PDS Belgrade BOLD Academic Fellowships

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 organizations to submit applications for the BOLD Academic Fellowship Program. The BOLD (Balkanski omladinski lideri, Young Balkan Leaders in English) network is a project of PDS that seeks to develop the leadership capacity of young Serbians by empowering them to implement projects for positive change in their communities in two thematic areas: civic engagement and economic development. Anyone age 18-35 in Serbia can join the BOLD network where members have access to three main types of competitive opportunities: 1. BOLD Academic Fellowships: Two in-depth leadership training experiences in the United States for 5-6 weeks, one on each BOLD theme. 2. BOLD Workshops: Two workshops, one week to 10 days long, on leadership and project management, each on one of the BOLD themes. 3. BOLD Small Grant Competition: An annual competition, open to all BOLD members, for funds up to $15,000 to implement projects in the areas of the BOLD themes over the course of a year. Priority Region: Serbia. PDS Belgrade strongly urges potential applicants to consider recruiting participants for these workshops from cities and towns in Serbia outside of Belgrade. Program Objectives: The BOLD Academic Fellowship Program consists of two fellowships to take place in the United States for 5-6 weeks each, one on the theme of civic engagement and one on the theme of economic development. Applicants may propose implementation of either one of the fellowships, OR implementation of two fellowships. If the proposal is for one fellowship, please indicate in box “c” of the application form if the theme will be civic engagement or economic development. Each fellowship should be both academic and practical in nature, approximately 5-6 weeks in length, and ideally include a residency at a U.S. academic institution with a significant component of experiential learning, including community service, in the community or in another location. Ideally, each institute should also incorporate a homestay experience as part of the program. The primary outcome desired by PDS is for fellows, either individually or in groups, upon their return to Serbia, to design a civic or economic project to be implemented in their communities over the course of the year. By the end of the fellowship, they should have a complete draft of a project proposal or business plan, which will be competitive for funding from the Embassy or other donors. The academic component in the United States should include group discussions, experiential learning activities, and exercises that focus on the best practices, leading research, and most influential ideas and models pertaining to the theme of the fellowship. The experiential learning component should include substantive and participatory community activities related to the theme of the fellowship. Where possible, a particular focus on the impact of not-for-profit organizations and/or social enterprises should be integrated into the program. Both components of each fellowship should teach leadership skills and provide the necessary knowledge and experience for students to implement their follow-on projects in Serbia, including, but not limited to teambuilding, collective problem-solving, effective communication, appreciation of diversity, and management skills. 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, just in case the health situation requires that social distancing measures be implemented during the grant period. How might you switch your project from an in-person to a virtual format? If you are successful in securing PDS funding to launch your project, you will be expected to publicize your activities, including through social media and/or traditional press outlets; and highlight U.S. Embassy support for your activity, with our logo included on project-related materials. Participants and Audiences: Participants or primary audiences for BOLD Academic Fellowships should be Serbian undergraduate students, age 18-25, from across Serbia. Each fellowship should consist of at least 10 participants traveling to the United States. Information Session. PDS will hold a virtual information session on February 23 , 2022, at 16:00 (4 pm) Central European time to discuss this funding opportunity and to answer questions from potential applicants. Please contact PDS at BOLDSerbia@state.gov for details. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION Number of awards anticipated: 1-2 awards (dependent on capacity of applicant) Award amounts: The minimum award amount (award floor) is $100,000, and the maximum amount (award ceiling) is $300,000. Total available funding: $300,000 Type of Funding: FY21/22 Economic Support Funds under the Foreign Assistance Act. Anticipated program start date: No sooner than July 1, 2022 Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement 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). APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION Requesting the Application Package: All the mandatory application forms required below are available online in the Related Documents Tab and at https://rs.usembassy.gov/education-culture/grants-programs/. We do not send out hardcopy versions of the application packages. Content and Form of Application Submission: Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible. Please ensure that: · the proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity, · all documents are in English, · All budgets are in U.S. dollars, · All pages are numbered, · All documents are formatted either to A4 or 8 ½ x 11 paper. The following documents are required: a. The following two forms: · SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) and · SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) b. If the applicant is an organization whose registration in SAM.gov is still pending, the SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) is also required. c. Grant Application Form for FY2022 (Fiscal Year 2022). Note: Detailed directions for filling out the grant application are included with the form. d. 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 below for further information. a. 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. Please follow all the instructions in Appendix A when filling out the Application Form. Required Registrations: Registration for a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), obtaining an NCAGE/CAGE code, and registering within the System for Award Management (www.SAM.gov) is not optional for organizations, i.e., it is mandatory. Submission Dates and Times: Applications are due April 15, 2021. Other Submission Requirements: All application materials must be submitted by email to BOLDSerbia@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. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates: PDS anticipates that funding decisions will be made by May 15, 2022. If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: BOLDSerbia@state.gov The details of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) are available in the Related Documents tab and on the Embassy Belgrade website. Please check for information on other PDS funding opportunities on the U.S. Embassy website at: https://rs.usembassy.gov/education-culture/grants-programs/.

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