100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund Grant Competition Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) General Information 1. Where can I find the full RFP? All open RFP information is available via the "Apply for a Grant" button at http://www.100kstrongamericas.org/educate. 2. How often do you anticipate the opening of another round of RFP for the year? The best manner in which to receive announcements about future rounds is to join the Innovation Network. It is a free enrollment and you can do this via the “Join the Innovation Network” button at http://www.100kstrongamericas.org/educate. 3. Is this grant just for institutions or also for students? The Innovation Fund grants are only for higher education institutions. Students are encouraged to visit www.exchanges.state.gov and www.educationusa.info for information about individual study abroad for both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens. If possible, we also recommend that you talk to the study abroad advisor at your school. 4. Will being selected in one competition make the institution ineligible for future grants? No. Institutions that have received an Innovation Fund grant may re-apply for future grants.
Innovation Network The process of registering for the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Network is a requirement prior to applying for/submitting a grant proposal in response to RFPs. Click here to join now. 5. Are there any fees in the registration process? If so, how much? There is no fee to register for the Innovation Network. 6. Is there deadline for registering our institution in the Innovation Network? Institutions applying in response to the RFP should join the Innovation Network prior to submitting an application. Institutions who elect not to apply or who are not eligible to apply in the current Competition may join the network at any time in order to receive the latest information about active and upcoming rounds of innovation competition. 7. We are a public higher education institution, but awards to our institution are issued to the university’s auxiliary corporation that serves as the administrative and fiscal agent. As such, we submit our proposals using the university’s auxiliary as the submitting institution. In completing the registration form, should we put down the University’s name, or the auxiliary/administrative agent?
Please use the name of your HEI, but make sure to note in the proposal that awards to the institution would be issued to the auxiliary corporation. 8. Once our institution registers as part of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Network, are we eligible to receive one of the grants being issued? Or is there something else we must consider in order to be eligible? Joining the Innovation Network is not a guarantee of winning a grant. In regards to eligibility, other factors, such as having an HEI partner or the institutional location, are relevant to an institution’s eligibility for any given RFP that may have restrictions. Please refer to the RFP for eligibility requirements. 9. Our HEI registered in 2013. Do we have to register all data again? No. It is only necessary for an applicant institution to register for the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Network once, although multiple individuals or divisions of an HEI may register separately if they so desire. 10. Do we have to be part of Partners of the Americas in order to participate? No. The only prerequisite to applying is to join the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Network, which is managed by Partners of the Americas.
Application 11. How many proposals can we submit? a. Can we partner with a prime applying university and submit one of our own as the prime applicant? b. Can we be the main point of contact for more than one proposal even though we are not the prime applicant? There is a limit of one submission per competition per prime applicant. An institution can be involved in proposed activities for multiple proposals within the same RFP, but can only be the prime applicant for one. 12. Does the program encourage collaborative, multi-institutional proposals or is the preference for single institution submission with only mention of collaborators and collaborative activities? a. Would you look favorably on a proposal that was developed and submitted by two or more HEIs in two different target countries? b. Would you look favorably on a proposal that was developed by two or more HEIs within one of the target countries rather than a single HEI? c. Can domestic HEIs apply jointly? Collaboration is encouraged if it meets program objectives. The prime applicant must be a single higher education institution and propose to work with at least one other HEI in the partner country(ies). Applications may involve multiple institutions in the same country, but one institution must be designated the prime applicant responsible and accountable for implementing the proposed program.
13. Should proposals be submitted by the university, that is one proposal per institution, or could the proposal be sent by the Schools? Applications may be sent by schools/faculties within universities and indicate the school as the applying entity. Due to limited available funding, however, it is unlikely that multiple awards will be given to the same HEI under a single RFP even if submitted from different schools. 14. We would like to apply for a grant to foster an exchange program between the students from U.S. and non-U.S. HEIs. Which institution should apply for this grant: the U.S. HEI or the nonU.S. HEI? Either institution may apply as the prime applicant. 15. Can the grant have a PI and a Co-PI? Are there parameters on who can serve as a PI? Proposals may have multiple key personnel involved; however, in describing their management approach, applicants must name the one person who will be ultimately responsible for implementation and reporting.
