U.S. Embassy Singapore Annual Program Statement 2020

Deadline: 4 September 2020

U.S. Embassy Singapore is pleased to announce funding opportunities through its public diplomacy grants program. Each year, the U.S. Embassy awards a limited number of grants to support activities and exchanges linking the United States and Singapore with the aim of strengthening the bilateral relationship and people-to-people connections.

Purpose of Small Grants: To support organizations or individuals that engage Singaporeans in activities that strengthen ties between the United States and Singapore or the region. All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American experts, organizations, or institutions in fields that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policies, perspectives, or values.

Given the current limitation on in-person programming in Singapore due to COVID-19 public health guidelines, the U.S. Embassy is particularly interested in funding programs focused on virtual engagements, including but not limited to:

Academic and professional lectures, seminars, and speaker programs;
Artistic and cultural workshops or performances;
Professional and academic enrichment or development activities; or
Other programs that build people-to-people connections between Americans and Singaporeans.

Thematic Priorities

U.S. Embassy Singapore small grants fund programs that:

Support entrepreneurship, innovation, and increased economic opportunities;
Address transnational threats including disinformation and other cybercrime;
Advance awareness of safety and security cooperation between the U.S. and Singapore and its importance to the region;
Support open, inclusive, and diverse societies;
Promote the U.S. higher education system; or
Create understanding about U.S. policies, culture, and shared values.

Grant Information

Award amounts: Typically, award amounts vary between $1,000 USD and $25,000 USD, but exceptions are possible if the budget is commensurate with the project goals.
Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in one year or less; exceptions will be considered in cases when it is determined that that a longer performance period would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State.
Anticipated program start date: Awards fund future programs only, not programs that occurred in the past or are already in progress. Programs must commence before September 30, 2020.

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

Programs relating to partisan political activity
Charitable or development activities
Construction programs
Fund-raising campaigns
Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
Scientific research
Programs that duplicate existing programs
Programs that do not address priorities

Participants and Audiences

Programs must engage Singaporeans. Applicants should identify a clear target audience and estimate the expected reach through both direct and indirect contact (i.e. social or traditional media, follow-on activities, etc.).

Eligibility Criteria

The Public Affairs Section encourages applications from United States and Singapore:
- Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience
- Public entities (e.g. schools or governmental agencies)
- Individuals
For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply. Applicants with Active Exclusions in the System for Award Management are also not eligible to apply.

Application Review Information Criteria

Each application submitted will be evaluated and rated by a team based on: