Child Labor in Botswana | GABPE ARDF FY20 01

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Child Labor in Botswana Grant Opportunity

1) What is the Child Labor in Botswana grant opportunity?

This is a U.S. Department of State funding competition run by the U.S. Embassy in Gaborone. It is designed to strengthen childrens rights in Botswana by addressing child labor, with a particular focus on commercial agriculture and cattle farming.

2) What problem is this grant trying to solve?

The opportunity is based on the view that child labor is widely believed to exist in farming areas of Botswana, but the true scope is not well measured. Limited data, too few labor inspectors, and the difficulty of reaching remote agricultural sites can weaken prevention and enforcement of existing protections.

3) What are the three main results the Embassy wants a project to achieve?

The Embassy is looking for a project that does three major things at once:

• Improve the evidence base on how widespread child labor is and what forms it takes.
• Build practical community-level understanding and engagement so people can recognize and help prevent child labor.
• Increase pressure and capacity for law enforcement and child protection responses so existing protections are applied more consistently.

4) What kinds of child labor does the opportunity emphasize?

The focus is especially on child labor in commercial agriculture and cattle farming, including clarifying what child labor looks like in practice and identifying potentially hazardous tasks and risks.

5) Why does the opportunity emphasize better data and research?

The Embassy highlights that child labor in Botswana is not well measured. Without clearer, more reliable information on prevalence and patterns, it is harder to target prevention efforts and harder for enforcement and protection systems to respond consistently.

6) Does the opportunity mention any communities that may be especially affected?

Yes. The opportunity notes that many affected children are from the San ethnic group, a minority community that has faced long-standing discrimination related to land rights, education access, and language. These factors can increase vulnerability and reduce access to services and reporting channels.

7) What are the four main activity areas the project is expected to cover?

The program is structured around four activity areas:

• Research
• Outreach in agricultural regions
• Public awareness
• Victim assistance

8) What is expected under the Research activity area?

Applicants are expected to conduct a study that identifies trends, estimates numbers and demographics, maps the kinds of work children do (including hazardous labor risks), documents how the government currently responds, and pinpoints barriers to enforcement.

9) What is expected under Outreach in agricultural regions?

The project should engage stakeholders in farming and cattle areas, including locations such as Ghanzi and Tsabong. Sessions should help community members understand child labor regulations, learn to identify child labor, understand legal responsibilities and consequences, and participate in solutions.

10) Who are the key audiences named for outreach?

The Embassy specifically names traditional leaders, the San community, parents, journalists, farmers, cattle industry organizations, and local government labor divisions as key audiences for engagement.

11) What is expected under Public awareness activities?

The grant supports media campaigns using channels such as radio, local television, and social media in farming areas. The messaging should explain harms of child labor, the childrens rights issues involved, and how to report suspected cases, while also encouraging stronger action by government officials.

12) What is expected under Victim assistance?

The opportunity notes that Botswanas support system for child victims relies heavily on underfunded NGOs that are often concentrated in Gaborone. The project should help improve NGO capacity to identify children in child labor situations and provide or connect them to services, especially for cases far from the capital.

13) Does the project have to cover all four activity areas?

The opportunity describes four main activity areas and states that the selected grantee will host a series of events or educational/cultural sessions tied to at least one of the priority areas (research, outreach, public awareness, victim assistance). The project is also described as needing to achieve three major goals at once, which are supported by these activity areas.

14) What role does law enforcement or child protection play in this project?

A central goal is to increase pressure and capacity for law enforcement and child protection responses so existing child labor protections are applied more consistently. Research and outreach are also expected to document and address barriers that limit enforcement.

15) What is the award type and maximum funding amount?

Funding is provided as a grant. The award ceiling is $300,000, and requests above $300,000 will not be considered.

16) How many awards are expected?

The opportunity anticipates one award.

17) What is the anticipated project length?

The anticipated period of performance is 18 months.

18) What is the anticipated start date?

The anticipated start date is January 1, 2022, and the award is subject to the availability of funding.

19) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad. Nonprofit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs), public and private educational institutions, individuals, and public international organizations may apply.

20) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

21) What registration requirements apply to organizations?

For organizations, eligibility requires a unique entity identifier (DUNS, as stated in the notice) and an active SAM.gov registration. Applicants must also ensure no participating entity is listed as ineligible in SAM (Excluded Parties List/EPLS).

22) Do individuals need a DUNS number or SAM.gov registration?

No. The opportunity states that individuals do not need a unique identifier or SAM registration.

23) How must applications be submitted?

Applications must be submitted by email to the Embassy contacts listed in the notice: mannings@state.gov, schaperd@state.gov, and moreengar@state.gov.

24) What was the application deadline?

Applications were due August 23, 2021.

25) What forms are required in the application package?

The package is built around standard federal forms: SF-424 or SF-424-I, SF-424A, and SF-424B in specified cases, along with a structured proposal and attachments.

26) How long can the narrative proposal be?

The narrative proposal is capped at 10 pages.

27) What must the narrative proposal include?

The proposal must clearly explain: the problem, goals and measurable objectives, activities, methods/design (with a logic model as appropriate), timeline, key personnel and time allocation, partners, monitoring and evaluation approach, and sustainability plans.

28) What attachments are required or expected?

Applicants must provide a budget justification, brief CVs for key staff, letters of support from partners, and indirect cost documentation (NICRA) if applicable.

29) What formatting requirements apply to the application?

Formatting requirements are specific: English language, U.S. dollars, numbered pages, US letter size, Word/Excel files, single-spaced paragraphs, 12-point Times New Roman, and 1-inch margins.

30) What implementation responsibilities does the grantee have?

The selected grantee is expected to manage logistics and implementation end-to-end, including gathering and analyzing information, presenting findings, and hosting a series of events or educational/cultural sessions tied to at least one priority area.

31) Does the proposal need to include travel to rural areas?

Yes. Budgets should reflect that much of the work will occur outside the capital and major population centers. Proposals need to include the cost and plan for travel to rural areas that may not be served by public transport.

32) What is an access strategy and why is it required?

Applicants are expected to present a credible access strategy describing how they will engage traditional communities, farmers, local leaders, government officials, and local business communities.

33) Does the opportunity require a COVID-19 contingency plan?

Yes. Because COVID-19 disruptions may limit travel and gatherings, proposals should include a contingency plan explaining how activities could shift to virtual delivery if needed.

34) What geographic areas are specifically mentioned?

The opportunity highlights outreach in agricultural regions and specifically mentions places like Ghanzi and Tsabong, along with farming and cattle areas outside major population centers.

35) What is the relationship between this work and other victim support services?

The opportunity notes that victim support can overlap with gender-based violence and trafficking-in-persons services, and that existing systems rely heavily on underfunded NGOs, often concentrated in Gaborone.