Eligibility/Requirements 16. Are bi-national centers (BNCs) eligible to apply? Bi-national Centers (BNCs) are eligible to apply if partnered with an HEI as the prime applicant and as the institution whose capacity is to administer study abroad programs to the United States. 17. We are a sustainable development nonprofit that hosts students and researchers from HEIS at our biological research stations. Are we eligible to apply? Organizations that host university students and/or researchers can apply for a grant as part of a program if proposed by an HEI as the prime applicant. 18. Are organizational members of international education networks eligible to apply in collaboration with a local university? If your organization is considered an HEI, you are eligible to apply for as long as you convincingly demonstrate partnerships with HEIs in your country of operation as part of the proposed activities and demonstrate how the proposed activities will increase exchange opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate level students. If you are not an HEI, you may work with an HEI in your country that applies as the prime applicant. 19. Our institution runs research-based study abroad programs throughout the world. We are an institution that is a U.S.-headquartered 501(c)3 accredited through a U.S. University, but are not a subsidiary or branch of the U.S. University. Are we still considered a "Higher Education Institution" under this grant opportunity? Institutions that facilitate study abroad opportunities as described in the RFP and that present convincing evidence of partnership with HEIs in both the sending and receiving countries may apply either as prime applicant or in partnership with an HEI that applies as a prime applicant. 20. Under the "eligibility" paragraph, what does “shorter-term degrees mean? certificate programs from the accredited university or only 2 year AAs?
Could it be
A diversity of programs may be proposed as long as they meet the criteria outlined in the RFP, which includes the requirement that the participating students receive some level of credit from their home institution. For example, an experience that provides only 2 or 3 credit hours would be eligible. As long as the HEI is legally registered within an eligible country, it can apply for the grant, no matter the length of the program under which the institution is applying. 21. Which countries are eligible? Can countries in other regions, e.g. Asia or Africa, apply? a. Can an institution outside the United States submit an application? RFPs are open to all higher educational institutions in the Western Hemisphere (i.e. Latin America, the Caribbean, and North America only). Note that some RFPs may have geographic (country) restrictions. 22. Do you have a list of "priority" countries, where the numbers are lowest, that you would like to see included in a proposal? There are no priority countries; however, some RFPs will have geographic (country) restrictions. In rounds that are open to all HEIs in the Western Hemisphere, we encourage diversity in country partnerships. For information on relative numbers of students studying in and from specific countries, please consult http://www.iie.org/research-and-publications/open-doors. 23. Is there any flexibility in the specified countries listed on the RFPs? Because of restrictions on the sources of funding for the RFPs, there is no flexibility beyond the eligible countries listed within each RFP. However, 100,000 Strong in the Americas is a hemisphere-wide initiative and we anticipate inclusion of most countries in the region through the various rounds of competition to come in the future.
Partnerships 24. Would proposals between Latin American and Caribbean countries be considered eligible? South-south exchanges between or within non-US countries are not eligible for support. Proposals must include a U.S. HEI, either as the prime applicant or partner institution. 25. Would mobility proposals between U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico be considered eligible? Puerto Rico is considered to be part of the U.S. As long as proposals highlight an exchange between the U.S. or Puerto Rico and one of the eligible non-U.S. countries in the Western Hemisphere according to the current, open RFP, then it is eligible. 26. Does the proposal need to specify the institution(s) in the country we will work with at the time of application or may it wait to do so until the time a grant is awarded? Submitted proposals must identify a/the higher education institution(s) with whom to partner for the proposed study abroad program. 27. Do we need a firm commitment from our partner institution with which we seek to create or build upon an existing partnership at the time we submit the grant? a. Does the university have to establish an agreement with foreign universities to participate?
