International Development Grants

U.S. Embassy Guatemalas Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce funding now available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. This Annual Program Statement outlines our funding priorities, the strategic themes on which we focus, and procedures for submitting funding requests. Please follow carefully all instructions below. Purpose of Small Grants: PDS Guatemala invites proposals for programs that strengthen cultural, educational, professional, and/or scientific ties between the United States and Guatemala through cultural, educational, and/or exchange programming that highlights our shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All programs must include an American cultural or educational 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 financial support to nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania that focus on charitable, educational, religious, or scientific initiatives.

The West Bancorporation Foundation is seeking applications to support programs whose primary purpose is to benefit low- and moderate- income individuals. Donor Name: West Bancorporation Foundation State: County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 07/01/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The West Bancorporation Foundation, Inc. (the “Foundation”) is the charitable foundation affiliate of West Bancorporation, Inc. West Bancorporation is the parent of West Bank which is actively involved in the greater Des Moines, Iowa City/Coralville and Minnesota areas where they do business and where their employees are leaders in helping their communities and citizens grow and prosper. The Foundation focuses contributions to: Human Service Education Arts & Culture Ineligibility Criteria Grants are generally not made to the following types of organizations or activities: Athletes or Athletic Organizations Conference or Seminar Attendance Courtesy or Goodwill Advertising in Benefit Publications Endowments or Memorials Fellowships Festival Participation Fraternal Organizations (Police, Fire Associations) Hospital or Health Care Facility Capital Fund Drives Individual K-12 Schools Individuals Organizations/Associations redistributing funds to independent tax-exempt groups (with exceptions of United Way and independent college funds) Organizations, Projects or Programs outside the US or mainly International Political Parties, Campaigns or Candidates, Partisan Political Organizations Private Foundations Sectarian, Religious and Denominational Organizations Social Organizations Tax Supported City, County or State Organizations Trade, Industry and/or Professional Associations United Way Organizations seeking funds for United Way-funded Programs Veterans Groups For more information, visit West Bancorporation Foundation.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting ConocoPhillips SPIRIT of Conservation program proposals to advance bird species and habitat conservation. Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) State: Selected States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 07/31/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: The purpose of this program is to help address the loss of 3 billion birds since 1970 by supporting projects that conserve, restore, or enhance grassland, wetland, sage-steppe, and coastal habitats for birds, or gather lacking bird population data with innovative methods, with an emphasis in focal geographies. Priorities Bird populations typically require a series of different seasonal or local habitats for their breeding, stopover, and wintering periods. Degradation, fragmentation, and loss of habitat can negatively impact bird populations, highlighting the need to implement science-driven and strategic conservation. With geographic focal areas that span major migratory routes in Alaska and along the north–south axis of the central United States, including the Gulf Coast, the program focuses on improving habitat quality and quantity for both migratory and non-migratory bird populations. Funding Information Grant awards will typically range from $100,000 to $275,000. Funded projects should be completed within two years following finalization of a grant agreement.  Geographic Focus Projects must occur in a major migratory route ranging from the northern slope of Alaska to the north-south axis of the central United States, including the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. Funding is limited to the following states: Alaska, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. Eligiblity Criteria Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) organizations, U.S. federal government agencies, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, tribal governments and organizations, and educational institutions. Ineligible applicants include businesses, unincorporated individuals, and international organizations. For more information, visit NFWF.

