Jefferson Center Mandalay (JCM) Small Grants Competition

The U.S. Department of State, through the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon, administers the Jefferson Center Mandalay Small Grants Competition as part of its broader American Spaces programming. This initiative is designed to support projects that align with U.S. foreign policy priorities in Burma while strengthening bilateral engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. The program emphasizes advancing U.S. strategic, economic, and cultural interests through localized programming that incorporates a clear American element such as U.S. experts, institutions, or policy perspectives. The primary purpose of this grant opportunity is to fund short-term projects that demonstrate measurable benefits to U.S. interests abroad. Applicants are expected to design programs that reflect America First priorities, including promoting democratic governance, strengthening workforce and educational ties, advancing economic cooperation, and showcasing American excellence. Projects must clearly articulate how they contribute to making the United States safer, stronger, and more prosperous while fostering reciprocal engagement with Burmese communities. Funding for this opportunity is limited, with total available funds of approximately twenty two thousand dollars, supporting an anticipated five awards ranging from one thousand to ten thousand dollars each. Projects must be completed within a performance period of one to twelve months. Allowable uses of funds include programmatic costs such as personnel, travel, supplies, and contracted services directly tied to project implementation. However, the grant explicitly prohibits funding for construction, direct social services, partisan political activities, religious programming, fundraising, or commercial ventures. Cost sharing is encouraged but not required, allowing applicants flexibility in structuring their budgets. Eligibility for this program is broad and includes nonprofit organizations, civil society groups, think tanks, educational institutions, individuals, alumni of U.S. government exchange programs, and public international organizations. For profit entities are not eligible to serve as primary recipients. Organizations must meet federal requirements such as obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier and maintaining active registration in SAM.gov, although individuals are exempt from these requirements. Applicants are limited to submitting one proposal per organization, ensuring equitable competition. The application process requires submission of standard federal forms, including SF 424 and associated budget documentation, along with a detailed proposal narrative of two to four pages. Applicants must clearly describe the problem being addressed, proposed activities, implementation timeline, monitoring and evaluation plan, and expected outcomes. Supporting materials such as resumes, letters of support, and proof of nonprofit status are also required. Applications must be submitted electronically via email by the stated deadline, with strict adherence to formatting and submission guidelines. Proposals are evaluated based on alignment with embassy priorities, organizational capacity, quality and feasibility of the program design, clarity of goals and measurable outcomes, budget justification, and effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation plans. Additional consideration is given to sustainability and the applicant’s ability to extend impact beyond the grant period. Successful applicants are typically notified within approximately one hundred twenty days after the submission deadline, and final awards are subject to funding availability and approval by the designated grants officer. The application deadline for this funding opportunity is July thirty first, two thousand twenty six, with projects expected to begin around late November two thousand twenty six. While the notice does not explicitly state recurrence, similar embassy small grants programs are often offered periodically depending on funding availability. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Public Diplomacy Section via the provided email for any clarification regarding submission requirements or program priorities.

Ensure strong alignment with U.S. Embassy priorities; clearly define measurable outcomes; include a robust monitoring and evaluation plan; present a realistic and detailed budget; demonstrate organizational capacity