It is not necessary for a formal agreement (i.e. MOU) to have been signed before submitting the proposal, but if the proposal describes an agreed-upon partnership or desire to form one, the submission should be strengthened by letter(s) of support or any documentation indicating that such a partnership is in development. 28. Can proposals be presented in association with organizations or universities dedicated to study abroad programs? a. Do we have to have a local university partner? We have partners that are non-profits, foundations and the like which will integrate well locally. b. Our existing program is built upon relations between another university in my country and partners in municipal governments and nongovernmental/civil society organizations in our partner country. We have some secondary relations with an HEI in our partner country, but that has not been the focus of our attention in developing the study abroad opportunities related to [thematic area]. To what extent is the inclusion of an HEI in the partner country required and/or looked upon more favorably in the evaluation process for proposals? c. Can we name as partners local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or multinational companies from the private sector? Proposals must identify a/the higher education institution(s) with whom to partner for the proposed study abroad program. Proposals may include partnerships with institutions that facilitate study abroad opportunities as described in the RFP. Remember that the prime applicant must be a single higher education institution (HEI) and should propose to work with at least one other HEI in the partner country(ies), in addition to civil society, associations, government agencies, non-profit organizations, or private sector companies. Proposals must present convincing evidence of the partnerships in both the sending and receiving countries. Applications may involve multiple institutions in the same country, but one institution must be designated the prime applicant responsible and accountable for implementing the proposed program. 29. Is there an advantage in "partnering" with specific HEIs in certain countries in crafting the innovations? Proposals will be reviewed on the merits of the proposed projects and activities in accordance with the criteria detailed in the RFP. In rounds that are open to all HEIs in the Western Hemisphere, we encourage diversity in country partnerships. 30. The institution that we would like to partner with is outside the United States. Can they submit their own proposal? If we work together, do we need a letter of support or commitment? Either institution may apply as the prime applicant per one proposal. Partnering institutions may not submit two proposals for the same project. If the proposal describes an agreed-upon partnership or desire to form one, the submission should be strengthened or letter(s) of support or any documentation indicating that such a partnership is on-going or in development. 31. Does a BNC need to have an established partnership with an in-country HEI in order to submit a proposal? a. Can a BNC submit a project proposal that involves the participation of various incountry HEI's, without necessarily having established an official partnership? Yes. If a BNC is competing as prime, it must compete in partnership with at least one other incountry HEI (in addition to a partner HEI(s) in the partner country(ies). These partner institutions
should be identified in the proposal. It is not necessary for a formal agreement (i.e. MOU) to have been signed before submitting the proposal, but if the proposal describes an agreed-upon partnership or desire to form one, the submission should be strengthened or letter(s) of support or any documentation indicating that such a partnership is in the development process.
Grant Period/Program Duration 32. Is it necessary for all funded activities to be completed by the grant period indicated in the RFP? a. In the case of an exchange, must the outbound and inbound exchanges both take place by the end of the grant period? b. Would you expect the actual student program to commence immediately after award of funds? It usually takes longer to design a program, obtain university approval, and recruit and process students. c. Is the project required to be fully executed by the grant dates or, if they are more long-term in nature, can this time period be used for planning and the beginning stages of implementation as well? d. Is the start period of the grant flexible? In order to accommodate the academic calendars, could we start with a later session (e.g. summer session instead of spring session)? e. One of the key activities that we hope to make a part of our proposed student exchange is takes place each year at a specific month. There will not be enough time to prepare by the time the grant period begins, but the next offering of the seminar course will not occur until next year, just after the specified performance period ends. Is there any flexibility in the performance dates? f. We are looking at putting forth a proposal that would result in a new short-term program that would not take place until after the grant period. However, most of the grant funds would be used beforehand to support the activities needed to build on existing partnerships, develop the program and recruit students. These activities would be complete by the end of the grant period, but on-site program costs would extend after the dates. Is there any flexibility? How exactly how the period of performance will be defined? g. Must all of the funds be used within the one-year timeframe? h. Can some of the funds be allocated to future study abroad scholarships after the period of the grant is over? Grant funds for winning proposals must be used and program activities, including exchanges, must take place within the agreed timeframe. Under special circumstances, however, implementation of the project may extend beyond the grant period. It is important to note that some RFPs may have strict conditions of funding and timing, and therefore, no flexibility will be shown in these cases. Applicant proposals must include a timeline of activities according to the timeframe of the grant, but may also add activities beyond the dates to demonstrate sustainability of the project. 33. What is the duration of the project? Clearly for a project of the magnitude, there should be multiple years for implementation and to establish lasting links between the partner institutions that can flourish after the termination of the formal program.