The U.S. Embassy Nassaus Public Diplomacy (PD) section announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to develop and organize a Regional Alumnae Summit for the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) network throughout the Caribbean. The PD section invites proposals from non-profit organizations, civil society organizations, and U.S. government alumni organizations to design and organize a summit to connect small and medium businesses of AWE Alumnae from across the Caribbean during a 2-day Summit in Nassau, The Bahamas in Spring 2025. This Summit will also provide a forum for AWE Alumnae to expand their professional network, share best practices and gain broader market access. In consultation with the U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy team, the awardee is expected to organize all logistics for the Summit to include, but not limited to several deliverables. Therefore, the proposal should clearly describe how each item below will be addressed: Structure and Overall plan for the event. The estimated Cost for the proposed Venue for the Summit. Equipment (Equipment cannot account for more than 10% of the total project cost.) Marketing plan Proposed 6 Conference Speakers and associated costs (this should include Bahamian, Caribbean and American Entrepreneurs as well as a Keynote Speaker.) Travel Costs for participants from Family Islands. A Business Expo opportunity for participants. Opportunities for participants to scale up their businesses (ex. export, product development and scaling.) Cost Share (not required but looked upon favorably) Public Private Partnerships Pre and Post Surveys for participants (ex. To garner input for topics for summit)

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals within the Cumberland Plateau region that will help accelerate the restoration and enhancement of critical forest, grassland, and freshwater habitats. Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) State: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million Grant Duration: 4 Years Details: NFWF seeks to increase the voluntary adoption of conservation practices on working agricultural lands in the region to benefit wildlife and improve soil health, water quantity and quality, and carbon sequestration. Funding is provided by the USDA’s Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Altria Group, Cargill and Nestlé and International Paper’s Forestland Stewards Partnership. Approximately $2.8 million is expected to be available for grants this funding cycle. Program Strategies Restoring Previously Mined Lands Increasing Adoption of Conservation Practices on Grazing Lands Increasing Adoption of Conservation Practices on Cropland Establishing, Enhancing and Maintaining Forest Habitats Restoring Instream Habitats to Support Aquatic Species Helping Landowners – Expanding and Coordinating Technical Assistance and Outreach Funding Information The Cumberland Plateau Stewardship Fund anticipates awarding approximately $2.8 million in grants in 2024. Grant awards are expected to range from $250,000 to $750,000.  Project Period Anticipated completion time for funded projects typically will be 24-48 months. Geographic Focus Projects within the Cumberland Plateau in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia are eligible with preference given to projects located within the identified focal areas.  Eligibility Criteria Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) organizations, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, Tribal Governments and Organizations, and educational institutions. Ineligible applicants include U.S. Federal government agencies, businesses, unincorporated individuals, and international organizations. U.S. Federal agencies are encouraged to partner with applicants but are not eligible to submit an application. For more information, visit NFWF.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is seeking proposals for the 2024 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund to advance pollinator conservation. Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) State: Selected States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 07/24/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The goal of the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund (Pollinator Fund) is to protect, conserve, and increase habitat for the monarch butterfly and other native insect pollinators.  The most competitive projects will demonstrate clear benefits to both monarch butterfly and additional at-risk native insect pollinator species (i.e., federally listed, candidate, or proposed native insect pollinator species). Special consideration will be given to projects benefiting rusty patched bumble bee, Franklin’s bumble bee, Karner blue butterfly, Dakota skipper, Poweshiek skipperling, and Mitchell’s satyr. Categories Grants will be awarded in two categories:  Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands Funding in this category will support implementation of technical assistance to increase the number of private landowners voluntarily engaged in monarch butterfly and pollinator conservation practices on private working lands. Up to $2 million is expected to be available for grants ranging from $150,000 to $500,000. Funding will be awarded for projects up to three years in length following finalization of the grant agreement. This category aims to support conservation planning and practice design with private landowners to advance voluntary conservation efforts on working lands that align with NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife frameworks or initiatives, and especially increase Working Lands for Wildlife participation among farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in the Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories. The 2024 Pollinator Fund RFP will support projects that: Direct staff resources to help agricultural producers design and implement conservation practices. Increase Farm Bill program participation and conservation practice implementation among agricultural producers, especially farmers and ranchers in the Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories. Funding in this category will support the following two strategies: Hiring additional staff or contractors, based on demonstrated need, including staff to assist private landowners and NRCS with developing pollinator habitat management plans and implementation of new and existing NRCS financial assistance contracts. Targeting outreach to landowners and other partners to prioritize, plan, and deliver financial assistance available through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and other Farm Bill programs to improve pollinator habitat and support at-risk pollinator species. Habitat Improvement Funding in this category will support on-the-ground work to increase the quality, quantity, and connectivity of habitat for the monarch butterfly and other native insect pollinators. Up to $3.1 million is expected to be available for grants ranging from $200,000 to $300,000. Funding will be awarded for projects up to two years in length following finalization of the grant agreement. Applicants in this category should define a step-by-step restoration plan including site preparation, equipment used, planting techniques, size of the project area, description of target native plant community, and maintenance plan (e.g., prescribed burning, mowing, grazing schedules). Projects proposed to benefit other at-risk native insect pollinators should specify habitat needs for those species and how the proposed work will support their breeding, nectaring, nesting, or other habitat needs. Funding in this category will support the following two strategies: Restore and enhance pollinator habitat, with an emphasis on regionally appropriate milkweed and a diversity of native nectar plants. Increase native seed and seedling supply, with an emphasis on improving the sustainability and affordability of regionally appropriate, local ecotypes. Program Priorities  All proposals must specifically address how the proposed project will directly and measurably contribute to the accomplishment of the Pollinator Fund’s goals as outlined in NFWF’s Monarch Butterfly Business Plan. As such, all proposals must provide the number of acres restored or enhanced as a result of the project. Proposals must include plans to restore or enhance a minimum of 100 acres in California or 500 acres in all other eligible states. Acres may be counted from multiple sites; the sites do not need to be contiguous. Since 2015, successful proposals have included a median of 960 acres and an average of 2,120 acres restored or enhanced.  Funding Information The Pollinator Fund will award up to $5.1 million in grants in 2024: up to $2 million for Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands and up to $3.1 million for Habitat Improvement. Funding is provided by Bayer Crop Science, Danone North America, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS).  Geographical Areas  Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands  Grant funding will be awarded in the following eligible states: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. Within eligible states, priority will be given to projects located in the North Core, South Core, West Core, and Overwintering Monarch Conservation Units. Projects are restricted to private working lands. Habitat Improvement Grant funding will be awarded in the following eligible states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Within eligible states, priority will be given to projects located in the North Core, South Core, West Core, and Overwintering Monarch Conservation Units. West of the Rocky Mountains, priority will be given to projects on or adjacent to the following: monarch butterfly overwintering sites, BLM lands, and USFS lands. Eligibility Criteria  Eligible and Ineligible Entities: Eligible applicants include nonprofit 501(c) organizations, U.S. federal government agencies, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, tribal governments and organizations, and educational institutions. Ineligible applicants include businesses, unincorporated individuals, and international organizations. For more information, visit NFWF.

