U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Mexico has issued an Annual Program Statement (APS) soliciting proposals for public-private alliance to address Mexico’s development challenges, and provide a better foundation for the country’s security, stability and economic development. USAID is committed to promoting climate change mitigation, with a focus on the energy and forestry sectors in Mexico. The agency also seeks, through the establishment of public-private alliance, to improve the availability, relevance and quality of youth leadership and workforce development programs in target communities in the country.
Objectives
1. Help promote climate change mitigation, with a focus on the energy and forestry sectors;
2. Improve the availability, relevance and quality of youth leadership and workforce development -programs in target communities;
3. Create economic, educational and social opportunities for youth, women and other vulnerable groups in target communities;
Program Activities
For Objective 1:
- Stimulating investment in and adoption of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies consistent with the GOM Low Emissions Development strategy;
- Promoting the development of carbon markets;
- Improving communities’ capabilities to access forest carbon financial incentives;
- Enhance communities’ ability to use carbon financial incentives to stimulate local-level, sustainable businesses;
- Preparing the private-sector market for carbon emissions accounting and auditing;
- Promoting Mexican contribution to the value chain for renewable energy/energy efficiency technology;
- Stimulating financial products (e.g. ‘green mortgages’) to promote adoption of renewable energy/energy efficient technologies;
- Stimulating research and analyses describing policy, regulatory and financial barriers to adoption of renewable energy/energy efficient technology.
For Objective 2 and 3:
- Setting up outreach centers and safe spaces for youth engagement in their community;
- Providing services to high risk youth based on youth demands (i.e. sports, arts, academic tutoring, etc.);
- Training youth in high demand skills (e.g. English fluency, information technology, etc.) matched to existing employment opportunities;
- Supporting youth after-school and skills development activities;
- Implementing integrated youth workforce development programs, including internships, training and job placement;
- Creating / strengthening availability of community and new media resources for at-risk youth, to include support for youth movements and advocacy efforts;
- Promoting youth leadership and development, to include strengthening life skills such as intrapersonal communication, ethics, public speaking, conflict resolution and time management;
Overall Approach
Given USAID’s unique partnership with Mexico, applicants may also wish to take into account the following types of approaches where USAID-supported programming may provide particular value:
- Piloting and testing new models for addressing critical development issues, that may then be replicated with other non-USAID funding sources;
- Serving as a neutral convener among various types of organizations to build institutional linkages and leverage expertise;
- Strengthening existing Mexican local capacity through partnerships to provide exposure to new models, systems and practices;
- Catalyzing a multi-faceted response to complex development issues; and Building connections between U.S. and Mexican organizations, including universities and other academic institutions.
Last date for submitting the applications is February 29, 2012.
For more information, visit this link and search by Funding Opportunity Number APS-523-12-001.
