Deadline: 1 August 2020
The Office of the Public Affairs Advisor (PAA) at the U.S. Mission to NATO (USNATO) has announced that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program.
PAA invites proposals for programs and initiatives that help promote an increased understanding of USNATO policy and perspectives.
Priority Program Areas
- Defense budgets and equitable burden sharing.
- Countering dis and misinformation.
- Cyber security.
- NATO and the Middle East.
- Counterterrosim.
Funding Information
- Length of performance period: 12-18 months
- Number of awards anticipated: 3-5 awards (dependent on amounts)
- Award amounts: minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $100,000
The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:
- Programs relating to partisan political activity.
- Programs that explicitly target a U.S. audience.
- Charitable or development activities.
- Construction programs.
- Programs that duplicate existing programs.
Duration
- Proposed programs should be completed in 18 months or less.
- PAA will entertain applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the initial budget period on a non-competitive basis subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State.
Participants and Audiences
All activities should be targeted at European and/or Canadian audiences and should take place in either Europe or Canada unless a justification is provided.
Eligibility Criteria
The Public Affairs Section encourages applications from the U.S., Europe, and Canada for:
- New and creative approaches that utilize digital technology.
- Programs that seek to reflect the diversity of thought and backgrounds as well as a gender balance.
- Incorporate evaluation components to evaluate the proposal’s effectiveness.
- Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience.
- Non-profit or non-governmental educational institutions
- Governmental institutions
- For-profit or commercial entities, and individuals, are not eligible to apply.
Evaluation Criteria
Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below. The criteria listed are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application.
- Organizational capacity and record on previous grants: The organization has expertise in its stated field and PAS 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.
- 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.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=326308