Public Diplomacy Section’s Small Grants Program in Kazakhstan

Deadline: 28-Feb-2025

The U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce funding is available through the Embassy’s Small Grants Program to support the democratic development and strengthening of Kazakhstan’s government institutions and civil society by competitively awarding small grants to Kazakhstan’s nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and associations, to nonprofit civil society organizations (CSOs), and to independent local media organizations.

Project Background, Goals, and Objectives

• Topic 1: Support for Local Civic Initiatives
  • Supporting civil society to address grassroots issues through small grants has been a longstanding objective of the U.S. Embassy Small Grants Program (SGP). Recognizing the dynamically evolving civil society space and the opportunities for adding value to grassroots civic activities in Kazakhstan, the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan is seeking proposals that address labor relations in the Atyrau Region, environmental concerns in East Kazakhstan, and local governance and community engagement in the Almaty Region. Proposals should come from organizations located in these regions.
  • The program aims to empower local civil society and community leaders and their organizations by equipping them with leadership, management, advocacy, and network building skills to expand the participation of citizens in local decision-making processes, promote sustainable development, and ultimately improve community well-being.
• Project Audience(s): 
  • Both male/female
  • Almaty Region, Atyrau Region, and East Kazakhstan Region
  • 25-50 years old
  • Oil and gas, mining, and energy sectors, as well as CSO/NGO representatives
• Project Goal: To support local initiatives targeted at improving labor rights, addressing local environmental challenges, and establishing constructive dialogue for efficient, transparent, and responsive local governance, which will contribute to the overall well-being and development of Kazakhstan.
• Project Objectives (Project proposals may address one or more of these objectives):
  • Objective 1. Increase knowledge of workers’ rights and workplace safety standards among at least 200 energy sector workers (including oil and gas industries) in West Kazakhstan within the period of one year.
  • Objective 2. Improve collaboration between environmental experts and community-based environmental initiative groups to reduce pollution in the East Kazakhstan Region, resulting in the implementation of at least 2 joint community-based environmental initiatives.
  • Objective 3. Increase public participation in decision-making processes by facilitating at least 4 structured dialogues between citizens, civil society organizations, and local government, resulting in at least 3 citizen-proposed issues that are formally addressed by local government representatives.
  • Objective 4:  Improve the ability of community leaders and civil society organizations to reach 200 citizens through targeted outreach programs and networking events, resulting in 50 new citizens participating in local initiatives that address community challenges.
• Topic 2:  Women’s Empowerment
  • The U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan has supported various initiatives aimed at promoting women’s equality and political participation through the Small Grants Program (SGP). Past projects have included funding for grassroots organizations focused on women’s empowerment, legal reforms, and advocacy for gender equality. For example, a previous initiative provided leadership training for women, which helped increase their visibility and participation in local governance. These projects have contributed to a foundation for advancing women’s involvement in Kazakhstan’s political processes.
  • The goal of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to empower women’s public-political activity and leadership by building on past initiatives and fostering collaboration between civil society and government. This initiative will address critical barriers by providing targeted training, mentorship, and support to women aspiring to play active roles in local governance and decision-making.
• Project Audience(s): 
  • Both male/female
  • 18 – 50 years old
  • Early-career professionals interested in activism or politics, students of related majors, and NGO/CSO representatives.
• Project Goal: Support for women’s empowerment initiatives that advance mechanisms for women’s participation in decision-making, including at the oblast (provincial) and national levels.
• Project Objectives (Project proposals may address one or more of these objectives):
  • Objective 1: Increase leadership skills of 300 women, including aspiring politicians and community leaders, through targeted workshops and scenario-based exercises addressing cultural structures and barriers, resulting in at least 80% of participants demonstrating key leadership skills including but not limited to strategic thinking, decision making, conflict resolution, negotiation, advocacy, delegation, and team building.
  • Objective 2: Increase support among 15 local and national lawmakers to draft and implement gender-sensitive laws and policies that address cultural and political barriers to women’s political participation through targeted advocacy campaigns, resulting in the introduction of draft policies that incorporate provisions to support women’s political participation (e.g., quotas for women in elected office, campaign support for female aspiring politicians, etc.)
  • Objective 3: Equip a minimum of 300 women demonstrating interest in running for local office, including aspiring politicians and community leaders, with the necessary skills to successfully run for local level office through targeted training and mentorship in campaign management, networking, public speaking, and fundraising, resulting in at least 30% of participants developing a campaign plan or electoral strategy by the end of the training.

Funding Information

• Awards may range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $50,000 (approximately).

Duration

• Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 12 months or less.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Applicants
  • The following organizations are eligible to apply: 
    • Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations
    • For-profit organizations
• For this announcement, only Kazakhstan-based organizations are eligible to apply.

Ineligibility Criteria

• This opportunity will not support:
  • Projects relating to partisan political activity;
  • Charitable or development activities; including direct social services such as medical, psychological, and/or humanitarian support;
  • Construction projects;
  • Projects that support specific religious activities;
  • Fund-raising campaigns;
  • Lobbying for specific legislation or programs;
  • Scientific research or surveys;
  • Commercial projects.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.