Trainings On How To Work With USAID

Ghana school under the trees: School under the trees in the Northern Region Ghana

USAID/A. Kauffeld

Welcome to our training series on “How to Work with USAID.”

This training series is designed to answer some of the most frequently raised questions and concerns from organizations interested in partnering with USAID. Here you will find open and transparent guidance straight from USAID staff.

Whether you’re a non-governmental organization or small business just starting out, a large university looking to expand your outreach, or somewhere in between, we value your interest in USAID and want to make it easier to work with us.

The purpose of these trainings is to provide you the tools to better understand how to competitively apply for USAID funding. Each e-module is designed to provide you with practical tips and concrete examples on topics ranging from researching potential funding opportunities to effectively putting together a proposal or application, budget, or monitoring and evaluation plan. While completing these trainings does not guarantee an award of USAID funds, the information will allow you to focus your efforts towards pursuing opportunities that are most relevant to your organization. Our objectives are to:

• Increase the ability for all interested partners to compete for awards by providing practical how-to trainings to build and enhance their comprehension of USAID policies and types of awards.
• Improve access to information and transparency for new and existing partners prior to, during, and after the USAID award process.

This virtual training program allows you to learn at your own pace. We encourage you to start with the first e-module and work your way through the series. We hope that you find these e-modules to be helpful, and we appreciate any feedback.

Training E-Modules:

Nepalese children holding school exercise books produced by USAID

A. frm Jayanti - ECDC

• Exploring Opportunities to Partner with USAID explains where USAID works, what USAID’s priorities are, how the budget process works, and what types of funds Congress provides for foreign assistance. The majority of this e-module focuses on providing a 5-step workplan for exploring potential funding opportunities with USAID. Running Time: ~50 minutes. 

• Effectively Responding to USAID Award Solicitations explains best practices in drafting a response to a solicitation, such as understanding the various parts of a response, developing a time-conscious approach, and becoming familiar with the evaluation process. Running Time: ~30 minutes. 

• Preparing Budgets for Assistance Applications Topics covered include understanding how to read an assistance solicitation (for grants and cooperative agreements) to determine the size and scope of a budget and how to prepare a cost application budget, including understanding the basic budget elements, cost categories or line items, and indirect costs and cost share. Running Time: ~40 minutes.

Coming Soon!

• Understanding Types of USAID Awards covers the differences between a grant, cooperative agreement, and a contract; key phases of the award cycle; the different partner communication tools that USAID may use to communicate with interested partners; and competition rules for acquisition and assistance. Running Time: ~45 minutes. Coming soon!

• Preparing Budgets for Acquisition Proposals This e-module focuses on how to prepare a budget for contract proposals. Coming soon!

USAID works with Nigerians to improve agriculture, health, education, and governance

A. Fleuret/USAID

• Developing Local Capacity The target audience for this e-module is local organizations. The e-module highlights examples of annual program statements geared towards providing fixed obligation grants to local organizations and offers advice to local organizations on how to put together an initial concept paper. Coming soon!

• Forming Sub-Award Partnerships discusses strategies for smaller organizations to partner as sub-awardees with larger organizations that have prime awards. The e-module provides tips on identifying and choosing potential partners, becoming better known and marketing your organization, and developing teaming agreements. Coming soon!

• Preparing Post-Award Reports The objectives of this e-module are to understand the roles and responsibilities of individuals you will be working with at USAID, USAID’s financial reporting policies, the types of reports that may be required under your award, and some tips to make your reporting successful. Running Time: ~20 minutes. Coming soon!

• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) covers the purposes of developing a M&E plan as well as tips on how to properly approach M&E formatting, timing, and document submission for USAID-funded projects. Coming soon!

•  Innovation and Development Alliances (IDEA) This collection of mini e-modules explains the registration process of U.S. Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs) and the Development Grants Program (DGP). Coming soon! Also, for more information about the Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) program, please see this link. For more information about Global Development Alliances, please see this link.