Though the Innovation Fund Grant funds projects for one year, proposed programs may continue beyond the timeframe of the grant. The grant aims to serve as a catalyst towards a more sustainable study abroad program that would promote student mobility in the Western Hemisphere. 34. Do the study abroad programs that we propose have a minimum/maximum length required? a. Are the projects only for a semester- year duration or can they be partial? b. Are short-programs eligible? Or does this initiative apply for semester exchange programs only? c. Can the program be a one-week embedded experience in a course, or does it have to be a semester length program or anything in between? d. Could this grant support, for example, development of a semester-long course at our university that involved a spring-break trip for students to our partner institution as an element of the course? There is not a specific program length requirement. As long as the experience results in some level of credit from the home institution and the proposed project meets the other criteria outlined in the RFP, the proposal will be considered.
Program Design 35. Does the grant fund new programs/projects only? Will you will consider or accept programs that are already developed and operating? Current and new programs are both eligible, as long as the proposal responds to the criteria in the RFP. 36. Can grant be used for both undergraduate and graduate students? a. Is priority given to undergraduates, graduates, or non-traditional students? How about medical students? b. Can foreign national/international students who are attending the HEI participate in grant activities? The proposal is open to building capacity to support undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate exchanges. Priority is not given to one group of students over the other and is open to all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, whether they are domestic or international students. 37. Can the grant be used for faculty exchanges? Teacher exchanges alone do not qualify. Proposals must focus on student mobility, though some support can be used for faculty. 38. We are prepared to offer significant support for outbound students, but may not be able to offer a reciprocal amount of support from inbound students. Will an unbalanced, but strongly supported proposal in one direction be competitive? It is not a requirement that proposed innovations involve reciprocal, balanced exchanges. 39. Can our proposal include just students from our country going abroad without a matching set of incoming students?
100,000 Strong in the Americas encourages two-way exchange of students, and the RFPs are designed to promote bi-directional study abroad. However, proposed programs do not have to be bi-directional. 40. Is it a condition that a student from my institution goes abroad at the same time we receive a student? No. 41. Is there a preferred "target" on the students who would engage in the program? We understand that undeserved/ underrepresented students are a priority. a. What number of students is considered reasonable? b. Must we focus say 60% of the resources for mobility to the U.S., and 40% to mobility to non-U.S. countries? There is no restriction, preference, or pre-determined number on where resources should be focused, which direction is priority, which groups to target, or how many should travel. Proposals will be judged by an objective panel on the basis of the criteria outlined in the RFP. However, proposals that address diversity in the profiles of students will be looked upon favorably. 42. Does the program have to be for credit? As specified, the program must involve some level of credit given to the student from his/her home institution. 43. Can a project be considered if it’s only community service? A diversity of programs may be proposed as long as they meet the criteria outlined in the RFP, which includes the requirement that the participating students receive some level of credit from their home institution. For example, an experience that provides only 2 or 3 credit hours would be eligible. 