USAID Offers Ukrainian American Groups a Chance to Get Funds for Projects in Ukraine

The U.S.  government's top development agency in Ukraine announced it is extending to Ukrainian American organizations a unique chance to leverage government funds for implementing sustainable development projects to improve social and economic conditions in their ancestral land. Though the U.S.  Agency for International Development (USAID) has given Ukrainian American organizations grants in the past, its proposed Global Development Alliance (GDA) public-private partnerships are the first efforts to form jointly funded partnerships for development.   "Ukrainian American organizations have a commitment to Ukraine, and we see that," said Earl Gast, USAID mission director for Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus.   "They're doing development projects.  Some are doing better jobs than others.  Some need resources.  Constantly, we're getting unsolicited proposals from these organizations.  We want to work with them, but this is a way of putting a structure around how we're going to work with them," he explained.   Organizations with a proven development track record and which can match USAID funds with cash and in-kind resources have the chance to receive one-time, non-renewable awards starting at $100,000. USAID will select proposals that will provide sustainable development in health, agriculture, energy efficiency, information technology, education, media, as well as local government, community and economic development. Beginning on May 15, USAID began accepting and reviewing proposals for its GDAs, which are distinct from standard donor or grant programs because they require a significant leverage of non-USAID resources, as well as joint planning and risk- and benefit-sharing. By involving non-U.S.  government resources - whether money, technologies, experience or expertise - the effect of USAID budget resources to address Ukraine's development problems is significantly multiplied. USAID/Ukraine's budget in fiscal year 2006 was $73 million, compared with funding levels of more than $120 million in the late 1990s, said Roman Woronowycz, chief public information officer at USAID in Kyiv. To qualify for funding, a GDA must convincingly demonstrate partners are able and willing to contribute significant resources at least equal in dollar value to the amount of resources sought from USAID. In addition to monetary contributions, in-kind resources such as services, property, volunteer time, equipment and supplies can be contributed. Partners must also offer private resources equaling at least 25 percent of the value of expected USAID resources.  Applicants should also show that these resources, in combination with USAID funds, will be sufficient to achieve the goals and objectives of the proposed project. Detailed information is available at: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=13072&mode=VIEW.