REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA) 

for SHE’s GREAT! 2.0 

Issuance Date: October 27, 2023 

Closing Date: Dominican Republic: November 23, 2023 

Closing Time: Midnight, Eastern Standard Time 

Subject: Request for Applications (RFA) Number: FY24-SG2-Lead Partner, SHE’s GREAT! 2.0 

Reference: Issued under International Research and Exchange Board (IREX) project and DOS COAG No. SAQMIP23CA0377 

This Request for Applications (RFA) outlines the information required by the applicant for the development and submission of a proposal for consideration. The potential applicant is expected to review, understand, and conform with specifications contained in this RFA. Failure to do so will be at the applicant’s own risk.  

All reasonable, allocable, and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the subaward program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards (2 CFR 200 Subpart E Cost Principles or the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 31 for-profit organizations), may be charged under the subaward.  

For non-US organizations the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions and 2 CFR 200 Subpart A through E apply. 

This RFA is being issued and consists of this cover letter, Schedule A, and Annexes. 

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award commitment on the part of SHE’s GREAT! 2.0/IREX nor does it commit SHE’s GREAT! 2.0/IREX to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. The application is submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense. 

Thank you for your interest in SHE’s GREAT! 2.0/IREX activities. 

Sincerely, 

Stanley Currier 

Project Director, SHE’s GREAT! 2.0 

SCHEDULE A 

SECTION I: FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION: 

SHE’s GREAT! 2.0 is a three-and-a-half-year program funded by the United States Department of State (DOS) and implemented by IREX. The project focuses on positive youth development by challenging and overcoming harmful gender norms. The project’s goal is to create a supportive environment for secondary school-age youth, with an emphasis on girls in all their diversity, and to create a more safe, equitable, and inclusive future by increasing access to science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) careers and addressing harmful gender norms. 

Program Objectives: 

• Objective 1: Youth are supported in challenging and overcoming harmful gender norms. 
• Objective 2: Girls and youth, in all their diversity, are supported in obtaining experiences. 
• Objective 3: Amplify community, school, and family/household support for positive peace and youth agency. 

USG Regulations:

Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions and 2 CFR 200 Unified Administrative Requirements Subpart A through E apply. 

SECTION II: AWARD INFORMATION: 

Subject to the availability of funds, IREX expects to award approximately 4 Lead Partner subawards, ranging from $ 66,000 to 80,000 approximately per year (this is dependent on costing). The expected duration of IREX’s support or the period of performance is dependent on the country of implementation and will range from 1 (one) year to three (3) years.  SHE’s GREAT! 2.0/IREX reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.   

SECTION III: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: 

The applicant / application must meet the following requirements: 

• Be officially registered and working in compliance with all applicable civil and fiscal regulations, including, but not limited to pertinent local laws and status. 
• Be officially registered as a legal entity and working in compliance with all applicable local laws. An applicant can show proof of effort to secure registration. If an applicant is not registered, they can only receive an in-kind and or fixed amount award subaward. 
• Meet the projects objectives and principles. 
• Contain expected outcomes and results consistent with and linked to the projects objectives 
• Applicant is not a debarred organization 
• Received Unique Entity ID (UEI) 

Types of Eligible Subawardees:

• U.S Non-Governmental Organizations (U.S. NGOs) 
• Non-US Nongovernment Organizations (Non-US NGOs) 
• International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) 
• Community Based Organization (CBOs) 
• Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) 
• Private Enterprises 
• Professional Associations 
• Universities 
• Individuals leading a group 

Minimum Requirements:

• Youth-programming experience (3+ years)  
• Gender-programming experience (3+ years)  
• STEM programming experience preferred.   
• Experience facilitating workshops in-person and in virtual formats, i.e. online trainings and in-person trainings  
• Demonstrated safeguarding (or prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse) knowledge and experience in program activities.  
• Preferred experience managing a consortium or group of other organizations to implement work that is similar in scope to the work of the SHE’s GREAT! program; preferably, the Lead Partner has formal subgrant management experience for USG programs.  

