Grants for Public and State controlled institutions of higher education - International Development

The National Park Services (NPS) Underrepresented Communities Grant Program (URC) is intended to diversify listings in the National Register of Historic Places to include communities that are currently underrepresented. URC grants are funded by the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), and are administered by the NPS. Projects include surveys and nominations of historic sites associated with communities underrepresented in the National Register. Every URC grant project MUST result in at least one new or amended nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Department of States Office of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund (ISN/NDF) is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). ISN/NDF invites non-profit/non-governmental organizations, international organizations, educational institutions, US federal agencies and institutions, and for-profit organizations to submit proposals for projects that will advance the mission of NDFs biological threat reduction special project. Proposals may not exceed the total availability of funds under this NOFO. ISN/NDF will only consider proposals that fully address all NDFs lines of effort, which are further described in Section II, in their entirety.

The U.S. Embassy Banjul Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) 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 requests for funding. Please carefully follow all instructions below. Purpose of Small Grants: PDS in Banjul, The Gambia invites proposals for programs that strengthen cultural ties between the United States and The Gambia; cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.

This grant provides funding to three specific organizations to support efforts in locating and recovering missing persons from the Vietnam War, thereby enhancing U.S.-Vietnam defense cooperation and addressing humanitarian concerns.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for a global project to 1) dissuade and deter governments from engaging in and/or facilitating transnational repression (TNR) activities and 2) mitigate the impact of TNR activities on individuals and communities. Competitive proposals will incorporate activities in at least three regions as defined by the State Department (Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa, South and Central Asia, and Western Hemisphere).

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in strengthening the rights of workers in the care economy in line with internationally recognized labor standards.

This grant provides funding to organizations working to improve labor conditions in Mexico's key trade sectors, ensuring fair practices that benefit American workers and businesses.

This funding opportunity invites organizations to propose initiatives that address human rights abuses and promote democratic values in China, focusing on freedom of expression, access to information, and labor rights.

The U.S. Embassy in Cameroon announces an open competition for U.S. based NGOs, or non-profit organization to submit applications to implement the participation of 4 to 5 Cameroonians in a 10-day-in person capacity building international leadership program. The U.S. Embassy Yaounde Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) is seeking proposals to design and implement a ten-day program for four to five leaders of trade unions of journalists or media associations. The program should combine field trips and meeting with relevant experts from the government, civil society, academia and the media. Interested U.S. based NGOs or non-profit organizations should submit proposals to pasgrantsyaounde@state.gov by September 8, 2024, at 5 p.m., Yaounde time. The brutal assassination of journalist Martinez Zogo in January 2023 served as a reminder of the ongoing challenge of press freedom in Cameroon. Many journalists and media outlets are grappling with a broad range of challenges, including a contracting sector, economic challenges, harassment and threats, and inadequate training. Additionally, trade unions and journalist associations lack resources and ideas to sustain their efforts in defending press freedom of the press in Cameroon. Professional associations are neither very active nor very organized and rarely stand together to defend the profession. Through this project, 4-5 executive members of trade unions or journalist associations would travel to the United States for a maximum of 10 days in Washington and New York, facilitating a greater immersive understanding how associations and trade unions operate in the United States and how they promote and defend press freedom, freedom of expression and protection of journalists. The selected participants will meet with established associations of journalists, trade unions to gain exposure to their function, membership, and objectives. Other possible meetings would include Freedom House, ICJ, FPC, and a meeting at the State Department. The expected outcome is that media associations and trade unions return with greater capacity to organize and generate resources, and to defend press freedom in Cameroon. Please carefully follow all instructions below. Program Objectives: Design a program in the United States for current/rising Cameroonian leaders of media associations or trade union of journalists to engage with American media associations and trade union of journalists. Participants acquire knowledge and skills on the operations and functioning of US media associations and trade unions of journalists. Acquire skills, tools on lobbying activities, funding, crowd-funding etc. Promote networking between Cameroon association of journalists and association of journalists or NGOs promoting free press and press freedom in the United States. Initiate possible collaboration, partnership and networking between U.S. media associations/trade unions and Cameroons journalists associations. Participants and Audiences: The participants will consist of four to five Cameroonian leaders of trade unions of journalists and media associations.

This funding opportunity supports non-profit and educational organizations working to promote U.S. values and cooperation with Sudanese communities through initiatives in areas like women's leadership, peace promotion, and civic engagement.

Through Democracy Indicators Monitoring Survey 4 (DIMS4), the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Office of Regional Sustainable Development (RSD), Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) aims to support citizen-responsive governance and democratic development with rigorous public opinion research on democratic norms, attitudes, and experiences in the LAC region. This will be achieved through four primary objectives, which in summary: 1) Collect statistically rigorous, cutting edge public opinion data surveys that are inclusive, related to key democratic attitudes and behaviors, contribute to long-term trend analysis, and are relevant for all stakeholders in informing policy and regulation decisions around democratic issues ; 2) Disseminate data, analysis, and research about democratic norms and attitudes in LAC; 3) Innovate by supporting and developing topics and methodologies in public opinion research and analysis; and 4) Localize the local capacity of researchers and institutions on survey design, data collection, data analysis and reporting, and evidence based policy making. These objectives consider longitudinal, country, and comparative cross-national trend analysis on topics relevant to the democracy sector in LAC, such as democratic norms and values, perceptions of institutions, and experiences with corruption, crime victimization, and migration.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations working to identify, return, and rehabilitate Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Russia and occupied territories, focusing on their reintegration and well-being.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations and institutions working to combat the online recruitment of youth by terrorist groups, focusing on reducing terrorist content and empowering communities to recognize and counter such threats.

