Development Grants Program and Public/Private Partnerships

Development Grants Program (DGP)

The purpose of the Development Grants Program is to create new partnership opportunities for U.S. private voluntary organizations (PVOs) and local non-profit organizations (NGOs) that have had limited or no prior direct funding from USAID. A second purpose is to ensure that relatively less experienced grantees have access to technical assistance from USAID to improve their planning and management systems and other competencies needed to successfully implement USAID-funded activities under the DGP. Underlying both is the need to ensure that participating PVOs and NGOs make substantive contributions to Mission programs as well as to those in the country and sector where they work.

DGP projects should cover a three-year period to allow time for start up (e.g., baseline survey, finalization of a work plan and Performance Management Plan) and initiation of the activity in year one; full implementation in year two; and sustainability planning, consolidating results and an independent evaluation in year three. Consistent with program objectives, some modifications such as no-cost extensions may be considered.

USAID posted the final U.S. PVO and Local NGO Annual Program Statements (APS) on Grants.gov on August 29, 2009, incorporating comments and feedback from Missions and the general public. Both APS documents can be found by going to Grants.gov, clicking on “Search Grant Opportunities” and selecting “Basic Search.” In “Keyword Search,” type “DGP” and then select the U.S. PVO APS or the Local NGO APS.

Following the launching of the above APS, USAID/Senegal received several proposals from local Senegalese NGOS as well as international NGOs including US-based organizations. To date the Mission is supporting DGP-funded activities in water and sanitation, women's empowerment, and democracy and governance sectors for a three-year period (2009-2011).

For further information on DGP, contact the USAID/Senegal PRM Office at (221) 33 869 6100.

Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)

USAID/Senegal has identified public private partnerships (PPPs) as an extremely effective way to leverage private capital in the provision of public services in Senegal. PPPs will increasingly be a pivotal part of Government of Senegal (GOS) and donor implementation strategies. Though the GOS has had limited experience with PPPs, especially large and complex PPPs, a number of municipal governments have successfully used PPPs to improve delivery of waste collection services. Institutional mechanisms and capacity to develop and issue PPPs are not in place, but there is a strong desire and urgent need to develop that capacity and to exploit the power of PPPs to draw on private sector capital and management capability to deliver public services.

USAID/Senegal is working on various types of assistance needed to build the capacity of the GOS. These include: developing the regulatory framework; providing guidance on structure and management of PPPs; marketing PPPs; securing financing; insurance; feasibility studies aimed at the development of an attractive PPP package; developing a realistic GOS cost estimate; conducting due diligence; issuing the PPP solicitation; undertaking an impartial technical and budgetary evaluation of proposals; ensuring transparency and accountability; and managing public perceptions and bidder expectations.

To date, USAID/Senegal and the GOS have been working on two major PPPs, including the management of the National Park of Niokolo Koba and cold storage infrastructures to boost Senegal exports of agricultural products.

For further information on PPPs contact Peter Trenchard, Director of the Economic Growth office at Ptrenchard@usaid.gov.