The Department of States Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) announces an open competition for projects in support of a forthcoming Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership between the United States and the Government of Romania.

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to develop, organize, and oversee the 2025 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Summit, pending the availability of funds. The four-day Summit (exclusive of arrival and departure dates) in 2025 will gather over 150 YSEALI exchange program alumni from across ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste. The award recipient is expected to design a youth-focused, high-energy, and dynamic Summit that will provide the next generation of Southeast Asian leaders the opportunity to build networks, discuss ideas, and develop solutions to contemporary challenges. The YSEALI Summit in Malaysia will be conducted in English. The content of the program should touch on each of the four pillars of YSEALI and include leadership, mentorship, and teamwork training. The Summit will enable participants to see how YSEALI members have become leaders in Southeast Asian communities through community service, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and education. The Summit should feature panels and presentations by prior YSEALI participants from each country who have become changemakers in their fields. The Summit should feature sessions giving participants the opportunity to work together to develop possible solutions to current environmental, social, political, and economic challenges in the region. Participants should learn innovative approaches to promote relations among ASEAN countries and with the United States through presentation, case studies and simulations. The Summit will also provide leadership and other soft skills training on topics such as advocacy, negotiation, and personal branding, which are core soft skills YSEALI alumni need to become successful leaders. Participants will also have a chance to join cultural activities, and other site visits that support the Summits theme. The Summit will include a mix of informational sessions, discussions and challenges, and break-out sessions on different topics and group presentations, as well as site and cultural visits.

