Deadline: 31-Jul-23
The U.S. Embassy Vienna of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to promote and foster U.S. culture, shared values, disinformation and diversity, with a specific focus on the contemporary American political and media landscape, among young Austrian students.
Goals
- Additional program goals include:
- Promote future Austrian leaders’ awareness of the American political process and the resilience of U.S. democracy
- Encourage identification of the United States as a destination for future academic, business, or other partnerships, and ongoing education.
- Foster professional and personal ties with participants and U.S. citizens in the local community.
- Promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of Austria.
Objectives
- The goal is to reinforce the power of shared democratic values, provide a first-hand look at the U.S. political process, and enhance people-to-people ties between young Austrians and Americans. In times of increasing discord and misinformation, this program contributes to a closer connection between future generations of Austrian and American leaders and enhances Austrian participants’ understanding of the United States. The program will reduce stereotypes and produce informed young Austrians who can act as citizen ambassadors, thus benefiting the Austrian-American relationship in the years ahead.
- The program will provide an exchange experience focused on U.S. culture, shared values, disinformation, diversity, and the contemporary American political and media landscape. The goal is to reinforce the power of Western democratic values, provide a first-hand look at the U.S. political process and the role of civil society, while increasing people-to-people ties.
- As this will be a cooperative agreement, U.S. Embassy Vienna will have substantial involvement in this effort including participant selection and approval of the program structure and content of the U.S. component.
- The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy is providing maximum flexibility for applicant organizations to offer program models that effectively meet the overall goals of the program.
Funding Information
- Length of performance period: 12 to 24 months
- Number of awards anticipated: 1 award (dependent on amounts)
- Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $120,000
- Total available funding: $120,000 (pending availability of funds)
Participants and Audiences
- Target audience and participants are 10-15 Austrian university students and young professionals, between age 21 and 28 and residing permanently in Austria, with demonstrated leadership capacity to participate in a tailored and compact hybrid (with a virtual pre-program phase) program in Austria and the United States, focusing on education and leadership.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations
- Public and private educational institutions
For more information, visit Grants.gov.