How to Apply for an ASHA Grant

How to Apply for a Grant

• USAID’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad program  accepts applications for assistance from U.S.-based sponsors of schools, libraries and hospital centers abroad.
• Applications are submitted in response to a Request for Applications (RFA), which are announced and published on the www.grants.gov website.
• All applications must be submitted using the Standard Form 424. Each announcement provides specific instructions regarding the information that applicants need to provide, such as description of the activity, budget documentation and other required information.
• All applicants must submit a complete and accurate grant application via www.grants.gov

Eligibity Criteria

To be considered for an ASHA grant, an applicant must be a bona fide private, non-profit founding or sponsoring organization. The organization must be founded by United States citizens based in the United States.

Specifically, applicants must:

• Be a non-profit United States Organization (USO), for example, a nonprofit university or a tax exempt organization.
• Demonstrate a continuing supportive relationship with the overseas institution (OSI).  Proof of financial and management support for the OSI for 2 years must be provided as evidence that this requirement has been met.

An education OSI must:

• Offer an instruction program for the secondary or higher level which reflects American educational ideas and practices. Education at the elementary level is not eligible for the ASHA program. 
• Offer a broad academic program which includes instruction on the history, geography, political science, cultural institutions or economics of the United States. 
• Use English in instruction or teach English as a second language.  The English language requirements need not apply to a school offering a specialized course of study. 

A hospital center OSI must:

• Be involved in medical education and research, in addition to being a treatment facility. 

All OSIs must meet the following requirements:

• The majority of the users of any institution, e.g., students or patients, must be citizens of countries other than the U.S.
• The institution must be open to all persons regardless of race, religion, sex, color or national origin.  This requirement does not require enrollment of students of both sexes at educational institutions enrolling males or females only. 
• Assistance may not be used to support any inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction or the conversion of users to other faiths or religions.
• The institution must be located outside the U.S. and should not be under the control or management of a government or any of its agencies.  The receipt of financial or other assistance from a government or government agency or compliance with national educational or medical standards required by the country where the institution is located does not in itself mean that the institution is “under the control or management” of such government.
• The land, construction or renovation, must either be owned by the USO or OSI.  If the land is not owned, the USO or OSI must have a long term lease where the current end date is at least 50 years from the application date. 

For more information about the program or RFA announcements:

• Email Kerrin Goodspeed, Grants Management Specialist - kgoodspeed@usaid.gov

Key Terms

"An Applicant" refers to the United States Organization (USO), which is the Founder or Sponsor of an overseas institution (OSI) and accepts an ASHA grant on behalf of the OSI.

"A bona fide Private Nonprofit Organization" refers to any corporation, association, cooperative or other organization, founded by U.S. citizens who reside in the U.S., which (a) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public's interest; (b) is not organized primarily for profit; and (c) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations. The said entity should be designated as a nonprofit organization by the United States Internal Revenue Service under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

"A Founder" refers to a United States Nonprofit Organization, founded by U.S. citizens who are based in the United States, that established and played a principal role in bringing into being an overseas institution. The Founding organization must own or hold title to the assets of the overseas institution.

"A Sponsor" refers to a United States Nonprofit Organization founded by U.S. citizens who reside in the U.S., that through the provision of financial and management support, has demonstrated a continuing relationship with an overseas institution, for which it is seeking assistance. The Sponsor does not have to own or hold title to the assets of the overseas institution. The overseas institution must hold title to the assets or a long term lease.