Ambassador’s Special Self-Help (SSH) Program – PEPFAR Small Grants Fund | 003 2020

Opportunity Information: Apply for 003 2020

The Ambassador's Special Self-Help (SSH) Program - PEPFAR Small Grants Fund is a U.S. Embassy Harare grant opportunity under the U.S. Department of State that supports small, practical, community-led development projects across all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe. The program is designed for short-term projects that can be completed within 12 months and that show clear, direct benefits at the village or community level. While SSH has a broader history as a grassroots initiative that began in 1964 and expanded across Africa, the Zimbabwe SSH program has operated since 1980 and now runs several distinct funding streams. This specific call is for the PEPFAR Small Grants Fund stream, meaning proposals should be aligned with improving the care, support, and economic conditions of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and people directly affected by HIV/AIDS, including households caring for children orphaned due to HIV/AIDS.

The core focus for the PEPFAR Small Grants Fund is income-generating and livelihood-strengthening activities that help stabilize families and communities impacted by HIV/AIDS. Competitive applications are expected to show strong community involvement and measurable improvements in economic or social well-being, rather than large infrastructure or long-term technical assistance programs. Examples of activities the fund has supported in the past include agricultural training, nutrition or community gardens, grinding mills, artisan and small production initiatives, sewing and tailoring projects that create livelihoods for PLWHA, distribution systems for nutritional supplements, and community-level HIV/AIDS prevention and information efforts. Projects are expected to be realistic, tightly scoped, and designed so that the local community is actively contributing and helping drive implementation, not simply receiving a one-time donation.

Funding is relatively small but targeted: individual awards are expected to range from USD 5,000 to USD 10,000, with an anticipated total funding pool of about USD 60,000 and an estimated six awards (the final number depends on award sizes and the final funding level available). The performance period is 12 months or less, and the funding instrument is a grant. The anticipated start window referenced in the notice is September 2021 (with the understanding that timing depends on when funds become available). Because the SSH program typically receives hundreds of applications and can only fund a limited number each year, proposals are reviewed competitively, and applicants are expected to follow formatting and submission rules closely.

Eligibility is limited to Zimbabwe-registered non-governmental, non-profit, and community-based organizations. The announcement notes that registered trusts, associations, schools, and churches can qualify, but individuals, businesses, and government entities are not eligible. A major requirement is that the application must include a significant community contribution, which can be in cash, labor, and/or materials, and the beneficiaries must be Zimbabwean citizens. Applicants are also expected to demonstrate sound management capacity, including financial and administrative controls that reduce the risk of fraud, waste, or abuse. In addition to local registration, organizations must meet U.S. government registration requirements, including having a unique entity identifier (a DUNS number through Dun and Bradstreet, as referenced in the notice) and maintaining an active registration in SAM.gov. Applicants are also expected to obtain an NCAGE/CAGE code as part of the registration process, and registration must be current at the time an award is made.

The application package is available through the U.S. Embassy Harare website and Grants.gov, and proposals must be submitted in English with budgets presented in U.S. dollars. The notice emphasizes strict formatting standards: numbered pages, standard letter-size formatting, and Word documents formatted single-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman with at least 1-inch margins. Required forms include the SF-424 and SF-424A, and the SF-424B is required for certain applicants as described in the announcement. The proposal narrative itself is capped at 10 pages and is expected to be detailed enough that a reviewer unfamiliar with the community or organization can clearly understand what will be done, why it matters, how success will be measured, and how the work will be completed within the 12-month period. Required narrative sections include a proposal summary, organizational background and past grant experience, a clear problem statement, measurable goals and objectives, specific activities, methods and design (a logic model where appropriate), a timeline with locations and dates, key personnel and level of effort, partners and sub-awardees, a monitoring and evaluation plan, and a sustainability or future funding plan describing how benefits will continue after the grant ends.

Applicants also need to provide a budget justification narrative that explains each cost in detail and aligns with the SF-424A budget. Supporting attachments are extensive and practical, reflecting an emphasis on readiness and accountability. These include short CVs for key personnel, letters of support from partners that clarify roles and responsibilities, any applicable negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) documentation if indirect costs are claimed, and official permission letters or MOUs from relevant local authorities (such as district administrators, community leadership, development committees, tribal authorities, or local councils). If land will be used, proof of land ownership is required. The application also calls for a copy of the organization registration certificate, completion of provided annex templates, and original pro-forma invoices or quotations for budgeted items, with three quotes required for each item, which signals that procurement transparency and reasonable pricing are important evaluation considerations.

The deadline in the notice is Friday, January 29, 2021 at 5:00 pm, and late applications are not considered for that cycle (they may be held for the next year). Submissions are primarily by email to selfhelpharare@state.gov, with Grants.gov as an alternative route, and a physical delivery option is provided for organizations unable to submit electronically. Although the notice mentions rolling review, it also makes clear that the grants team must receive the full application by the deadline for consideration in that year.

Finally, the opportunity includes a detailed list of funding restrictions specific to PEPFAR and U.S. foreign assistance rules. Funds cannot be used for religious or military activities or law enforcement-related work, surveillance equipment, or to create or supplement technical assistance programs, and they cannot duplicate other U.S. government programs. The grant cannot be used to benefit U.S. government employees or their families, support abortion-related facilities or services, purchase used equipment in most cases, or pay for luxury goods, gambling equipment, playground-type projects, or unsafe/toxic products. The notice also bars any support connected to illegal drug trafficking or designated terrorism-related entities and reiterates that awards are subject to broader Foreign Assistance Act restrictions. Overall, the call is aimed at community-rooted Zimbabwean organizations that can quickly implement modest, high-impact livelihood and support projects for people affected by HIV/AIDS, with strong local buy-in, clear documentation, and disciplined budgeting and reporting.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Zimbabwe in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ambassador’s Special Self-Help (SSH) Program – PEPFAR Small Grants Fund" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.029.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 30, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 29, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $10,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 003 2020

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