Section IV: APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: 

Any questions concerning this RFA should be submitted in writing not later than two (2) days prior to the closing date shown above to Cai Thomas, Technical Advisor, [email protected]. If applicants would like to schedule a 45-minute call to discuss the application, please contact Cai Thomas. Applicants should retain for their records one copy of all enclosures which accompany their application. 

The application must be received at the SHE’s GREAT! 2.0/IREX’s email indicated below no later than the closing date listed on the front page of this RFA. Pre-award costs are not allowable and will not be reimbursed. An application and modifications thereof shall be submitted in electronic format to the following email address: Cai Thomas, [email protected]. Subject line: RfA Application – Organization Name 

Application must be submitted in electronic form. The complete application packet must be submitted in the required format with the required attachments. 

• Application:   

  1. UEI number 
  2. Organizational background  
  3. Program description, focused on outline and activities as described in Annex 2. 
  4. Proposed Implementation Timeline 
  5. Beneficiaries, outcomes and expected impact 
  6. Communication Plan 
  7. Organizational Staffing Plan (includes the CV of the main project manager and contact information (email) 
  8. Management Plan for the Consortium (includes an outline of the responsibilities of each partner of the consortium, management and oversight mechanisms, and monitoring of consortium partners). See Annex 3 for more details on the Consortium. 
  9. Budget and budget narrative (Cost Share is not required) 
  10. 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart F Audit [if applicable] 
  11. Other materials 
      • Safeguarding and/or Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Policy 
• Due Diligence Questionnaire 

Restrictions:

• Subaward funds provided under the terms of this RFA shall not be used to procure goods or services from suppliers that may be identified on the USG consolidated list of debarred, suspended or ineligible contractors at http://www.sam.gov/.  
• Any purchases or activities deemed unnecessary to successfully complete the activity, including any subawardee headquarters’ expenses that are not directly linked to the implementation of the proposed project. 
• Previous obligations and/or bad debts. 
• Fines and /or penalties. 
• Other costs unallowable as referenced 2 CFR 200 Subpart E Cost Principles and FAR 31.2 Cost Principles for Commercial Organizations. 

Late Application

Late applications are marked as “late” and are ineligible for review or award; however, IREX reserves the right to accept and include late applications in the review and award process when it is considered within the best interest of IREX to do so and if applications that were received on time have not been opened and reviewed. Applications that are submitted late or incomplete run the risk of not being considered for review.  

SECTION V: APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION: 

The application will be evaluated according to the evaluation criteria set below. To the extent necessary (if an award is not made based on initial applications), negotiations may be conducted with each applicant whose application, after discussion and negotiation, has a reasonable chance of being selected for award.   

Evaluation Criteria:  

a. Technical Merit 40 points 

• Relevance to program goals  
• Sustainability of project results  
• Anticipated impact on the beneficiaries  
• Creativity of approach  
• Ability to implement outline approach 

b. Past Performance / Organizational Capacity 30 points 

• Past performance in similar projects  
• Relevant staff skills to the proposed project 
• Experience in geographical region  
• Written accounting and procurement procedures 
• Capacity to adhere to DOS financial guidelines

c. Management Capacity 10 points 

• Past experience managing/leading a consortium preferred; experience working in a consortium  
• Management approach 
• Ability to demonstrate a fair partner selection process and mitigation strategies against conflict of interest, such as a conflict-of-interest disclosure statement with regard to the relationships between the organizations as part of the application.  

d. Feasibility and Cost Effectiveness 20 points 

• Are costs reasonable, allowable, and allocable  
• Is the proposal cost effective  
• Does the proposal have the required percentage of cost share/leveraging if required  

Section VI: AWARD AND ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION 

The recommendation or selection of an application in accordance with established procedures does not guarantee an award. All applicants must demonstrate that they possess, or have the ability to obtain, the necessary management competence to practice mutually agreed upon methods of accountability for funds and other assets provided.   

A successful applicant can expect to receive an Award Letter, signed by the program. The award letter will be addressed to the organization’s point of contact as stated in the application.  Applicants that were not successful can expect a letter explaining the reason for their unsuccessful application.  

Following the Award Letter, final negotiations will take place before the signing of a subaward agreement. 

