Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS AF PDPA FY22 NOFO 2A
Supporting Civic Engagement in the Electoral Processes in Africa is a U.S. Department of State (Bureau of African Affairs, Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, AF/PDPA) funding opportunity designed to strengthen civic engagement, accountability, and election-related transparency in select Sub-Saharan African countries holding elections in 2022 and 2023. The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the selected organization should expect active coordination with AF/PDPA throughout planning and implementation. The program targets practical, on-the-ground needs that tend to arise in tense or restrictive political environments, with an emphasis on supporting democracy practitioners who can influence election integrity and citizen participation before, during, and after election day, including the post-electoral period.
The centerpiece of the program is a two-day democracy practitioners conference that brings together roughly 50 to 65 participants, primarily mid-level journalists, civil society activists, and other democracy practitioners drawn from the priority election countries. The preferred format is an in-person convening hosted in a location with enough political space to allow open discussion, including sensitive topics like political pressure, intimidation, disinformation, and conflict risks. If an in-person event cannot be held, the grantee is expected to work closely with AF/PDPA to shift to a virtual alternative, such as an online conference or a multi-session series. The participant mix is intended to be balanced across countries (ideally about five participants per participating country, plus participants from the host country), creating a cohort that can exchange experiences across different electoral contexts.
The conference content is built around a professional exchange between U.S. and African experts and practitioners, with a strong training component focused on best practices for promoting accountable governance and deeper civic engagement throughout the electoral cycle. Topic areas explicitly highlighted include voter apathy and strategies to increase participation, civic education and advocacy, election observation and monitoring, responsible media reporting during elections, identifying and countering disinformation and misinformation, and effective messaging and social media monitoring. A key deliverable is that participants must develop a country-specific action plan, translating what they learn into concrete steps they can implement at home. The organizer must also provide English and French interpretation, reflecting the bilingual nature of many target environments and the need for inclusive regional collaboration.
Beyond the event itself, the opportunity requires the grantee to build a mechanism for sustained collaboration for at least six months after the conference. This includes maintaining a platform or structured channel where participants can continue sharing technical advice, strategies, tools, and lessons learned as election timelines progress. In other words, the conference is treated as a launch point for a working network rather than a standalone workshop. Recruitment and selection of participants is primarily the responsibility of the grantee, but it must be done in consultation with AF/PDPA and, where feasible, U.S. embassies in the participating countries to ensure the cohort matches the program goals and local realities.
The ideal participants are practitioners already engaged in election-relevant work. For journalists, the opportunity prioritizes people with experience covering elections and their aftermath, conducting media monitoring, identifying or countering disinformation, producing research-driven messaging, and using or monitoring social media as part of their reporting. For civil society activists, the emphasis is on formally registered organizations working in civic education, election observation or broader electoral process monitoring, human rights, and conflict mitigation or prevention at the community level. This reflects an intent to support actors who are positioned to influence both public understanding and institutional accountability in high-stakes electoral periods.
The second major component is a dedicated small grants program totaling $150,000, with individual awards typically in the $10,000 to $15,000 range. After the conference, the grantee will solicit applications, select recipients, and manage these sub-awards in consultation with AF/PDPA. While grants are open to formally registered civil society organizations, the program is designed to prioritize conference participants and their organizations, essentially funding the action plans and local initiatives that emerge from the convening. The small grants are meant to back practical, near-term activities that strengthen citizen political participation, improve transparency around election administration, and address gaps in the lead-up to elections. Examples mentioned include local trainings to improve participation and transparency, trainings for journalists, efforts to recognize and counter disinformation, and speaker sessions hosted at American Spaces, among other civic engagement activities tailored to country needs.
Geographically, the priority focus is on Sub-Saharan African countries with elections scheduled for 2022 or 2023, specifically including Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Zimbabwe. The notice also recognizes that election dates can shift; in cases where elections occur before the conference (as noted for Kenya and Angola at the time), participants from those countries can contribute by sharing observations and lessons learned, which can help peers preparing for upcoming votes elsewhere.
From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DOS AF PDPA FY22 NOFO 2A) was posted April 1, 2022, with an original closing date of May 2, 2022. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based and eligible entities such as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status). The anticipated funding details include an award ceiling of $500,000 and an expectation of a single award, indicating the Department of State intended to select one lead implementer to run both the conference and the associated small grants program as an integrated package.
Overall, the opportunity is built to do three things at once: convene a cross-country cohort of practitioners working on elections and accountability, equip them with practical skills and shared U.S. and African best practices suited to difficult political environments, and then finance localized follow-on projects that put those lessons into action during the full electoral cycle. The stated outcomes emphasize stronger civil society oversight and advocacy, improved transparency and integrity in election processes, higher citizen participation, and support for public demand for democratic reform in the targeted countries.Apply for DOS AF PDPA FY22 NOFO 2A
- The Department of State, Africa Regional Services in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Supporting Civic Engagement in the Electoral Processes in Africa" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 01, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 02, 2022. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the purpose of the "Supporting Civic Engagement in the Electoral Processes in Africa" opportunity?
This U.S. Department of State funding opportunity is designed to strengthen civic engagement, accountability, and election-related transparency in select Sub-Saharan African countries holding elections in 2022 and 2023. It focuses on practical, on-the-ground needs that often arise in tense or restrictive political environments and supports democracy practitioners working to improve election integrity and citizen participation before, during, and after election day, including the post-electoral period.
Which U.S. government office is sponsoring this opportunity?
