Cultural Small Grants Program

უნიკალური ნომერი: 001326

კონკურსის შესახებ:

.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
U.S. EMBASSY Tbilisi, PUBLIC DIPLOMACY SECTION

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Title: U.S. Embassy Tbilisi PDS Cultural Small Grants Program

Funding Opportunity Number: PDS-DOS-GEO-FY23-002

Deadline for Applications: March 1, 2023, June 16, 2023

CFDA Number and title: 19.040 – Public Diplomacy Programs

Total Amount Available: $250,000

Maximum for Each Award: $24,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The U.S. Embassy Tbilisi Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Cultural 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 Tbilisi invites proposals for programs that strengthen cultural ties between the U.S. and Georgia through 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.

Examples of PDS Cultural Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to:

• Academic and professional lectures, seminars and speaker programs;
• Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions;
• Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs;
• Professional and academic exchanges and programs;

Priority Program Areas:

• Strengthening democracy, culture, institutions, values, and civil society through arts, particularly with a U.S. connection, in the regions of Georgia
• Community-based cultural (heritage) preservation projects, or projects to support community engagement around or with Georgia’s cultural heritage
• International Festivals held in Georgia to foster closer U.S.- Georgian ties and share U.S. culture.
• Sporting events and exchanges to foster closer U.S.- Georgian ties through sports, promote inclusive sports, foster healthy living, or advance other shared priorities.

Participants and Audiences:

The U.S. Embassy seeks geographically and demographically diverse audiences within the country and prioritizes proposals with a significant programming component outside of the capital. The Embassy encourages projects to focus on engaging youth, women and girls, seniors, people with disabilities, regions with ethnic and religious minority communities, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

• Programs relating to partisan political activity;
• Charitable or development activities;
• Construction programs;
• Programs that support specific religious activities;
• Fund-raising campaigns;
• Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
• Scientific research;
• Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; or
• Programs that duplicate existing programs.

Authorizing legislation, type and year of funding:

19.040 Smith-Mundt, Public Diplomacy Funding, FY23

FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: up to 12 months

Number of awards anticipated: 15 awards (dependent on amounts)

Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $24,000

Total available funding: $250,000

Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2023 Public Diplomacy Funding

Anticipated program start date: four to six months after submission deadline

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 PAS staff are more actively involved in the grant implementation.

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 or less.

PAS will entertain 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 Georgia

• Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience
• Non-profit or governmental educational institutions
• Governmental institutions
• Legal Entities of Public Law

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 a maximum of two proposals per organization. If more than two proposals are 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 Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

NOTE: sam.gov is not a State Department website and the U.S. Embassy Tbilisi is not involved in its operations. Please forward all questions related to registration process to sam.gov helpdesk. Instructions and FAQs are available on Embassy web site under Program Announcement Additional Resources. PDS will not be answering questions related to registration on sam.gov

If the SAMS.gov registration has not been finalized, applicants must demonstrate proof of their request for registration in SAMS.gov. See Required Registrations below for further information.

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Address to Request Application Package

Application forms required below are available at U.S. Embassy Tbilisi website and grants.gov

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 be ineligible.

Content of Application

Please ensure:

• The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity
• All documents are in English
• All budgets are in U.S. dollars
• All pages are numbered
• All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and
• All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

The following documents are required:

Mandatory application forms

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations)
• SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)
• SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs)

NOTE: Adobe Reader 8 or higher is required to load SF forms. You may not have the Adobe Reader installed, or your viewing environment may not be properly configured to use Adobe Reader.

PDS will not be taking inquiries related to SF forms. Instructions on how to fill out the forms are available in the Program Announcement under Additional Resources both in English and Georgian.

Summary Coversheet: Cover sheet stating the applicant name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.

Proposal (8 pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below.

• Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact.
• Introduction to the Organization applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies.
• Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed
• Program Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. What aspect of the relationship between the U.S. and XXX will be improved? The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.
• Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.
• Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal.
• Proposed Program Schedule: The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.
• Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program?
• Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees.
• Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the time-frame of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant?
• Future Funding or Sustainability Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable.

Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissionsbelow for further information.

Attachments:

• 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program
• Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner
• Official permission letters, if required for program activities

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

Required Registrations:

All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations. All are free of charge:

• www.SAM.gov registration which will generate a UEI
• NCAGE/CAGE code

Any applicant with an exclusion in the System for Award Management (SAM) is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.”

The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. SAM.gov is the Federal government’s primary database for complying with FFATA reporting requirements. OMB designated SAM.gov as the central repository to facilitate applicant and recipient use of a single public website that consolidates data on all federal financial assistance. Under the law, it is mandatory to register in SAM.gov.

