Project Design & Activities
1. Are there any activities that are not allowed?
Activities should be related to the project objectives. Some activities may need prior approvals, such as international travel. Detailed information will be provided to organizations that receive a grant. Construction activities are not allowed under this opportunity.
2. We need your support to write the correct and qualified proposal. If possible, we would like to study and learn from proposals which have been successful in your grant fund.
We have provided detailed guidelines in the APS and attached the application forms which outline the information required in a proposal. In order to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants, we cannot support a particular potential applicant in preparing a proposal and cannot share successful proposals with you.
3. Can you explain in detail the meaning of Higher Education and Basic Education activities?
Please see below:
| Basic Education | ||
|---|---|---|
| Learning and educational outcomes at the pre-primary academic education level | Programs at the pre-primary level should take a holistic approach to measurably improve learning and educational in at least three of the following domains: – Language and emergent literacy – Emergent numeracy and cognition – Social-emotional learning – Physical development | |
| Learning and educational outcomes at the primary academic education level | Programs at the primary level should measurably improve learning and educational outcomes in the following domains: – Grade-level (or equivalent) reading proficiency – Grade-level (or equivalent) math proficiency – Age-appropriate social-emotional skills | |
| Learning and educational outcomes at the secondary academic education level | Programs at the secondary level should measurably improve learning and educational outcomes in domains that are relevant to program success. Such domains could include, but are not limited to: – Age-appropriate social-emotional and soft skills – Academic, technical, or vocational proficiency – Pathways to post-secondary education or employment | |
| Learning and educational outcomes in youth workforce development programs | – Programs that partner with youth who meet the local minimum age for admission to employment or work are expected to be designed to achieve measurable improvements in youth employment outcomes and soft-skills development – Programs working with youth should report on soft-skills and at least one of the youth skills indicators | |
| Higher Education | ||
| Learning and educational outcomes in higher education programs | Higher education programming should be designed to improve learning and educational outcomes primarily through improved performance of HEIs, including by supporting interventions at the educator, institutional, and system levels. | |
| Learning and educational outcomes in higher education can be achieved through a variety of approaches, such as institutional capacity strengthening, scholarships, research collaborations, and policy reform. Common, but not comprehensive, considerations for measurably improving learning and educational outcomes in higher education programming include: – Scholarship programs that provide financial aid should measure access, retention, and completion. The youth skills indicators may be appropriate to measure improvement in learning and educational outcomes for non-financial aid interventions within scholarship programs, such as wrap-around support services to improve soft skills such as leadership, communications, teamwork, etc. – Programs that aim to improve the capacity of non-student individuals associated with higher education (e.g. educator, faculty member, staff, or researcher) may reference the appropriate tools to measure the change at the individual level | ||
| What are illustrative activities that could be funded by DISP? | For Organizations: – Developing, expanding, or improving relevant, contextualized HE course content to be made available to regional or local scholars through in-person, virtual, and/or blended learning modalities. – Promoting collaboration between U.S. universities, particularly engaging minority serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other institutions not traditionally leveraged for supporting international development and education activities. – Promoting collaboration between regional HEIs, local private HEIs, NGOs, and diaspora groups to support the goal of this activity. – Supporting community-based work by NGOs, HEIs, diaspora groups, or other organizations that advance HE access, quality, diversity, equity and/or inclusion. – Supporting community-based work to assist youth in acquiring knowledge and developing skills and behaviors to find jobs, establish viable self-employment ventures, and/or stay employed and productive in a changing economy. – Supporting research on higher education in Burma For Individuals: – Supporting relevant work of scholars at risk from Burma – Sponsoring visiting scholars at risk from Burma at U.S. or regional HEIs – Sponsoring visiting faculty positions (regionally or within the US) or short-term visits or exchanges in fields of study supported by this Activity. – Supporting community-based work by individual scholars or cohort groups that advances HE access, quality, diversity, equity and/or inclusion. – Supporting research on higher education in Burma | |
| Can ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) participate in project activities? | State and Non-state Armed forces are not allowed to apply for a DISP grant, however, if the program participants are from armed forces, DISP would need prior approval from USAID. | |
| We are working with EAOs and NUG for education sectors and schools are located in ethnic controlled areas. If there will be any interaction with them, how shall we manage it? | You can interact with EAOs and NUG within specific conditions. If you don’t use grant funds for your interactions with them, prior approval is not required. However, if costs are associated with your interactions with them, prior approval is required and approval is not guaranteed. | |
| Sometimes there are problems getting permission to conduct events in some States and Regions. To what extent will DISP be flexible with changes in the activities/location? | We understand the need for flexibility and will try to respond to unforeseen circumstances when they emerge. If there is reasonable justification, modifications to the grant can be made. These will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Small changes can be approved by email. | |