Policy Advocacy Initiatives Program (SMART-BEE 2)

SMART-RFA-009

Program Announcement

The Small and Medium Enterprise Assistance for Revitalization and Transition (SMART) Project is a four-year, USAID funded program implemented by DAI. SMART aims to rapidly recover Palestinian enterprises and put them on a path to revitalization and resilience following unprecedented economic distress. SMART will help enterprises regain productivity, grow, and expand. It will promote economic growth and self-reliance in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza.

SMART’s Policy Advocacy Initiatives Program (SMART-BEE 2) will address critical emerging and long-term policy challenges hindering the resilience, growth, and competitiveness of SMEs, Start-Ups, and Microenterprises in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The Program aims to:

• Determine policy intervention priorities and draft policy reform papers that respond to the needs that emerged out of the current situation.

• Determine policy intervention priorities and draft policy reform papers that respond to pre-existing policy challenges.
• Develop policy advocacy strategies to allow for the adoption of the private sector’s policy reform agenda.

Target Beneficiaries:

The target beneficiaries are Palestinian Private Sector Organizations, which are registered non-U.S. non-governmental organizations and non-for-profit organizations. Private Sector institutions representing segment(s) of SMEs and/or Startups (individual companies are ineligible).

Eligible organizations could include, Private sector Institutions, Sector Associations, Research Centers, Cooperative, Universities etc. DAI encourages an approach that establishes partnerships with several partner organizations and builds them into legacy institutions capable of sustaining development projects in the future.

Eligibility Criteria:  

To be considered eligible for this program, interested applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Registered non-U.S., non-governmental, non-for-profit institution.
• Be legally recognized and registered.  Registration documents and statutes must be submitted.
• Not be affiliated with a political party nor engaged in any political activities.
• Not be focused solely on religious activities.
• Representing the shared economic interests of multiple for-profit entities, including SMEs and/or Startups (individual companies are ineligible)

Selection Criteria:

Eligible applicants will be evaluated based on the following selection criteria:

• Relevance of the proposed policy intervention to SMART-BEE 2 program goal of addressing policy challenges before SMEs to increase their competitiveness and growth potential.
• Soundness of technical approach to researching, drafting, and advocate for the recommendations of policy reform papers
• Proven history of project management and institutional capacity to implement the proposed project.
• Commitment to and ability to conduct policy advocacy for the achievement of policy reforms beyond the proposed project timeline and scope.
• Sustainability of the proposed concept sans SMART financial assistance

How to Apply: Please click here: Policy Advocacy Initiatives Program (SMART-BEE 2)

Application Deadline: Applications are due before 31^st of December, 2024 of the issuance date listed on the cover page of the Request for Applications (RFA). The review and evaluation process will begin upon receipt of applications, and therefore we advise organizations not to wait until the deadline for submitting the application.

SMART will review and select organizations in the order their applications were submitted.

Further Information: For more details on the program, the eligibility, the evaluation criteria, and the contribution coverage please visit www.smartproject.ps. Prospective applicants are encouraged to inquire on the application from the SMART Institutional and Policy Advisor, Nidal Alayasa. Email Address: [email protected]