Deadline: 1-Jul-23
The U.S. Embassy Port Louis Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations or individuals to submit a Statement of Interest (SOI) to carry out a program (or programs) to promote bilateral relationships between the U.S. and Mauritius and Seychelles.
Program Objectives
All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.
Examples of potential small grants programs include, but are not limited to:
- Academic and professional lectures, seminars, workshops, and speaker programs;
- Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions;
- Activities that encourage women’s empowerment and gender equality, respect for underserved and underrepresented individuals, empower marginalized and disadvantaged communities, and encourage social inclusion, access to resources, and fundamental human rights for all.
- Programs developed by an alumnus/a of a U.S.-government sponsored educational youth entrepreneurship, empowerment, and/or leadership programs;
- Programs that support media and freedom of expression.
Priority Program Areas
- A free and open Indo-Pacific, encourage good governance and transparency, strengthen civil society or democratic institutions.
- Youth and women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, and STEM programs.
- Sustained economic growth, trade, and investment (this may include programs on entrepreneurship, capacity-building, business incubators, and opportunities to convene investors with businesses.)
- Promoting civic education and youth participation in civics, democratic processes, volunteerism, and community service.
- Build media capacity and counter disinformation.
- Respect for underserved and underrepresented individuals, empower marginalized and disadvantaged communities, encourage social inclusion, access to resources, and fundamental human rights for all.
- Joint academic research in partnership with U.S. universities or organizations to accelerate responses and adaptation to climate change.
- English language promotion that uses innovative techniques, tools, and U.S. materials for classroom teaching and learning.
- Promoting the themes above through sports or arts.
Funding Information
- Length of performance period: up to 18 months.
- Number of awards anticipated: approximately 4 awards, dependent on availability of funding and amounts requested.
- Award amounts: Minimum of $3,000 and maximum of $25,000.
Participants and Audiences
Proposals must identify a clearly defined target audience that the project seeks to influence or impact. Well-defined audiences are countable and accessible through the project’s activities. Proposals should specify the changes in knowledge, understanding, attitudes, or behavior change in attitudes or behavior action that they seek with the project—and how they plan to measure these outcomes.
Eligibility Criteria
The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from U.S., Mauritian, and Seychellois:
- Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience;
- Individuals;
- Non-profit or governmental educational institutions;
- Governmental institutions.
Applicants should be able to document their experience implementing similar projects. For-profit businesses or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.
For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Mauritius & Seychelles.
