Deadline: 5 May 2019
The Cultural Affairs Office in the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy Islamabad of the Department of State has announced an open competition for assistance awards through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), contingent on funding availability, through the Public Diplomacy Grants Program.
CAO Islamabad’s purpose in funding projects under this opportunity is to enable civil society groups to implement projects utilizing cultural heritage to mobilize and improve their communities and/or stimulate economic empowerment while protecting their heritage. Programs should have a component for youth and/or school age children, a well-defined social media component, and an education component that broadens community awareness of cultural preservation.
Project Goals & Objectives
CAO Islamabad is looking for applicants to present innovative and effective ways to integrate cultural preservation into programs that develop and improve conditions for local communities in Pakistan. For purposes of this NOFO, cultural heritage includes both tangible (i.e. objects, buildings or structures that have been in existence for a period of not less than seventy-five (75) years) and intangible, traditional forms of expression, including, but not limited to: traditional performing arts, visual arts, language, and literature. Applicants should propose project ideas that focus on preserving Pakistani communities’ cultural heritage in order to achieve one or more of the goals shown below, while strengthening and mobilizing the communities in the process:
- Goal 1: Develop skills of youth and/or school aged children to contribute to preserving their communities’ cultural heritage;
- Goal 2: Encourage greater respect for Pakistan’s historically multi-faith heritage through educational and outreach programs developed as a result of communities’ cultural heritage preservation resulting from these projects and;
- Goal 3: Promote social inclusion through community resilience, tolerance, and freedom of expression.
Regardless of which goal(s) applicants choose, the proposal must demonstrate how project activities will meet the goal(s) using both project objectives:
- Objective 1: Integrate cultural preservation into programs that develop and improve conditions for local communities.
- Objective 2: Provide opportunities for enhancing community awareness and increasing youth (ages 10 years through university-age) engagement.
Award Information
- Anticipated Award Amount: The floor for this NOFO is $50,000 and the ceiling is $100,000.
- Duration of Award: A minimum of twelve (12) months, not to exceed eighteen (18) months.
Eligible Applicants
- All U.S. and Pakistani registered non-profit, non-governmental organizations, U.S. and Pakistani universities, and U.S. state and local governments with relevant programming experience are encouraged to apply.
- Any relevant experience must be documented in the organization’s proposal. Organizations must provide proof of registration and non-profit status with their proposal application.
- U.S.-based organizations should submit a copy of their IRS determination letter. Pakistan-based organizations should submit a copy of their certificate of registration from the appropriate government organization.
- No privately owned objects, properties, or heritage sites nor intangible cultural properties that are copyrighted or generate revenue for private owners may be the subject of the preservation project under this award.
How to Apply
All application materials must be submitted electronically via given website.
For more information, please visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=313365