Reporting Procedures: 

A description of reporting requirements will be included in the Subaward Agreement. The types of reporting required, along with the schedule of reporting, will depend on the subaward agreement and project duration. Reporting forms will be provided to subaward recipients. Types of reporting will include the following: 

• Program report to be submitted during project implementation according to a schedule described in the subaward agreement. This report will include a description of progress made during the period, problems in project implementation; actions taken to overcome them; and activities planned for the next period.    
• Final program report will describe how the project objectives and goals were reached, results of the project, and problems and solutions during implementation.  
• Financial reports will be submitted according to a schedule described in the subaward agreements. Types of financial reports, as well as the schedule of reporting, will depend on the type of subaward, length of the project, and amount of funding. In addition, the subawardee is required to submit a detailed Final Financial Report.   

Issuance of the final installment of subaward funds is contingent upon SHE’s GREAT! 2.0’s receipt and acceptance of Final Financial and Final Program Reports. 

SECTION VII - OTHER INFORMATION  

Issuance of this RFA does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of IREX, nor does it commit SHE’s GREAT! 2.0 / IREX to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application.  

IREX reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted. Further, IREX reserves the right to make no awards as a result of this RFA.  

Annex 1: Standard Terms and Conditions 

• U.S. Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions (U.S Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions (10-21-2020) 

• 2 CFR 200 Uniformed Administrative Requirements Subpart A-through E (eCFR :: 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E -- Cost Principles). 

• 2 CFR 600 The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-600)  

Annex 2: Program Description 

Program description  

The table below lays out the primary objectives, their duration, and corresponding activities for SHE'S GREAT 2.0. Under the table, please find descriptions of the activities as well as additional questions. Describe how you would approach these components in your application. 

To access the GMC curriculum for youth, please visit https://www.irex.org/project/support-her-empowerment-girls-resilience-enterprise-and-technology-initiative-shes-great-20 

Target Number of Beneficiaries in each country:  

Geographic/Logistical Coordination  

• Please briefly describe the opportunities and potential complexities involved in a multi-school program and how your organization would handle them; if you have experience coordinating such programs, please describe.   
• SHE’s GREAT! 2.0 will make a stronger effort to engage youth from historically excluded communities, such as youth from religious or ethnic minority groups or youth with disabilities. Please describe how you would consider geographic and social inclusion in your school programming.  
• Please describe how you would develop the program in a combination of rural, peri-urban, or urban schools in The Dominican Republic (the expectation is that there is a consortium in each country. Organizations do not need global reach, rather country-specific reach).    
• Please describe how you ensure student participation in virtual program activities, especially regarding economically and geographically disadvantaged communities.     
• Please describe your organization's internet accessibility capabilities, including your ability to communicate regularly with US based IREX staff and liaise virtually with potential stakeholders across The Dominican Republic. 

IREX & Consortium Coordination   

• Propose a plan for coordinating with IREX Team based in The Dominican Republic and the consortium of partners.  

Facilitator Recruitment and Training 

• Propose a plan for recruiting and coordinating facilitators to implement the GMC curriculum and the STEM Academy curriculum. 

School Selection and Engagement (include suggestions for engagement with relevant government ministries and offices)  

• IREX and its Donor will make the final decision on school locations, but please propose Basic Secondary Schools (mixed-gender schools) and/or clusters where the GMC Club could be implemented. Consider practical reasons related to geography, and partnership capacity as well as, program needs, culture and social contexts related to gender issues and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention. IREX envisions approximately 10 students per club, two clubs per school or community center, and engaging 10 schools, totaling 200 participants.  

Coordination of Student Selection with Schools or Community Organizations   

• Describe how you would recruit and select participants to ensure that the program reaches a diverse pool of participants and how you would engage schools or community organizations in that process.  

Parent & Caregiver Engagement 

• SHE’s GREAT! 2.0 has a strong emphasis on parent and caregiver involvement, including a Caregiver Committee that will be established across the countries with representatives of parents and caregivers from each club to support the planning of higher education and career sessions for youth. Briefly describe how you envision the Caregiver Committee in terms of outreach, recruitment, duration of commitment, roles, and responsibilities, etc. 

