: U.S. Embassy Conakry, Ambassador Special Self-Help Program Annual Program Statement | DOS CONAK FY23 00 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS CONAK FY23 00 01

The U.S. Embassy in Conakry, Guinea is offering small, community-focused grants through the Ambassador Special Self-Help (SSH) Program to support locally driven projects that quickly and visibly improve living conditions. This opportunity is designed for grassroots and community-rooted organizations that can mobilize local participation and deliver practical results within a relatively short timeframe. The program emphasizes high-impact activities that address basic economic and social needs, with the expectation that communities are not passive recipients but active partners who contribute meaningful resources such as cash, labor, and locally sourced materials. Because demand for these grants is higher than the funds available, proposals that best match the program goals, show strong community buy-in, and demonstrate clear, measurable benefits to a large number of people will be more competitive.

Funding is limited but structured to support multiple projects. The total funding pool is $50,000, and the Embassy anticipates making around five awards depending on final award sizes. Individual grants are expected to range from $5,000 to $10,000, with the clear expectation that larger grants should serve more beneficiaries. As a general benchmark, a $10,000 project should benefit at least about 500 to 700 people, while a $5,000 project should benefit at least about 250 to 350 people. Awards are made as grants funded through Economic Support Funds authorized under the Foreign Assistance Act. While the notice references a performance window that can run up to 12 months, the program is oriented toward projects that can be completed relatively quickly, generally within 3 to 12 months. The anticipated start date for projects considered for 2024 funding is listed as October 31, 2024, and all awards depend on the availability of funds.

The types of projects encouraged are practical community development efforts, especially those involving small-scale infrastructure, essential services, and durable equipment that communities can maintain. Examples include small construction projects such as classrooms, community centers, basic health facilities, footbridges, housing for community-paid nurses or teachers, workshops, grain storage facilities, community slaughterhouses, rural airstrips linked to hospital access, or dormitories for students who travel long distances. Water and sanitation activities are also common, including wells, latrines, pumps, boreholes, shower stalls and sinks, and even fishponds when clearly tied to community benefit. The program may also support school equipment and supplies like desks, chairs, lab equipment, and library materials, as well as shared construction equipment such as brick-making machines. Other eligible purchases can include durable goods for community-owned facilities, such as stoves, refrigerators, or clinic washing machines, and income-generating equipment like weaving looms, carpentry tools, rice-milling machines, and other agricultural processing equipment.

At the same time, the program includes strict funding limitations that shape what applicants can propose. Grant funds cannot be used for personnel salaries, travel, fringe benefits, or alcoholic beverages. The program also restricts a range of other costs and activities, including routine office supplies (for example paper, pencils, folders), vehicle purchases, and ongoing education or training needs that imply continuing operational support rather than a one-time high-impact investment. Certain categories are explicitly excluded, such as religious activities, military activities, and law enforcement or prison-related programming. The Embassy also flags environmental and conservation concerns, noting that projects with unmitigated negative environmental consequences will not be supported. Examples given include dams, roads through relatively pristine forest lands, activities that contribute to commercial deforestation or conversion of forest land to livestock use, actions that threaten endangered species or habitats, and activities that significantly degrade protected areas (including introduction of exotic plants or animals). Another specific restriction is that the program will not fund remodeling or renovations of neglected facilities (for instance, repainting a school building due to disrepair). In addition, the program will not fund sports uniforms for a national team or instruments/uniforms for a national orchestra or dance company.

A major eligibility and compliance issue for this opportunity is the application of Section 7008 restrictions. Because of these restrictions, U.S. government assistance cannot be provided to the Government of Guinea until a democratically elected government is installed. The notice clarifies that this restriction extends to local institutions such as schools and local government representatives. As a result, projects cannot involve government officials or employees acting in their official roles, and project activities cannot take place in government-owned facilities. This is a central program constraint and applicants need to design projects that clearly avoid government participation and government facilities while still delivering community benefit through non-governmental, community-based structures.

