Deadline: 15-Jan-23
U.S. Mission Turkey of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Grants Program.
Purpose
- Purpose of Public Diplomacy Grants Program: U.S. Mission Türkiye invites proposals for projects that strengthen ties between the U.S. and Türkiye through cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All proposals must include a U.S. cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.
- Examples of Public Diplomacy Grants Programs include, but are not limited to:
- Academic and professional seminars, conferences, and speaker programs;
- Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions featuring participants from the United States;
- Cultural heritage conservation and preservation projects;
- Professional and academic exchanges and training programs;
Priority Program Areas
- Support Shared Security
- Projects for consideration in this category should support and advance cooperation between the United States and Türkiye through efforts to promote cooperation in NATO and other multilateral security organizations, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, the role of women in peace and security, address transnational crime and increase cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean.
- Strengthen Economic Prosperity and Promote Innovation
- Proposals are welcome to increase cooperation between U.S. and Turkish scientists and industry, particularly in the fields of green technology, bio-technology, clean energy, space, combatting climate change and developing the blue economy. These projects could include the utilization of technology to meet local needs, training on the importance of the free flow of data and improving the data literacy of citizens to take advantage of publicly-available information. Proposals that partner with U.S. private sector firms to strengthen business-to-business relationships and those that harness Turkish-Americans’ knowledge, experience, and investment resources to spur growth in economically disadvantaged regions across Turkey are welcome.
- Reinforce Democratic Values
- Proposals in this area should reinforce respect for international human rights norms within Türkiye, counter gender-based violence, support gender issues, promote the rule of law and freedom of expression, and/or strengthen the capacity of Turkish media and civil society in order to advocate for human rights and freedoms. Note: Proposals under this category do not require a U.S. element but will be viewed as stronger proposals with one.
- Advance Turkish and U.S. Cultural Ties
- Proposals for this category should include projects and activities which seek to build cultural, artistic and social ties between the Turkish and American people and promote a positive understanding of the value of the relationship between the two countries. Proposals aiming to raise awareness on protecting and/or restoring important cultural and historical sites are also welcome. Note: Proposals related to the protection and/or restoration of important cultural and historical sites do not require a U.S. element but will be viewed as stronger proposals with one.
- Foster Turkish and U.S. Ties Through Education
- Proposals for this category will focus on fostering mutual understanding and ties between Turkish and U.S. organizations, higher education institutions and individuals. Project areas will include, but are not limited to: English language education, STREAM education, higher education training & development, K-12 training & resource development, academic conferences and academic exchanges. Projects that increase student mobility from the United States to Türkiye and vice versa are welcome. Proposals here may also aim to assist Turkish media as well as media consumers in identifying and responding to misinformation and disinformation.
Funding Information
- Length of performance period: Maximum 24 months
- Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $15,000 to a maximum of $35,000
- Total available funding: $500,000.00 Pending Availability of Funds
Ineligible Projects
The following types of projects are not eligible for funding:
- Projects relating to partisan political activity;
- Charitable or development activities;
- Construction projects;
- Projects that support specific religious activities;
- Fund-raising campaigns;
- Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
- Scientific research;
- Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; or
- Projects that duplicate existing projects;
- Commercial projects;
- Scholarships to support educational opportunities or study and research for individuals
Participants and Audiences
- Projects focused on underserved communities are encouraged. Projects that meet this criterion will receive extra consideration. Projects must have a public teaching/public dialogue or educational component addressing Turkish audiences. Proposals including activities located outside Türkiye’s metropolitan areas are encouraged.
- Projects in the following categories must have a clear U.S. element: Support Shared Security, Strengthen Economic Prosperity, and Promote Innovation, Foster Turkish and U.S. Ties Through Education, and Advance Turkish and U.S. Cultural Ties. Projects in these categories not meeting this criterion will be disqualified. Proposals aiming to protect and/or restore important cultural and historical sites do not require a U.S. element but will be viewed as stronger proposals with one.
Eligibility Criteria
- U.S. Mission Türkiye encourages applications from the United States and Türkiye:
- Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations with project experience
- Individuals
- Non-profit or governmental educational institutions
- For-profit or commercial entities and not-for-profit companies (such as techno parks) are not eligible to apply.
- There are no such restrictions for project partners.
- Applications that have in-kind or cost-sharing support are considered stronger and will be given extra consideration.
- Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.
- Organizations or individuals with an existing, open grant with U.S. Mission Türkiye are ineligible to apply for additional grants until the existing grant is closed.
For more information, visit U.S. Mission Turkey.