The U.S. Embassy Libreville 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. PDS invites proposals for programs that strengthen cultural ties between the U.S. and Gabon 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.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), West Africas Regional Peace and Governance Office (RPGO) is interested in seeking organizations working in the local, national, and cross-border level on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Countering Trafficking-in-Persons (C-TIP) in West Africa (inclusive of Coastal West Africa (CWA), the Sahel, and Cameroon) and their particular approaches (community/local, national or cross-border level). We are particularly interested in responses concerning organizations active in the CWA countries of Benin, Cte dIvoire, Ghana, Guinea, Togo, and Cameroon. To that end, USAID/WA/RPGO is reaching out to all local stakeholders to obtain insight into the composition of these sectors.

Background: Since 2017, the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan has funded the University Partnership Program (UPP) to connect U.S. and Kazakh higher education institutions, traditionally by awarding sub-awards to U.S. partners who applied for funding with Kazakh institutions. As a result, 34 Kazakh universities have partnered with 31 U.S. universities to strengthen educational programs, teaching approaches, and institutional and research capacities, and to pursue joint projects addressing issues such as air pollution, environmental protection, and economic diversification. In addition to the projects achieved under each UPP, many partnerships have successfully resulted in sustainable, continued partnerships separate from USG funding. In most cases, Kazakh universities do not have a clear strategy to engage the private sector in education and research projects that could potentially lead to research commercialization and bring investment from sources other than the Government and student tuition fees. Kazakh universities could benefit from using a diversified-income model used by U.S. universities, which would generate profit to reinvest into university operations. Building partnerships with the private sector could also generate income through commercialization while at the same time offer practical experience for university students. This will allow Kazakh universities to raise their institutional profile, improve their facilities and equipment, be better positioned to support faculty professional development, and be able to offer more student services. Since U.S. universities have a longstanding history of working with private sector and successful financial management models, pairing them with Kazakh universities through research projects in high growth economic fields can help Kazakh universities adjust to the per capita funding system that was introduced in November 2021 and speed up the design of more competitive programs for students and address private sector workforce development needs. Supporting Kazakh universities to learn more about American university best practices in managing business accelerators and research incubators to tailor Kazakh HEIs approach to pursue greater collaboration with the private sector and integrate a system will enable students to get competitive workforce development skills. Collaborating with the private sector and diversifying financial sources can also motivate university management to become more financially transparent and accountable. Medium to long-term successes in Kazakhstan would include the implementation of international management practices, research standards, and student-oriented programs and services. Success will also be gauged on increasing the sharing of best practices among Kazakh institutions with each other. This would help Kazakh universities have well-run, efficient university management models which would be better placed to be an equal and contributing partner with U.S. universities and academic associations. This is also expected to increase the number of Kazakh students and scholars studying in the United States and to contribute to a more competitive workforce equipped with the skills to support economic diversification in Kazakhstan. This NOFO looks to support innovative project mechanisms that advance U.S.-Kazakh institutional partnerships in the form of sub-awards or activities organized directly by the implementer. This can include incubation hubs, basic research capability, or professional development centers. The program should focus on building greater institutional and research capacity in fields that support diversified economic growth through joint U.S.-Kazakh research collaboration including through commercialization opportunities in research, partnerships with private sector, and workforce development programs. Partnerships that focus on curriculum development should be directed toward developing existing curricula rather than creating new curricula. Project Audience(s): Public universities in Kazakhstan (private universities can be additional partners, but not the main partner), and U.S. universities especially research universities, community colleges, and technical institutions. Beneficiaries may include students, teaching professionals, or university managers. Competitive proposals would consider working with several institutions to foster a network. Project Goal: Strengthen institutional and research capacities of Kazakh universities in fields that support workforce development and diversified economic growth through joint U.S.-Kazakh program partnerships and research collaborations. Project Objectives: Objective 1: Equip at least five Kazakh university administrators with the knowledge and skills necessary to attract investment and collaborate with U.S. universities and research centers. Objective 2: Improve the ability of at least two Kazakh HEIs to revise existing curricula and course content that incorporate U.S. best practices, real work application, and hands on learning experiences in high growth fields to address youth unemployment and workforce development. High growth fields include but are not limited to coding, IT, STEM, agriculture, and digital media. Objective 3: Facilitate at least two joint research projects between U.S. and Kazakh universities in high growth fields that demonstrate potential for commercialization. Note: Competitive proposals will include plans for preliminary discussions between American and Kazakh universities on potential roadblocks, challenges, and specifics of the local context in Kazakhstan before starting partnership activities.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for a project to strengthen independent medias ability to increase access to objective and quality information in the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region.

