U.S. Embassy in France announces Small Grants Program

Deadline: 15-Jul-2020

The U.S. Embassy France Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State has announced that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program.

PAS Paris invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the U.S. and France through programming that creates opportunities for bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest and highlights shared values. All programs must include a U.S. element, such as an American expert, organization, cultural element, or institution, that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives

Priority Program Areas

PAS seeks to engage the public, decision-makers, civil society leaders, and opinion-shapers at all levels of French society on information, security, economic, cultural, and educational issues through public diplomacy resources and expertise, with the goal of broadening support for, and understanding of U.S. policies, culture, history, society, and values. Priority programmatic themes for the U.S. Mission to France include:

Security and Defense:Activities that promote transatlantic security; combat transnational, regional, and global challenges, such as terrorism, violent extremism, anti-Semitism, racially or ethnically motivated terrorism, or cyber threats; and encourage resistance to malign influence and disinformation.
Countering Anti-Semitism and Targeted Violence: Activities that address the spike of anti-Semitic acts and increased incidents of targeted violence in France, highlighting the threat of these acts to our shared democratic values.
Prosperity, Trade, and Investment:Activities that encourage a nuanced understanding of U.S. agricultural practices and industries, support the expansion of U.S. exports and investments, improve the connections between U.S. and French businesses, and/or expand economic opportunities, entrepreneurship, and financial independence among women, youth, and underserved populations.
Shared Democratic Values:Non-partisan activities that promote an understanding of U.S. democracy (such as around the 2020 U.S. elections) and how the United States and France share democratic values, especially among audiences with little first-hand knowledge of the United States.
Technology and Innovation:Activities that support cooperation in such areas as space exploration, agricultural technology, cybersecurity, and entrepreneurship.
Shared Values and Interests:Activities that promote the long history of the U.S.-France relationship and build people-to-people ties, including but not limited to commemorations of key historic events and commemorative programs.
Student Mobility:Activities that create sustainable partnerships between French educational institutions and U.S. partners and increase opportunities for educational and professional exchanges.
Cultural Diplomacy:Activities promoting U.S. culture, building on shared U.S.-French appreciation for cultural excellence through culinary traditions, art, film, sports, fashion, literature, and other cultural forms.

Examples of PAS Small Grants Program projects include, but are not limited to:

Academic and professional lectures, seminars, or speaker programs;
Workshops to counter violent extremism, anti-Semitism, and disinformation;
Interactive programs that stimulate economic growth, promote entrepreneurship, and provide economic opportunities;
Professional and academic exchanges and programs.

Funding Information

Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $2,000 to a maximum of $25,000.
Anticipated program start date: Program activities or planning should begin in 2020.
Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 months or less.

Participants and Audiences

All applicants for awards must stipulate who their target audience is (age/gender/geographic breakdown) and estimate the expected audience reach through direct contact and, if possible, through indirect contact (via social media or traditional media).

Eligibility Criteria

The Public Affairs Section encourages applications from the U.S. and France:

Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience
Individuals
Non-profit educational institutions
Governmental institutions For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

Programs relating to partisan political activity;
Charitable or development activities;
Construction programs;
Programs that support specific religious activities;
Fund-raising campaigns;
Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
Scientific research;
Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization
Programs that duplicate existing programs.

Evaluation Criteria

Organizational capacity and record on previous grants: The organization has expertise in its stated field and PAS is confident of its ability to undertake the program. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.
Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.
Goals and objectives: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.
Embassy priorities: Applicant has clearly described how stated goals are related to and support U.S. Embassy Paris’ priority themes with target audiences.
Budget: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities.
Monitoring and evaluation plan: Applicant demonstrates an ability to measure program success against key indicators and provide milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.
Sustainability: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.