School Improvement Projects
Peace Corps Tanzania Grant Application Instructions
For projects involving school improvement that are not primarily construction or water project. Libraries, laboratories, computer labs, world map, etc.
Instructions: This application should be used by any PCV facilitating one of the above projects, regardless of funding source. Use this document as template and delete the explanatory paragraphs of each section: Cover Page, Project Narrative, Technical Details, Monitoring and Evaluation, Timeline, Budget, Community Statement, and Indicators. Most information in the online application (which you will fill out after your word document application has been approved by Peace Corps Tanzania Grants Coordinator) is also covered in this application. Use 12-point Times New Roman font.
Preceding the application are two tables, the Proposal Compliance Checklist and the Grant Review Worksheet. These two tables will be used by the reviewers after you have submitted your application. The tables will serve as tools to indicate comments on helping you to submit a quality application. We encourage you to use these lists to cross check your proposal before you submit it for peer review.
PROPOSAL COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST
Compliance Questions / Yes / NoIs the proposal written using 12-point Times New Roman?
Does the proposal adhere to the word application format?
Does the cover page contain all required information?
Does the proposal address all sections:
Cover Page
Project Summary
Background
Community Involvement
Outcome
Implementation
Capacity Building
Sustainability
Monitoring and Evaluation
Budget Narrative
Do No Harm Discussion
Environmental Review (for FtF and SPA grants)
Goals and Objectives (M&E)
Framework Indicators (at least one specific to the funding source)
Timeline
Budget
Community Statement
Technical Details
Do all proposal sections have no more than 250 words?
Does the project committee consist of at least 4 and maximum of 10 members?
Is the PCV a member of the project committee?
Are names of the project committee members provided?
Is the grant request no more than USD10,000 for VAST and FtF grants and USD2,000 for SPA grants?
Is the Community Contribution at least 25% of the total budget?
Is the Community Statement in Swahili?
GRANT REVIEW WORKSHEET
Category / Assessment Criteria / Meets Criterion? [Y/N] / Reviewer Comments / PCV Response to CommentsCover Page / Cover Page with Project title, Community contact person (name, title, phone number), community name, and “with support from. Project title needs to be informative, but not too long (fewer than 15 words).
PROJECT NARRATIVE
Project Summary / Brief information about:
-the problem
-proposed solution
-anticipated outcomes
-information about beneficiaries
-implementation timeline
-mention of the project committee
-brief M&E information
-sustainability plans
-total project cost and community contribution amount (in TZS)
Background / Clear statement of the “problem” or need of the community.
Information about the community that will be served, including pertinent data and statistics? Village name, region and organization you are working with.
Discuss the history of the problem and explain why any past efforts to fix the problem have failed.
Community Involvement / Does the application show that the community is the driving force behind the project and gives specific examples showing this?
Is there a statement that the project is a village development priority?
Explanationof the project committee members; list of their names, titles, and experience; and meetings this committee has held to plan and design the project.
Mention of the community contribution for the project and where this is coming from.
Outcomes / Short-term outcomes of the project.
Long-term outcomes of the project.
Implementation Plan and Timeline / How will beneficiaries be reached through this project and with what?
Information about specific project tasks, who will be responsible for completing them, and when they will be completed. How will implementation phases be monitored and evaluated?
Capacity Building / Skills that will be gained by those working on the project directly, and how these skills will be used in the future.
Skills that will be gained by the target beneficiaries of the project, and how these skills will be used in the future.
Sustainability / A sustainability plan with specific strategies for sustaining the project.
Mention of where the resources to sustain this project will come from and who will be responsible for managing these.
Budget Narrative / Information about how prices for items were determined and where these items will be purchased. How did the community determine prices and ensure their accuracy? Which items and services will be provided by the community?
Do No Harm and Environmental Review / Potential negative effects the intended project could cause (environmental, social, political, or economic).
Steps for the community or local organization to take to mitigate these negative effects.
For SPA and FTF Grants only- Environmental Review
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Monitoring and Evaluation/ Goals and Objectives / Goals are realistic and state the proposed long-term outcomes of the project.
Objectives are short-term, specific, and measurable, and they give a specific date for completion. Did the community provide specific and attainable targets?
Does the application describe how exactly monitoring and evaluation will be done for this project, who will be responsible for it, and when it will be done?
Are the community-defined indicators for this project attainable, will they ensure quality project outcomes, and do they follow the example format?
Framework Indicators / Are numbers given for expected values of Peace Corps Tanzania Project Framework Indicators and do the numbers make sense?
Timeline / Timeline includes information about:
-specific project tasks
-who will be responsible for completing them
-when will they be completed
Budget / Are the prices for items reasonable and do the quantities make sense?
Is the total requested amount reasonable for this project?
Is there at least a 25% community contribution?