Community Engagement: Sustained Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Dialogues 

• SHE’s GREAT! 2.0 has a strong emphasis on community engagement, including Sustained GESI Dialogues that will happen on a quarterly basis in each community of implementation, to advise parents/caregivers, business leaders, school leaders, and religious leaders, and other community leaders about the progress of the SHE’s GREAT! project. Describe how you would engage these community leaders and sustain their participation and support throughout the duration of the program. 

GMC Club Implementation (logistics, management, monitoring of approximately eight-week program)  

• Briefly describe how you coordinate, manage, and monitor the implementation of the GMC clubs in various parts of the country. Please also include a proposed implementation timeline. 

 
GMC 101 for Caregivers 

• Please describe how you would adapt the current GMC Curriculum for parents and caregivers, including topics, number of sessions, and the appropriate and contextual approach to engaging these topics with adults (i.e., all parents/caregivers together or separated by gender).  

STEM Academy (logistics, management, monitoring of approximately twelve-week program)  

• Briefly describe how you will coordinate, manage, and monitor the implementation of the STEM Academy clubs in various parts of the country. 

STEM Linkages (logistics, management, monitoring of approximately eight-week program)  

• Describe how you will coordinate, manage, and monitor the implementation of the STEM Linkages component, which includes campus visits to STEM Labs, 5-day micro-internships at local businesses, and group mentoring with the Friends Advisory Committee. 

Implementation and Monitoring of Innovation & Inclusion (I&I) Design Challenge 

• The I&I projects will have a larger budget and longer implementation timeline than the projects in SHE’s GREAT! 1.0, with about three months to plan, receive feedback from community leaders and the Friends Advisory Committee, and implement projects. Each club will prepare one I&I project bolstering the new skills they learned in the STEM Academy and STEM Linkages portion of the program. Describe how you will coordinate, manage, and monitor the implementation of the I&I Design Challenge. 

School Sustainability Workshops: 

• IREX will provide a flexible SHE’s GREAT! curricula and training for school staff including four workshops: Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Awareness Training, Inclusive Classroom Training, a training on STEM opportunities for girls and diverse youth, and a School-Related Gender-Based Violence Policy Development (SRGBV) workshop. The end goal is that schools update or design a SRGBV Policy. At least four educators from each school will be expected to complete the workshops and host similar workshops for other educators in their community. At the completion of these events, the educators will receive a certificate and the school will be eligible to apply for in-kind grants to fund school projects that promote sustainable inclusion and safeguarding initiatives. Please describe how this will affect your recruitment of potential schools and how you will coordinate, implement, and monitor these activities.   

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS): 

• Please describe your experience with incorporating mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) into programming for youth.  
• Include a MHPSS plan for youth participants that would follow programming and program content, including 7-10 group sessions and the topics those sessions would cover. 
• Please describe your experience with incorporating mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) into programming for adults.  
• Include a MHPSS plan for parents and caregivers that would follow programming and program content, including 7-10 group sessions and the topics those sessions would cover. The goal of these sessions is to help parents and caregivers informally discuss skills to counter harmful gender norms and encourage STEM careers for their children. 

Friends Advisory Committee 

• The Friends Advisory Committee (FAC) will be selected at the same time the partners in the consortium are selected and will be needed to collaborate with the consortium from the beginning of the program. Please describe your plan for recruiting and selecting four Friends for the FAC quickly. In what ways, other than described in annex 3, would you engage the Friends throughout the program? 

Annex 3: Local Partner Consortium 

The Local Partner Consortium (LPC) is made up of five components: lead local implementing partner (LLIP), STEM Lead, Inclusion Lead, PSS/Mental Health Lead, and the Friends Advisory Committee. The LLIP is responsible for implementing a majority of the project, with inputs, consultations, and guidance from other local implementing partners, LLIP staff, or consultants. 

Lead Local Implementing Partner (LLIP) 

The LLIP is responsible for overall program implementation, from school selection, participant selection, adapting SHE’s GREAT! curriculum and materials to local context, ensuring local implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, adapting and creating GMC 101 for Caregivers, and ensuring all program components are implemented. This partner will coordinate and oversee all consortium members. 

