Kurdistan Region, Iraq Anchor Partner

Information session, 1 June 2021

Agenda

1

2

3

4

Introduction of Youth Excel team

Overview of Youth Excel and ICONs activity

Overview of Anchor Partner RFA

5

Questions and Answers

Next steps

Youth Excel Overview

Time Frame: 2020-2025

A New Partnership Initiative (NPI) activity

Support YLOs/YSOs to strengthen their capacity to conduct research on their programs-increase their effectiveness

End result: Better services and support for young people

Session goals

• Understand Youth Excel and the ICON activity

• Understanding the ICON Anchor Partner Request for Applications

• Questions and answers

Where in the world is Youth Excel?

Youth Excel Goals and Outcomes

Goals

Outcome 2:

Intergenerational

dialogue,

collaboration and

engagement.

Local youth-led and youth-serving organizations will

advance local, national, and global development agendas

Local youth-led and youth-serving organizations will

improve and sustain positive outcomes for youth

Outcome 3:

Knowledge products,

knowledge synthesis,

and youth-led

advocacy.

Outcome 1:Implementation

research (‘research-to-

change’) for stronger

positive youth

development (PYD)

programs.

Issue-Based Collaborative Network (ICON)

Issue-Based Collaborative Network Approach - a flagship concept.

Each network, in a specific place, will convene diverse participants to

tackle a shared problem using ‘research-to-change’ and addressing policy and programs.

Who are ICON participants? Young leaders and youth-serving organizations with youth

development programs

“Adult” decision-makers in private and public sectors, NGOs/CSOs, and/or higher education institutions/TVETs.

ICONs – Step by Step

Step 0 – Select theme and place

• Completed!

Step 1 - Preparation

• Select partners and participants

• Protection Assessment and Gender Assessment

Step 2 – ICON Implementation

• Workshops (6 workshops over 9 months): Build trust and build a team; share expertise; build skills in research-to-change and data; identify solutions; collaborate, share and learn together.

• Work apart: receive micro-grants; implement research-to-change activities to test solutions

Step 3 – Next Steps

• Create summary knowledge products

• Data Summit, knowledge mobilization, and partner engagement

Kurdistan Place and Theme Selection

• Consultative process with youth, leaders/gov't officials, and academics.

• Narrowed down to 3 themes.

• Integrated the 3 themes into one final theme in consultation with USAID.

Theme: Youth livelihoods inclusionUnderstanding rural, gender, and political exclusion as 3 interconnected root causes to

address the status quo and foster improved livelihoods inclusion.

Communities: Koya, Erbil Governorate, and Qalat Dizah,

Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

ICON Roles

Anchor Partner

• Iraqi youth-led or youth-serving organization

• Co-facilitate the ICON activity

• Manage logistics

• Disburse microgrants

Technical Lead

• Youth Excel consortium partner

• Co-facilitate the ICON activity

• Provide technical leadership and advising

ICON Participants

• Local youth-led or youth-serving organizations and groups

• Local youth leaders

• Collaborate to use research to identify solutions

What is the role of the Anchor Partner

• Co-lead the ICON: work with the Youth Excel Technical Lead (Search for Common Ground) to plan and facilitate ICON workshops and provide ongoing mentorship to ICON participants; support youth participants to design/product knowledge products.

• Manage logistics of the ICON and related activities: these will include in-person activities and periodic virtual check-ins.

• Disburse grants to ICON participants: Issue micro-grants (under $1,000) and (if approved) small grants (under $5,000) to formal and informal youth-led and youth-serving organizations and groups to support their participation in ICON activities.

• Support monitoring and evaluation and communications: Collect data and prepare reports as required. Support internal communications as requested by the Technical Lead.

• Build partnerships: Foster engagement of other relevant stakeholders and decision-makers with the ICON.

How much is available?

• Number: 1-2 grant awards. Subject to the availability of funds, Youth Excel/IREX reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted.

