Deadline: 15-May-23
The U.S. Embassy Dakar Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State announces a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) from organizations interested in applying for funding for program proposals that strengthen cultural ties between the United States and Senegal or between the United States and Guinea Bissau through cultural, educational, capacity building and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation.
Purpose
- Programs must highlight shared values and promote bilateral cooperation. 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;
- This can also include the involvement of Senegalese or Bissau-Guinean alumni of U.S. government exchange programs.
Priority Program Areas
Priority program areas include, but are not limited to
- Advancing democratic values through the promotion of human rights, civil society, and good governance;
- Promoting inclusive economic growth through innovation and entrepreneurship: Promote shared economic growth through proposals that reinforce shared values of entrepreneurship and innovation, promote economic opportunities and empowerment of underserved communities and youth, and explore the benefits of expanded trading opportunities between the United States and Senegal and/or the United States and Guinea Bissau;
- Advancing the study of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM); promote critical learning through workshops, demonstrations, and hands-on activities aimed at youth ranging between elementary to university level of studies;
- Increasing opportunities for youth;
- Promoting awareness of the global climate crisis; including amplifying strong U.S. leadership to increase global climate ambition and combatting climate change using U.S. models;
- Promoting women’s empowerment and economic inclusion;
- Celebrating 60 years of U.S.-Senegalese diplomatic relations: Reinforce U.S. – Senegal shared values through proposals that explore, expand, and reflect on historical and contemporary connections between U.S. and Senegalese cultural and educational institutions and groups.
Award Information
- Awards may range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $50,000;
- Total expected available funding: $250,000.00 ;
- Length of performance period: 3 to 12 months;
- Exceptional proposals above $50,000 may be granted funds pending availability of funding.
Participants and audiences include, but are not limited to
- Youth and Emerging Voices (university and entry-level working professionals);
- Civil society actors;
- Local leaders;
- Journalists;
- Business leaders and entrepreneurs;
- Established opinion leaders, including cultural and/or academic institution leadership;
- Residents of underserved communities and regions outside of Dakar;
- New media professionals including bloggers and social media personalities.
Examples of PDS-funded programs include, but are not limited to:
- Academic and professional lectures, seminars, and speaker programs;
- Capacity-building workshops and programs;
- Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions;
- Professional and academic exchanges, partnerships, and programs;
- Existing American Spaces and those partner institutions that are seeking to establish an American Space;
- English language programs;
- Journalism training.
Eligibility Criteria
- The Public Diplomacy Section accepts applications from only U.S., Senegalese, and Bissau Guinean;
- Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations with programming experience;
- Individuals;
- Non-profit or governmental educational institutions;
- For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply;
- Cost sharing is not required. When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal;
- Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.
For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Senegal.