Reading For Success - National Program for Reading (RFS-NPR) Grants Manual

The manual is based on the utmost integrity and is supplemented by support, training, and oversight from Creative's headquarters in Washington, DC. The purpose of RFS-NPR is to expand USAID/Morocco's efforts to support the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MOE) to improve reading and writing outcomes at the primary school level to 15 million children by 2023. The RFS-NPR activity will focus on four results with capacity building as a cross-cutting key element in each result: Improved reading and writing materials used in primary schools, Improved reading and writing instruction in primary schools, Reading and writing enrichment programs expanded, and Learning and assessment systems improved. The grants program is planned for 2 years within the life of the project, with a total allocated amount of grants per the award language. The grants program will be implemented per workplan details that will be prepared in consultation with the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). The allocated grants funds will be granted to non-US NGOs on a competitive basis to develop summer school programs. Grants under Contract (GUC) awarded under the program will support local communities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in implementing activities. The program will establish grants with a selection of civil society organizations (CSOs), giving priority to those NGOs that worked with the experimentation activity for support improving reading instruction and student outcomes. Grants could be used for reimbursing the costs of coaching and monitoring visits by the trained district and other key stakeholders, subject to approval by the Moroccan Government and USAID. Authority to issue grants on behalf of the client is given under the contract AID-608-C-17-00001 with USAID. Creative does not have authority to execute or administer Cooperative Agreements on the client's behalf. USAID must be significantly involved in establishing selection criteria for GUCs, and the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) must approve the actual selection of grant recipients. USAID retains the right to terminate grants unilaterally. Grants to local Non-governmental organizations may not exceed $100,000, while there is no monetary limit for a single grant awarded to a non-U.S. Non-governmental organization, subject to certain exceptions. The grants and field manuals provide guidance to field and home office staff on the necessary requirements to administer grants in the field on behalf of the USAID and Creative. Any exceptions to the requirements given must first be discussed with either the client and/or Director of Grants Management and Administration at Creative headquarters (HQ). Creative is committed to implementing the grants program with high standards of professionalism and integrity. A high standard of ethical conduct in the spirit of public accountability in conformity with applicable laws, regulations, and practices common to other corporations and governmental agencies is applied. All employees must sign a "Code of Conduct" and are provided Creative's Employee Handbook, which elaborates on the code of ethics, Creative values, and expected conduct.