Deadline: 01-Aug-20
The U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Public Affairs Section, has announced an open competition for teams of Romanian alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs to apply for a grant of up to $ 15,000 each to organize programs to promote current Embassy priorities.
This funding opportunity is designed to help the Embassy build upon investments the U.S. Government has made in sending Romanians on exchange programs and to assist strategic alumni engagement efforts directly support U.S. foreign policy objectives.
Teams should consist of two to four alumni; the team members do not need to be alumni of the same program. The alumni can choose to partner with an NGO for implementation purposes. Contingent on funding availability, five grants are expected to be awarded to different projects.
Themes
Alumni are invited to propose innovative projects that address one of the themes described below:
- Fostering Economic Prosperity: Projects promote or develop best practices to nurture more gender-diverse business ownership, as well as innovative ventures that more broadly benefit society. Activities may include skills training, building awareness of job resources, or promoting job creation through information on entrepreneurship or business development. Proposals to create for-profit businesses or directly employ workers are not eligible for funding.
- Retraining Workers in the Post-COVID-19 Economy: Projects provide tools for unemployed workers that were laid-off due to the pandemic to develop existing skills or retrain workers in a different field that would maximize their chances for obtaining a job. Proposals to create for-profit businesses or directly employ workers are not eligible for funding.
- Advancing Science, Technology, Health, and Innovation: Projects promote awareness of, and nurture, a healthy innovation economy and/or provide training in science, technology, health, or innovation, such as access to clean water, public health, food security, or use of innovative technology for job preparation. Proposals to provide direct social services (e.g., medicine) to a population are not eligible for funding.
- Promoting Inclusion and Educational Opportunity: Projects promote opportunity for education, particularly for under-represented or marginalized groups. Projects may also include mentorship programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or English language
Funding Information
Total Amount Available: $ 15,000 per grant
Application Requirements
Please ensure:
- The proposal clearly addresses the priorities listed in this funding opportunity
- All documents are in English
- All budgets are in U.S. dollars
- All pages are numbered
- All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and
- All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.
Evaluation Criteria
Each application will be evaluated and rated based on the evaluation 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.
- Monitoring and evaluation plan – 25 points: Applicants demonstrate they can 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.
- Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 20 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.
- Budget – 15 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.
- Sustainability – 15 points: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.
For more information, visit https://ro.usembassy.gov/education-culture/nofo/