Purpose of Public Diplomacy Grants: PDS Embassy Dushanbe invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the United States and Tajikistan in priority program areas (see below) in order to highlight shared values and promote bilateral cooperation. All proposed programs must include an American element, either through a connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institutions/s, usage of American educational/informational resources, or any other activities that promote or contribute to increased mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of Tajikistan. Competitive proposals will promote continued and sustainable cooperation between the people of the United States and Tajikistan even after the project concludes. Competitive proposals will include partnership with Tajik governmental bodies, and to organizations that have a demonstrated track record of implementing such programs. Examples of programs could include, but are not limited to: Academic or professional exchanges, lectures, seminars, trainings, speaker programs, or workshops; and Artistic, cultural, or sports workshops, masterclasses, joint performances, and/or exhibitions. PDS welcomes proposals that support one of the following priority program areas: TOPIC 1: Counter Gender-based Violence (GBV) Domestic violence (DV) and gender-based violence (GBV) remains a serious issue in Tajikistanand much of the world. In a USAID-funded survey in Tajikistan, 97% of men and 60% of women believed spousal abuse was justified. Cases of GBV and DV are underreported because victims wish to avoid humiliation, reprisal, or social stigmatization, or believe it may have been warranted. Further, authorities wishing to promote traditional gender roles frequently dismiss domestic violence as a family matter or only gave a warning or fine. Government resources for survivors are also limited. Project Audience(s) may include: Religiously or socially conservative communities, especially Tajik men (18-50 years old) High school students (14-18 years old.) Youth and emerging leaders (18-35 years old.) University teachers and students. Labor migrants and spouses of labor migrants. Tajik advocacy groups. Government bodies. Independent media including bloggers and vloggers Countering Gender-Based Violence Project Goal: Empower civil society and communities in Tajikistan to prevent and prosecute cases of Domestic Violence (DV) or Gender-Based Violence (GBV) through community-led initiatives. Project Objectives (may address one or more of the following): Messaging campaigns or awareness raising activities, such as sports diplomacy, should engage and target both men and women. Having men as the face of campaigns, or having men speak to men standing against GBV, demonstrates solidarity and emphasizes that eradicating gender-based violence is the collective responsibility of everyone, regardless of gender. Improve collaboration between civil society, independent media, and the government to identify and address gaps in existing laws and policies that criminalize GBV/DV, provide protections for victims, and establish legal frameworks for persecution. Raise awareness among vulnerable populations about laws, rights, and support services concerning early marriage, domestic abuse, harassment, divorce, alimony, and other civil rights. TOPIC 2: Promoting Womens Economic Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Due to the high rate of male labor migration and unemployment, more Tajik women are exploring ways to financially support their households and communities. However, women entrepreneurs' activities are highly dependent on the effectiveness of the business environment in the country. Moreover, the mountainous regions throughout the country challenge the development of entrepreneurship, as does lack of information, limited access to financing for starting a business, and other socio-economic conditions. Nevertheless, successful small business development creates new employment opportunities in Tajikistan and helps women support themselves and their families. Small businesses are fast becoming the main source of income for women in Tajikistan. Proposed projects should enhance womens participation, promotion, and longevity in the Tajik economy and ability to assume leadership positions. Projects should clearly support the protection of economic rights for women and increase respect for womens rights in society to improve their independence and proactive role in Tajik society. Project Audience(s) may include: Women from rural areas (including the spouses of labor migrants) and women entrepreneurs. Small businesses in rural areas. Business associations. Financial and government institutions. Tourism agencies (including guesthouse and small hotels). Community leaders and youth demonstrating leadership potential in these areas. Womens Economic Empowerment Project Goal: Increase the capacity of women from underserved, rural communities, including the spouses of labor migrants, to participate or increase their participation in the Tajik economy. Improve women's economic opportunities in Tajikistan by increasing the capacity of women to start, establish, or expand their own companies. Project Objectives (may address one or more of the following): Develop the business and technical skills of women in rural communities to increase employability, launch and/or improve their own businesses. Establish and conduct activities with a professional network for women from under-represented communities, including the spouses of labor migrants, to support mentorship relationships and collaborative initiatives among network members that go beyond the conclusion of project activities. o Projects could connect womens entrepreneurship in the development of tourism around newly recognized UNESCO heritage sites. o Increase awareness of tourism initiatives and employment opportunities centered around newly designated UNESCO heritage sites. o Projects could seek to increase participation of women from underserved and target communities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Increase womens knowledge and understanding about their legal rights in society and how to advocate for the respect of those rights. o Increase womens knowledge and understanding about their legal rights in the workplace, including rights related to employment, equal pay, job security, and access to economic opportunities. o Equip Tajik women with the ability to advocate for the recognition