Opportunity Information: Apply for 72051419RFIXXXX
USAID/Colombia issued this notice as a Request for Information (RFI) for an anticipated initiative called the "Local Capacity Building Activity: Strengthening Together Activity." In practical terms, this is not a finalized grant solicitation yet. It is an early-stage market research and design step where USAID is asking for input, ideas, and feedback to help shape what the future activity should look like, how it should be structured, and what approaches might work best in Colombia. The opportunity is associated with funding opportunity number 72051419RFIXXXX and was posted June 1, 2020, with a response deadline of July 1, 2020.
The central purpose of the anticipated activity is to strengthen USAID/Colombia's existing local partners, meaning Colombian organizations that are already implementing or have implemented USAID-funded work. The activity is framed around four core objectives. First, it aims for current local partners to increase their organizational capacity so they can perform better and deliver stronger results. This typically implies support in areas like governance and leadership, strategic planning, financial management, compliance systems, human resources, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, risk management, and the internal processes needed to run programs effectively and accountably.
Second, the activity is designed to help these local partners internalize a Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approach. CLA is a USAID management philosophy and set of practices focused on building strong partnerships, using evidence and learning to improve decision-making, and adapting programs based on what is working and what is not. In an activity like this, CLA usually translates into practical routines and tools such as learning agendas, pause-and-reflect sessions, adaptive management processes, improved data use, knowledge sharing, and stronger coordination among stakeholders so organizations can continuously improve rather than operate on a fixed, rigid plan.
Third, USAID is emphasizing improved messaging and outreach by current local partners. This objective points to building partners' ability to communicate their mission, results, and value to different audiences, which can include communities, local authorities, national institutions, donors, the private sector, and the broader public. Messaging and outreach support often involves communications strategy, branding and storytelling, media engagement, stakeholder mapping, digital communications, and product development (briefs, success stories, presentations) so partners can better explain impact, mobilize support, and strengthen legitimacy and trust.
Fourth, the activity seeks to ensure Colombian organizations can effectively provide valued capacity-building services. This goes beyond helping one organization at a time and points toward strengthening a local ecosystem of capacity development. The idea is to increase the availability and quality of Colombian-led providers (such as local firms, networks, universities, consultants, and specialized NGOs) that can deliver training, coaching, technical assistance, and organizational development services that local partners actually find useful and credible. In many contexts, this also supports longer-term sustainability by reducing reliance on international technical assistance and increasing demand-driven, locally appropriate services.
In terms of eligibility and structure, the listing notes "unrestricted" eligibility, meaning it is broadly open to different entity types, subject to any details in the full RFI and the attached concept paper. It is categorized as "Other" rather than a standard grant or cooperative agreement posting, which aligns with the fact that this is an RFI rather than a call for applications. The notice also shows an expected number of awards of one, but it does not provide a funding ceiling (the award ceiling is listed as 0), which is typical for an information request where funding is not yet determined or is not being announced at this stage.
Overall, the "Strengthening Together Activity" is best understood as a planned USAID/Colombia capacity-building effort focused on improving the performance, adaptability, communications strength, and service-provider ecosystem of current local implementing partners. Anyone reviewing the opportunity would need to refer to the attached full concept paper for deeper detail on the intended scope, target partners, anticipated approaches, and the specific kinds of feedback USAID is seeking during the design phase.Apply for 72051419RFIXXXX
- The Agency for International Development, Colombia USAID-Bogota in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "LOCAL CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITY “Strengthening Together Activity”" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 01, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 01, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this opportunity, in plain terms?
This notice is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by USAID/Colombia for an anticipated initiative called the "Local Capacity Building Activity: Strengthening Together Activity." It is an early design and market-research step, not a finalized grant solicitation or a request for applications.
2) Is this a grant or cooperative agreement I can apply for right now?
Based on the information provided, no. The notice is categorized as "Other" and described as an RFI, meaning USAID is collecting input to shape a future activity rather than accepting applications for funding at this stage.
3) What is the funding opportunity number for this RFI?
The opportunity is associated with funding opportunity number 72051419RFIXXXX.
4) When was the RFI posted and what was the response deadline?
The RFI was posted on June 1, 2020, and the response deadline was July 1, 2020.
5) What is the anticipated initiative called?
The anticipated initiative is called the "Local Capacity Building Activity: Strengthening Together Activity."
