Request for Concept Note - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) at the Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE)

The Nigeria Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) project is a five-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Palladium through a cooperative agreement with USAID. The goal of the project is to improve public accountability, transparency, and sustainable service delivery in Nigeria. The strategic objective is to strengthen the financial, management, and advocacy capacity of local civil society organizations (CSOs) and business membership organizations (BMOs) in Nigeria to create a more accountable, transparent, peaceful, and democratic Nigeria with more effective and efficient public service delivery. The Project emphasizes leadership and innovation and explicitly aims to engage marginalized populations, including women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other minorities in the process.

Applications are invited for:

Title: Request for Concept Note - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

NOFO Reference No: 217787008

Preamble
The SCALE project has five main components:

• Improve Organizational Capacity; Managerial, Financial, and Institutional Strengthening for Sustainability of targeted CSO/BMO coalitions for a more effective and efficient public service delivery.
• Enhance Capacity for Improved CSOs/BMOs Advocacy, Collaboration, and Management
• Improve the Policy and Regulatory Enabling Environment for Civil Society
• Countering Trafficking in Persons (CTIP)
• Sector (Sexual and Gender-Based Violence; Child and Early Forced Marriage) Strengthening and Advocacy

This NOFO is regarding components Four and Five - Countering Trafficking in Persons (CTIP), and Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) and Child, Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) Sector Strengthening and Advocacy.

Geographic Focus
The Target States under this NOFO have been drawn based on available evidence on current prevalence, ongoing response, and potential for greatest impact. They include:

• Countering Trafficking in Persons: Delta, Sokoto, Enugu states
• Sexual and Gender-based Violence: Ebonyi, Lagos and Benue states
• Child, Early and Forced Marriage: Jigawa and Cross River states

Purpose
Human Trafficking, SGBV and CEFM are critical human rights issues in Nigeria and are an important focus area for the SCALE project. Delivering effective services to reduce prevalence, violation, and protect the rights and dignity of survivors and vulnerable populations is crucial in countering TIP, SGBV and CEFM. This NOFO is requesting concept notes from CSOs to support the attainment of these objectives and interventions for SCALE.

Interested applicants should submit a concept note focusing on one of the three sections (Section A, Section Bor Section C) indicated below stating clearly how it will address identified and key expected results/outcomes from proposed interventions:

Section A: Countering Trafficking in Persons (CTIP):

• Concept notes under this section should focus on evidence-based, creative, and sustainable approaches to countering trafficking in persons across communities in Nigeria. Applicants should consider the following approaches: Provision of direct trauma-informed support to survivors of trafficking
• Awareness-raising activities on the dangers of TIP and other preventive strategies
• Community outreach aimed at changing attitudes, behaviours, social and cultural norms that accentuate TIP in local communities in Nigeria.
• Development of preventive communication messages.
• TIP victims and potential victims' identification and referral campaigns.
• Innovative research contributing to the evidence base of emerging forms.
• Establish community action groups towards building strong networks and community resilience that tackle identified drivers of TIP.
• Engage government and citizens on relevant policy reforms that promote effective and efficient service delivery

Section B: Sexual & Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) - Concept notes under this section should focus on evidence-based, creative, and sustainable approaches for curbing SGBV across communities in Nigeria.  Applicants should consider the following approaches:

• Identification, referrals, and linkages to Sexual Assault & Referral Centres (SARCS) for service uptake of SGBV survivors and individuals at risk of violence.
• Combined economic and social empowerment interventions for women.
• School-based interventions to prevent dating, sexual or peer violence among adolescents.
• Couples' interventions focused on transforming gender relations within the couple and reducing alcohol or substance abuse.
• Provision of case management and direct trauma-informed support to survivors of SGBV.
• Awareness-raising amongst adolescent girls and survivors on associated risks, access to GBV services, survivors' rights, safe spaces, existing community support linkages.
• Community outreach, including for men and boys,
• Development of preventive communication
• Innovative research contributing to the evidence base of prevalence,
• Establish community action groups towards building strong networks and emerging forms community resilience. Engage government and citizens on relevant policy reforms that promote effective and efficient service deliver.

Section C: Child, Early & Forced Marriage (CEFM) - Concept notes under this section should focus on evidence-based, creative, and sustainable approaches for curbing Child Early & Forced Marriage (CEFM) across communities in Nigeria. Applicants should consider the following approaches:

• Empowering girls with information, skills, and support networks
• Mobilize communities, families, and young people to change attitudes, behaviors, social and cultural norms related to CEFM in local communities in Nigeria.
• Innovative research contributing to the evidence base of prevalence and what works to combat CEFM across communities in Nigeria.
• Establish social locally led movements towards building strong networks and community resilience that tackle identified drivers of CEFM and support girls' rights
• Provide services for girls at risk of early marriage and married girls.
• Engage government and citizens on relevant policy reforms that promote effective and efficient service delivery.

Minimum Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for this sub-award, applicants must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:

• Must be a Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) including, Local Community Based Organizations (CBOS), Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) and Private for-Profit Organizations. Organizations new to USAID funding are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Must operate as an independent non-politically affiliated organization.
• Must be a registered legal entity in Nigeria, as applicable, at least one year prior to the submission.
• Must not be debarred, suspended, excluded or otherwise ineligible to receive US Federal funding.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

Collection of Documents
For the full NOFO, interested and eligible organizations should Click Here to download or send a request to: NGSCALE.Grants@thepalladiumgroup.com

Bidders Conference
The project will hold virtual pre-application conferences on March 29, 2022. This conference will afford applicants the chance to ask questions about the funding opportunity.

Interested parties that would like to attend this workshop must confirm their attendance by sending the participant's name and the organization's name to: NGSCALE.Grants@thepalladiumgroup.com