Deadline: 30-Apr-23
The U.S. Mission to South Africa, Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that support is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program.
Purpose of Small Grants
- PAS Mission South Africa invites proposals for projects that strengthen ties between the United States and South Africa through activities that highlight shared values and promote bilateral cooperation and meaningful exchange by connecting South Africans to Americans through institutions, perspectives, and experiences. All projects must include a substantive American element – which may be a connection with American experts, organizations, or institutions in a specific field – that will increase understanding of the United States among South Africans.
- PAS is seeking proposals that address one or more of the following challenges from a public diplomacy perspective. Public Diplomacy (PD) seeks to promote partnerships and information/knowledge exchange between Americans and foreign publics and institutions to enable more effective, mutually beneficial cooperation with the United States globally, benefitting the U.S. national interest and the national security of the United States as well as the countries with whom we partner. PD aims to identify and fund programs and projects that broaden and deepen dialogue and empower cooperation between American citizens and institutions – including civil society and educational organizations – and their South African counterparts.
Priority Program Areas
- Projects that advance women’s and youth economic empowerment, including but not limited to projects that reduce barriers to participation in the economy for disadvantaged groups;
- Projects that advance pluralism, social inclusion, or shared history, including projects that examine shared histories and current challenges in the United States and South Africa;
- Projects that support U.S. principles and methodologies for promoting free and objective media, including combatting misinformation in community-level media organizations.
- Projects designed to improve the effectiveness of community youth sports and/or cultural organizations to counter violence, crime, and drop-out rates in their communities through connections with American peer organizations and best practices.
Funding Information
- Total available funding: $200,000
- Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $20,000
- Number of awards anticipated: 4 to 8 (depending on award amounts)
- Length of performance period: 12 to 18 months
Eligible Projects
- Academic or professional speaker projects involving an American speaker, either in person or virtual or a combination (hybrid);
- Artistic and cultural projects, joint performances, or exhibitions involving the work of American artists or American subject matter;
- Projects that expand activities at American Spaces;
- Projects that strengthen the relationships between American and South African organizations or institutions and their respective target audiences;
- Projects developed by an alumnus/a of a U.S.-government sponsored educational or professional exchange program.
- Projects that facilitate development and dissemination of joint media (radio, TV, digital, print) content on issues of importance to both Americans and South Africans
Participants and Audiences
- Proposals must identity a clearly defined target audience that the project seeks to engage and influence. Well-defined audiences are countable and accessible through the project’s activities. Proposals should specify the changes in knowledge, understanding, attitudes, or behaviors the project aims to realize – and how the implementer intends to measure these outcomes. PAS is particularly interested in projects that engage audiences in rural areas and small cities.
Eligibility Criteria
- Only non-profit South African and American organizations are eligible to apply. This includes non-profit think tanks, civil society/non-governmental organizations, and public and private educational institutions. Proposals from for-profit entities may not be considered. Proposals from American entities must demonstrate that the entity has a strong presence or partner in South Africa.
- Applicants may be asked to provide proof of their non-profit status if such status is unclear to the selection committee.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=344528