STEM Lead 

The STEM Lead will be either a staff member from the LLIP, another organization, or external consultant adept in the learning to earning process in STEM fields for youth, including that youth may pursue formal, informal, self-employment and entrepreneurial work opportunities. They will be responsible for conducting a country STEM Career Opportunity Study that will inform STEM trainings and career activities to link youth and family interests to high-growth sectors. IREX will provide an example and template for the STEM Career Opportunity Study, to be completed after the LPC receives IREX-led training. Based on the findings of STEM Career Opportunity Study has been completed, this person(s) will develop a customized learning framework that is part of the STEM Academy. The framework will include trainings that will provide youth with three to four STEM skills that are in high demand within the local or national employment market in fields like energy, climate change mitigation, robotics, and artificial intelligence. This person(s) will also identify campus visits to universities with strong STEM career paths and local businesses that will coordinate micro-internships, or 5-day mini projects, for small groups of SHE’s GREAT! participants.  

This person(s) will engage with the program throughout its entirety, which could be between one – two years in each country. We estimate that this person(s) will be needed at 50% level of effort (LOE) over the first two months and 70% LOE for the next ten months, resulting in a total of 1280 hours, or 160 days in the first year. 

Deliverables: 

• Review program curriculum and materials, along with the LPC 
• Conduct the STEM Career Opportunity Study 
• Develop a customized STEM learning framework with trainings on three to four STEM skills 
• Train SHE’s GREAT! facilitators on implementing the trainings on three to four STEM skills 
• Conduct assessment of youth skill gain/competency in each STEM skill 
• Coordinate campus visits to universities with strong STEM programs 
• Coordinate micro-internships (5-day projects) at local businesses for teams of SHE’s GREAT! participants 
• Collaborate with other LPC members (mental health and psychosocial support lead, science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) lead, lead partner, and Friends Advisory Committee) 
• Other duties, as assigned 

Criteria for selection: 

• Experience in working with youth identify careers in STEM fields 
• Background in STEM  
• Background in designing training and curricula 
• Connection with STEM networks in country 
• Interest/aligned values with promoting equity and inclusion in STEM 

Inclusion Partner: 

The Inclusion Partner will be another organization or person(s) with a strong GESI background and/or a specific focus on working with a historically excluded community. This person(s) will work closely with the GESI & Safeguarding Lead (IREX Staff) to adapt the GESI Checklist and create an overarching inclusion strategy for their country. The Inclusion Partner, along with the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Lead, will create locally adapted and targeted strategies to ensure that all program partners have the resources and skills necessary to identify, select, and work with diverse youth, including youth with lower socio-economic backgrounds and rural youth. The GESI Checklist is a tool that will be utilized to assess how GESI-transformative we can be in each country, and a tool we can review before each activity and event to ensure we are maximizing the inclusion and safety of all participants. This person(s) is responsible for ensuring that any and all barriers to participation are overcome (such as providing transportation, reviewing venues for access and inclusion, ensuring the selection of participants is representative of the communities in which we are engaging, etc.). This person(s) will also review the school selection criteria and provide feedback. Depending on the context, this person or organization may design a psychologically and physically safe cohort, such as a group of LGBTQIA+ youth or youth with disabilities, that will engage with the same program in a separate environment, if integration into the program does more harm. 

This person(s) will engage with the program throughout its entirety, which could be between one – two years in each country. We estimate that this person(s) will be needed at 70% level of effort (LOE) over the first six months and 30% LOE for the next six months, resulting in a total of 960 hours, or 120 days in the first year. 

Deliverables: 

• Adapt the GESI Checklist 
• Develop an overarching inclusion strategy 
• Apply inclusion lens to SHE’s GREAT! tools and strategies 
• Train the local partner consortium (LPC) on inclusive practices and the inclusion strategy 
• Review and input on all program components 
• Conduct an inclusion review of SHE’s GREAT! materials and translations 
• With IREX and the MHPSS partner, develop and conduct a School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) Policy Development workshop. Conduct assessment and monitoring of educator/school progress as needed. 
• Potential design of psychologically safe cohort 
• Complete GESI checklist for every event and activity 
• Contribute to quarterly meetings on risk assessment and mitigation 
• Collaborate with other LPC members (mental health and psychosocial support lead, science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) lead, lead partner, and Friends Advisory Committee) 
• Other duties, as assigned 

