Deadline: 13 March 2020
The U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce limited funding to support a Sports Envoy involving two U.S. women’s soccer players with focus on empowering girls and women through soccer.
Proposals should be written to engage at-risk youth and underserved communities in rural areas of the Dominican Republic, especially in the northern and/or border regions. Program proposals should aim to provide the target audience with soccer training and life skills to promote healthy choices, good decision making and planning while aiming to prevent school dropout, teenaged pregnancy and other risky behaviors.
Sports diplomacy has emerged as an integral part of efforts to build ever-strengthening relations between the United States and other nations. Sports diplomacy uses the universal passion for sports to transcend linguistic and sociocultural differences and bring people together. Participation in sports teaches leadership, teamwork, and communication skills that help young people succeed in all areas of their lives.
Purpose
The goal of this grant is to hold a one-week program to train girls ages 13-17, and mentors ages 18-25 from two at-risk communities on the north coast and/or the D.R.-Haiti border. The soccer clinics coached by two current or retired US women’s soccer players will promote sports as a tool for gender equality and conflict resolution. The program must include life skills, empowerment, health, and/or personal development workshops to help girls create life plans and prevent teenage pregnancy, school dropout and other risky behaviors while promoting healthy choices, good decision making and planning for the future.
The program will consist of two two-day clinics (one per community), including both soccer skills clinics and life skills sessions. While the focus for younger participants aged 13-17 would be these soccer and life skills development, young women aged 18-25 would be able to learn from the professional soccer players and other educators to work towards becoming mentors themselves. Alumni of U.S. government exchange programs may be invited to serve as mentors and facilitators.
Allowable Activities and Costs
- Travel expenses from/to the United States for the Sports Envoys will be covered by the U.S. Embassy. Activities that are typically funded include, but are not limited to:
- In-country transportation
- Rental of venues for project activities
- Trainer or speaker expenses
- Reasonable equipment and materials
- Meals or refreshments integral to the project goals (i.e. breakfast and lunch for participants and facilitators)
- Activities that are not typically funded include, but are not limited to:
- Grants to individuals
- Academic or scientific research
- Paying to complete activities begun with other funds
- Projects that are inherently political in nature or that contain the appearance of partisanship/support to individual or single party electoral campaigns
- Sustained staff salaries, office space, and overhead/operational expenses
- Large items of durable equipment or construction programs
- Alcohol, excessive meals, refreshments, or entertainment
- Charitable or development activities or the provision of direct social services to a population
- Programs that support specific religious activities
- Fundraising campaigns
Funding Information
- Award Floor: US$ 5,000.00
- Award Ceiling: US$ 15,000.00
Eligibility Criteria
- The U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo Public Affairs Section encourages applications from American and/or Dominican based committed and organized civil-society organizations, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions.
- The Embassy does not accept grant applications from third country (i.e., not registered or located in the Dominican Republic) for profit organizations or individuals, even if the project will take place in the Dominican Republic.
- To be eligible for a federal assistance award, in addition to other conditions of this request for applications, organizations must have a commitment to non-discrimination with respect to beneficiaries and adherence to equal opportunity employment practices. Non-discrimination includes equal treatment without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, gender and political affiliation. By law, commercial firms are ineligible to receive funding through this award mechanism.
- Applications are accepted in English or Spanish. Final grant agreements will be concluded in English. Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail from the Embassy to indicate that we have received your proposal.
How to Apply
- The Sports Envoy program must take place in the 2020, starting no earlier than June 2020 and ending no later than August 2020. Please consider that if approved, this grant must be issued at least two-months prior to the beginning of the program. Applicants should not incur any expenses before the grant is approved. The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo will not be responsible for any expenses incurred to prepare your application and/or before the grant is approved.
- Proposals should be submitted via email at the address given on the website.
For more information, visit https://do.usembassy.gov/funding-opportunity-sports-envoy-2020-gol-empowering-women-and-girls-through-soccer/