Complementary Response Small Grants Program (CRSGP) to Support Ukrainian Refugees | POLECON TALLINN FY23 CRSGP 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for POLECON TALLINN FY23 CRSGP 01

The Complementary Response Small Grants Program (CRSGP) to Support Ukrainian Refugees is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity administered by the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn, Estonia. It was released as an open competition for organizations (and in some cases individuals) that can implement practical, targeted projects benefiting Ukrainian refugees in Estonia in response to the large-scale displacement caused by Russia's war in Ukraine. The program is positioned as a complement to existing humanitarian and refugee support already provided by Estonian authorities and major international organizations such as UNHCR, ICRC, and IOM, meaning applicants are expected to fill gaps, expand capacity, or strengthen services rather than duplicate what is already being funded elsewhere. While the opportunity is hosted by the embassy in Estonia, funding is managed at the Baltic regional level and proposals are reviewed by a regional committee, so the total amount ultimately awarded in Estonia depends on how many strong proposals are selected across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Projects funded under this call are meant to focus on one or a few clearly defined themes rather than trying to address every refugee-related challenge in a single proposal. Eligible project directions include support that helps relieve housing shortages for refugees (often by supporting local communities or Estonian NGOs), delivery of social services like healthcare support, legal counseling, psychological services, and education-related assistance, and training programs that help refugees integrate and become employed, including Estonian language training. The program also welcomes proposals that improve equal access to protection and assistance for particularly vulnerable refugee groups, including refugees with disabilities, socially vulnerable individuals, LGBTQI refugees, and other at-risk populations, as well as initiatives that help refugees build civil society structures and associations of their own. Additional acceptable areas include improving access to reliable information for refugee communities (including support for independent media and efforts to counter disinformation), public education and advocacy tied to refugee rights and national refugee policy implementation, conflict resolution and human rights and tolerance programming, and anti-trafficking and anti-corruption efforts. The notice highlights that grants may support non-discrimination and tolerance broadly, but they should not be used to advance the agenda of one specific group, practice, or lifestyle over others, and they cannot support religious objectives.

The intended audience and primary beneficiaries are Ukrainian refugees in Estonia. Projects may either serve refugees directly (for example, through services or training) or indirectly by training and equipping professionals and volunteers whose work affects refugee well-being. Integration-oriented projects that include members of the Estonian host community are allowed and can be viewed positively when they support social cohesion, but the program requires that at least 50 percent of participants be Ukrainian refugees, keeping the focus squarely on refugee impact.

From a funding and award-structure standpoint, the expected performance period is generally 12 to 24 months, with a preference for projects that can be completed in two years or less, though longer timelines may be considered if justified by refugee needs. Individual awards are expected to range from EUR 100,000 to EUR 250,000. The Department of State notes that extensions beyond the initial budget period may be considered on a non-competitive basis if funds remain available, performance is strong, and continued support aligns with U.S. government interests. The embassy may issue awards as grants, fixed amount awards, or cooperative agreements, with cooperative agreements involving more active participation by U.S. government staff during implementation. The funding source is tied to 2022 Assistance for Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia (AEECA) Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act funds, and the notice repeatedly stresses that awards are subject to the availability of funds; submitting an application does not guarantee funding, and only successful applicants will be contacted.

Eligibility is geared toward local and regional entities actively supporting Ukrainian refugee communities. Organizations that may apply include NGOs, civil society organizations, nonprofit organizations, think tanks or academic institutions, private organizations, and public or private educational institutions that are engaged in refugee support. Municipal or local governments and affiliated institutions can be considered, but only on a case-by-case basis, and such applicants are expected to explain why the municipality is uniquely positioned to implement the project or how it will partner with non-governmental actors to deliver the work. State institutions are explicitly not eligible. The notice also states that American and third-country organizations and individuals are not eligible under this program, although refugee-organized civil society organizations are eligible, and in exceptional circumstances an organization based elsewhere in Europe and Eurasia (outside Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) may be considered.

The application package is fairly standard for U.S. government assistance awards and must be submitted by email to talpolec@state.gov. Required components include the appropriate SF-424 form (SF-424 for organizations or SF-424-I for individuals), the SF-424A budget form, and the SF-424B assurances form (required for individuals and for organizations not registered in SAM.gov). Applicants must also provide a summary cover sheet listing basic project identification information and a clear purpose statement. The core narrative proposal is capped at 12 pages and is expected to be written so that a reviewer unfamiliar with the applicant can still understand exactly what will be done and why. It should include a concise program summary, organizational background and capacity (including any history with U.S. government funding), a well-supported problem statement, measurable goals and objectives, detailed activities, methods and design (with a logic model where appropriate), a schedule and timeline, key personnel and their time allocations, partners and sub-awardees with defined roles, a monitoring and evaluation plan, and a sustainability or future funding plan where relevant.

Applicants must also submit a budget justification narrative explaining each cost line in detail, plus attachments such as one-page CVs or resumes for key staff, letters of support from partners, indirect cost documentation if the organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and intends to charge indirect costs, and any official permission letters needed to conduct planned activities. Organizational applicants are expected to be registered in SAM.gov and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI); the notice points out that as of January 2023 a CAGE/NCAGE code is not required for SAM registration unless the organization plans to do business with the U.S. Department of Defense. The application deadline listed for this opportunity was March 4, 2023, and it was posted under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 19.878 and categorized as a discretionary grant opportunity through the U.S. Mission to Estonia.

• The U.S. Mission to Estonia in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Complementary Response Small Grants Program (CRSGP) to Support Ukrainian Refugees" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.878.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-01-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-03-04. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for POLECON TALLINN FY23 CRSGP 01

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