Deadline: 31 March 2020
The U.S. Embassy Tokyo’s Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out workshops and/or exchanges on regional security, non proliferation, and multilateral cooperation to ensure the ongoing stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.
A free and open Indo-Pacific is crucial for global stability in the 21st century. This vision for the Indo-Pacific is not unique to the United States, but is shared by Japan and many other nations in the region. However, there are many challenges to realizing this vision, including territorial and maritime disputes, differing economic approaches, historical concerns, and various types of governance. Therefore, multilateral cooperation is needed to address these challenges and ensure economic prosperity, good governance, and peace and security become a reality for all in the Indo-Pacific.
Priority Areas
- Maritime Security;
- Economic Prosperity;
- Civil Society;
- Disaster Relief;
- Health Assistance;
- Rule of Law.
Funding Information
Awards may range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $75,000.
Funding Restrictions
The following types of projects or activities are not eligible for funding:
- Projects relating to partisan political activity;
- Charitable or development activities;
- Construction projects;
- Projects that support specific religious activities;
- Fund-raising campaigns;
- Lobbying for specific legislation or projects
- Scientific research;
- Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the
organization; - Projects seeking funds for personal use;
- Projects that require participation fee.
The program needs to be designed to strengthen ties between U.S. and Japanese institutions through the inclusion of U.S. experts.
Priority Region: Japan
Eligibility Criteria
- The program should also include participants from other countries in the Indo-Pacific region;
- The Embassy will only consider grants that are geared toward Japanese audiences;
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations;
- Public and private educational institutions;
- Public international organizations and governmental institutions;
- Individuals.
- Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.
Evaluation Criteria
Each application will be evaluated and rated using the criteria outlined below:
- Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – 25 points: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.
- Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 25 points: The organization has expertise in its stated field and has the internal controls in place to manage federal funds. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.
- Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 15 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.
- Budget – 10 points: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities.
- Monitoring and evaluation plan – 15 points: Applicant demonstrates ability to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators, and shows how and when those will be measured.
- Sustainability – 10 points: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program. Cost sharing will be considered here.
Review and Selection Process
A Grants Review Committee will review and evaluate all eligible applications, selecting those with the highest scores based on the criteria above for funding. All applicants will be notified by email of the committee’s decision no later than September 30, 2020.
How to Apply
- Please ensure that the proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity;
- All documents must be in English;
- All budgets must be in U.S. dollars;
- Submit applications as a Microsoft Word document, single-spaced, 12- point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins and numbered pages electronically via email at the address given on the website.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=323944