Strategic Alliances for Mexico - B (SAM-B) for U. S. Partners Only | 72052319APS00001

Opportunity Information: Apply for 72052319APS00001

Strategic Alliances for Mexico - B (SAM-B) is a USAID/Mexico Annual Program Statement (APS) designed to build partnerships with U.S.-based organizations to support development priorities in Mexico that align with both the Government of Mexico (GOM) and the U.S. Government (USG). Issued under funding opportunity number 72052319APS00001, the program focuses on forming strategic alliances that can strengthen the long-term sustainability and overall impact of USAID investments, particularly by leveraging the expertise, reach, and resources of U.S. partners and the private sector. The intent is less about funding a single pre-defined project and more about inviting capable organizations to propose partnership concepts that fit within the priority areas and can produce measurable results.

The solicitation emphasizes collaboration in six broad areas: crime and violence prevention, rule of law, human rights, integrity and transparency (often tied to anti-corruption and accountable governance), sustainable landscapes (which can include conservation, natural resource management, and environmentally sustainable economic activity), and other priority areas identified by the GOM. In practice, this structure gives USAID flexibility to support a range of interventions as long as applicants can demonstrate that their approach responds to Mexican and U.S. priorities and that it will lead to durable outcomes beyond the life of USAID funding. The program is explicitly oriented toward alliances, meaning proposals are generally expected to show how partnerships, co-investment, private-sector engagement, or other collaborative models will increase effectiveness and extend impact.

Eligibility is limited to U.S. organizations only. That includes U.S. non-profit organizations, U.S. for-profit organizations, and U.S. colleges and universities. While the program is U.S.-only in terms of the applicant, USAID signals openness to many kinds of U.S. entities, such as private businesses, business and trade associations, foundations, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, international organizations with a U.S. organizational base, universities, civic groups, and regional organizations. The applicant list is intentionally non-exhaustive, which is meant to encourage proposals from organizations that may not traditionally pursue USAID assistance. A notable point is that USAID specifically welcomes applications from organizations that have not previously received USAID funding, suggesting an interest in bringing in new partners and fresh approaches.

Awards are anticipated to be issued as cooperative agreements, which typically means USAID expects substantial involvement during implementation (for example, collaboration on activity design, monitoring expectations, coordination with stakeholders, and adaptive management). The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and aligned with the Law, Justice, and Legal Services activity area (CFDA 98.001), though the stated thematic scope clearly extends beyond strictly justice-sector work to include governance, rights, security-related prevention, and environmental sustainability. The listed award ceiling is up to $15,000,000, indicating that larger, alliance-style efforts may be supported when justified by scale, partner contributions, and expected results.

Applicants are expected to have strong organizational capacity to manage U.S. Government funds responsibly. USAID highlights the need for established financial management systems, monitoring and evaluation processes, internal controls, and documented policies and procedures that comply with applicable U.S. Government standards, laws, and regulations. This is a core screening factor: even strong technical ideas can be undermined if an organization cannot demonstrate compliant financial stewardship and credible performance management. The original closing date shown for the opportunity was March 10, 2020, reflecting the APS cycle timing in the notice, though APS mechanisms can sometimes involve phased submissions or periodic review windows depending on the specific terms of the solicitation.

Overall, SAM-B is best understood as a platform for USAID/Mexico to identify and fund partnership-driven solutions led by U.S. organizations that can advance Mexico-focused development outcomes in priority sectors. The strongest submissions would typically be those that clearly connect a proposed intervention to one or more priority areas, show how the alliance model adds value (such as cost-sharing, private-sector leverage, specialized expertise, or scalable innovation), and demonstrate that the applicant has the operational systems to meet U.S. Government compliance and reporting expectations.

• The Mexico USAID-Mexico City in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strategic Alliances for Mexico - B (SAM-B) for U. S. Partners Only" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-03-11.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-03-10. (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 $15,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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