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

Africa Regional Services, Bureau of African Affairs Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (AF/PDPA) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition to submit applications to organize a training on Understanding and Countering Disinformation for African Journalists. The program aims to empower journalists with the skills and knowledge to effectively counter misinformation and disinformation, ensuring accurate and responsible reporting. The series of workshops should include but are not limited to the following topics: Understanding and Identifying Misinformation/Disinformation and its Impact Fact-Checking, Online/Offline Content Verification Methods, Recognizing Red Flags and Manipulative Tactics Ethical Reporting and Considerations in the Age of Misinformation/Disinformation Strategies for Countering Disinformation Combatting Online Abuse Against Journalists and Building Resilience Misinformation and Disinformation in the Age of Artificial Intelligence The project will be conducted in French and English, virtually over six months. It will consist of online presentations and dialogues between American experts and African audience, discussing theories and case studies, and sharing best practices, strategies, and resources. Budget permitting the project will design an in-person colloquium with selected participants. The project should also provide a strategy for and facilitate peer-to-peer contact and content sharing between program participants following program completion. All subject matter experts must be American citizens. Targeted countries are sub-Saharan African countries, with a priority given to West African countries. Please follow all instructions below. Background: The extensive spread of false information poses a significant obstacle to the stability and prosperity of African nations. Those orchestrating elaborate disinformation schemes targeting African media are leveraging the rapid expansion and accessibility of digital communication channels to overhaul the continent's information landscape at a pace and scale previously unattainable through traditional means. A clear correlation exists between the extent of disinformation and societal unrest. False narratives have directly incited violent conflicts, supported political turmoil, intimidated members of civil society into silence, and obscured acts of corruption and exploitation. These actions have tangible repercussions, eroding the rights, freedoms, and security of African populations. Furthermore, rapid advancements in technology pave the way for AI-driven content to further sow seeds of distrust and disorder within democratic systems. Africa Regional Services announces a call for institutional partners and individuals with extensive experience and capacity in training and outreach among African media organizations in the field of countering disinformation to submit proposals for online and in-person training of African journalists on disinformation. Subject to availability of funds, Africa Regional Services will award a grant as described below. The successful applicant must have previous experience managing the award amount of $250,000 or greater and must demonstrate capacity to manage a continent-wide grant in countering disinformation. The criteria for the competition should ensure that proposals be tailored toward African audiences. Proposed projects should include monitoring and evaluation plans. Project Audience(s): Male and female African journalists/reporters from print, broadcast, and digital media outlets. Must ensure gender balance among target audience aged 25 to 50. Project Goal: The program will help improve the quality of news in African countries through capacity building of journalists to counter misinformation/disinformation, while utilizing American subject-matter expertise. Project Objectives: Projects should be designed to achieve the following: Objective 1: Increase the professional capacity of African journalists through training workshops on countering misinformation/disinformation. Objective 2: Participants to develop and publish stories showcasing the application of skills acquired in the training sessions. Priority Regions: Sub-Saharan African countries including but not limited to Cote DIvoire, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Sierra Leone, Guinea Conakry, Chad, Cameroon, Togo, Benin. Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 months or less. Africa Regional Services may 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. This notice is subject to availability of funding. Other Eligibility Requirements 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. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov. Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION Address to Request Application Package Application forms required below are available at www.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. 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 x 11 paper, and All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins. The following documents are required: Mandatory application forms SF-424(Application for Federal Assistance organizations)or SF-424-I(Application for Federal Assistance--individuals)atwww.grants.gov. SF-424A(Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at www.grants.gov. SF-424B(Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at www.grants.gov. Summary Page: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 (10 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 or Individual 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. 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. Include a logic model as appropriate. Proposed Program Schedule and Timeline: 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 SustainabilityApplicants 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 file to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See sectionH. 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 If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file. Official permission letters, if required for program activities Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Required Registrations All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov. A 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. Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications. The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number. Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a sub-grantee. Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible. Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov. Organizations based outside of the United States and that do not pay employees within the United States do not need an EIN from the IRS but do need a UEI number prior to registering in SAM.gov. Exemptions An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis if: An applicants identity must be protected due to potential endangerment of their mission, their organizations status, their employees, or individuals being served by the applicant. For an applicant, if the Federal awarding agency makes a determination that there are exigent circumstances that prohibit the applicant from receiving a unique entity identifier and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a Federal award. In these instances, Federal awarding agencies must require the recipient to obtain a unique entity identifier and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the Federal award date. Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review. Submission Dates and Times Applications are due no later than June 15, 2024. Other Submission Requirements All application materials must be submitted by email to [email protected]. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION Criteria Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below: Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea 25 points: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants 15 points: The organization has expertise in its stated field and has the internal controls in place to manage federal funds. This includes a financial management system and a bank account. Program Content 15 points: Objectives are clear and content is clearly linked to the U.S. and is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results. Budget 15 points: 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 15 points: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides 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 10 points: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program. Review and Selection Process A review committee will evaluate all eligible applications.

