Deadline: 24-Mar-2024
The U.S. Embassy Accra Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit a statement of interest (SOI) to carry out the U.S. Embassy Accra Grants Program that aligns with their current strategic themes and policy priorities.
Purpose of U.S. Embassy Accra Grants
- PDS Accra invites SOIs for programs that strengthen ties and build relationships between the United States and Ghana through activities that highlight shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All programs must include a strong American element and/or connection with American expert(s), organization(s), or institution(s) (separate and beyond any involvement with the U.S. Embassy or its American Corners) that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.
- Priority will be given to projects that yield concrete, measurable results. Projects consisting solely of conferences or roundtable discussions, speaker series, theoretical research or surveys, or the writing or publishing of books, are unlikely to be funded.
Priority Program Areas
- Economic: Activities that target women-led business ventures across Ghana to accelerate and expand environmentally sustainable entrepreneurship; promote skills training and access to business networks; and advocate for investment in and expansion of women-led SMEs so that they may grow their own businesses, employ more young people, and promote environmentally sustainable economic growth.
- Education: Activities that create opportunities that support Ghanaian secondary institutions and educators to increase critical thinking, practical skills training, and experiential learning in the classroom and beyond; promote on-the-job skills training and professional development opportunities; and promote studying of subjects that advance strong democracy so that young, educated Ghanaians will be better prepared to fully engage in the democratic process and sustain Ghana’s economy in the 21st century.
- Peace and Security: Activities that give voice to Ghanaian youth, marginalized communities, and local government through civic education and conflict resolution skills that counter violent extremism and gender-based violence; or that strengthen citizenship and civic education so that communities will be able to engage in debate and sensitive conversations and to hold one another accountable, without resorting to violence.
- Media and Press Freedom: Activities that protect press freedom and strengthen the journalism profession through targeted training on fact checking, journalist ethics, and countering misinformation for journalists across the country; and promote media and information literacy, especially among youth, so that Ghana’s media institutions and journalists are less vulnerable to external threats to their credibility and more prepared to be valuable contributors to Ghana’s democratic process.
- Democracy and Civil Society: Activities that strengthen internal capacity for management, planning, and issue advocacy among civil society organizations, especially those reflecting marginalized voices that are underrepresented in the public debate, or engaged in democracy and governance issues, in order to support more diverse opinions in civic engagement and public debate.
- Human Rights: Activities that challenge norms that threaten human rights and deny equity for marginalized communities; create or support safe spaces for public advocacy; promote tolerance and respect for human rights for all (while urging zero tolerance for any form of abuse); and support civil society, media, and academia to promote democratic debate.
Funding Information
- Total expected available funding: up to $300,000
- Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $15,000 to a maximum of $100,000
- Length of performance period: 18 months or less
- Number of awards anticipated: 5 to 10 awards (dependent on amounts)
- Anticipated program start date: July through October 2024
Participants and Audiences
- Programs may be geared to a variety of audiences, depending on the topic. Statements of Interest will be evaluated based on a well-reasoned strategy for addressing the intended audience, stakeholders, and beneficiaries (primary and secondary). Proposals for projects that include participation of U.S. Government exchange alumni will be given additional consideration.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from the United States and Ghana, including:
- Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience
- Non-profit or governmental educational institutions
- Governmental institutions
- For-profit institutions are not eligible for this notice of funding opportunity. Proposals from individuals will not be considered for this funding opportunity.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.