Criteria for selection: 

• Experience with Do No (More) Harm (DNmH) principles 
• Safeguarding knowledge and experience 
• Experience integrating Equity & Inclusion/GESI approaches within youth programming 
• Work with a specific historically excluded group 

Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Lead 

The MHPSS Lead will adapt and lead the implementation of the psychosocial support (PSS) framework, a framework that will shadow all program components and allow PSS support to all program components. This person(s) will be responsible for holistic integration of the Safeguarding Policy throughout the program and training all stakeholders on the policy. This person(s) will also actively engage parents and caregivers through a similar PSS framework. If necessary, this person(s) will work with the Inclusion Partner to design a psychologically safe cohort for a particular demographic (see more information in the Inclusion Partner description). 

This person(s) will engage with the program throughout its entirety, which could be between one – two years in each country. We estimate that this person(s) will be needed at 70% level of effort (LOE) over the first six months and 50% LOE for the next six months, resulting in a total of 1,152 hours, or 144 days in the first year. 

Deliverables: 

• Ensure holistic integration of the Safeguarding Policy throughout the program 
• Train youth participants on the Safeguarding Policy and communication channels to report 
• Adapt PSS Framework with group sessions that integrate with the program 
• Offer one-on-one sessions, as needed, with SHE’s GREAT! participants 
• Adapt Caregiver Engagement Framework (including 7-10 Caregiver Coffee Clubs and an additional 3-4 workshops on STEM education, career planning, non-violent parenting, and understanding teenage psychology) and train them on the Safeguarding Policy. This framework could include regional leads who work with schools and community centers in one part of the country. Conduct assessment and monitoring of participant progress, skill gain, behavior change. 
• Host Caregiver Coffee Clubs and workshops for parents and caregivers 
• Train local partner consortium (LPC) on MHPSS for youth 
• Train community members on MHPSS for youth and the Safeguarding Policy at the first Sustained GESI Dialogue  
• With IREX and the Inclusion partner, develop and conduct a School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) Policy Development workshop. Conduct assessment and monitoring of participant progress, skill gain, behavior change. 
• Provide technical support/guidance to teachers/schools as they develop SRGBV policies 
• Collaborate with Inclusion Partner on potential design of psychologically safe cohort 
• Contribute to quarterly meetings on risk assessment and mitigation 
• Collaborate with other LPC members (inclusion lead, science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) lead, lead partner, and Friends Advisory Committee) throughout the duration of the program 
• Other duties, as assigned 

Criteria for selection: 

• Expertise in mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for youth  
• Experience with Do No (More) Harm (DNmH) and trauma-informed principles 
• Experience with safeguarding/prevention of gender-based violence  
• Experience in training on MHPSS topics  
• Experience in working with parents and caregivers  
• Experience in contributing to policies around the prevention of gender-based violence 

Friends Advisory Committee (FAC) 

As an integral component of IREX's inclusive and locally-led approach, SHE's GREAT! Local Partner Consortium in each country includes the Friends Advisory Committee (FAC) that comprises four local experts and leaders from diverse sectors actively connected to girl or youth-led networks. The FAC plays an important role in each country’s consortium and contributes to SHE’s GREAT!’s prioritization of local leadership, youth voice, and inclusion. Friends Advisory Committee (FAC) members will be youth and 75% women and include gender and STEM experts, government representatives, psychologists, and more. 

The FAC will review major program materials, as they are adapted, with the LPC. They will participate in the GESI Dialogues, give feedback to SHE’s GREAT participants on the Community Inclusion Maps, and support the participants in creating the National Inclusion Map. The FAC will become more active during the STEM Linkages activity, adapting and implementing the group mentoring framework with each club. The FAC will also support the STEM Lead in identifying universities for campus visits and businesses for the micro-internships. 

The FAC will support the participants create their group projects ideas (by club) to solve community-level inclusion challenges using their new STEM skills. The FAC will provide feedback to them on their ideas during the Sustained GESI Dialogues and as necessary during the two-month process where they design their projects Following this consultation and design period, the clubs will be implementing their projects over a month period. These projects (Inclusion & Innovation Projects) will be presented at the National Inclusion and Innovation Fair, the culmination event for the SHE’s GREAT! program, where all participants will meet in person. 

