OpportunityTitle: U.S. Embassy Belgrade - Alumni Small Grants (FY2023)
CategoryExplanation: Program Themes:  The Embassy seeks applications focusing on the themes below.  We have included ideas about what your project could do, but we welcome creative approaches and activities.    1.  ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS / PROTECTING THE WORLD AROUND US.  Promoting awareness about environmental issues and our responsibilities as global citizens, including through education, experiential learning, and community projects.  2. PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.  Expanding opportunities for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in Serbian society (e.g., in education, business and the workplace, government, civil society, the media, sports, the arts, etc.), advocating for their equal rights, sharing stories about the successes of the PWDs in Serbian society, breaking down stereotypes, and/or devising solutions to help the disabled overcome challenges to greater participation in society.    3. GENDER-FOCUSED PROGRAMS.  Promoting gender equality, female entrepreneurship, and women&#8217;s empowerment, as well as combating gender-based violence.  4. TOLERANCE &amp; HUMAN RIGHTS.  Promoting tolerance of and equality for other vulnerable populations -- including ethnic and religious minorities, members of the LGBT community, refugees and migrants, victims of human trafficking, etc. &#8211; and/or countering violent extremism and radicalism in Serbia and the region.  5. RULE OF LAW / ANTI-CORRUPTION.  Promoting rule of law, legal reform, and transparency in government, and combating corruption, in the workplace, in education, in the delivery of healthcare, in the legal system, in government offices, etc.  6. CIVIC PARTICIPATION / YOUTH LEADERSHIP.  Promoting participation by Serbian citizens in public debate over policy issues, engagement with government officials and bodies, coming up with solutions to local problems, etc.  7. STABILITY, PEACE, &amp; CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION.  Supporting conflict resolution efforts within Serbia and within the region, seeking reconciliation, promoting mutual understanding, and promoting cross-border cooperation and communication to solve common problems.  8. INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY-BUILDING.  Capacity-building efforts focused on the strengthening of civil society organizations, media outlets, and educational institutions.  9. FIGHTING BRAIN DRAIN.  Promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, developing Serbia&#8217;s market economy, expanding local jobs opportunities, and proposing creative ways to keep young people employed and thriving in Serbia.  1
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: To be eligible for consideration, applicants must have participated in a USG-sponsored exchange program.    List of Major U.S. Government Exchange Programs:  Since 2001, Serbians have taken part in a number of official exchange programs funded by the U.S. Government.  Those include:  &#8226; American Serbia-Montenegro Youth Leadership Exchange program (A-SMYLE)  &#8226; Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Initiative  &#8226; Cochran Fellowship Program (U.S. Department of Agriculture)  &#8226; Community Connections  &#8226; Community Solutions  &#8226; Fulbright Faculty Development Program (FDP)   &#8226; Fulbright Graduate Student Program  &#8226; Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) Program  &#8226; Fulbright Visiting Scholar  &#8226; Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program  &#8226; Global Mentoring Programs  &#8226; Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD)  &#8226; Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program  &#8226; International Leadership Visitors Program (IVLP)  &#8226; Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP)  &#8226; Open World   &#8226; Professional Development Year (PDY)   &#8226; Ron Brown Fellowship Program  &#8226; Serbia Youth Leadership Program (SYLP)  &#8226; Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI)  &#8226; Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI)  &#8226; Youth Leadership Program with Central Europe (YLPCE)    To be eligible for consideration, every Serbia-based applicant organization must be registered in the territory of the Republic of Serbia with the Agencija za privredne registre (APR), or a relevant court.  3. 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. Please see Section D.3 in the full text of the NOFO for more information. Please also see the SAM registration instructions in the Related Documents tab and on the Embassy&#8217;s website:  https://rs.usembassy.gov/grants-programs/.    If an applicant (either individual or organization) has already received a grant from the U.S. Embassy the grant period for the new project will overlap with the existing one, or if an organization has submitted more than one project proposal, please use section &#8220;y&#8221; in the application form to explain how you will manage more than one project and describe your capacity to do so.
Description: The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade announces an open competition for individuals and organizations to submit applications for Alumni Small Grants Program. Please follow all instructions below. Priority Region: Serbia Program Objectives: Funds for the Alumni Small Grants Program are specifically designated for use by past participants of U.S. Government (USG)-sponsored exchange programs (see below for a complete list of eligible programs). The Alumni Small Grants Program allows our alumni to leverage their experience in the United States to develop ideas and implement projects about how to give back to their home community, or to Serbian society more generally. These projects allow alumni to showcase their leadership and organizational skills, their creativity and innovative approaches to solving problems, and their ability to network and work with allies to achieve their goals. Grant activities may take any number of forms, including trainings, conferences, workshops, courses, academic competitions, summer camps (focused on language study, sports, etc.), cross-border exchanges, curriculum development, exhibits, hackathons or app development, online projects, mock trials or moot court competitions, simulations and role-playing activities (e.g., Model Congress, Model United Nations), film or theater festivals, performances, or other activities. Participants and Audiences: Primary audiences for proposals should be youth, students, teachers and administrators, young professionals, and/or others related to your program theme. Depending on focus, projects may have secondary audiences or beneficiaries including media, civil society organizations or wider professional audiences, which you may note in the proposal. Participants or audiences for the proposal should be citizens or legal residents of Serbia. If your project idea might involve citizens of other countries, please see C.4. in the full text of the NOFO in the Related Documents tab and on the Embassy&#8217;s website: https://rs.usembassy.gov/grants-programs/ , to understand restrictions on funding. Submission Dates and Times: Applications are due no later than March 17, 2023. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates: PDS anticipates that final funding decisions will be made by May 15, 2023. Requesting the Application Package: Application forms required below are available in the Related Documents tab and at https://rs.usembassy.gov/grants-programs/. How to Apply: All application materials must be submitted by email to BelgradeAlumni@state.gov. If PDS does not receive a complete project proposal at the above address by the deadline, it will be considered technically ineligible and will not be considered for funding. Information Session. PDS will hold a virtual information session on February 8, 2023, at 16:00 (4 pm) Central European time to discuss this funding opportunity and to answer questions from potential applicants. Please contact PDS at BelgradeAlumni@state.gov for details. For detailed information please see the full text of the Notice of Funding Opportunity in the Related Documents tab and on the Embassy&#8217;s website: https://rs.usembassy.gov/grants-programs/. If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: BelgradeAlumni@state.gov. Please check for information on other PDS funding opportunities on the U.S. Embassy website at: https://rs.usembassy.gov/grants-programs/.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: BelgradeAlumni@state.gov
GrantorContactText: Phone: 381-11-706-4084