• Type: cost reimbursement subaward. Payments based on the negotiated budget will be made upon submission of monthly program and finance reports demonstrating satisfactory progress. ADS Reference 303mat Mandatory Standard Provisions for Fixed Amount Awards to Nongovernmental Organizations apply.

• Amount: USD $ 110,000 – $ 130,000 per location. Applicants can propose the amount required for project implementation within this range. Cost share is not required.

• Subgrants: Issue small and micro-grants to ICON YLOs/YSOs participants within the allocated funding

• Start: July 2021

• Length: 9 months

Who is eligible to apply?

• Local youth-led and youth-serving organizations who meet the following minimum criteria, share Youth Excel objectives, and have experience with youth and/or livelihoods inclusion in Kurdistan (Koya and Qalat Dizah) are eligible to apply.

• Organizations led by or serving marginalized groups, which may include age, gender, disability, and other identities, are encouraged to apply.

Click to add textClick to add text

Eligible Not Eligible

• Local Organizations Legally Registered in the KRI • Individuals or Groups

• Unregistered organizations

• International Organizations

• Non-governmental • Government Institutions or Political Parties

• Youth-led and/or youth-serving organizations

• Has experience implementing youth-centeredlivelihoods programs in the KRI

• Eligible to receive USAID funding:

• Has or willing to register for DUNS Number

• Able to sign ADS 303mav Certifications, Assurances,

Representations, and Other Statements of the

Recipient

• Appears on Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign

Assets Control list

• Has active exclusions in the System for Award

Management

• Appears on United Nations Security Designation list

• Appears on U.S. Government suspended or

debarred list

• Has received Youth Excel funding or has conflict

of interest

USAID Mission Vetting

• Required for subawardee organization receiving over $25,000 and its key individuals

• Conducted following the selection process and prior to signing the subaward

• USAID Partner Information Form 500-13 will be provided for review and questions

Request for Applications Key Dates

• Release of Call: 20 May 2021

• Information Session: 1 June 2021

• Questions: submit to excelyouth@irex.org by 2 June, answers

posted online by 4 June

• Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Iraq time, 13 June 2021

How will you apply?

• Complete responses in Annex 1.

• Fill out budget template in Attachment 1.

• Submit applications, including responses, letters of support, and budget, online by 13 June 2021 at 11:59 pm Iraq Time.

• At: https://www.jotform.com/form/211315481088150

• At: https://www.jotform.com/build/211315655465152

How will applicants be selected?

• Youth Excel will conduct a basic eligibility screening and disqualify applications that are not eligible for consideration.

• Any false information given will lead to automatic disqualification

• Then the Youth Excel review panel, including Youth Excel representatives and youth consultative group members, will evaluate eligible applications based on the proposed selection criteria.

• For shortlisted applications, Youth Excel will review the proposed budget for cost allowability, effectiveness and conduct a full risk assessment.

Selection Criteria

• Technical capacity: expertise in youth work readiness; effective facilitation approach; experience bringing multi-stakeholder groups together. (40 Points)

• Financial capacity: track record of managing donor-funded projects of similar size and scope; financial and administrative system, policies, and personnel, including capacity to disburse funds to participants and partners. (30 Points)

• Partnership and collaboration: established presence in target communities; existing relationships with local partners, county officials, and other stakeholders; successful approach for community engagement in local context. (20 Points)

• Commitment to inclusive positive youth development outcomes and learning: inclusion of youth, including marginalized groups; adaptive management style for responsiveness to youth needs and priorities based on data and learning. (10 Points)

Tips

• Tailor your responses: highlight your approaches and experiences as they relate to the anchor partner role to show that your organization can successfully co-manage the ICON!

• Past performance: be descriptive about your accomplishments and give "evidence" of your capacity

• Budget: feel free to add or adjust line items so that the project will be feasible

Questions?

Hafez NeenoYouth Excel

Regional Lead, IREX/Jordanhneeno@irex.org

Kayla CaldwellYouth Excel

Subgrants Officer, IREX/DCkcaldwell@irex.org