44. Could this grant support an on-line collaboration of a joint course at our university and at our partner university that included a component of short-term travel abroad by our students in the course to our partner institution and/or short-term travel here by students from our partner HEI? 100,000 Strong in the Americas ultimately strives to reach a level of 100,000 students studying abroad in each direction with a face-to-face component of the study experience. Integrated proposals that involve on-line collaboration can be proposed, as long as the proposed program includes an in-person international experience that results in some level of credit from the home institution. 45. Is a proposal in which the curriculum is 90% online mediated learning eligible? For the purposes of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas initiative, only study abroad that involves physical mobility of students is counted toward the goals. However, proposals that include programs of academic study with both a significant online component and cross-border study abroad component would be eligible. 46. In our U.S.-based Master's program focused on [area of study], graduate students carry out a required credit-earning capstone practicum in collaboration with diverse and burgeoning international development partners in Latin America and the Caribbean. Would this approach
be considered an eligible category of study abroad and/or an eligible variation to the traditional study abroad model, as defined by the RFP? Yes, as long as there are higher educational institutions identified and involved in each of the collaborating countries for which the applicant proposes activities. 47. Does the program have to be based at a university in the partner country(ies) using their courses, or can our university develop its own courses using the partner country(ies) as the field sites? The program should involve institutional partnerships between the U.S. and a non-U.S country. An institution-led program that develops programs in the partner country(ies) without at least one partner institution in that country would be viewed less favorably. 48. Would it be feasible for a BNC to apply to set up a program to offer volunteering opportunities for undergraduate U.S. students? a. Could BNCs apply to offer internships to U.S. undergraduate students? b. Could BNCs apply to set up a short-term cultural exchange program between students currently at local universities and U.S. students? Yes. Such activities could be part of a proposed program, as long as the applicant BNC meets all other program requirements, including but not limited to partnership with an in-country HEI and identification of at least one U.S. partner HEI. Additionally, the program design should result in some level of academic credit for participating students.
Budget & Cost Considerations 49. Does the budget have to take into consideration the total grant amount of USD $25,000? Proposals should propose and justify a budget for up to US $25,000, in addition to the cost-share amount. 50. Can we use the grant money for as many programs as we think possible or do we need to focus on developing one single program? There is no requirement that the funding be dedicated to only one program. 51. Are there any restrictions related to who or where grant funds are expended? a. Can the grant money be used toward the costs of faculty and/or student travel? b. Are there restrictions to use the grant funds only for students who are citizens of the applicant country? c. Can grant funds be used for travel expenses for a site visit to a potential partner institution to establish or to build upon an existing partnership? d. Can funding be used toward student scholarships, research grants, etc.? e. Can the grant money be used toward housing resources? f. Can the grant money be utilized for outreach/promotion or marketing materials? g. Can funds be used for conference participation to relay sharing of information and findings from grant activities?
