Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0003682
The "2018 Afghanistan and Pakistan" grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0003682) is a U.S. Department of State program administered by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). It is a discretionary funding opportunity offered through a cooperative agreement, meaning applicants should expect a more hands-on partnership style of oversight and coordination with the U.S. government compared to a standard grant. The overall purpose is to support NGO-led programs that benefit refugees and other vulnerable populations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with PRM prioritizing efforts that align with its core mandate of protection, humanitarian assistance, and durable or sustainable solutions for people displaced by conflict.
A central eligibility and program-design requirement is that PRM will only consider projects where at least 50 percent of the intended beneficiaries are refugees or returnees. In practice, this means proposals need to clearly define who qualifies as a beneficiary, show how the program will identify and reach refugees/returnees, and provide a credible plan (often supported by local registration data, community mapping, or partner referrals) to ensure the refugee/returnee share meets or exceeds the 50 percent threshold. Projects that primarily serve host communities without meeting that threshold would not fit PRM's stated requirement for this opportunity.
Programmatically, PRM sets different activity priorities for each country. For Afghanistan, proposals must focus on one or more of the following areas: protection activities; gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response; education; livelihoods; and/or mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). This is a fairly broad menu, but the wording signals that Afghanistan proposals should stay within these specific sectors rather than proposing unrelated humanitarian services. For Pakistan, the scope is slightly narrower: proposals should address protection, GBV, livelihoods, and/or education. In other words, MHPSS is explicitly listed for Afghanistan but not for Pakistan in the opportunity description, so applicants targeting Pakistan would be expected to anchor their work in the four named sectors.
The opportunity was created on January 9, 2018, with an original closing date of February 9, 2018, indicating a one-month submission window typical of many PRM competitive announcements. The award ceiling is listed as $1,000,000, which suggests PRM anticipated funding projects up to that maximum amount per award under this solicitation. The listing shows "Expected Awards: 0," which can appear in federal postings for administrative or forecasting reasons and does not necessarily mean no awards would be made; it often indicates that the exact number of awards was not pre-set in the posting. The CFDA number associated with this opportunity is 19.519, which corresponds to refugee-related assistance programming managed by PRM.
Eligibility is summarized as "Others" with additional clarifications referenced in the full announcement, but the description makes clear the intended applicants are NGOs. Given PRM's standard approach, this typically points toward experienced humanitarian or protection-focused organizations capable of operating in complex environments and managing compliance, monitoring, and reporting requirements under a cooperative agreement. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as targeted support for refugee/returnee-centered protection and resilience programming in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with a strong emphasis on protection outcomes, GBV risk reduction and survivor support, and practical services such as education and livelihoods that contribute to safety and longer-term self-reliance.Apply for SFOP0003682
- The Department of State, Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2018 Afghanistan and Pakistan" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.519.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 09, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 09, 2018. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: 2018 Afghanistan and Pakistan (SFOP0003682)
What is the "2018 Afghanistan and Pakistan" funding opportunity?
It is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity administered by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). The opportunity supports NGO-led programs that benefit refugees and other vulnerable populations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with an emphasis on protection, humanitarian assistance, and durable or sustainable solutions for people displaced by conflict.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SFOP0003682.
Which U.S. government bureau is responsible for administering this program?
The program is administered by the Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).
What type of funding instrument is being offered?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity offered through a cooperative agreement.
How is a cooperative agreement different from a standard grant in this opportunity?
A cooperative agreement generally involves a more hands-on partnership style of oversight and coordination with the U.S. government than a standard grant. Applicants should expect closer engagement with PRM on implementation and coordination.
What is the overall purpose of the opportunity?
The overall purpose is to support NGO-led programs that benefit refugees and other vulnerable populations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, prioritizing efforts aligned with PRM's core mandate: protection, humanitarian assistance, and durable or sustainable solutions for conflict-displaced populations.
Is there a minimum percentage of beneficiaries who must be refugees or returnees?
Yes. PRM will only consider projects where at least 50 percent of the intended beneficiaries are refugees or returnees.
What does the 50 percent refugee/returnee requirement mean for proposal design?
Proposals need to clearly define who qualifies as a beneficiary, explain how the program will identify and reach refugees/returnees, and present a credible plan to ensure the refugee/returnee share meets or exceeds the 50 percent threshold.
How should an applicant demonstrate that at least 50 percent of beneficiaries are refugees or returnees?
The opportunity description indicates applicants should include a credible plan, often supported by local registration data, community mapping, or partner referrals, showing how the project will reach refugees/returnees at or above the 50 percent requirement.
Can a project that primarily serves host communities be funded under this opportunity?
Not if it does not meet the stated requirement. Projects that primarily serve host communities without ensuring at least 50 percent of beneficiaries are refugees or returnees would not fit PRM's requirement for this opportunity.
Which countries are covered by this funding opportunity?
The opportunity covers Afghanistan and Pakistan.
What sectors or activity areas are eligible for proposals in Afghanistan?
For Afghanistan, proposals must focus on one or more of the following areas: protection activities; gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response; education; livelihoods; and/or mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS).
What sectors or activity areas are eligible for proposals in Pakistan?
For Pakistan, proposals should address protection, GBV, livelihoods, and/or education.
Is mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) an eligible sector for Pakistan under this announcement?
MHPSS is explicitly listed for Afghanistan but not for Pakistan in the opportunity description. Applicants targeting Pakistan would be expected to anchor their work in the four named sectors: protection, GBV, livelihoods, and/or education.
Does PRM require Afghanistan proposals to stay within specific sectors?
Yes. The wording indicates Afghanistan proposals should stay within the listed sectors (protection, GBV, education, livelihoods, and/or MHPSS) rather than proposing unrelated humanitarian services.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) under this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $1,000,000, suggesting PRM anticipated funding projects up to that maximum amount per award under this solicitation.
When was this opportunity created, and what were the submission dates?
The opportunity was created on January 9, 2018, and had an original closing date of February 9, 2018.
How long was the submission window?
Based on the listed dates (January 9, 2018 to February 9, 2018), the submission window was approximately one month.
The listing shows "Expected Awards: 0." Does that mean no awards were planned?
Not necessarily. Federal postings sometimes show "Expected Awards: 0" for administrative or forecasting reasons. It often indicates the exact number of awards was not pre-set in the posting rather than signaling that no awards would be made.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity, and what does it relate to?
The CFDA number is 19.519, which corresponds to refugee-related assistance programming managed by PRM.
Who is eligible to apply based on the information provided?
Eligibility is summarized as "Others" with additional clarifications referenced in the full announcement, but the description makes clear the intended applicants are NGOs.
What kind of organizations does PRM appear to be targeting for this cooperative agreement?
Based on the description and PRM's standard approach, this opportunity typically points toward experienced humanitarian or protection-focused NGOs capable of operating in complex environments and managing compliance, monitoring, and reporting requirements under a cooperative agreement.
What outcomes or themes does PRM emphasize for this opportunity?
The opportunity emphasizes refugee/returnee-centered protection and resilience programming, with strong attention to protection outcomes, GBV risk reduction and survivor support, and practical services such as education and livelihoods that contribute to safety and longer-term self-reliance.
Does this opportunity prioritize durable or sustainable solutions for displaced populations?
Yes. The description states PRM prioritizes efforts aligned with its mandate, including durable or sustainable solutions for people displaced by conflict.
What should applicants keep in mind about beneficiary definitions and targeting?
Applicants should clearly define who qualifies as a beneficiary, specify how refugees/returnees will be identified and reached, and provide a credible approach (for example using registration data, mapping, or referrals) to maintain the required refugee/returnee share of at least 50 percent.
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