FY 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity for NGO programs benefiting vulnerable PRM populations of concern in South America | DFOP0009901

Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0009901

The FY 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) DFOP0009901 is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), focused on supporting vulnerable PRM populations of concern in South America. Funding is expected to be provided through cooperative agreements (not simple grants), which generally means PRM anticipates a more active role in engagement, coordination, and oversight during the life of the award. The opportunity falls under CFDA 19.518, and the posted award ceiling is up to $5,000,000 per award. The original application closing date listed for this round is April 18, 2024.

A central point of the announcement is that it must be read and used together with PRM's General NGO Guidelines. Those guidelines lay out PRM's broader priorities, funding approach, and compliance expectations, and PRM is explicit that proposals that do not reflect the requirements in the guidelines (and the NOFO itself) will not be considered. Practically, that means applicants should treat the General NGO Guidelines as mandatory design and formatting instructions rather than optional background reading, and they should demonstrate clearly how the proposed activities align with PRM priorities and PRM's stated approach to NGO programming.

Geographically and programmatically, the NOFO targets assistance in Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Colombia, with an emphasis on refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants connected to the Venezuela and Colombia displacement contexts. In Ecuador and Peru, PRM indicates that proposed activities should primarily support Colombian and Venezuelan refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants. In Brazil and Colombia, the focus is primarily on Venezuelan refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants. Across these countries, PRM applies a specific eligibility threshold tied to its authorities: PRM will only consider funding programs that have a target participant base of at least 50 percent from the specified priority groups in each location (Venezuelan and Colombian populations in Ecuador and Peru; Venezuelan populations in Brazil and Colombia). The remaining participants can still include these groups and may also include other populations, including members of host communities, but the proposal must be designed so the priority population threshold is clearly met and defensible based on the applicant's targeting plan.

PRM also signals that it is looking for programs that fill clear gaps in the existing response. In other words, applicants are expected to show that the proposed work is not duplicating assistance already being delivered by international organizations, local authorities, or other actors, and that it complements the broader humanitarian architecture rather than competing with it. A strong application under this NOFO would typically explain what services already exist in the target area, what needs remain unmet for the priority populations, why the applicant is well positioned to address those needs, and how coordination with other responders will be handled to avoid overlap and improve coverage.

Eligibility is open to several categories of applicants: U.S.-based nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (also excluding institutions of higher education), and international organizations. However, there is an important procedural limitation for international multilateral organizations (for example, U.N. agencies): they are instructed not to submit proposals through Grants.gov in response to this NOFO. Instead, multilateral organizations seeking funding for programs that fit this announcement are directed to contact the PRM Program Officer listed in the opportunity by or before the closing date. This distinction matters because it changes the submission pathway and implies different engagement steps for multilateral entities versus NGOs.

Overall, this NOFO is essentially a targeted PRM funding opportunity in South America for NGO-led programming that measurably benefits Venezuelan and/or Colombian displaced populations (depending on country) and meets a strict minimum participant composition requirement. The most competitive proposals are likely to be those that are tightly aligned with PRM's General NGO Guidelines, demonstrate a clear gap-filling role in the local response, and present a credible targeting methodology showing that at least half of direct participants will be from the required refugee, asylum-seeker, and vulnerable migrant populations, while still allowing for some inclusion of other vulnerable groups such as host community members where appropriate.

• The Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity for NGO programs benefiting vulnerable PRM populations of concern in South America" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.518.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-03-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-18. (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 $5,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for DFOP0009901

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