h. Can funds be used for research expenses on the ground, including supplies, transportation, and other field expenses? i. Can part of the funds be allocated to equipment expenses? j. Can the funding utilized for the creation or purchase of software that would assist in data collection on incoming international and outgoing national students (such as a database system), and to assist in assessing outcomes? k. Can funds be used to defer student program fees or other student costs to a thirdparty non-profit partner? Can funds be used to subsidize non-student costs paid to a partner? Please refer to the RFP for any specific restrictions in the use of grant funds. In general, grant funds can be used toward any program-related activities. However, it is important to ensure that the budget remain reasonable, well-justified, and in accordance with activities that can be convincingly demonstrated to be related to the objectives of the proposed program. Diverse activities may be proposed as long as they are clearly described and reasonably budgeted as part of the proposed program to build the capacity of the partnering institutions, and encourage and promote mobility in either or both directions. While the Innovation Fund does not provide direct scholarships, applicant HEIs are encouraged to use portions of the grant to administer their own scholarships, travel grants, or partial funding mechanisms to students to encourage study abroad between the eligible countries. 52. Can funds be used to support faculty professional development to increase regional expertise or language fluency? a. Can funds be used to hire a faculty member to teach a foreign language or English as a Second Language? b. Can funds be used to bring instructors from a partner institution to prepare them to teach in English to HEI students studying abroad at the instructors’ institutions? Proposals should focus on creating sustainable study abroad programs within HEIs. 53. Should we compile program costs into one lump sum or show how they break out (ex. student costs are broken down into tuition, housing, books, etc.)? RFPs clearly state that the budget must provide a detailed breakdown of program costs and adhere to the format stipulated. It is recommended that you use the Budget Summary Template, naming activities and adding them as needed. 54. What should we use as the basis for an indirect cost rate? a. Can we use our standard rate? b. Can indirect costs be requested as part of the grant? c. Are there any limits on the indirect rate, and is this budget line the appropriate way in which to include these costs? RFPs do not prescribe a specific indirect rate and grant funds may be used toward indirect costs, however, given the size of the awards, institutions may consider proposing significant counterpart funding to compensate for the lower amount of available direct program funds for the proposed project. Generally, cost-effectiveness is considered during the review process.
55. How much of the proposed funds can be expended on administrative aspects of the program (e.g., salary for a program coordinator, or travel to arrange partnerships)? a. Is there a limit (e.g. 10% of total funds) that may be spent on things besides the students themselves? b. Can we use the grant to pay our professors? The RFPs do not prescribe a specific rate, but cost-effectiveness will be considered during the review process. Given the size of the awards, organizations with high overhead rates may consider proposing significant counterpart funding to compensate for the lower amount of available direct program funds for the proposed project. 56. Does the budget have to include cost share? Yes, budget must include cost-share, which may include cash or in-kind contributions. There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for the cost-share; however, applicants are strongly encouraged to provide cost sharing and additional funding on at least a 1:1 ratio in support of its proposed activities. In previous competitions, cost sharing by winning proposals averaged more than 1.5 to 1. HEIs that demonstrate cost sharing that would not happen without this grant money will be considered favorably, as an incentive to bring additional local resources to bear on increasing study abroad in the region 57. Can institutions use income paid by students to participate in the program as a cost sharing or matching resource? Fees/tuition paid by students to participate in the proposed program can be presented as costshare. Other examples of cost-share items include: student lodging, airfare, local transportation, meal plans, language workshops, books & materials, etc. 58. In the case the sub-grant is awarded to our institution, can we decide whether or not to allocate some of the grant money to expenses incurred with our partners? Or do the funds need to stay within our institution and be given directly to our own students or faculty? The funding authorized should be predominantly coordinated and spent by the applicant HEI. 59. Will there be provision for basic health insurance needs of students and faculty while under the program auspices? Applicant institutions may propose using some program resources for health insurance, unless those costs are directly related to the costs for exchanges and travel. 60. How will the grant be awarded? To the institution whose responsible officer is designated as the head and ultimate representative of the proposal or will it be divided according to the budgeted activities? All applications should be submitted by one primary institution. Applicant institutions that propose programs involving multiple institutions should describe the activities, roles, and budget related to those institutions. The prime applicant institution is responsible for the execution and reporting on the project, including management of the budget and partnership. 61. What is the maximum amount that a single HEI can ask for? Is it possible for a single institution to apply to the eight USD $25,000 grants—that is total USD $200,000—or is it limited to one grant of USD$ 25,000 per institution? a. If a HEI in Latin America and a HEI in the U.S. put a proposal together, can we ask for more than one USD 25,000 grant?
Each HEI may only apply once per competition. The maximum award to a winning institution/ partnership is $25,000, unless specified by the RFP. 62. After receiving notification, when are the grants disbursed? Grant funds are disbursed to winning institutions within the start of the grant period.
