Free Trade Agreements: Environmental Cooperation: Cleaner Production and Private Sector Partnerships | OES OTE 16 007

Opportunity Information: Apply for OES OTE 16 007

This grant opportunity, titled "Free Trade Agreements: Environmental Cooperation: Cleaner Production and Private Sector Partnerships" (Funding Opportunity Number OES OTE 16 007), supports a cooperative agreement project aimed at increasing real, measurable adoption of cleaner production practices and technologies among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The geographic focus is Panama and the countries that partner with the United States under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR): Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In practical terms, the project is meant to move beyond awareness-raising and toward on-the-ground changes in how smaller businesses operate, with an emphasis on tangible environmental performance improvements that can be demonstrated through results.

The program sits at the intersection of environmental cooperation and business competitiveness. By focusing on cleaner production, it targets operational improvements that typically reduce pollution and waste at the source while also improving efficiency. Cleaner production projects often involve adopting better management practices, upgrading processes, improving resource efficiency (energy, water, raw materials), and implementing technologies that prevent or reduce emissions, effluent, and solid waste. The inclusion of "private sector partnerships" signals that the work is expected to engage businesses directly and likely leverage relationships with industry groups, supply chains, technical service providers, or larger corporate buyers to encourage MSMEs to implement changes and sustain them over time.

The funding is offered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. The opportunity category is discretionary, and the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates substantial involvement by the funding agency during implementation (for example, coordination on activities, deliverables, reporting, and performance measurement). The activity areas are listed under business and commerce as well as environment, and the CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 19.017.

Eligibility is broad and includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (with the narrative also highlighting NGOs under 501(c)(3)), low-profit limited liability companies (L3Cs), foreign not-for-profit organizations, and foreign public entities such as public international organizations. This mix of eligible applicants is consistent with a technical assistance and partnership-driven program where implementers may include universities, NGOs, or other mission-driven organizations with experience delivering training, audits, demonstration projects, and adoption support for small and medium-sized firms.

In terms of funding parameters, the award ceiling is $300,000, and the agency anticipated making one award. The original application closing date was July 18, 2016, and the opportunity was created on June 2, 2016. Overall, the opportunity is structured as a single, relatively focused project designed to catalyze cleaner production uptake among MSMEs across Panama and CAFTA-DR partner countries, using collaboration with private sector actors and emphasizing results that can be measured and reported.

• The Bureau of Oceans - Int. Environmental - Scientific in the business and commerce, environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Free Trade Agreements: Environmental Cooperation: Cleaner Production and Private Sector Partnerships" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.017.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-06-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-07-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for OES OTE 16 007

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: