U.S. Embassy in Namibia announces Public Diplomacy Grants Program 2020

Deadline: 15 July 2020

The U.S. Embassy in Namibia’s Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State has announced that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Grants Program.

The Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Embassy in Windhoek invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the U.S. and Namibia through cultural, academic, and exchange programming that promotes bilateral cooperation and shared values. All proposals should include an American element, such as a connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s.

Examples of Public Affairs Grants Programs include, but are not limited to:

Academic and professional lectures, seminars and speaker programs;
Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions;
Sports exchange programs;
Heath and conservation programs that include engagement with public audiences;
Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs;
Professional and academic exchanges and programs;
Programs developed by an alumnus/a of a U.S. sponsored or supported educational or professional exchange program;
Municipal and regional libraries or councils that host an American Space or would like to conduct outreach programs related to the United States;
Programs that engage alumni of U.S. State Department exchange programs in any of the activities above.

Priority Program Areas

This funding opportunity seeks to promote programs in the following thematic areas:

Good governance and administration of justice;
Health, including attaining and sustaining HIV epidemic control;
Wildlife conservation, water management, and energy infrastructure;
Increased U.S.-Namibia trade and investment;
Entrepreneurship enablement, and development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem;
Education and English language learning.

Participants and Audiences:

Public Affairs Grant Programs should have as primary participants and audience the Namibian public, to include: the public in a specific community; students, learners, educators, and academics; education institutions; civil society organizations; arts and culture organizations and institutions.

Funding Information

Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $5,000
Total available funding anticipated: $50,000 USD, and additional amounts pending availability of funding.
Anticipated program start date: April 1, 2020.

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

Any program submitted by for-profit companies (for-profit companies may not be funded by Public Affairs grants);
Programs designed primarily to generate income;
Businesses or new business ideas;
Programs relating to partisan political activity;
Charitable activities;
Construction programs;
Programs that support specific religious activities;
Fund-raising campaigns;
Lobbying for specific legislation or programs.

Duration

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs that are completed in 12 months or less will be given preference.

Eligibility Criteria

The Public Affairs Section encourages applications from American and Namibian:

Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience;
Individuals;
Non-profit or governmental educational institutions;
Governmental institutions.

For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

Evaluation Criteria

Organizational capacity and record on previous grants: The organization has expertise in its stated field and the Public Affairs Office is confident of its ability to undertake the program. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.
Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.
Goals and objectives: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.
Embassy priorities: Applicant has clearly described how stated goals are related to and support the U.S. Embassy priority areas or target audiences.
Budget: 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: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provide 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: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.