Institutional Capacity 63. On the application form, it asks for the “Level of Support for Study Abroad of Administrative Units/Faculty” on a scale of 1-10. Does this refer to financial support, administrative support, moral support, or all types combined? This refers to the applicant’s perception of institutional support for study abroad. The diagnostic questions presented in the Online Application Form are designed to collect general nonattributable information about applying institutions with regard to study abroad to and from the U.S.
Sustainability Plan 64. The Sustainability Plan section states, “Applicants must describe how their proposed program will continue after the grant period has expired.” Please expand on what needs to be the contents of this plan and what would the period for the sustainability plan. Each institution’s Sustainability Plan will be unique. This section of the proposal should demonstrate how each HEI plans to continue to collaborate and exchange students, faculty, curriculum, etc. after the grant ends. There is no set period for the sustainability plan, but longevity will be looked upon favorably.
Monitoring & Evaluation 65. What are the metrics to be used to measure success of the program? a. Is it number of students studying abroad? b. Are there any other metrics? The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) section of the RFP describes the basic requirements for measurement metrics. The applying HEI should propose reasonable and relevant metrics for the activities proposed, recognizing the overall objectives outlined in the RFP, the proposed objectives of the applying institution’s project, and the overall goals of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas initiative to increase study abroad between the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean. 66. Should the requested timeline be of all activities of the project or a timeline of monitoring and evaluation? This should be a timeline for program implementation (i.e. all activities), as presented in the Program Description section of the proposal. 67. Is it expected that applicants will use a third-party evaluator?
It is neither expected nor discouraged.
Supporting Documents for Annex 68. Are institutional letters indicating leveraged support required? a. From the U.S. HEI? b. From partnering HEI(s)? c. Or partner organization(s), companies, etc.? Proposals must also include at least one letter of support; either from the applying institution, its international studies office, the partner institution(s) and/or other institutions joining or supporting the applicant on the proposed program. No formal agreement is required between partnering institutions, but the intent to collaborate must be demonstrated. Please consult the RFP for a description of the supporting documents. 69. Would you accept a proposal that identified (and provided CVs for) two co-principal investigators rather than a single individual as long as one was clearly identified as responsible for reporting? a. Can we upload the résumés of both PI and Co-PI for this competition? b. Should these résumés be a certain format? You may identify more than one PI for the proposed program. You may upload as many résumés in any format, but they should adhere to the page limits described in the RFP for the proposal and annexes. 70. Are the budget and budget narrative part of the 10-page proposal? The cost proposal, which includes the budget and narrative, is part of the proposal and therefore, is counted toward the 10-page limit. 71. Do the supporting documents count toward the 10-page proposal limit? The Annex does not count as part of the actual proposal narrative. It is counted separately and you may upload up to 10 additional pages under the Annex. 72. Our university is a public/state institution and requires the approval of another body or council to pursue opportunities such as this. Do you need copies of the official approval or other legal documents? No, we do not require any legal/official documents or proof of internal approvals. A letter of support is sufficient and should already reflect the level of support from the institution.
Evaluation/Selection Process 73. Do you have a scoring rubric that will be used by evaluators that you can share beyond what is listed in Section VI: Evaluation Criteria of the RFP? The scoring rubric mirrors the evaluation criteria presented in the RFP. 74. Are there any particular innovations that 100,000 Strong in the Americas is looking for? a. Could you provide the areas of interest that your organization is most interested in funding?
Please refer to relevant RFP for the eligible areas of the competition. 75. Will there be a shortlist of winners? a. If so, will you be asking for a revised final proposal and/or budget? Please refer to the relevant RFP for the number of proposals that will be chosen for funding and that amount of grant funds that each will receive. Finalists may be asked to clarify aspects of their proposals, similar to a best-and-final-offer phase. 76. Will there be an interview process during evaluation? No, there will be no interview as part of the evaluation process. 77. May we see examples of winning proposals? This is our first time applying. No, we do not and will not share winning proposals. However, we do offer to provide feedback to those whose proposals are not selected.