Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Scaling access to formal financial services to micro and small businesses run by women -SLI (Adolescent Girls’ Education in Somalia Activity)

Issuance Date January 5th, 2025
Preapplication Questions Response Conference By January 12th, 2025, 2:00 p.m. EAT
Closing Date /Time for submission of the Applications By January 20th, 2025, 11:59 p.m. EAT
Estimated Grant Period of Performance (PoP) Two years

Subject: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) #IRiS-NOFO-010-2024 for Scaling access to formal financial services to micro and small businesses run by women -SLI (Adolescent Girls’ Education in Somalia Activity)

Dear Prospective Applicants:
The Inclusive Resilience in Somalia (IRiS) program is seeking grant applications from qualified Impact financial institutions (FIs) in Somalia interested in implementing access to credit for women-owned micro-businesses activity. IRiS intends to make an award to the applicant responsible whose application best meets the requirements of this NOFO, and the Merit Review Criteria contained herein. While more than one award is anticipated as a result of this NOFO, IRiS reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.
To be eligible for the award, the applicant must provide all information as required in this NOFO and meet eligibility standards in Section 3 of this NOFO Document. If you decide to apply, it should be received by the closing date and time indicated at the top of this cover letter via email attachment to [email protected].
Applicants must meet the requirements of eligibility for this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), those who do not will be disqualified.
The grant(s) will be awarded and implemented in accordance with U.S. government regulations governing grants and the Project’s internal grant management policies.
Potential awardees will be subject to a pre-award risk assessment that will be conducted by the IRiS Program and may include a pre-award visit to the applicant’s place of establishment. A positive risk assessment will confirm that the awardee possesses, or has the ability to obtain, then ecessary management competence in planning and carrying out project activities and that it will practice mutually agreed upon methods of accountability for funds provided by IRiS program.

Pursuant to 2 CFR 200 Subpart E and 2 CFR 700.13, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments. However, all reasonable, allocable and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect which are related to the grant activity and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (2CFR 200 Subpart E for non- profit organizations and educational institutions, and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31 for for-profit organizations), may be paid under the Award.
Awards shall be made and administered in accordance with all pertinent USAID policies and regulations.
For non-U.S. organizations, the ADS 303mab, Standard Provisions for Non-U.S. Nongovernmental Organizations and 2 CFR 200, where incorporated, will apply. The IRiS program may issue one or several grants and reserve the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted. Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of IRiS, nor does it commit the program to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. Further, IRiS reserves the right to reject any or all applications received if such action is in the best interest of the IRiS project. Applications are submitted at the risk of the Applicant; should circumstances prevent making an award, all preparation and submission costs are at the Applicant’s expense.
Thank you for your interest in Inclusive resilience Program in Somalia (IRiS)
Sincerely,
Robert Mwadime Ngolo
Chief of Party • IRIS
This NOFO consists of the following sections:
• Section 1–Description of the Funding Opportunity
• Section 2–Award Information
• Section 3–Eligibility Information
• Section 4 – Application Questions and pre-application conference
• Section 5 – Application and Submission Information
• Section 6 - Evaluation of Applications
• Section 7 – Annexes

IRiS will engage virtually discussions to answer questions from potential applicants and to provide an overall grant process from application to award. Therefore, if an applicant is interested in
attending such a session, they should send their intention to participate and questions that they would like addressed in writing to: [email protected] not later than January 11th, 2025,
11:59 p.m. EAT The virtual pre-conference is scheduled for January 12th, 2025, from 2:00PM to 3:00PM. EAT.
The IRiS activity and DT Global reserve the right not to respond to or post questions that are duplicates of other questions or questions that are deemed not relevant.