Eligible applicants include registered self-help groups, community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, and certain educational institutions, as long as they meet the program requirements. The source information also indicates eligibility for nonprofits that do not have U.S. 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), which signals that local non-U.S. organizations can be competitive provided they are properly registered and can comply with U.S. government grant rules. Cost sharing is required: recipients must contribute cash and/or in-kind support, which can include allowable direct or indirect contributions. In practice, applicants should be prepared to document what the community will provide (labor days, locally available materials, cash contributions, etc.) and how those inputs will be managed and verified.

For organizations, a key administrative requirement is having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in SAM.gov. The notice emphasizes that obtaining or renewing SAM.gov registration can take 4 to 8 weeks, so applicants should begin early. U.S.-based organizations or those paying employees in the United States typically need an EIN plus a UEI before registering. Organizations outside the United States that do not pay U.S. employees do not need an EIN, but still need a UEI and SAM registration. The notice also clarifies that DUNS numbers are no longer required. For non-DoD applicants outside the U.S., a CAGE/NCAGE code is generally not required for this type of foreign assistance funding, and the notice provides guidance for organizations trying to remove those codes from a SAM registration if they are mid-process. Sub-grantees are expected to obtain UEIs as required under 2 CFR 200, though sub-grantee UEIs are not required at the time of application and will be needed later if an award is made. Limited exemptions from UEI/SAM requirements may be granted in special cases, such as protection of an applicant’s identity due to safety concerns or exigent circumstances, but these require advance coordination and approval.

Applications for proposals to be considered for funding in 2024 were due by October 13, 2023 at 16:30 GMT, and late submissions are not accepted. Applications must be submitted by email to conakryssh@state.gov. The Embassy makes the required forms available through that email address, the Embassy website page for the Special Self-Help Fund, and grants.gov. Application packages must be prepared in English, budgets must be in U.S. dollars, pages must be numbered, and documents must be formatted for 8.5 x 11 paper. Word documents are required to be single-spaced in 12-point Calibri with at least 1-inch margins, and proposals that do not follow instructions can be deemed ineligible.

The application itself is structured and document-heavy, but designed so reviewers can quickly understand exactly what will be done, how it will be done, and what results will be achieved. Required items include federal forms (SF-424 for organizations, SF-424A for budget, and SF-424B assurances in specific cases such as individuals or organizations not registered in SAM.gov). Applicants must include a summary cover sheet with basic identifying information, project title, proposed start and end dates, and a short purpose statement. The narrative proposal is capped at 10 pages and should cover: a concise program summary; an introduction to the organization (including its track record and any prior U.S. Embassy/U.S. government funding); a clear problem statement; measurable goals and objectives; detailed activities; methods/design (with a logic model if appropriate); a schedule and timeline with dates and locations; key personnel roles and time commitments; partners and sub-awardees; a monitoring and evaluation plan with indicators and milestones; and a sustainability plan describing how benefits will last beyond the grant period or what resources will sustain the results. Budget documentation is also emphasized: the line-item budget must fit within one page, applicants should provide a separate budget justification narrative explaining each cost, and the Embassy requests pro-forma invoices for major purchases like equipment, materials, or construction supplies. Attachments include one-page CVs for key personnel, letters of support from partners clarifying roles, NICRA documentation if indirect costs are charged under a negotiated rate, and any official permission letters required for implementation.

Proposals are scored using a points-based review system that rewards practicality, credibility, and measurable impact. The strongest weighting is given to the quality and feasibility of the idea (20 points) and the organization’s capacity and performance record, including internal controls and ability to manage federal funds (20 points). Additional points come from strong planning and likelihood of achieving objectives (15 points), a clear monitoring and evaluation plan with output and outcome indicators (15 points), and a well-justified, reasonable, realistic budget (10 points). Sustainability after the grant ends is also scored (10 points), as is the proposal’s commitment to equity and engagement of underserved communities in program design, administration, and implementation (10 points). Overall, competitive proposals will typically be those that are tightly scoped, fast to execute, built around strong community contributions, clearly compliant with restrictions (especially 7008 limitations), and backed by solid budgeting and a credible plan to measure results.

• The U.S. Mission to Guinea in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled ": U.S. Embassy Conakry, Ambassador Special Self-Help Program Annual Program Statement" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.220.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-05-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-10-13. (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 $10,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for DOS CONAK FY23 00 01

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