The opportunity is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of African Affairs, Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (AF/PDPA).
What type of award is this?
The award is structured as a cooperative agreement. This means the selected organization should expect active coordination with AF/PDPA throughout planning and implementation.
How many awards are expected?
The opportunity anticipates a single award, indicating one lead implementer is intended to run the conference and the associated small grants program as an integrated package.
What is the maximum funding amount available?
The anticipated award ceiling is $500,000.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this notice?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DOS AF PDPA FY22 NOFO 2A.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The notice was posted on April 1, 2022, with an original closing date of May 2, 2022.
Who is eligible to apply for the main cooperative agreement?
Eligible applicants include U.S.-based and eligible entities such as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status).
What are the main components of the program?
The program has two major components: (1) a two-day democracy practitioners conference for roughly 50 to 65 participants, and (2) a dedicated small grants program totaling $150,000 to fund follow-on, country-level activities after the conference.
What is the central event in this program?
The centerpiece is a two-day democracy practitioners conference that convenes approximately 50 to 65 participants, primarily mid-level journalists, civil society activists, and other democracy practitioners from priority election countries.
Is the conference expected to be in-person or virtual?
The preferred format is an in-person convening hosted in a location with enough political space to allow open discussion, including sensitive topics. If an in-person event cannot be held, the grantee is expected to coordinate closely with AF/PDPA to shift to a virtual alternative, such as an online conference or a multi-session series.
What kinds of sensitive topics is the conference expected to address?
Examples explicitly noted include political pressure, intimidation, disinformation, and conflict risks connected to elections.
How many countries are expected to be represented at the conference, and how is the participant mix described?
The participant mix is intended to be balanced across countries, ideally about five participants per participating country, plus participants from the host country, to support cross-country exchange of experiences across different electoral contexts.
Who are the intended participants?
The ideal participants are practitioners already engaged in election-relevant work, with an emphasis on mid-level journalists, civil society activists, and other democracy practitioners positioned to influence election integrity and citizen participation.
What journalist profiles are prioritized?
Journalists with experience covering elections and their aftermath, conducting media monitoring, identifying or countering disinformation, producing research-driven messaging, and using or monitoring social media as part of their reporting are prioritized.
What civil society profiles are prioritized?
The opportunity emphasizes formally registered organizations working in civic education, election observation or broader electoral process monitoring, human rights, and conflict mitigation or prevention at the community level.
What topics will the conference training and exchanges cover?
Highlighted topic areas include voter apathy and strategies to increase participation, civic education and advocacy, election observation and monitoring, responsible media reporting during elections, identifying and countering disinformation and misinformation, and effective messaging and social media monitoring.
Are U.S. and African experts involved in the conference content?
Yes. The conference is built around a professional exchange between U.S. and African experts and practitioners, with a strong training component focused on best practices for accountable governance and deeper civic engagement across the electoral cycle.
What is a required deliverable for conference participants?
A key deliverable is that participants must develop a country-specific action plan that translates the conference learning into concrete steps they can implement at home.
Will interpretation be provided at the conference?
Yes. The organizer must provide English and French interpretation to support bilingual participation and inclusive regional collaboration.
What is required after the conference ends?
The grantee must build a mechanism for sustained collaboration for at least six months after the conference. This includes maintaining a platform or structured channel for participants to continue sharing technical advice, strategies, tools, and lessons learned as election timelines progress.
Is the conference intended to be a standalone workshop?
No. The conference is treated as a launch point for a working network, reinforced by the required six-month post-conference collaboration mechanism.
Who recruits and selects the conference participants?
Recruitment and selection is primarily the responsibility of the grantee, but it must be done in consultation with AF/PDPA and, where feasible, U.S. embassies in the participating countries.
What is the small grants program, and how much funding is set aside for it?
The program includes a dedicated small grants component totaling $150,000. The grantee will solicit applications, select recipients, and manage these sub-awards in consultation with AF/PDPA.
What is the typical size of each small grant award?
Individual sub-awards are typically in the $10,000 to $15,000 range.
Who can receive the small grants?
Small grants are open to formally registered civil society organizations. The design prioritizes conference participants and their organizations, with the intent of funding the action plans and local initiatives that emerge from the convening.
What kinds of activities can small grants support?
The small grants are intended to support practical, near-term activities that strengthen citizen political participation, improve transparency around election administration, and address gaps in the lead-up to elections. Examples mentioned include local trainings to improve participation and transparency, trainings for journalists, efforts to recognize and counter disinformation, and speaker sessions hosted at American Spaces, among other country-tailored civic engagement activities.
Which countries are the geographic priority for this program?
The priority focus is on Sub-Saharan African countries with elections scheduled for 2022 or 2023. Countries specifically included are Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Zimbabwe.
What happens if an election date shifts or an election occurs before the conference?
The notice recognizes that election dates can shift. If elections occur before the conference (as noted for Kenya and Angola at the time), participants from those countries can still contribute by sharing observations and lessons learned to help peers preparing for upcoming elections elsewhere.
What outcomes does the program aim to achieve?
Stated outcomes include stronger civil society oversight and advocacy, improved transparency and integrity in election processes, higher citizen participation, and support for public demand for democratic reform in the targeted countries.
How closely will the grantee work with AF/PDPA during implementation?
Because this is a cooperative agreement, the selected organization should plan for active coordination with AF/PDPA throughout planning and implementation, including consultation on participant selection and small grant sub-award decisions.
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