Strengthening Transparency and Governance in Malawis Extractive Industry and Public Debt Management

The U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe, through the Department of State, has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled "Strengthening Transparency and Governance in Malawi’s Extractive Industry and Public Debt Management." This funding opportunity, numbered DOS-AF-MWI-FY24-01, is supported by the Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund (FTIF) and will provide up to $781,854 in FY 2024 Economic Support Funds. The objective of the grant is to promote transparency and governance reforms in Malawi’s mining sector and public debt management, which are both areas critical to the country's economic stability and development. The grant targets reforms in the transparency of mining licenses, contracts, revenue collection, beneficial ownership data, and the visibility of Malawi’s national debt, including the debts of state-owned enterprises. The U.S. Embassy aims to support Malawi in meeting international Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) standards, thereby improving the investment climate and reducing fiscal instability. This will be accomplished by upgrading existing information systems, publishing comprehensive public debt data, analyzing relevant legal frameworks, and training key stakeholders such as journalists, civil society organizations, and government staff. The funding will support activities grouped under four objectives: enhancing transparency in contract awarding and debt management; improving public access to debt portfolio data; raising literacy and engagement in fiscal governance; and strengthening oversight of mining revenue collection and distribution. Specific actions include expanding the Mining Information Management System (MIMS), forming a public debt data publication committee, conducting legal and data framework analyses, and supporting the production of citizen-friendly mining reports. The initiative will also encourage the adoption of MWEITI’s information access guidelines. The anticipated performance period for the awarded project is from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. One grant award is expected. Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, public and private educational institutions, public international organizations, and governmental institutions. There is no matching or cost-sharing requirement. All organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and active SAM.gov registration. Only one application is permitted per organization; multiple submissions will result in disqualification. The application deadline is August 25, 2025, at 17:00 CAT. Required application materials include forms SF-424 and SF-424A, a detailed project proposal (maximum ten pages), a budget justification narrative, CVs of key personnel, and letters of support from program partners. Proposals should be submitted via Grants.gov, MyGrants, or by email to LilongweFTIF@state.gov. A pre-application bidding conference will take place on August 21, 2025, via conference call. Details for the call will be posted on U.S. Embassy Lilongwe’s media platforms. Evaluation of proposals will be based on several weighted criteria: program idea (30%), organizational capacity (20%), program planning (15%), budget realism (10%), monitoring and evaluation (15%), and sustainability (10%). Award decisions will be communicated by September 26, 2025. Successful applicants must adhere to all federal award requirements, including regular financial and performance reporting, and comply with U.S. anti-discrimination and transparency laws. The U.S. government retains the right to reject any or all proposals submitted.

Format proposals according to required fonts and margins; adhere strictly to the ten-page limit.