Deadline: 5 March 2020
The Request for Applications (RFA) and with the support of the U.S. Embassy Moscow, EF invites project applications from nonprofit organizations and institutions seeking to expand U.S.-Russian communication and cooperation. EF will fund innovative projects promoting peer-to-peer collaboration and long-term engagement between Russians and Americans on topics of mutual interest.
Universities and other research institutions are eligible to apply to the P2P program, funded projects must expand beyond pure research. Specifically, all P2P projects should include or culminate in concrete deliverable or deliverables, including but not limited to offering newly-developed training sessions, lectures, conferences, video/music productions, art exhibits, performances, etc.
EF will not fund projects that engage in political activism or lobbying, support public policy reform movements, or seek to sway public opinion about policy. Rather, competitive projects will seek out project topics that can lead to productive international partnership and have potential to spark long-term peer-to-peer relationships.
Funding and Cost Share Information
- Applicants may request up to $55,000 per project. Use of funds throughout the project must be consistent with the implementers’ application budget. Furthermore, project funding may only be used for activities directly connected with the implementation of the project, such as:
- Direct costs of project-related events (e.g., organizing meetings, rental of conference facilities, translation services);
- Communication between partner organizations (e.g., phone, email, web conferencing);
- Travel expenses associated with the project (e.g., transportation, accommodation, per diem, health insurance, visa fees, interpretation, and other related expenses);
- Funds used to conduct outreach and marketing activities, and dissemination of project deliverables (e.g., publications, email marketing, social media promotion, website maintenance costs);
- Prorated portion of salaries for project team members;
- Modest honoraria for key project experts;
- Other expenses, including indirect costs, directly related to project implementation.
- In accordance with EF policy, funding may not be used for the following costs:
- Ongoing organization expenses;
- Construction expenses;
- Purchase of real estate, alcoholic beverages, entertainment, and business/first-class travel;
- Disbursements to organizations or institutions funded by the Russian government;
- Service/Repayment of debts.
Each application must also include a cost share component beyond the EF funding amount. Applicants are required to contribute at least 10% of the requested sum in monetary and in-kind contributions. Applicants are encouraged to seek ways to expand their cost share above 10% of the total project budget, including pro-bono work, in-kind contribution, and corporate sponsorship.
Project Design
Projects should emphasize U.S.-Russian collaboration and knowledge exchange in their design. While conducting the funded project, implementers should have varied and plentiful opportunities to substantively engage with their international partners. Engagement can be achieved through co-hosted webinars, joint events in the U.S. and Russia, bilateral presentations, international volunteer engagement, collaborative performances, or through other creative activities.
Projects should result in collaborative outcomes and deliverables that address one or more of the following areas: 1) American business values of innovation, entrepreneurship, and fair legal and labor practices, 2) U.S.-Russian collaboration in space exploration and science, 3) U.S.-Russian collaboration in the arts, 4) grassroots expression of ideas through writing, art, and new media.
Applicants are encouraged to include innovative methodologies and technologies to accomplish program goals and collaboration between U.S. and Russian peers. Successful projects will result in a tangible deliverable or outcome that enhances interaction and understanding between U.S. and Russian society well beyond the project end date.
Travel between the U.S. and Russia can be a valuable component of P2P projects and is allowable as part of project activities. When including project-related travel in a P2P proposal, efficiency is key. All P2P-related travel should include multiple activities and should reach beyond common metropolitan areas in the U.S. (e.g., New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C.) and Russia (e.g., Moscow, St. Petersburg). Implementers are responsible for making all travel arrangements associated with the project.
All applicants are encouraged to include at least one project component that shares cultural and professional skills in the project’s technical areas. This exchange of information and skill can be achieved through invite-only lectures, widely distributed publications, internal meetings, or in a variety of other ways.
Restrictions
Applicants are advised that P2P funding may not be used to fund projects that focus primarily on academic or scientific research, focus on initiatives that have already been launched or continuing activities, provide benefit to the Government of the Russian Federation at any level, including Russian government entities (museums, universities, schools, etc.) and Russian government officials or employees in any branch of government (including teachers, professors, museum workers, etc.). Additionally, Russian government officials or employees from Russian governmental organizations, including but not limited to the examples above, are not eligible to participate in P2P-funded activities as active participants. P2P project activities may not take place at Russian government venues, including state universities.
Projects that receive funding may vary in duration but must be completed within 12 months of launching.
Eligibility Criteria
- Public and private not-for-profit organizations registered in the U.S. or Russia at the time of application are eligible for funding. This includes nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, schools, and other entities. For-profit and business institutions are not eligible to apply, with the exception of for-profit cultural organizations. Experience working directly with international partners in the past is not required for this funding opportunity.
- Projects that provide direct benefit to the Government of the Russian Federation at any level, including Russian government entities (museums, universities, schools, etc.) and Russian government officials or employees in any branch of government (including paying salary or honoraria to teachers, professors, museum workers, etc.) are not eligible for funding.
- Organizations registered and/or located in any country other than the U.S. or Russia are not eligible to serve as project partners.
- Organizations and partnerships that have applied to P2P in the past are eligible to apply for funding in the new round provided that an original concept note is submitted. Submitted concept notes that propose the same project as a previously submitted concept note will not be considered for funding.
Criteria for Project Evaluation and Selection
The following criteria will be used to evaluate project applications:
- Quality of the Project Idea: Need for the project must be clearly defined and well-supported. All goals and activities must be concrete, relevant, realistic, and non-political in nature.
- Project Planning: Partners, project participants, beneficiaries must all be clearly defined. The project timeline must be realistic and allow for sufficient project monitoring.
- Institutional Capacity: Implementers’ experience should be clearly linked to the topic of their proposed project. Implementers must also demonstrate a clear capacity to successfully administer the funding and achieve all proposed objectives.
- Cost Effectiveness: All budgeted funds are reasonable and efficient. Overhead and administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and honorarium, should be kept as low as possible.
Application Process
Before being invited to submit a full funding application, all prospective applicants must provide a statement of interest application addressing the following questions:
- What is the main issue/problem to be addressed?
- What is the project’s main objective and some key activities that will help achieve it?
- What are the anticipated outcomes or results of the project?
- Who will be the project’s main implementing organization and all partners?
- How is the partnership equipped to implement the initiative?
Applicants must also submit a letter of commitment from their international partner in the statement of interest application (detailed instructions provided in the funding management system).
If selected to complete a full application form, prospective applicants must provide the following documents:
- Project narrative;
- Resumes for all key personnel (not to exceed one page each);
- Project budget form (available on EF’s funding management system);
- Budget narrative (detailed instructions are provided on EF’s funding management system;
- Application certification form signed by an authorized representative of applicant organization (available on the funding management system);
How to Apply
Organizations must submit all application documents online via given website.
For more information, visit https://www.usrussiap2p.org/request-for-applications