Public Affairs Section South Africa Annual Program Statement for FY2023

The U.S. Mission to South Africa, Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that support is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement (APS) outlining our funding priorities, the strategic themes upon which we focus, and the procedures for submitting proposals for funding. Please carefully read and follow the instructions below. Purpose of Small Grants PAS Mission South Africa invites proposals for projects that strengthen ties between the United States and South Africa through activities that highlight shared values and promote bilateral cooperation and meaningful exchange by connecting South Africans to Americans through institutions, perspectives, and experiences. All projects must include a substantive American element – which may be a connection with American experts, organizations, or institutions in a specific field – that will increase understanding of the United States among South Africans. PAS is seeking proposals that address one or more of the following challenges from a public diplomacy perspective. Public Diplomacy (PD) seeks to promote partnerships and information/knowledge exchange between Americans and foreign publics and institutions to enable more effective, mutually beneficial cooperation with the United States globally, benefitting the U.S. national interest and the national security of the United States as well as the countries with whom we partner. PD aims to identify and fund programs and projects that broaden and deepen dialogue and empower cooperation between American citizens and institutions -- including civil society and educational organizations – and their South African counterparts. Submissions that do not clearly describe the project’s strong and central American element will not be considered. PAS is soliciting proposals for small grants from South African non-profit institutions and non-governmental organizations, or non-profit private or public academic institutions. Proposals from for-profit entities will not be considered. These proposals must focus on one or more of the priority areas specified below. Priority Program Areas · Projects that advance women’s and youth economic empowerment, including but not limited to projects that reduce barriers to participation in the economy for disadvantaged groups; · Projects that advance pluralism, social inclusion, or shared history, including projects that examine shared histories and current challenges in the United States and South Africa; · Projects that support U.S. principles and methodologies for promoting free and objective media, including combatting misinformation in community-level media organizations. · Projects designed to improve the effectiveness of community youth sports and/or cultural organizations to counter violence, crime, and drop-out rates in their communities through connections with American peer organizations and best practices. Participants and Audiences Proposals must identity a clearly defined target audience that the project seeks to engage and influence. Well-defined audiences are countable and accessible through the project’s activities. Proposals should specify the changes in knowledge, understanding, attitudes, or behaviors the project aims to realize – and how the implementer intends to measure these outcomes. PAS is particularly interested in projects that engage audiences in rural areas and small cities. Examples Examples of PAS Small Grants projects include, but are not limited to: · Academic or professional speaker projects involving an American speaker, either in person or virtual or a combination (hybrid); · Artistic and cultural projects, joint performances, or exhibitions involving the work of American artists or American subject matter; · Projects that expand activities at American Spaces; · Projects that strengthen the relationships between American and South African organizations or institutions and their respective target audiences; · Projects developed by an alumnus/a of a U.S.-government sponsored educational or professional exchange program. · Projects that facilitate development and dissemination of joint media (radio, TV, digital, print) content on issues of importance to both Americans and South Africans PLEASE NOTE: The following types of projects are NOT eligible for funding: · Projects relating to partisan political activity or advocacy; · Charitable or development activities; · Construction projects; · Support for social or health services; · Projects that support specific religious activities; · Fund-raising campaigns; · Lobbying for specific legislation or projects; · Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; · Projects that duplicate existing projects; · Travel to the United States for family or social purposes; · Travel to the United States for purposes of amplifying South Africa cultural initiatives; · Travel to the United States for purposes unconnected to a larger project or initiative; · Scholarships or tuition assistance; · Events of a purely social nature; · Prizes and competition awards without a programmatic linkage.
Categories: Education, Arts (see "Cultural Affairs" in CFDA), Humanities (see "Cultural Affairs" in CFDA).