Annual Program Statement for U.S. Presentation at International Architecture Biennales

The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Cultural Programs Division administers the Annual Program Statement for a grant supporting the U.S. Presentation at International Architecture Biennales in Venice, Italy. The opportunity seeks to deepen international appreciation of American creative excellence by presenting foreign audiences with innovative architectural designs and exhibitions at the Venice Architecture Biennale. The program is intended to serve as a cultural diplomacy initiative that reflects American ideals, promotes the accomplishments of U.S. architects and designers, and strengthens the global visibility and competitiveness of the American architecture sector. The U.S. Pavilion at the Biennale, owned by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and operated by the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, functions as the central exhibition venue for the selected project. The Architecture Biennale is one of the most prestigious international architecture exhibitions in the world, typically involving participation from at least 85 countries. The funding opportunity supports one award per biennale cycle with a period of performance of approximately 18 months. Pending the availability of federal funds, awards may provide up to $375,000 per cycle. Of this total, $125,000 is required to be allocated directly to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection for staffing, operations, maintenance, installation support, and management of the U.S. Pavilion during the exhibition period. The remaining funds are intended to support exhibition planning, production, fabrication, installation, dismantling, transportation, curatorial travel, outreach activities, educational programming, and media engagement. Applicants are expected to provide substantial cost sharing or matching support because the Department notes that exhibitions of this scale historically exceed the federal contribution. Allowable cost sharing may include cash or third-party in-kind support consistent with federal cost principles under 2 CFR 200.306. The opportunity also includes restrictions prohibiting support for terrorist organizations, activities violating federal anti-discrimination laws, profit-making ventures, alcoholic beverages, or activities outside the approved award period. Eligible applicants are limited to U.S.-based nonprofit and nongovernmental architectural, educational, design, and cultural organizations holding active 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status at the time of application submission. Individuals and non-U.S. entities are not eligible to apply. Architects represented in the proposed exhibition must either be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Applicants must maintain active registration in SAM.gov and possess a Unique Entity Identifier before submitting an application unless an approved exemption is granted due to exigent circumstances. The Department emphasizes that organizations listed on the SAM.gov Excluded Parties List System or those with outstanding federal debt are ineligible to participate. Applications are limited to one submission per funding cycle, and only the first application received through Grants.gov will be reviewed if multiple submissions are made by the same organization during a single cycle. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov under funding opportunity number DFOP0017180. Required submission materials include completed SF-424 series forms, a proposal narrative, a detailed line-item budget and budget narrative, a monitoring and evaluation plan, key personnel information, a project timeline, and letters of support where applicable. The Proposal Submission Instructions specify formatting requirements including page limits, font specifications, and document organization. The proposal narrative must address organizational capacity, problem statement, project methods and design, project goals, measurable objectives, project activities, risk analysis, and sustainability planning. Monitoring and evaluation documentation must explain how outputs and outcomes will be tracked and measured over time. The Department also requires a letter of agreement among the applicant organization, the featured architect or artist, and the curator or commissioner. Applications are reviewed according to several equally weighted criteria. These include architectural merit and suitability for the Venice Biennale, quality of exhibition design and curatorial vision, advancement of U.S. foreign policy objectives, organizational capacity and expertise, and promotion of American public diplomacy goals. In the event of a scoring tie, preference will be given to the proposal demonstrating the highest level of cost sharing. The review process includes eligibility screening followed by evaluation by a merit review panel, and final award decisions are made by senior officials within the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Successful applicants may be required to address panel recommendations and submit additional documentation before award issuance. Awards are administered through the Department of State grants process, and payments are managed through the Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System. The Architecture Biennale opportunity operates on a recurring biennial cycle with different submission windows associated with future Venice Biennale events. For the 20th Architecture Biennale scheduled for May through November 2027, applications are accepted from March 23, 2026 through June 3, 2026. Additional future cycles are already identified for the 2029 and 2031 biennales, with application windows opening in late 2027 and late 2029 respectively. Recommended applicants for the 2027 cycle are expected to receive notification by the end of August 2026. Questions regarding technical submissions may be directed to Rain Bian at BianRC@state.gov or Jill Staggs at StaggsJJ@state.gov. Assistance with Grants.gov technical issues is available through the Grants.gov Contact Center at 800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. The opportunity is administered under Assistance Listing Number 19.415 pursuant to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act.

Develop a strong curatorial vision tied to contemporary architectural issues and the Venice Biennale theme; demonstrate robust organizational capacity and prior international exhibition experience; emphasize public diplomacy impact and educational outreach; provide substantial cost sharing to improve competitiveness; include clear monitoring and evaluation methods tied to measurable outcomes