MEPI Local Grants Annual Program Statement | MEPI MEPILG 17 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for MEPI MEPILG 17 001

The MEPI Local Grants Annual Program Statement (Funding Opportunity Number: MEPI-MEPILG-17-001) is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination under the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). It focuses on funding single-country projects through MEPI's Local Grants Program, which is described as MEPI's most direct mechanism for supporting partnerships with and among people in the Middle East and North Africa. In practical terms, this opportunity is aimed at supporting locally grounded initiatives that connect communities, civil society, and other stakeholders within one country to pursue reforms and capacity-building that align with MEPI priorities.

The program is organized around three core thematic areas. First, Participatory Governance covers activities that strengthen citizen participation, accountability, transparency, rule-of-law related engagement, and broader civic involvement in public life. Second, Economic Reform generally refers to efforts that improve economic opportunity and resilience, including initiatives tied to workforce development, employment, entrepreneurship, private-sector engagement, and policy or community-level changes that reduce barriers to inclusive growth. Third, Educational Advancement supports initiatives that improve education access, quality, and outcomes, often with an emphasis on skills development and opportunities that help individuals, especially youth, succeed academically and professionally. While the announcement does not list example activities in detail, the stated focus signals a preference for projects that can demonstrate practical results in these areas and build durable local partnerships.

Awards are grants with an announced ceiling of $150,000 per award, and the program anticipated making about 60 awards. The funding activity categories attached to the opportunity include community development, education, employment/labor and training, law/justice/legal services, and regional development, which reinforces that the program is meant to support applied projects that can show measurable community-level or institutional benefits. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 19.500.

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with a note to consult the full announcement's additional eligibility information for specifics. That wording typically indicates the opportunity may be open to a range of entities beyond standard categories, potentially including local non-governmental organizations and other nontraditional implementers, but applicants would need to confirm the exact eligible organization types and any country-specific limitations in the full instructions.

In terms of timing, the opportunity was created on November 30, 2016. The original closing date is shown as April 3, 2017, but the notice also emphasizes that applicants must refer to the proposal submission instructions for the exact deadline for each country. This suggests the program operated with country-by-country submission windows or varying close dates, meaning applicants needed to follow the guidance specific to the country where the proposed work would take place.

• The Department of State, Near East Affairs - Assistance Coordination in the community development, education, employment, labor and training, law, justice and legal services, regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "MEPI Local Grants Annual Program Statement" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.500.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 30, 2016.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 03, 2017 Please refer to each Proposal Submission Instruction for exact close date per country.. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 60 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for MEPI MEPILG 17 001

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