PDS Niamey invites individuals or organizations interested in submitting a proposal to use the award as seed money to generate buy-in from other stakeholders. We will be looking for partnerships and cost-sharing with host country civil society organizations and the business community that can extend the impact of your proposals. Competitive proposals will also address the issue of sustainability explaining how the project or program will continue beyond the initial support from the U.S. government. 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.

The overall goal of the project is to expose the disinformation and propaganda surrounding PRCs current policies, and the risk inherent in the reliance on the PRC to deliver financial and commercial engagement opportunities for U.S. partners and allies. Ultimately, this project will provide constructive evidence to policymakers, business leaders, as well as concerned civil society and academics through fact-based, analytical case studies and through focused international engagement.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to U.S.-based nonprofit organizations and educational institutions with experience in international exchanges to enhance the operational and logistical aspects of a professional exchange program for emerging global leaders.

This grant provides funding for projects that strengthen U.S.-UK relations through cultural exchanges, educational initiatives, and public engagement activities targeting diverse audiences across the UK.

The U.S. Mission to Ecuador through the Public Diplomacy Section (PDS), announces an open competition for organizations and individuals to submit proposals to implement projects with innovative approaches to counter irregular migration in Ecuador.

The U.S. Department of States Embassy Astana announces an open competition opportunity to implement a project that strengthens Kazakhstans media environment through the provision of legal support to journalists who may need assistance; legal-related training for journalists and media content creators, law students or practitioners; ethics and management training for journalists and media outlets; and educational initiatives targeting law enforcement to raise awareness about the rights of journalists. The project aims to promote professional journalism standards and ensure proper legal protections where needed, while supporting Kazakhstans efforts towards democracy and rule of law. Providing legal assistance is crucial in addressing the prevalent issue of journalists facing harassment and intimidation. This support helps safeguard press freedom, ensuring their ability to report freely and holding accountable those who seek to suppress their work. Priority will be given to projects that focus on and provide evidence of tangible, measurable results. Projects consisting solely of conferences or roundtable discussions, theoretical research or surveys, or the writing or publishing of books, are unlikely to be funded. The United States of America and the Republic of Kazakhstan collaborate extensively on bilateral and regional matters, including support for Kazakhstan's commitment to safeguarding media freedoms and elevating journalistic professionalism. Legal protection is foundational to a safe environment for journalism practice, ensuring the safety of journalists and their ability to fulfill their duties. Equally crucial is the need for journalists and content creators to be well-versed in their rights and responsibilities as outlined by the law. This knowledge extends to law students, practitioners, and law enforcement, fostering a holistic understanding of media law. In addition to safeguarding media freedoms, enhancing ethics and management practices helps ensure a robust and well-functioning media landscape. The objective is to not only level the media playing field for independent outlets, but also to empower them with the skills needed to navigate economic challenges, such as financial generation management and resilience during economic downturns. In line with these goals, the U.S. Embassy seeks to facilitate collaboration between various stakeholders by partnering with a qualified non-profit organization in implementing a program. This initiative aims to provide legal support as well as ethics and management training to journalists, content creators, law students, practitioners, and law enforcement in Kazakhstan, bridging the gap between legal expertise and the media landscape. Project Audience(s): The project should target journalists, media professionals, media content makers, law students and practitioners, and law enforcement agents throughout the country. The project should be able to provide services in Kazakh and Russian. Project Goal: Strengthen press freedom and independence in Kazakhstan by providing access to legal support services and training programs to media and legal professionals. Project Objectives: The program should support objective journalism and ethical journalism standards through the provision of timely, exhaustive, and comprehensive legal consultations to journalists, content creators, law students and practitioners, and media consultants. The program should be able to provide pro-bono legal support in cases when