Deadline: 31 May 2019
Eurasia Foundation is seeking applications for its Peer-to-Peer Dialogue Program (P2P) to expand U.S.-Russian communication and cooperation. P2P supports innovative projects promoting U.S.-Russian collaboration in cultural and professional areas of mutual interest, such as entrepreneurship, social inclusion, public health, community service, volunteerism, science and technology, and the arts.
Projects are jointly implemented by partner organizations and institutions from the U.S. and Russia over a period of twelve months. Partnerships are competitively selected and work together to address a theme of mutual interest in the U.S. and Russia that will facilitate greater understanding of shared values between the two countries. P2P aims to accomplish concrete project goals as well as strengthen the capacity for continued collaboration between U.S. and Russian peers. Successful partnerships will result in a tangible outcome that enhances interaction and understanding between U.S. and Russian societies well beyond the project end date.
Funding and Cost Share
- Applicants may request up to $75,000 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.
Eligibility Criteria
- Public and private organizations registered in the U.S. or Russia at the time of application are eligible for funding, with the exception of for-profit organizations (LLC, C Corp, etc.). This includes nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, schools, and other entities. 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 honorarium 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. Organizations and partnerships that have received P2P funding previously are not eligible to apply.
Project Evaluation and Selection Criteria
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.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit their applications using EF’s online funding management system via given website.
Eligible Countries: United States and Russia
For more information, please visit https://www.usrussiap2p.org/