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 individuals and organizations to submit applications for the Serbian-American Cooperation Grants Program. Priority Region: Serbia. Program Objectives: PDS welcomes proposals for creative, engaging projects that align with the U.S. Embassy’s main objectives. That includes strengthening the Serbian-U.S. relationship and explaining U.S. culture, society, values, and policies to Serbian audiences. The Embassy is also working with Serbia’s government, civil society, business community, and other partners on promoting economic development and fighting brain drain; strengthening democracy, including through supporting civic participation; encouraging a free press and human rights; and advancing regional stability and cooperation. Progress in those areas should assist Serbia on the path toward its stated goal of European Union (EU) membership. Projects funded through this NOFO must include an American element. That could involve a connection or partnership between Serbian and American organizations or institutions; inviting an American expert to take part, in person or virtually, in your project; hosting a program to examine shared Serbian-American values, national interests, etc.; or incorporating a U.S. approach or method for addressing a challenge facing your community, institution, or profession. Grant activities may take the form of academic competitions, summer camps (focused on language study, sports, etc), cross-border exchanges, conferences, workshops, courses, 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. 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. Projects should begin no earlier than 1 July 2022 and no later than 1 July 2023. All activities and your evaluation or assessment of the project should be completed within 18 months. Activities should focus on audiences in Serbia. However, applicants may include participants or partners from neighboring countries of the Western Balkans, if it is in support of the project’s objectives. (See “Participants and Audiences” below and in the full text of the NOFO.) 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. 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: The goals and objectives of the project will determine the audience. PDS is seeking to support projects that strategically target audiences that will have the greatest impact and can work for the most positive change in communities in Serbia. In addition to primary audiences (e.g., teachers) projects may also have secondary audiences or beneficiaries (such as students who will benefit from the teachers’ training). Please note that the participants or audiences for the proposed activity should be citizens or legal residents of Serbia. If your project idea might involve citizens of other countries, please see below and chapter C.4.in the full text of the NOFO to understand restrictions on funding. OTHER FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION: Number of awards anticipated: 10-15 awards (dependent on dollar amounts of the grants issued) Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum (floor) of $3,000 to a maximum (ceiling) of $50,000*. Total available funding: Approximately $400,000. Type of Funding: FY22 D&CP Funds. Anticipated program start date: Your project should start no earlier than July 1, 2022 and no later than July 1, 2023 (i.e., next year). * Note: PDS strongly recommends that first-time applicants keep their budget under $25,000. Funding Instrument Type: Grant or Fixed Amount Award Program Performance Period: Proposed projects should generally be completed within 6-12 months, or up to 18 months for bigger, more complex projects. (This includes the time for assessment and evaluation, as well as the drafting of the final report Funding Restrictions: You may NOT apply for a grant from PDS if your project: · involves partisan political activity; · involves charitable activities and/or the distribution of humanitarian aid; · is a fundraising campaign; · is commercial in nature, i.e., you or a project partner are making money from this project, or the activity supports a current or future business or entrepreneurial venture. · 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. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: 1. 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. 2. 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. One of the following two forms: · SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) if the applicant is an organization; or · SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance --individuals) if the applicant is an individual person; b. SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) c. SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) if the applicant is: · an individual; · 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 grant application are included with the form. 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 below 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. Please follow all the instructions when filling out the Application Form. Submission Dates and Times: Applications are due March 31, 2022 Other Submission Requirements: All application materials must be submitted by email to
[email protected]. 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. Review and Selection Process: A grants review committee will evaluate all eligible applications. You may be asked to submit additional information and/or a revised budget. Please also be aware that, depending on the availability of funding, PDS might be able to fund only part of the budget you have requested. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates: PDS anticipates that final funding decisions will be made by May 15, 2022. Please read carefully the full text of this NOFO, available in the Related Documents tab and on the Embassy's website. Please also check for information on other PDS funding opportunities on the U.S. Embassy website at: https://rs.usembassy.gov/education-culture/grants-programs/.