PDS Belgrade Democracy Commission Small Grants Program

Description

Please note that this notice is subject to availability of funding. The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade announces an open competition for local, non-profit civil society or non-governmental organizations (CSOs or NGOs) to submit applications for the Democracy Commission Small Grants Program. Priority Region: Serbia. Program Objectives: Proposals should align with the U.S. Embassy’s objectives to strengthen democracy and protect human rights and empower local organizations to advance these changes and reforms throughout Serbia. Grant activities may take any number of forms, including trainings, conferences, workshops, courses, academic competitions, summer camps (focused on language study, sports, etc.), cross-border exchanges, curriculum development, exhibits, hackathons or app development, online projects, mock trials or moot court competitions, simulations and role-playing activities (e.g., Model Congress, Model United Nations), film or theater festivals, performances, or other activities. Democracy Commission small grants proposals should be crafted with a S.M.A.R.T. logic model. The objective of your activity should be: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant to the problem or challenge, and Time-based, meaning that you will meet them by a certain date. In accordance with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Underserved Communities, proposals should demonstrate how the program advances equity with respect to race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. The proposal should also demonstrate how the program will further engagement in underserved communities and with individuals from underserved communities. Proposals should demonstrate how addressing racial equity and underserved communities will enhance the program’s goals and objectives, as well as the experience of participants. In light of social distancing measures, and to limit the spread of COVID-19, we welcome proposals that utilize video conferencing, distance learning tools, etc. If your proposal includes in-person activities, please consider the inclusion of contingency plans, if the health situation requires that social distancing measures be implemented during the grant period. Grantees are expected to: publicize your activities, including through social media and/or traditional press outlets; and highlight U.S. Embassy support, with our logo included on project-related materials. Participants and Audiences: Primary audiences for proposals should be youth, students, teachers and administrators, young professionals, and/or others related to your program theme. Depending on focus, projects may have secondary audiences or beneficiaries including media, civil society organizations or wider professional audiences, which you may note in the proposal. Participants or audiences for the proposal should be citizens or legal residents of Serbia. If your project idea might involve citizens of other countries, please see below, and in section C.4. in the full text of the NOFO, to understand restrictions on funding. The full text of the NOFO can be found on the Embassy's website and in the Related Documents tab. Funding Instrument Type: Grant Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 15 months or less (including the time you have built in for project assessment and evaluation). Your project should start no earlier than July 1, 2022, and no later than December 1, 2022. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing is allowed but not required and will not influence funding decisions. Funding Restrictions: You may NOT apply for a grant from PDS if your project: a. involves partisan political activity. b. funds attendance at overseas conferences or trips abroad. c. international travel to/from the U.S. or countries outside the Balkan region. d. involves giving charitable activity and humanitarian aid. e. involves fundraising. f. is commercial in nature, i.e., you are making money. g. focuses on academic or scientific research. h. is focused on arts, culture, or any other areas beyond the themes listed above. i. is focused on skill learning or training programs unless the activity is specifically aimed at promoting the integration of disadvantaged groups into society. j. duplicates an already existing project. k. involves the provision of health care or services, childcare, food subsidies, or other social services to populations. This funding opportunity aims to support specific projects with objectives, which can be achieved within a set timeframe. We will not accept applications which are aimed more broadly at supporting your organization’s usual or typical daily activities and operations. Those will be deemed technically ineligible and will not be considered for funding by the review committee. Requesting the Application Package: All the mandatory application forms required below are available online at https://rs.usembassy.gov/education-culture/grants-programs/ and in the Related Documents tab. We do not send out hardcopy versions of the application packages. The following documents are required: a. SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) if the applicant is an organization; b. SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) and c. SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) if the applicant is an organization whose registration in SAM.gov is still pending. d. Grant Application Form for FY2022 (Fiscal Year 2022). Note: Detailed directions for filling out the form may be found in Appendix A. e. Budget Justification Narrative (Excel Spreadsheet): After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use the Excel spreadsheet template to describe and explain each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions in the full text of the NOFO for further information. f. Attachments · 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program · Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner, if applicable. · If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file. · Official permission letters, if required for program activities. · If you still have not completed SAM.gov registration, a screenshot from SAM.gov reflecting that you have started the process. Submission Dates and Times: Applications are due February 1, 2022, at 15:00h. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates: PDS anticipates that final funding decisions will be made by July 1, 2022. If more funding becomes available later in the fiscal year (which goes until September 30), however, we might be able to support additional projects even after that date. Other Submission Requirements: All application materials must be submitted by email to DemComSerbia@state.gov. If PDS does not receive a complete project proposal at the above address by the deadline, it will be considered technically ineligible and will not be considered for funding. MAXIMUM LENGTH IS 10 (TEN) PAGES (NOT INCLUDING ATTACHMENTS). As a backup, we strongly recommend that you also send a paper copy via post (postmarked before the deadline) to the following address: Democracy Commission Public Diplomacy Section (PDS), U.S. Embassy Bulevar Kneza Aleksandra Karadjordjevica 92 11040 Belgrade FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS: If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: DemComSerbia@state.gov. Please check for information on other PAS funding opportunities on the U.S. Embassy website at: https://rs.usembassy.gov/education-culture/grants-programs/.

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