6) What is the central purpose of the anticipated activity?
The central purpose is to strengthen USAID/Colombia's existing local partners in Colombia, specifically Colombian organizations that are already implementing or have implemented USAID-funded work.
7) Who are the intended beneficiaries or focus organizations?
The focus is on current local partners of USAID/Colombia, described as Colombian organizations with experience implementing USAID-funded activities.
8) What are the four core objectives mentioned for the anticipated activity?
The activity is framed around four objectives: (1) increasing organizational capacity of current local partners, (2) helping partners internalize a Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approach, (3) improving messaging and outreach by current local partners, and (4) ensuring Colombian organizations can effectively provide valued capacity-building services (strengthening the local capacity-development ecosystem).
9) What does "increase organizational capacity" mean in this context?
It refers to strengthening internal systems and capabilities so organizations can perform better and deliver stronger results. The notice indicates this can include areas such as governance and leadership, strategic planning, financial management, compliance systems, human resources, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, risk management, and other internal processes needed to run programs effectively and accountably.
10) What is CLA and why is it a focus of the activity?
CLA stands for Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting. It is described as a USAID management philosophy and set of practices focused on building strong partnerships, using evidence and learning to improve decision-making, and adapting programs based on what is working and what is not.
11) What kinds of CLA practices are referenced or implied?
The description points to practical routines and tools such as learning agendas, pause-and-reflect sessions, adaptive management processes, improved data use, knowledge sharing, and stronger coordination among stakeholders so organizations can continuously improve rather than follow a fixed plan.
12) What does the "messaging and outreach" objective involve?
This objective focuses on building partners' ability to communicate their mission, results, and value to different audiences (for example communities, local authorities, national institutions, donors, the private sector, and the broader public). It can involve communications strategy, branding and storytelling, media engagement, stakeholder mapping, digital communications, and creating communications products such as briefs, success stories, and presentations.
13) Who are the audiences for improved messaging and outreach?
The information provided references audiences that can include communities, local authorities, national institutions, donors, private sector actors, and the broader public.
14) What does the fourth objective mean by "valued capacity-building services"?
It goes beyond strengthening a single organization and aims to strengthen a broader Colombian ecosystem of capacity development. The intent is to increase the availability and quality of Colombian-led providers that can deliver training, coaching, technical assistance, and organizational development services that local partners find useful and credible.
15) What types of Colombian-led capacity-building providers are mentioned?
The notice references local firms, networks, universities, consultants, and specialized NGOs as examples of Colombian-led providers that could deliver capacity-building services.
16) Does the notice indicate an emphasis on reducing reliance on international technical assistance?
Yes, the description suggests that strengthening Colombian-led capacity-building services can support longer-term sustainability by reducing reliance on international technical assistance and increasing demand-driven, locally appropriate services.
17) What does "unrestricted" eligibility mean here?
The listing notes "unrestricted" eligibility, meaning it is broadly open to different entity types, subject to the details in the full RFI and the attached concept paper.
18) How many awards does the notice anticipate?
The notice shows an expected number of awards of one.
19) Is there a funding amount or ceiling stated in the notice?
No funding ceiling is provided. The award ceiling is listed as 0, which is presented as typical for an RFI stage where funding is not yet determined or not being announced.
20) Why does the award ceiling show as 0?
Based on the provided description, this is consistent with the RFI being an information request rather than a funding announcement, so a funding ceiling is not established or disclosed at this stage.
21) What is USAID asking for through this RFI?
USAID is requesting input, ideas, and feedback to help shape the future activity, including what it should look like, how it should be structured, and what approaches might work best in Colombia.
22) Where should someone look for deeper detail on scope and the specific feedback USAID wants?
The notice indicates that deeper detail would be in the attached full concept paper, which would describe intended scope, target partners, anticipated approaches, and the specific kinds of feedback being sought during the design phase.
23) What stage is the "Strengthening Together Activity" at, based on this notice?
It is at an early-stage design phase. The RFI is a step used to inform USAID's planning and is not described as the final solicitation for a funded award.
24) What is the overall focus of the anticipated activity?
Overall, it is described as a planned USAID/Colombia capacity-building effort focused on improving current local implementing partners' performance, adaptability (through CLA), communications strength (messaging and outreach), and the broader ecosystem of Colombian capacity-building service providers.
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