Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA 294 17 000003
USAID Local Initiatives 2017 (LI17) was a discretionary grant opportunity released by USAID West Bank/Gaza to support Palestinian civil society organizations working in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The overall purpose was to fund a selected set of locally-led activities that contribute to concrete, sustainable change that is owned and driven by local communities. A central theme of the opportunity was strengthening the role of civil society in promoting accountability, specifically helping CSOs improve their ability to hold both public sector institutions and private sector actors responsible for their actions, decisions, and service delivery.
The grant encouraged proposals that advance rights, inclusion, and responsive governance through community development-oriented interventions. USAID highlighted several priority focus areas that applicants could target. These included protecting and enhancing the rights of marginalized groups, with explicit attention to children, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable communities. Another priority was combating gender-based violence, reflecting an interest in prevention, survivor support, stronger referral mechanisms, community awareness, and systems that reduce impunity. The opportunity also emphasized improving transparency and accountability around nationally-provided services, aiming to expand citizen oversight and strengthen the mechanisms that allow communities to monitor, evaluate, and advocate for better performance from service providers.
Youth empowerment was identified as a standalone focus, signaling support for initiatives that build youth skills, leadership, civic participation, and constructive engagement in community problem-solving. USAID also included support for freedom and independence of the press, suggesting potential activities such as strengthening independent journalism, protecting space for free expression, supporting professional standards, and improving the enabling environment for media to operate without undue interference. In addition, the opportunity prioritized women’s participation in both public and private sectors, especially in leadership roles, alongside work to increase women’s access to justice and reduce gender gaps in political and economic participation. Taken together, the program areas show a broad but connected intent: to strengthen civic structures and social norms that enable more equitable participation and more accountable institutions.
In terms of administrative details, the opportunity was issued as a Request for Applications under Funding Opportunity Number RFA 294 17 000003, with USAID West Bank/Gaza listed as the agency. The funding instrument type was a grant, and the activity category was community development under CFDA 98.001. The eligible applicants category was listed as "Others," with the narrative clarifying the intended recipients as local civil society organizations. The original closing date for submissions was April 24, 2017, and the opportunity was created on March 16, 2017. The award ceiling was set at $500,000 per award, and the notice indicated an expectation of multiple awards (though the exact number was not specified in the provided data).Apply for RFA 294 17 000003
- The West Bank, Gaza USAID-West Bank in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "USAID Local Initiatives 2017" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-03-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-04-24. (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.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - USAID Local Initiatives 2017 (LI17)
What is USAID Local Initiatives 2017 (LI17)?
USAID Local Initiatives 2017 (LI17) was a discretionary grant opportunity released by USAID West Bank/Gaza to support Palestinian civil society organizations working in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The opportunity focused on funding locally-led activities that drive concrete, sustainable change owned by local communities.
Which USAID office issued this grant opportunity?
The opportunity was issued by USAID West Bank/Gaza.
What type of funding opportunity was LI17?
LI17 was issued as a Request for Applications (RFA) and used a grant as the funding instrument type.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for LI17?
The Funding Opportunity Number was RFA 294 17 000003.
What was the overall purpose of the LI17 grant?
The overall purpose was to fund a selected set of locally-led activities that contribute to concrete, sustainable change that is owned and driven by local communities, with a central theme of strengthening the role of civil society in promoting accountability.
What did USAID mean by strengthening civil society to promote accountability?
The opportunity emphasized helping civil society organizations (CSOs) improve their ability to hold both public sector institutions and private sector actors responsible for their actions, decisions, and service delivery.
What kinds of interventions did the grant encourage?
The grant encouraged proposals that advance rights, inclusion, and responsive governance through community development-oriented interventions.
What were the priority focus areas highlighted by USAID?
USAID highlighted multiple priority focus areas, including: protecting and enhancing the rights of marginalized groups (including explicit attention to children and people with disabilities), combating gender-based violence, improving transparency and accountability around nationally-provided services, youth empowerment, supporting freedom and independence of the press, and increasing women’s participation and leadership in public and private sectors (including women’s access to justice and reducing gender gaps in political and economic participation).
Did LI17 include a focus on marginalized or vulnerable groups?
Yes. One priority focus area was protecting and enhancing the rights of marginalized groups, with explicit attention to children, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable communities.
Was gender-based violence a priority under this opportunity?
Yes. The opportunity prioritized combating gender-based violence, reflecting interest in prevention, survivor support, stronger referral mechanisms, community awareness, and systems that reduce impunity.
Did the grant support transparency and accountability for services?
Yes. The opportunity emphasized improving transparency and accountability around nationally-provided services by expanding citizen oversight and strengthening mechanisms for communities to monitor, evaluate, and advocate for better performance from service providers.
Was youth empowerment included as an eligible program area?
Yes. Youth empowerment was identified as a standalone focus area, including initiatives that build youth skills, leadership, civic participation, and constructive engagement in community problem-solving.
Did USAID include support for media or press freedom?
Yes. The opportunity included support for freedom and independence of the press, suggesting activities such as strengthening independent journalism, protecting space for free expression, supporting professional standards, and improving the enabling environment for media to operate without undue interference.
Were women’s participation and leadership priorities in LI17?
Yes. The opportunity prioritized women’s participation in both public and private sectors, especially in leadership roles, and also emphasized increasing women’s access to justice and reducing gender gaps in political and economic participation.
What geographic areas were targeted by the opportunity?
The opportunity was intended to support Palestinian civil society organizations working in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Who was eligible to apply based on the provided information?
The eligible applicants category was listed as "Others," and the narrative clarified that the intended recipients were local civil society organizations.
What was the activity category for this funding opportunity?
The activity category was community development.
What CFDA number was associated with LI17?
The opportunity was listed under CFDA 98.001.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was set at $500,000 per award.
Did USAID expect to make multiple awards?
Yes. The notice indicated an expectation of multiple awards, although the exact number of awards was not specified in the provided information.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on March 16, 2017.
What was the submission deadline (closing date)?
The original closing date for submissions was April 24, 2017.
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