2020 Space Apps Challenge NOFO - Hackathon | PAS MOROCCO FY20 05

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS MOROCCO FY20 05

The 2020 Space Apps Challenge NOFO - Hackathon is a U.S. Department of State (U.S. Mission to Morocco, Public Affairs Office) funding opportunity to support the organization of a NASA Space Apps Challenge hackathon in Morocco. The program is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the selected organization is expected to work closely with the U.S. Embassy in Rabat to plan and deliver the event and to coordinate with NASA Space Apps Challenge global organizers. The hackathon itself is planned as a three-day event scheduled for October 2 to 4, 2020, and it is part of the broader NASA Space Apps Challenge, an established international hackathon where participants use NASA's free and open data to build solutions to real-world problems on Earth and in space.

The opportunity is aimed at Moroccan non-profit organizations or U.S. non-profit organizations that have an established office in Morocco, and that already have a final registration receipt and an established bank account at the time of application. The Public Affairs Office is seeking one awardee (expected awards: 1), with an award ceiling of $40,000. The funding instrument is discretionary and falls under science and technology and research and development (CFDA 19.040). While the eligible applicant categories include nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions) and other eligible entities as clarified in the full announcement, the key operational requirement is that applicants must be legally established and operational in Morocco.

A central requirement is that the awardee design and execute a full program cycle around the hackathon, not just the three-day event. This starts with a national outreach and recruitment plan to identify, recruit, and select approximately 60 to 70 participants, primarily Moroccans ages 18 to 30. The participant pool is meant to be multidisciplinary and can include coders, engineers, software developers, scientists, designers, artists, videographers, entrepreneurs, and other makers who can contribute to problem solving, prototyping, and storytelling. The proposal is expected to explain how recruitment will be conducted, how selection will be handled, and how the applicant will ensure strong participation and diversity, including meaningful participation by Moroccan women to help address gender barriers in science and technology fields.

The awardee must also organize a pre-hackathon meet-up event designed to prepare participants for the main competition. This meet-up can be in-person, virtual, or hybrid, and it must include at least three local experts and scientists, including at least one data expert, who can brief participants on the challenge themes and help spark ideas before the main build days. Beyond that pre-event, the awardee is responsible for the end-to-end logistics of the three-day hackathon itself, including participant travel (for 60 to 70 people), registration and check-in processes, lodging, meals and refreshments throughout the event, and the physical setup and management of the hackathon venue. The venue is to be selected in consultation with the U.S. Embassy, and the proposal should reflect the applicant's capacity to manage a complex event with significant participant support needs.

Program design expectations are specific. Proposals must include a sample schedule for all three days, with day one focused on introductory presentations, briefings, workshops, and demos; day two focused on team-based project development with mentor support; and day three culminating in a pitch competition where teams present their solutions. The applicant must also describe how teams will be formed to ensure a healthy balance of skills across coding, design, science, communication, and entrepreneurship, rather than allowing teams to form in a way that leaves gaps in key capabilities. In addition, the awardee must recruit and manage subject-matter support during the event: at least five local experts to deliver short workshops and demos on day one and serve as mentors on day two; incorporation of an American expert identified by the U.S. Embassy as a presenter and mentor; and up to five additional local experts (separate from mentors) to serve as judges for the final-day pitch competition.

The grant emphasizes public engagement and visibility, so the awardee is expected to work closely with the Embassy on a social media plan to promote the hackathon online among the target audiences. The award also includes responsibility for identifying and procuring appropriate prizes for winning teams in the pitch competition. Importantly, the support does not end when the event ends: the awardee must help winning teams submit their projects to NASA Space Apps Challenge for global judging, including practical assistance such as facilitating the creation of a short project video to meet submission expectations and strengthen their chances in the global competition.

The stated objectives of the program are both educational and workforce-oriented. The hackathon is intended to encourage young Moroccans to deepen their knowledge of space, science, and technology while highlighting and promoting U.S. leadership in these fields. It also aims to promote youth entrepreneurship using training and experiences based on U.S. models, especially around ideation, rapid prototyping, and pitching. Another explicit goal is to instill a stronger commitment to innovation and risk-taking, and to provide a structured forum where participants build teamwork and leadership skills under real deadlines and collaborative pressure. Gender inclusion is not treated as optional; proposals must show how they will actively encourage the participation of Moroccan women and reduce barriers to entry.

Monitoring and evaluation is a required and relatively robust component. Proposals must include a monitoring and evaluation plan that explains how outcomes will be measured, and awardees must be prepared to conduct surveys, polls, or similar tools at three separate points: before the hackathon launches (baseline), at the end of the hackathon (immediate results), and six months after completion (longer-term impact, such as continued project work, skills use, education or employment outcomes, or entrepreneurial follow-on). Budget rules also matter: equipment purchases are capped at no more than 10 percent of total project cost unless the U.S. Embassy grants prior approval, signaling that the funding is intended primarily for programming and participant support rather than capital purchases.

The cooperative agreement is designed to cover core implementation costs tied to delivering the program. Allowable covered areas explicitly include securing a venue for the pre-event meetup, renting the Embassy-selected venue for the hackathon, purchasing necessary consumable materials for hackathon activities, providing lodging and food and beverages for participants during the three-day event, staffing needed to manage logistics, promoting the hackathon within relevant communities, and providing prizes for competition winners. The structure and detail required in the proposal package reflect the Embassy's expectation of professional event delivery, clear participant outcomes, and measurable impact.

Applications were due by May 10, 2020, and had to be submitted by email to Rabatgrants@state.gov, with no late proposals accepted. The required submission package included an Applicant Organizational Information Form (in English), a Project Narrative Form (in English), a Budget Narrative Proposal in U.S. dollars, and an evaluation and measurement plan. Applicants were to be notified of funding decisions within six weeks of the deadline, subject to availability of funds. The funding opportunity was published under Funding Opportunity Number PAS MOROCCO FY20 05, created April 7, 2020, by the Department of State, U.S. Mission to Morocco.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Morocco in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2020 Space Apps Challenge NOFO - Hackathon" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 07, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 10, 2020. (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 $40,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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