Community Statement / Is the community statement in Swahili and clearly states how and why the community will support the project (involvement in planning, design, budgeting, execution, monitoring and evaluation of this project, community contribution)?
Technical Details / Are the specific, required technical details for this grant included?
Cover Page
Online App: Project Description
Create a cover page with the following information, in the following format:
Project Narrative
Online App: Project Narrative and Do No Harm
For each of the following topics, provide a succinct description, keeping in mind that your application may be shared with others. If relevant, feel free to copy some information from the Technical Details section, but make sure that all sections have 250 words or fewer.
Project Summary: provide a brief summary of the project. (For PCPP, this will be posted on the Peace Corps website. For safety and security reasons, do not include the specific village name or any personal identifying information.)
Include:
-Existing problem and proposed solution
-Anticipated outcome
-Information about beneficiaries
-Basic implementation timeline
-Total project cost and community contribution (both TZS amount and items/services contributed)
-Committee information
-Monitoring and evaluation and sustainability plans
Background: State the need this project will address. Describe the background of the community including the village name and region and organization you are working with, including as much data as possible. Discuss the history of the problem and explain why any past efforts to fix the problem have failed.
Community Involvement: How is the community the driving force behind the project? Provide examples that demonstrate the community’s involvement in the design and planning of this project. Discuss committee members and their experience.
Outcome: Briefly describe the desired outcome of the project.Include both short-term outcomes and longer-term anticipated effects of the project (how project will impact target community members’ lives).
Implementation: Describe the implementation plan that will be used to achieve the goals and objectives of this project and discuss any potential challenges. Include all project implementation phases and how they will be monitored and evaluated. What indicators will be used to evaluate the project’s success and how will the indicators be measured? Mention time periods in which each phase will be completed.
Capacity Building: State the skills the participants will gain and how will they usethem. Include both people working on the project and the target beneficiaries of the project. (For example, for a Girls Empowerment Conference, include both counterparts and student participants).
Sustainability: How will the community be able to sustain the activities and/or benefits of this project? What is the community's plan to sustain the benefits of the project after the initial material support has ended? How will the community continue and address problems that arise after the PCV has left?
Budget Narrative: Discuss the main items and services which will be purchased and where they will be bought. How did the community determine prices and ensure their accuracy? Include which items and services will be provided by the community. Note: this section will be included in table form in the Budget section of the Online App.
Do No Harm Discussion: (Online App: Do No Harm)
With your project committee, discuss the potential intended and unintended negative consequences of the project. Consider environmental, social, economic, and political aspects
Report on the results of your discussions. (Online App: General)
Discuss possible negative environmental impacts with your community. What are potential negative environmental impacts of the project activities?(Online App: Environmental)
For the potential negative impacts described above, please describe the measures the community will adopt in order to monitor and mitigate against potentially harmful effects.(Online App: Mitigation)
Environmental Review
Online App: Environmental Review
NOTE: Only SPA and FTF grants are required to fill out the Environmental Review section.
The purpose of this Environmental Review and Assessment Checklist (ER Checklist) is to determine whether the proposed action (scope of work) encompasses the potential for environmental pollution or concern and, if so, to determine the scope and extent of additional environmental evaluation, mitigation, and monitoring necessary to fulfill federal U.S. environmental requirements. The ER Checklist is intended to be used by both the Peace Corps personnel who submit project proposals and the grant selection committee to ensure that environmental consequences are taken into account before making an award for a proposed activity. The environmental consequences checklist will assist in determining the potential environmental impact of the proposal.
Include cost information on any environmental mitigation and monitoring in the overall budget proposal. Appropriate environmental mitigation and monitoring is considered an integral aspect of the overall project activity.
Please provide the following information. This information will assist the grant award committee in making an environmental impact determination on the proposed activity.
Project/Activity Description:
Type of Project/Activity:
Baseline Environmental Conditions:
A. CHECKLIST FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES: Check appropriate column as Yes (Y), Maybe (M), No (N) or Beneficial (B). Briefly explain Y, M and B checks in next Section, "Explanations". A "Y" response does not necessarily indicate a significant effect, but rather an issue that requires focused consideration.
