Civic Participation Program

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The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission to the West Bank and Gaza is seeking applications from qualified U.S. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), U.S. Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs) registered with USAID, Public International Organizations (PIOs), or U.S. for profit firms (provided they forgo profit) to implement a program entitled “Civic Participation Program” in the West Bank and Gaza. The authority for the RFA is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. Subject to the availability of funds, USAID/West Bank and Gaza intends to provide approximately $18 Million in total USAID funding for this activity to be allocated over a three- year period. USAID reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted. Although it is planned to make an award of one Cooperative Agreement under this RFA, USAID/West Bank and Gaza in its discretion may make awards to more than one organization or no award. The purpose of the Civic Participation Program is to reinvigorate civic participation in the Palestinian Authority (PA) decision-making process, in the monitoring and oversight of government institutions, and in the broader public sector discourse in order to ensure a more vibrant and robust democratic dialogue between the government and the citizens of the future Palestinian state.  The three major program objectives are: 1) Increased institutional capacity of targeted civil society organizations, 2) Increased public awareness of how to participate in public sector decision making with targeted PA institutions and local governmental entities 3) New strategic partnerships among government institutions, citizens, civil society actors, and other stakeholders. This activity will support the USAID/West Bank and Gaza Mission’s Assistance Objective 11: “To reinforce Palestinian efforts to strengthen the performance and democratic practices of selected public sector institutions and non-state actors” as outlined in the Mission’s Democracy and Governance Strategy. It will be managed by the USAID/WBG’s Democracy and Governance Office (DGO).  The four program components are as follows: 1. Civic participation and CSO capacity building 2. Coalition building 3. Windows of Opportunity 4. A robust monitoring and evaluation

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