Jerusalem is one of the core issues underlying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and efforts to resolve it. President Trump’s December 2017 recognition of the city as Israel’s capital has sparked controversy given the city’s sensitive status, but the announcement noted that specific boundaries of Israel’s sovereignty in the city remain to be determined via negotiations between the two parties, leaving the city an unresolved final status issue. The city’s prominent role in the conflict derives in large measure from the fact that it plays host to a mixed population of Jews, Muslims and Christians with overlapping attachments to the city and to many of its religious sites, and competing national, religious and historical narratives. Recent proposals to revise Jerusalem’s municipal lines, and questions regarding the relationship between the city government and its Palestinian residents also contribute to ongoing tensions between the city’s inhabitants, and periodic outbursts of violence that serve to set back efforts toward a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Description

USIP seeks to foster thought innovation and deepen the impact of peacebuilding interventions centered on Jerusalem. Through this competition, USIP seeks proposals for projects with any of the following objectives:

  • Informing US and international efforts pertaining to the core issue of Jerusalem that can help bring about a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
  • Enabling practical steps that can preserve and advance the potential for successful diplomacy and can prevent violence in and around Jerusalem;
  • Bridging divides between Jerusalem communities.

Preference will be given to organizations with a proven track record of conducting projects in, or directly related to, Jerusalem.

How to Apply

This Request for Proposals involves a three-step application process:

Step One: Register in the USIP online Grants management system (FLUXX). This system is used by all applicants, reviewers, grantees, and USIP staff for each step of the application process and grant administration. To register for this competition, please complete the registration form. Be sure to select “Middle East and Africa” for the center to which you are applying. USIP will contact applicants directly to provide access to the concept note application form in the system. Please allow 3 business days for the registration to be approved. All applicants seeking consideration for this competition must register by April 16, 2018 at 5 pm U.S. Eastern Standard time.

Step Two: submit a mandatory concept note. Concept Notes should be submitted using the USIP online Grants Management System Fluxx. The concept note template in the Fluxx system will guide you through the process and help you formulate your proposal narrative in the following sections:

  1. How the proposed project will contribute to the themes discussed above in the priorities;
  2. The goals of the project and the activities that will be implemented;
  3. The qualifications of the organization and the project team;
  4. How the project will be monitored and evaluated
  5. The Theory of Change underpinning your project; and
  6. The estimated cost of the project. (Estimated figure only, a full budget is not necessary at this stage).

Step Three: After a review of the concept notes, a select number of applicants will be contacted and asked to submit a full proposal. The proposals will also be submitted through Fluxx. USIP Grants staff will be able to provide technical assistance throughout the process. Please contact meagrants@usip.org with any questions.

Eligibility and Guidance

  • Non-profit and academic institutions are eligible to apply for funding, provided they are duly registered organizations with demonstrated capacity to manage U.S. government funding. Private sector for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply. USIP does not make grants to individuals.
  • Support cannot be provided to government agencies or to employees thereof.
  • Support cannot be provided to non-governmental organizations for a formal evaluation of their own programming unless otherwise indicated. USIP will, however, consider applications that propose an NGO research or evaluation consortium for the purposes of conducting a comparative study.
  • Those currently working on USIP-funded projects or contracts may not be eligible to apply. Please contact USIP to verify eligibility if you are a current recipient of USIP funding and wish to apply for this Grant competition.
  • USIP does not provide funds for the creation of a new organization, the construction or maintenance of an office, direct social services, or micro-enterprise projects.
  • Grant funds are not available for degree-related work. Requests for dissertation research support should be directed to USIP’s Jennings Randolph Peace Scholarship Dissertation Program.
  • Applications that list as participants, consultants, or project personnel any members of USIP’s Board of Directors, staff or fellows will not be accepted, nor will applications that list USIP as a collaborator in the project’s activities.
  • Please review the Grant Application Process and Frequently Asked Questions “FAQ” sections of the website.

Proposal Guidance

Stronger project proposals will include or reflect:

  • A clearly articulated link to USIP’s conflict resolution and peacebuilding mandate.
  • A demonstrated organizational capacity and a proven track record in conducting projects in Jerusalem.
  • A demonstrated awareness of previous and current related work being implemented by other organizations, and an explanation of how the proposed project offers a unique contribution.
  • A well-developed Theory of Change, clearly defined objectives aligning with the problem to be addressed, and clearly-defined activities that relate to the objectives.
  • A demonstrated awareness of possible risks and security challenges, as well as strategies to mitigate them.
  • A monitoring and evaluation plan, with clearly defined output and outcome indicators that will test the Theory of Change and provide evidence on whether the project achieved its objectives.
  • A demonstrated ability to engage men and women equally in their programming as appropriate to the scope of the project.

Timeline

  1. Registration: All applicants must complete registration by April 16, 2018.
  2. Concept Notes: Concept notes may be submitted beginning immediately upon registration, and will be considered as they arrive. The deadline for submitting concept notes is April 30, 2018.
  3. Proposals: we will invite selected applicants to develop their concept note into a full application by May 27, 2018, and full applications will be due no later than June 29, 2018.

Final award notification is announced in September 2018. Please feel free to be in touch with specific questions or for additional information as you submit concept notes. Do not submit a full application unless you have been invited to do so. USIP will not review unsolicited applications. All submissions will receive a response. You may submit your questions to meagrants@usip.org.

Funding

Under this grant competition, USIP seeks to make a small number of grants in the range of $50,000 - $75,000, but welcomes proposals from $15,000 (minimum) to $100,000 (maximum). Final decisions regarding funding will be made by the United States Institute of Peace Board of Directors. If you have any questions, please email meagrants@usip.org.