Category / Select Y. M. N. or B.1. Earth Resources
a. grading trenching, or excavation in cubic meters or hectare
b. geologic hazards (faults, landslides, liquefaction, un-engineered fill, etc.)
c. contaminated soils or ground water on the site
d. offsite overburden/waste disposal or borrow pits required in cubic meters or tons
e. loss of high-quality farmlands in hectares
2. Agricultural and Agrochemical
a. impacts of inputs such as seeds and fertilizers
b. impact of production process on human health and environment
c. other adverse impacts
3. Industries
a. impacts of run-off and run-on water
b. impact of farming such as intensification or extensification
c. impact of other factors
4. Air Quality
a. substantial increase in onsite air pollutant emissions (construction/operation)
b. violation of applicable air pollutant emissions or ambient concentration standards
c. substantial increase in vehicle traffic during construction or operation
d. demolition or blasting for construction
e. substantial increase in odor during construction or operation
f. substantial alteration of microclimate
5. Water Resources and Quality
a. river, stream or lake onsite or within 30 meters of construction
b. withdrawals from or discharges to surface or ground water
c. excavation or placing of fill, removing gravel from, a river, stream or lake
d. onsite storage of liquid fuels or hazardous materials in bulk quantities
6. Cultural Resources
a. prehistoric, historic, or paleontological resources within 30 meters of construction
b. site/facility with unique cultural or ethnic values
7. Biological Resources
a. vegetation removal or construction in wetlands or riparian areas in hectare
b. use of pesticides/rodenticides, insecticides, or herbicides in hectare
c. Construction in or adjacent to a designated wildlife refuge
8. Planning and Land Use
a. potential conflict with adjacent land uses
b. non-compliance with existing codes, plans, permits or design factors
c. construction in national park or designated recreational area
d. create substantially annoying source of light or glare
e. relocation of >10 individuals for +6 months
f. interrupt necessary utility or municipal service > 10 individuals for +6 months
g. substantial loss of inefficient use of mineral or non-renewable resources
h. increase existing noise levels >5 decibels for +3 months
9. Traffic, Transportation and Circulation
a. increase vehicle trips >20% or cause substantial congestion
b. design features cause or contribute to safety hazards
c. inadequate access or emergency access for anticipated volume of people or traffic
10. Hazards
a. substantially increase risk of fire, explosion, or hazardous chemical release
b. bulk quantities of hazardous materials or fuels stored on site +3 months
c. create or substantially contribute to human health hazard
11. Other Issues
a. substantial adverse impact
b. adverse impact
c. minimal impact
B. EXPLANATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES: explain Y, M and B responses:
C. IDENTIFIED SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS (including physical, biological and social), if any: (Use ER to identify significant environmental impacts):
D. PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES (if any):
E. PROPOSED MONITORING MEASURES (if any):
Monitoring & Evaluation
Online App: Monitoring & Evaluation
Before starting your goals and objectives, carefully read through this guidance and examples.
Use this table in your application and fill it out. Add or remove rows for Goals and Objectives as needed. Remember that all objectives need to be time-bound, and must be completed before your COS date. Indicators, Who, and When should be filled out for objectives, but not goals. Fill out the table according the example.
Community-defined Indicator(s)How will you measure that the objective is achieved? / Who
Who will collect the information? / When
When and how often will data be collected? What data-collection tools will be used?
Goal 1
To sustainably improve sanitation and hygiene at the Primary School XXXX in the YYYY District for a better learning environment for current and new student generations.
Objective 1.1
By August 2015, the Primary School XXXX will have a total of 12 toilets stalls and 2 hand-washing stations. / # of functional toilets
# of hand-washing stations. / Project committee, students. / Construction will be monitored daily, adhering to the construction schedule and itemized budget.
Objective 1.2
Objective 1.3
Goal 2
Objective 2.1
Objective 2.2
Objective 2.3
Framework Indicators
Online App: Classification & Indicators
Every proposal needs to address at least one Peace Corps Tanzania Project Framework Indicator related to the funding source (e.g., VAST = PEPFAR; FtF Indicators; for PCPP use any indicator that is relevant) To identify suitable indicators, download the project frameworks at copy those that are applicable into the table below. Note that when you are submitting your grant online you will be required to fill in targets for various indicators relevant to the type of project you are creating.
Objective Code / Indicator / Expected ValueED-032-C / # ofstudents, out of the total # of students the Volunteer/
partner worked with, who demonstrated improved achievement in the content of the class, club, or camp, as determined by a formal or informal assessment
Timeline
Online App: Timeline
Include a detailed timeline, from initial planning meetings with your committee through buying materials, construction, and final evaluation. Copy this table into your application, remove the example, and fill it out. Under the “Implementation Time” column please list at which month, week, or day the activity will be started and the duration of time this activity will take.
Activity / Person(s) Responsible / Implementation TimePick up material from Dodoma Town. / PCV and counterpart / 1 month, January 2014
Budget
Online App: Detailed Budget
The budget table below is integrated in Excel. Double click on the table and Excel will load the spreadsheet. Alternatively, you may create your budget in Excel or a similar program and copy the final version (including totals and community contribution percentage) into this Word document. Remove the example and fill in values for Item Description, Unit Cost, and Quantity. For each item, indicate how much of the total cost will be covered by the grant and the community. Grant request, community contribution and total grant amount will be computed automatically. All costs need to be in TZS. The community contribution must be 25% or greater.