and enforcement of these rights. Promote womens economic empowerment and entrepreneurship through support from start-up hubs, corporate social responsibility, and/or access to finance. Emphasis should be placed on strengthening chambers of commerce, entrepreneurs, and core private sector industries through interactions or linkages with U.S. counterparts. o Facilitate access to funding resources and financing opportunities for women entrepreneurs to launch and grow their businesses. o Strengthen organizational capacities of chambers of commerce to support business development of aspiring female entrepreneurs. o Facilitate interactions and linkages between women entrepreneurs, chambers of commerce, startup hubs, and private sector industries in Tajikistan and their U.S. counterparts. TOPIC 3: Sharing America with Tajikistan The United States values innovation, creativity, critical thinking, freedom of expression, democratic principles, economic growth, and security. The United States supports a sovereign and independent Tajikistan, which includes support for a well-informed, discerning public who can inoculate itself against disinformation. Both the United States and Tajikistan have rich cultural traditions as shown in literature and storytelling, theater and performing arts, film, music, dance, sport, and education. Educational, cultural, and other exchange activities are a great way to engage the public, especially at-risk youth and those with neutral views or misconceptions about the United States, in order to bridge our cultures, deepen understanding, and discuss topics of mutual importance. Proposed projects should strengthen understanding between the United States and Tajikistan and advance areas of mutual interest by leveraging the experiences and lessons learned from the United States, while respecting cultural differences. Project Audience(s) may include: Tajik audiences who have not had exposure to the United States before. Youth 16-35. Academia, professors, and teachers. Civil society, non-government organizations, and associations/organizations promoting shared values or areas of mutual interest. Information professionals (media outlets, managers, editors, journalists, influencers). Religious and community leaders. Entrepreneurs and business community advocacy organizations. National and subnational government officials. Project Goal: To share American values, such as freedom of expression, respect for human rights, and celebrate/promote respect for diversity and social inclusion, while also improving access to objective information and increase media literacy and critical thinking skills to analyze mis and disinformation aimed at the United States. Project Objectives (may address one or more of the following): Raise awareness about shared U.S.-Tajik values and partnerships through trainings, workshops, masterclasses, joint performances, or other projects by U.S. and/or Tajik experts. Increase access to American content by Tajik audiences (such as book translations) that promote U.S. democratic and rights-based values. Increase collaboration between local, state, and civil society actors/stakeholders on well-defined social issues affecting both the United States and Tajikistan by sharing U.S. models of government-community engagement, or by working with U.S. experts/peers. Increase the effectiveness of individuals, organizations, and coalitions working to advance and/or advocate for respect and the promotion of human rights. Strengthen the ability of Tajik media professionals to develop accurate and fact-based informational media campaigns through digital skills building and training initiatives based on U.S.-best practices. Increase production and publication of objective, fact-based and editorially diverse media content by Tajik media professionals. Increase critical thinking skills, especially for youth and publics with a neutral or view or misconceptions about the United States, to identify and critically analyze sources of misinformation and disinformation. In addition to the specific requirements listed above by program area, all proposals must: 1. Clearly indicate the primary activity area to which it is being submitted for consideration. 2. Focus on the key public diplomacy audiences and activities specified in the areas, provide programs for underserved geographic regions of Tajikistan, as well as non-elite schools (if applicable); 3. Clearly delineate how elements of their program will have a multiplier effect and be sustainable beyond the life of the grant; 4. Provide a traditional and/or social media plan for marketing program activities and outcome, if applicable 5. Identify the cities/districts in which activities will take place. 6. Identify specific outcomes to be achieved by the end of the grant period. 7. Identify any tools (surveys, beneficiary interviews, focus groups, etc.) that will be developed for Monitoring and Evaluation purposes. Applicants must also demonstrate competency to manage all financial aspects of the project, including participant costs and transparent arrangements of sub-grant relationships with partner organizations, if applicable.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and individuals in promoting cultural and educational exchanges that strengthen connections between the United States and Russia, focusing on media, democracy, collaboration, and English language learning.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for programs to bolster non-governmental organizations internal accessibility and inclusion policies and practices

This grant provides funding for cultural heritage preservation projects in Georgia that demonstrate a connection to American history or influence, targeting reputable non-profit organizations and cultural institutions.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for organizations to implement and evaluate innovative anti-trafficking interventions aimed at reducing human trafficking outside the United States.

The U.S. Embassy Tokyo Public Affairs Section is offering a funding opportunity for programs that strengthen U.S.-Japan cultural ties and promote understanding of U.S. policy, with a total amount available of $400,000 and a maximum award of $100,000 per program, with applications due by September 30, 2024.

This funding opportunity provides emergency financial support to individuals and organizations facing persecution for their religious beliefs or for advocating for religious freedom worldwide.