overall program design should avoid creating parallel, refugee-only systems when equivalent community services already exist, reflecting PRM's preference for strengthening inclusive local service ecosystems instead of setting up separate channels that may not be sustainable or may undermine existing institutions.
PRM will only consider funding projects where at least 50 percent of the target beneficiaries are refugees and asylum seekers. This threshold is explicitly tied to PRM's mandate to provide protection, assistance, and sustainable solutions for refugees and victims of conflict, and it functions as a core eligibility condition for the program concept. While host community engagement is encouraged as part of a community-based model, the beneficiary mix must still meet the minimum refugee/asylum seeker share.
Program activities should concentrate on advocacy and support that improves refugee protection and access to basic social services in urban environments. Proposals may address one or more of the following sectors: Protection, Healthcare, Education, Shelter, and Livelihoods. In practice, this can include legal and protection assistance, rights awareness, case management and referral pathways, help accessing public clinics and schools, emergency or transitional shelter support linked to longer-term housing stability, and livelihoods programming that improves employability or income generation while remaining aligned with local market realities and legal constraints faced by asylum seekers and refugees.
The award instrument for this opportunity is a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates a more hands-on federal role in the funded project compared with a standard grant, often involving substantial involvement by the agency in monitoring, coordination, or technical direction. The award ceiling listed is $300,000. The notice lists the expected awards as 0, which can signal uncertainty about final funding availability or the number of awards anticipated, even though proposals are still solicited and reviewed. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and was posted on April 11, 2017, with an application closing date of May 16, 2017.
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). International multilateral organizations, including U.N. agencies, are explicitly instructed not to apply through Grants.gov in response to this announcement. Instead, multilateral organizations seeking support for relevant programs are directed to contact the designated PRM Program Officer by the closing date to discuss potential funding pathways outside the Grants.gov submission route.
Taken together, PRM is signaling that competitive proposals will be those that are urban-focused, protection-centered, and strongly integrated with existing community and government systems, with solid outreach to underserved populations, clear vulnerability targeting, and measurable steps toward self-reliance. The strongest concepts are likely to demonstrate practical referral networks, coordination with local service providers, and approaches that improve access and protection without building separate parallel service structures.Apply for SFOP0001609
- The Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2017 Notice of Funding Opportunity for NGO programs benefiting urban refugees in South Africa" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.517.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-04-11.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-05-16. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is the FY 2017 Notice of Funding Opportunity (SFOP0001609) issued by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM). It invites eligible nonprofit organizations to propose programs that support refugees and asylum seekers living in South Africa, with a clear emphasis on urban settings.
Who is the funder?
The funder is the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM).
Where must the proposed program operate?
Programs must focus on urban settings in South Africa, specifically major urban centers: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria.
Why does the notice emphasize urban programming?
The notice is built around the reality that many displaced people in South Africa live in cities rather than camps. Proposals are expected to address practical protection and service-access challenges that arise in major urban centers.
What population should projects serve?
Projects should support refugees and asylum seekers living in South Africa. Host community engagement is encouraged as part of a community-based approach, but the project must still meet PRM's beneficiary targeting requirements for refugees and asylum seekers.
Is there a minimum percentage of refugees and asylum seekers required among beneficiaries?
Yes. PRM will only consider funding projects where at least 50 percent of the target beneficiaries are refugees and asylum seekers. This is described as a core eligibility condition tied to PRM's mandate.
Can a project include host community members as beneficiaries?
Yes. The notice encourages a community-based model that recognizes the needs of both refugees and host communities, aiming to reduce tensions and support inclusive solutions. However, at least 50 percent of beneficiaries must be refugees and asylum seekers.
What are the main program goals PRM is looking for?
PRM is looking for programs that help refugees and asylum seekers meet basic needs while also strengthening longer-term self-reliance and reducing dependency on emergency aid. Proposals are expected to be protection-centered, urban-focused, and designed to improve access to services through sustainable, inclusive local systems.
What does PRM mean by "capacity building and community strengthening"?
The notice emphasizes that applicants are expected not only to deliver services, but also to build the capacity of national (local) organizations and community structures. The intent is to improve how communities and local systems respond over time, instead of relying on stand-alone short-term interventions.