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 National Institute of Corrections (NIC) announces the Minnesota Rehabilitation and Reinvestment (MRRA) Engagement Project. The project aims to facilitate group sessions for the MRRA Engagement Project team to develop comprehensive policies associated with the MRRA. The project will be funded through a cooperative agreement and has an estimated total program funding of $50,000. The expected number of awards is one. The funding opportunity is open until June 10, 2024. This notice is to inform that NIC intends to make an award without full competition.

The U.S. Embassy Nassaus Public Diplomacy (PD) section announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to implement a new Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) cohort in Eleuthera, The Bahamas. The PD section invites proposals from non-profit organizations, civil society organizations, and U.S. government alumni organizations to design and implement an entrepreneurship program that equips approximately 50 Bahamian women entrepreneurs with skills and knowledge to grow their businesses and adapt to adverse economic situations while growing a local network of women-led businesses. AWE program proposals need to include facilitated in-person and virtual participant sessions, with established Bahamian and American women entrepreneurs, alumni of U.S.-funded exchange programs, and other entrepreneurial experts. Applicants must include the online DreamBuilder course as part of the proposal. In addition to DreamBuilder, proposals should include supplemental activities, that could include but not limited to surveys, business accelerators, and pitch competitions. The program for the new AWE cohort must be held in Eleuthera, The Bahamas. All AWE activities should have a strong United States focus and branding. The U.S. Embassy Nassau'sPD section will work with the awardee in this regard. Each proposal should meet the following objectives: Expand participants understanding of the fundamentals of developing and scaling up a business. Expose participants to U.S. models for business development and connect them with Bahamian and American entrepreneurship experts. Facilitate the development of an ongoing network of female entrepreneurs who can offer support and ongoing best practices while sustaining their relationship with the U.S. Embassy. See Attachments for more information.

The U.S. Department of States Bureau of Political-Military Affairs announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a project to support the Government of Morocco in developing a national space policy and strategy.

The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for an evaluation project that contributes to building a portfolio of evidence regarding inclusive human rights in Ukraine. In support of this goal, DRL seeks to promote the use of sound data and generate findings on what works, for whom, and why in democracy and human rights programming abroad. Projects should support the following objective: the rights of marginalized, underserved, and at-risk individuals in Ukraine are recognized and respected within a democracy, rights, and good governance framework.

The U.S. Mission to the European Unions Office of Public Affairs (USEU PA) 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.

The objective of the STEP-UP activity is to empower local organizations, businesses, and communities to participate in and guide their own development in conflict affected areas of Mozambique. USAID/Mozambique seeks to provide funding and capacity support to local businesses and CSOs through a partner managed grant-making mechanism. By providing businesses and CSOs with funds to implement economic, peace, and social development initiatives, the Activity will foster increased engagement and empowerment in terms of communities driving their own local development.