Starting April 2022, the UEI will be assigned when an organization registers or renews it’s registration in SAM.gov at www.SAM.gov . To access SAM.gov an organization is required to have a Login.gov account. Organization can create an account at https://login.gov/ . As a reminder, organizations need to renew its sam.gov registration annually.

US-based organizations: A CAGE code will be automatically assigned when the U.S. organizations registers in www.sam.gov . CAGE must be renewed every 5 years. Site for CAGE : https://cage.dla.mil/Home/UsageAgree . Grantees may be asked for more information to finalized and must comply.

Foreign-based organizations: Must apply for a NCAGE code before registering in SAM.gov. Go to : https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/CageTool/home to apply for a NCAGE code. NCAGE codes must be renewed every 5 years.

It is in the organization’s best interest to check if their CAGE/or NCAGE codes are active. Organizations are required to register/or renew their CAGE or NCAGE codes prior to registering or renewing www.sam.gov . Both registration and renewals for both CAGE and NCAGE can take up to 10 days. Organization’s legal address in NCAGE/CAGE must mirror www. sam.gov.

www.sam.gov requires all entities to renew their registration once a year in order to maintain an active registration status in SAM.gov. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure it has an active registration in SAM.gov.

If an organization plans to issue a sub-contract or sub-award, those sub-awardees must also have a unique entity identifier (UEI number). Those entities can register for a UEI only at SAM.gov.

If an organization does not have an active registration in SAM.gov prior to submitting an application, the application will be deemed ineligible. All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations, the latter are free of charge.

Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required.

NOTE: sam.gov is not a State Department website and the U.S. Embassy Tbilisi is not involved in its operations. Please forward all questions related to registration process to sam.gov helpdesk. Instructions and FAQs are available on Embassy web site under program announcement Additional Resources. PDS will not be answering questions related to registration on sam.gov

Submission Dates and Times

Applications may be submitted for consideration at any time before the closing dates of March 1, 2023 11:59 p.m. Georgia Standard Time and June 16, 2023 11:59 p.m. Georgia Standard Time. No applications will be accepted after that date.

Proposals received between January 10 and March 1 will be reviewed by April 1, 2023, with responses going out by May 1, 2023

Proposals received between April 1 and June 16 will be reviewed by July 15, 2023, with responses going out by August 1, 2023.

Funding Restrictions

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

• • Programs relating to partisan political activity;
  • Charitable or development activities;
  • Construction programs;
  • Programs that support specific religious activities;
  • Fund-raising campaigns;
  • Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
  • Scientific research;

Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization; or Programs that duplicate existing programs

Other Submission Requirements

All application materials must be submitted by email to tbilisicultural@state.gov

Please include the funding opportunity number in the subject line.

The application package must be archived only into ZIP archive. RAR archived packages will not be accepted. Emails exceeding 6MB and RAR/ZIP files will not be accepted.

APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Criteria

Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below. The criteria listed are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application.

Organizational capacity and record on previous grants: The organization has expertise in its stated field and PAS is confident of its ability to undertake the program. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.

Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.

Goals and objectives: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

Embassy priorities: Applicant has clearly described how stated goals are related to and support U.S. Embassy Georgia’s priority areas or target audiences.

Budget: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities.

Monitoring and evaluation plan: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provide milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators, and shows how and when those will be measured.

Sustainability: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.

Review and Selection Process

A Grants Review Committee will evaluate all eligible applications.

FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

Federal Award Notices

The grant award or cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document and it will be provided to the recipient for review and signature by email. The recipient may only start incurring program expenses beginning on the start date shown on the grant award document signed by the Grants Officer.

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the Department of State.

Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.

Payment Method: Payments will be made in at least two installments, as needed to carry out the program activities.

Organizations whose applications will not be funded will also be notified via email.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Terms and Conditions: Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply. These include:

2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 600, Certifications and Assurances, and the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions, all of which are available at: https://www.state.gov/about-us-office-of-the-procurement-executive/ . Note the U.S Flag branding and marking requirements in the Standard Terms and Conditions.

Reporting

Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports. The award document will specify how often these reports must be submitted.

FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact PDS at: tbilisicultural@state.gov

Note: We do not provide any pre-consultation for application related questions that are addressed in the NOFO. Once an application has been submitted, State Department officials and staff — both in the Department and at embassies overseas — may not discuss this competition with applicants until the entire proposal review process is completed.

For additional information please see the full Annual Program Statement

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წყარო: U.S. EMBASSY IN GEORGIA

რეგიონი: მთელი საქართველოს მასშტაბით

პროექტის მიმართულება: სპორტი, კულტურა და ხელოვნება;

დამატებულია: 17-01-2023

განაცხადის წარდგენის ბოლო ვადა: 01-03-2023

განცხადების წარდგენამდე დარჩენილია: 29 დღე;

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