a journalist or a media outlet, requesting such support, were fulfilling their professional duties in accordance with international journalism standards and ethics, as well as the laws and regulations of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The program must include media rights and responsibilities trainings for journalists and content creators, law students and practitioners, and for law enforcement agencies. Proposals should outline strategies and activities aimed at empowering media entities to build strong and sustainable management practices. This may include initiatives focused on financial generation management, strategic planning, and resilience-building measures to navigate economic challenges and enhance the overall managerial competence of independent media organizations. The DREAM Initiative encompasses three key lines of effort to fortify independent media in Kazakhstan: Legal Support, Ethics and Management Training, and Media Transparency. These objectives align with the overarching goal of fostering objective journalism and ethical standards. Project proposals may address one or more of these objectives, or other objectives within the above policy priorities. Objective 1: Improve knowledge and awareness of legal rights and media laws among a minimum of 100 participants through a series of six training sessions. (Ensure at least half of the training sessions are conducted in Kazakh). Topics may include media laws, ethical journalism standards and management practices, journalist legal protections and emerging legal challenges. Objective 2: Advocate for enforcement of legislation that uphold international journalism standards and legal protections by providing media professionals access to timely legal support and consultation services. Objective 3: Improve the ability of independent media organizations, including media executives, editors, and journalists to implement effective management practices through capacity building training focused on organizational management, strategic planning, developing diversified revenue streams, and ethical journalism practices.

This funding opportunity supports organizations and individuals in Singapore to create projects that promote U.S. values and strengthen ties between the U.S. and Singapore through cultural, educational, and professional initiatives.

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 project that supports the meaningful political and civic participation of youth in the Solomon Islands.

U.S. Embassy Mexico City of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to promote workforce development in the printed circuit board (PCB) industry through curriculum development for PCB focused courses at secondary and tertiary educational levels, certificate programs, vocational instruction, dual education, technical English language skills building, and full or partial support for internships in Taiwanese PCB manufacturing firms either in Taiwan or Mexico.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for U.S. and Japanese organizations, educational institutions, and individuals to develop projects that strengthen U.S.-Japan relations through cultural, educational, and strategic initiatives.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions in the U.S. and Kazakhstan to strengthen ties through sports and digital skills development, particularly for young professionals outside major cities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for U.S. and Tunisian organizations to develop innovative public diplomacy programs that strengthen ties between the two countries across various thematic areas.

This grant provides funding for projects that strengthen U.S.-Netherlands relations through cultural, educational, and collaborative initiatives, with a focus on transatlantic security and democracy.

This grant provides funding for researchers and organizations to explore and analyze important global trade issues, such as sustainable trade and digital trade, to inform policy decisions.

This grant provides funding to U.S. research institutions to train early career researchers through immersive experiences in low- and middle-income countries, fostering international collaboration to tackle global health challenges.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations working to strengthen laboratory systems in Ghana, enhancing HIV testing, treatment monitoring, and data management to improve public health outcomes.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to a wide range of organizations, including universities, nonprofits, and governments, to enhance research and programs aimed at controlling and eliminating parasitic and neglected tropical diseases that threaten public health in the U.S. and globally.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit and public institutions in developing innovative technologies for real-time analysis of biological processes in living tissues, particularly focusing on immune responses and autoimmune diseases.

This program provides funding for independent researchers and public research institutions to conduct open-access studies on how the Internet can enhance human well-being, with a focus on real-world applications and ethical standards.