The U.S. Embassy Santiago Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement, outlining our funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting proposals for funding. Please carefully follow all instructions below. COVID-19 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT TO ALL POTENTIAL APPLICANTS: In light of the restrictive travel and public gathering environments caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Embassy expects interested applicants to submit their proposal with a virtual option in response to this Notice of Funding Announcement (NOFO). The proposal may be based on “business as usual” environments, where international travel, large public gatherings, and other programming parameters are unaffected by public health constraints; however, it should include your ideas on how to execute the desired project goals in a manner that accounts for restrictions on public gatherings and travel, as well as public health concerns. We encourage creative ideas for remote/online content delivery, online/virtual promotional activities, and virtual participant/audience follow-up. You should submit two separate budgets as they may also reflect different costs you would project for these two operating environments. Purpose of Small Grants: PAS Santiago invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the U.S. and Chile through cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All programs must include a U.S. cultural element, or connection with U.S. expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives. Examples of PAS Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to: Speaking tours/public talks by U.S. experts or roundtable discussions by U.S. experts with counterparts in Chile; Activities that foster long-term student and academic collaboration between U.S. and Chilean universities, technical schools, and community colleges; Joint U.S.-Chile virtual or in-person conferences or meetings that promote U.S. expertise and best practices among Chilean audiences and institutions; Activities focused on English promotion, such as conversation clubs, coding camps, academic writing programs, curricula development, and English for specific purposes programs; Projects that showcase one or more U.S. models, best practices, or curricula; Creative projects that advance one or more of the priority areas and/or use social media or virtual interaction to expand and amplify project impact. Priority Program Areas: The Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program will give preference to grant proposals that advance the following themes: Academic Collaboration: Programs that promote internationalization and facilitate linkages between U.S. and Chilean higher education institutions; Combating Disinformation, Enhancing Media Literacy, Supporting Excellence in Journalism:Programs that support investigative journalism, increase media literacy, and/or strengthen media and civil society organizations’ ability to counter disinformation; Cultural Exchanges:Programs or activities that promote the exchange of culture between the United States and Chile with a special focus on engaging underserved audiences located outside of Santiago; English language proficiency: Programs that support English language teaching and learning among public school and higher education students and young professionals, with an emphasis on improving English for Entrepreneurship and STEM fields; Entrepreneurship:Programs that teach business skills to women and minorities using U.S. models, create new U.S.-Chile partnerships and opportunities for start-up companies, or support social impact investment; Science and Technology Cooperation:Programs designed to enhance cooperation in climate/environment, astronomy, and STEM/STEAM programs, with a focus on promoting women’s participation in these fields; Social inclusion:Programs that promote and safeguard equal rights and opportunities for immigrants, LGBTI individuals, people with disabilities, indigenous communities, and racial minorities; and Strengthening Democratic Institutions:Projects that help strengthen democratic processes, address transnational issues, and increase civic education and participation. Participants and Audiences: The Public Affairs Section will give consideration to the full range and diversity of U.S. and Chilean non-profit organizations. Government agencies and for-profit institutions, such as those registered as commercial and/or private businesses, are not eligible to receive funding. Preference will be given to: S. and Chilean individuals and institutions with a proven track record of executing superior cultural and educational events, exchanges, and programs; Proposals that demonstrate the long-term sustainability of the project and/or outcomes. Proposals that address gender parity among participants/target audiences and include engagement with underserved communities (including, but not limited to, immigrants, LGBTI individuals, people with disabilities, indigenous communities, and racial minorities) and participants located in regions outside of Santiago. Categories that are not eligible for funding under this NOFO: Programs relating to partisan political activity; Charitable or development activities; Construction programs; Programs that support specific religious activities; Fundraising campaigns; Lobbying for specific legislation or programs Scientific research; Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; Social welfare projects, acts of charity, or international development projects; Investments that primarily benefit only one or a few businesses or individuals; Scholarships for the study of English outside of specific Department of State programs; Exchange programs with countries other than the U.S. and Chile; Programs or exchanges focused on children under 16 years of age; and Programs that duplicate existing programs. Authorizing legislation, type, and year of funding: Funding authority rests in the Smith-Mundt. The source of funding is FY2021 Public Diplomacy Funding. B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION Length of performance period: 01 to 24 months. Number of awards anticipated: 15 awards (dependent on amounts) Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $50,000 Total available funding: $400,000 Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2021 Public Diplomacy Funding Anticipated program start date: March 2021. This notice is subject to availability of funding. Funding Instrument Type: Grant, Fixed Amount Award, or Cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements are different from grants in that the U.S. Embassy is more actively involved in the grant implementation. Examples of substantial involvement can include, but are not limited to: Active participation or collaboration with the recipient in the implementation of the award; Review and approval of one stage of work before another can begin; Review and approval of substantive provisions of proposed subawards or contracts beyond existing Federal policy. Approval of the recipient’s budget or plan of work prior to the award. Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 24 months or less. PAS will consider applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the initial budget period on a non-competitive basis subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION Eligible Applicants The Public Affairs Section encourages applications from U.S. and Chile: Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience Individuals Non-profit or governmental educational institutions Governmental institutions For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost sharing is not required. Other Eligibility Requirements Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization for this specific funding opportunity for the period ending September 1, 2021. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding. In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet, as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for information on how to obtain these registrations. Individuals are not required to have a DUNS number or be registered in SAM.gov. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION This NOFO document and any amendments can be found at www.grants.gov and https://cl.usembassy.gov/education-culture/grants-corner/. If you require special accommodation to access any information contained in this announcement, please contact
[email protected]. 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 not be considered for an award. All mandatory forms must be filled out and submitted though https://forms.gle/bDMxve3LN5BkLq119 before they can be reviewed for eligibility. Content of Application Applicants must ensure: The proposal responses in the Project Narrative clearlyaddress the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity. All documents are in English. All budgets are in U.S. dollars. Mandatory application forms: All mandatory forms listed below can be found in our Embassy Santiago Grants Corner: https://cl.usembassy.gov/education-culture/grants-corner/ We strongly recommend you download and complete all forms prior to beginning the submission process. The submission form requires all questions be answered and documentation uploaded in one setting. Proposal Submission checklist, checked and signed. SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance –individuals) SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) Budget Narrative: after filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use the template provided to detail each budget expense. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan– Applicants are encouraged to use the template on our Grants Corner Project Narrative – Applicants are required to respond to each question outlining their project. All the above mentioned documents must be uploaded in the online application questions here: https://forms.gle/bDMxve3LN5BkLq119 Required Registrations: Please note the U.S. Embassy cannot assist applicants with registering. These organizations are independent of the Department of State. All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations. All are free of charge: Unique Identifier Number from Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS number) NCAGE/CAGE code SAM.gov registration The entire registration process can require up to five weeks for the registration to be validated and confirmed. Please begin the registration process immediately to ensure that you can be eligible to receive USG funds. Step 1: Apply for a DUNS number and an NCAGE number (these can be completed simultaneously) DUNS application: Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet, if your organization does not have one already, you may obtain one by calling 1-866-705-5711 or visiting http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do;jsessionid=81407B1F03F2BDB123DD47D19158B75F. http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform NCAGE application: Application page here https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx Instructions for the NCAGE application process: https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf For help from within the United States, call 1-888-227-2423 For help from outside the United States, call 1-269-961-7766 Email
[email protected] for any problems in getting an NCAGE code. Step 2: After receiving the NCAGE Code, proceed to register in SAM by logging onto: https://www.sam.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually. Submission Dates and Times The Proposals will be considered on a rolling basis every 90 days. Successful applicants will typically receive a notice within 2 weeks of the corresponding deadline, or as funds become available. The time required to finalize an award and disburse funds after a proposal is selected for funding ranges from one to two months. Applicants are, therefore, encouraged to apply four to six months before the start date of the proposed activity. Applications may be submitted for consideration at any time before the closing date of September 1, 2021. No proposals will be accepted after that date. Funding Restrictions Award funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages, construction, vehicle purchases, or property, etc. Award funds cannot be used for past expenses incurred before the start of the award period. E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION Criteria Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below... ...for the complete information, please follow this link: https://cl.usembassy.gov/education-culture/grants-corner/