The FAC will be involved with Ambassadors and Network Activities, which will include Virtual Learning Exchanges, advocating on behalf of the Youth Statement for Gender Equality, and a Virtual Impact Festival. This programming could last an additional year after the original set of activities.  

Deliverables: 

• Review and give feedback of GMC Curriculum 
• Review and give feedback of Country Resource Kit 
• Review of STEM Academy Modules 
• Adapt the group mentoring framework 
• Implement the group mentoring framework in each club 
• Give feedback to participants on the Community Inclusion Map and Innovation & Inclusion project ideas 
• Support participants in creating a National Inclusion Map 
• Help identify universities for campus visits with STEM focus 
• Help identify businesses for micro-internships 
• Engage in Ambassador and Network Activities (to be further defined) for potentially one more year, including participating in Virtual Learning Exchanges, mentoring Ambassadors, and co-planning and co-hosting the Virtual Impact Festival 
• Conduct assessment and monitoring of participant progress, skill gain, behavior change.  
• Other duties, as assigned 

Criteria for selection: 

• Under 35 years of age 
• Connected to girl-led (or women-led) or youth-led networks 
• Have a background in one of the following:  
  • Gender 
  • STEM 
  • Education 
  • Psychology 
  • Human Rights 
  • Government representatives working in women’s rights, human rights, or gender advocacy 
• Interest in working with youth on gender-related and STEM topics 

PUBLIC NOTICE 

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA) 

for SHE’s GREAT! 2.0 

Issuance Date: 27-Oct-2023 

Closing Date: 11-23-2023 

I. SUMMARY: 

The SHE’s GREAT! 2.0 is a three-and-a-half-year program funded by the United States Department of State (DOS) and implemented by the International Research and Exchange Board (IREX). The project focuses on positive youth development by challenging and overcoming harmful gender norms. The project’s goal is to create a supportive environment for secondary school-age youth, with an emphasis on girls in all their diversity, and to create a more safe, equitable, and inclusive future by increasing access to STEM careers and addressing harmful gender norms. 

II. PURPOSE: 

This RFA is seeking applicants to propose effective approaches to the development of positive youth development, STEM, gender and social inclusion, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA)/safeguarding, psychosocial support, and mental health specialization for youth.  

III. LOCATION OF ACTIVITIES: 

The geographic focus under consideration includes the following countries for regional activities: The Dominican Republic.  

IV. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES: 

• Objective 1: Youth are supported in challenging and overcoming harmful gender norms. 
• Objective 2: Girls and youth, in all their diversity, are supported in obtaining experiences. 
• Objective 3: Amplify community, school, and family/household support for positive peace and youth agency.  

V. APPLICANTS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: 

• Be officially registered and working in compliance with all applicable civil and fiscal regulations, including, but not limited to pertinent local laws and status. 
• Be officially registered as a legal entity and working in compliance with all applicable local laws. An applicant can show proof of effort to secure registration. If an applicant is not registered, they can only receive an in-kind and or fixed amount award subaward. 
• Meet the projects objectives and principles 
• Contain expected outcomes and results consistent with and linked to the projects objectives 
• Applicant is not a debarred organization 
• Received Unique Entity ID (UEI) 

Types of Eligible Subawardees:

• U.S Non-Governmental Organizations (U.S. NGOs) 
• Non-US Nongovernment Organizations (Non-US NGOs) 
• International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) 
• Community Based Organization (CBOs) 
• Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) 
• Private Enterprises 
• Professional Associations 
• Universities 
• Individuals leading a group 

VI. Award Information 

Subject to the availability of funds, IREX expects to award approximately 4 Lead Partner subawards, ranging from $ 66,000 to 80,000 approximately per year (this is dependent on costing). The expected duration of IREX’s support or the period of performance is dependent on the country of implementation and will range from 1 (one) year to three (3) years.  SHE’s GREAT! 2.0/IREX reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.   IREX reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted. Further, IREX reserves the right to make no awards as a result of this RFA.  

VII. CONTACT INFORMATION: 

Please contact the following with any questions you have about the RfA or application process: Cai Thomas [email protected]