Support for Emerging Moroccan Filmmakers

U.S. MISSION IN MOROCCO PUBLIC DIPLOMACY GRANT PROGRAM Notice of Funding Opportunity for Fiscal Year 2023 Funding Opportunity Title: Support for Emerging Moroccan Filmmakers Funding Opportunity Number: PAS-MOROCCO-FY23-03 Deadline for Applications: May 31, 2023 Assistance Listing Number: 19.040 - Public Diplomacy Program Total Amount Available: $30,000 Contact Email: [email protected] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The U.S. Mission to Morocco is pleased to announce an open grant competition to award a cooperative agreement to carry out a project in support of emerging Moroccan filmmakers. The U.S. Mission’s Public Affairs Section invites filmmakers, producers, film technicians, cultural and educational institutions, film guilds, organizations, and NGOs to design and present a plan to support skills development and capacity building in the Moroccan film industry by creating training opportunities for a diverse group of emerging industry professionals. The project will serve as part of the American Film Showcase (AFS) program, which is a partnership between the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The film industry offers the potential to create jobs and deliver new economic opportunities, as well as foster mutual understanding between people and cultures. However, the industry also requires highly specialized knowledge, skills, and connections. The objectives of this program are two-fold: · to support the entrepreneurial development of emerging Moroccan professionals in the film and production industry; and · to empower these same professions with the confidence and knowledge that will allow them to embark on a successful career through a skills-building workshop. The workshop would ideally connect Morocco’s next generation of filmmakers with professional U.S. screenwriter-producers through specially tailored masterclasses, amplifying their voices and helping them overcome barriers that hinder their ability to work in the field. Activities should have a significant training component and include in-person events, when possible. The project should facilitate networking opportunities between senior-level and less experienced film industry professionals, both in Morocco and in the United States, and could be supported by one or more virtual or social media platforms or any other communication tool that reaches the target community. The awardee should ensure that diverse voices and varied geographic backgrounds are represented in the final participant makeup of the workshop. Additionally, proposals should support the Public Diplomacy Grants Program’s objectives of promoting a positive relationship between Morocco and the United States; reinforcing shared values and connecting Morocco’s emerging leaders to the American film industry. Audience: Sixteen emerging talents in the film industry (current students or recently graduated within the past two years), aged from 20-35 from Morocco, with an emphasis on participants from underserved regions or groups. All participants must be proficient in written and spoken English and could include aspiring filmmakers, producers, directors, or screenwriters. The selected grantee should meet the specific criteria below: Professional capacity and record on previous grants: The grantee has expertise in the film industry, and has demonstrated its ability to implement the program, including having strong financial management skills and appropriate personnel. Workshop design and preparation: With the guidance of the U.S. Mission’s Public Affairs Section, the grantee will assist bringing one or two U.S.-based filmmaker(s) to Morocco to lead an intensive in-person workshop with up to sixteen (16) emerging Moroccan filmmakers who represent a diverse group of film institutions and regions in Morocco for a duration of no less than three program days. The awardee will be responsible for obtaining all necessary film permits and authorizations from local authorities to support the production of the original content created by workshop participants. Logistics: The grantee will be responsible for making all logistical arrangements to support the project activities, including: · Travel, lodging, M&IE, and local transportation for both program's participants and the facilitators; honoraria for the facilitators will also be included. · Secure and book an appropriate and properly equipped venue. · Obtain all necessary film permits and authorizations from local authorities to support the production of original content created by workshop participants. · The printing of workshop materials including supplies and/or collateral materials. Program participants: The grantee will be responsible for selecting target cities, regions, and populations for recruitment (under-represented, under-served, and/or at-risk), and reaching out to film schools, universities, and cultural institutions to recruit up to sixteen (16) Moroccan participants, with ultimate final approval of the participants by the U.S. Mission. Monitoring and evaluation: The grantee will develop a monitoring and evaluation plan in consultation with the U.S. Mission, to measure the impact of the program on the beneficiaries. B. AWARD INFORMATION Length of performance period: June 2023-January 2024 Program performance period: Proposed programs should be completed by December 31, 2023. Number of awards anticipated: 1 Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $30,000 Total available funding: $30,000 Type of Funding: FY23 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds Anticipated program start date: Fall 2023 Required registrations: SAM.gov Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement This will be a Cooperative Agreement in which the U.S. Mission’s Public Affairs Section will have a substantial involvement in the planning and implementation of this grant. U.S. Mission staff will: 1. authorize the implementer to incur costs associated with the management of this grant (Grant Officer) once the exact dates and nature of the program has been confirmed and award documents signed; 2. have final approval of up to sixteen (16) Moroccan participants; 3. have final approval over the workshop theme in consultation with the awardee and will designate appropriate U.S. experts for the project in collaboration with the American Film Showcase (AFS). This notice is subject to availability of funding. C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION 1. Eligible Applicants The U.S. Mission encourages applications from Moroccan citizens and/or organizations, including: Registered public or private non-profit organizations, such as think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations. Public or private non-profit educational institutions Public or private non-profit cultural institutions Individuals For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply. 2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost-share is not required; however, if provided, please detail whether the cost-share is through in-cash or in-kind contributions and the approximate dollar amount. Cost-share is not included in the criteria for evaluation and will not be considered during the review. Any cost share must be monitored throughout the lifecycle of the entire grant. 3. Other Eligibility Requirements To be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov. 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. D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION 1. Content of Application · The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity. · The budget should be in USD and have a narrative for each line item. · The proposal should be for no more than $30,000. · Acquisition of a UEI and SAM.gov registration is required to apply. · The project should not have an intended start date before June 30, 2023. · All proposals must adhere to the policies explained in the “Support for Emerging Moroccan Filmmakers” Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) including the “eligibility requirements.” Please review these requirements carefully. Please ensure: · All documents are in English (except final registration). · All pages are numbered. · All documents are formatted to 8.5 x 11 paper. · All documents are single-spaced, 12 point Calibri, with 1-inch margins. · The document is a PDF. The following documents are required and the first 6 can be found on our website: 1. SF424 (Application for Federal Assistance) 2. SF424A (Budget Information) 3. SF424B (Assurances) 4. Proposal Narrative Form (in English) 5. Applicant Organization Information Form in English 6. Budget Proposal with Narrative (in USD - please use $1 = 10 MAD as exchange rate) 7. CVs for Director and key project personnel 8. Final registration papers for the organization (وصل نهائي) For additional information, please see attached NOFO