What is meant by a "community-based approach" in this notice?
A community-based approach here means designing programming that considers both refugee and host community needs, reduces tensions, and supports inclusive solutions in shared urban environments. It also aligns with PRM's preference to strengthen existing local systems rather than create separate refugee-only structures.
What are "hidden" refugees, and is outreach to them required?
The notice calls for deliberate efforts to find and support refugees who are not easily visible to service providers ("hidden" refugees). This includes outreach strategies to locate individuals or groups who may be isolated, undocumented, afraid to approach institutions, or otherwise disconnected from support networks.
Does PRM expect applicants to coordinate with existing services?
Yes. PRM expects applicants to map and build upon existing services rather than duplicate them. This includes identifying what is already available in the community, including government-provided services, and designing activities that connect people to those services.
What kinds of activities reflect "building upon existing services"?
Based on the notice, this can include providing accurate information, referrals, navigation support, and advocacy when access to existing services is blocked in practice. The overall design should strengthen inclusive local service ecosystems rather than create parallel systems.
What does PRM mean by avoiding "parallel, refugee-only systems"?
PRM prefers that programs do not set up separate channels exclusively for refugees when equivalent community services already exist. Instead, proposals should strengthen inclusive local service ecosystems and connect refugees and asylum seekers to existing community and government services when feasible.
How should applicants identify and prioritize the most vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers?
Programs must include a clear and defensible method for identifying and assisting the most vulnerable. PRM is looking for transparent criteria and processes rather than informal selection. The notice suggests structured intake, needs assessment, protection case management where appropriate, and documented prioritization approaches that can be explained and monitored.
What sectors or themes can the proposed program cover?
Proposals may address one or more of the following sectors: Protection, Healthcare, Education, Shelter, and Livelihoods. Activities should concentrate on advocacy and support that improves refugee protection and access to basic social services in urban environments.
What kinds of protection activities are consistent with the notice?
The notice references legal and protection assistance, rights awareness, case management and referral pathways, and advocacy to improve access when services are blocked in practice.
What kinds of healthcare and education activities are consistent with the notice?
The notice points to helping refugees and asylum seekers access public clinics and schools, including support that addresses practical barriers through information, referrals, and navigation assistance.
What kinds of shelter activities are consistent with the notice?
The notice suggests emergency or transitional shelter support when it is linked to longer-term housing stability, and designed in a way that aligns with sustainable, inclusive local systems.
What kinds of livelihoods activities are consistent with the notice?
The notice references livelihoods programming that improves employability or income generation while staying aligned with local market realities and legal constraints faced by asylum seekers and refugees.
What type of award will PRM use for this opportunity?
The award instrument is a cooperative agreement. This generally indicates a more hands-on federal role than a standard grant, often involving substantial agency involvement in monitoring, coordination, or technical direction.
What is the maximum funding amount available per award?
The award ceiling listed in the notice is $300,000.
How many awards does PRM expect to make?
The notice lists the expected awards as 0. This can signal uncertainty about final funding availability or the number of awards anticipated, even though proposals are still solicited and reviewed.
What is the funding category?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding.
When was the opportunity posted, and what was the deadline?
The opportunity was posted on April 11, 2017. The application closing date was May 16, 2017.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education).
Are institutions of higher education eligible if they are nonprofits?
No. The notice explicitly excludes institutions of higher education from eligibility, even though it is otherwise limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
Can U.N. agencies or other international multilateral organizations apply through Grants.gov?
No. International multilateral organizations, including U.N. agencies, are explicitly instructed not to apply through Grants.gov in response to this announcement.
If a multilateral organization cannot apply through Grants.gov, what should it do?
The notice directs multilateral organizations seeking support for relevant programs to contact the designated PRM Program Officer by the closing date to discuss potential funding pathways outside the Grants.gov submission route.
What characteristics are likely to make a proposal more competitive under this notice?
Based on the notice, competitive proposals are likely to be urban-focused and protection-centered, integrate with existing community and government systems, include strong outreach to underserved or "hidden" populations, apply clear vulnerability targeting methods, and demonstrate measurable steps toward self-reliance. PRM also signals a preference for practical referral networks, coordination with local service providers, and approaches that improve access and protection without building separate parallel service structures.
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