Architecture Biennale APS FY 2026-2028-2030 .docx

Annual Program Statement (APS)

U.S. Presentation at International Architecture Biennales Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Department of State Opportunity Number: DFOP0017180 Application deadline: Throughout the year, See Section D.4

Contents

Basic Information Overview

Executive Summary The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Cultural Programs Division (ECA/PE/C/CU) seeks to deepen international appreciation of American creative excellence by presenting foreign audiences with groundbreaking and innovative architectural designs. These designs serve as a powerful diplomacy conduit by embodying American ideals while cultivating meaningful international engagement.

The International Architecture Biennale is a prestigious biannual festival organized by La Biennale di Venezia, in Venice, Italy, featuring contemporary exhibitions of architecture from around the world. The U.S. exhibit will be installed by the U.S. grantee non-profit organization at the U.S. Pavilion, owned by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and operated by the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. The U.S. Pavilion at the Biennale is a high-profile platform for illustrating the innovation, ingenuity, high artistic merit, and breadth of the American architectural community. Typically, at least 85 countries, including the United States, participate in the Venice Biennales.

Section A. Program Description A.1. Goals and Objectives Showcase innovative and compelling architectural designs that exemplify America’s exceptionalism, promote the achievements of American architectural communities, and enhance America’s global competitiveness in the creative and built environment sectors.

Objective 1: Conduct a three-day Preview/Inauguration (the Vernissage) of the Biennale prior to the official opening of the exhibition which will include public outreach events and activities in/around Venice to showcase the exhibition at the U.S. Pavilion.

Objective 2: During the Biennale, develop robust exhibition-related educational and outreach activities including innovative virtual programming to engage foreign audiences to broaden the exposure of the exhibition.

Objective 3: Develop a robust media campaign to broaden the exposure of the exhibition with U.S. audiences.

A.2. Expected Outcomes All projects should aim to advance international understanding of American architecture, ideals, and values as well as demonstrate how architecture can effectively address shared global challenges. Outcomes may include but are not limited to:

· Advance and complement U.S. foreign policy and public diplomacy objectives by promoting American creative excellence and enabling U.S. cultural experts to increase visibility of U.S. artistry with key foreign audiences worldwide.

· Build the capacity of creative leaders and institutions to develop new skills, partnerships, and opportunities to promote American creative industries and entrepreneurship.

· Convey the variety and excellence of the United States architecture community and increase awareness and understanding of U.S. culture, principles, and society among international participants and audiences.

· Offer constructive artistic and cultural channels to counter negative perceptions and advance safety and security in the United States and worldwide.

· Establish sustained relationships and linkages between the U.S. and foreign audiences, peers, and institutions to cultivate the exchange of knowledge and skills that benefits participating communities.

A.3. Key Considerations Themes of the Venice Biennales are typically announced by the Biennale commissioners during the spring. Please check the following websites regularly for Biennale theme information and other updates: La Biennale di Venezia website: (https://www.labiennale.org/it). Proposals focused on topical and current issues in contemporary architecture will likely be responsive to the overarching Biennale theme.

The U.S. Pavilion building, designed in 1929 by the American architects Delano and Aldrich for Grand Central Galleries in New York, is neo-classical in style. The director and key staff of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection will work closely with ECA/PE/C/CU and the selected applicants’ exhibition curators to install and maintain all official U.S. exhibitions.

Section B: Federal Award Information B.1. Available Funding Pending availability of funds, ECA/PE/C/CU will issue a grant up to $375,000 per biennale cycle (see Section D.4. for schedule). Of this amount, $125,000 must be made available to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice to provide the staffing, maintenance, and operations of the U.S. Pavilion during exhibit installation, display, and removal (approximately 7 months). The remaining $250,000 should be allocated for exhibition development, preparation, production, installation, dismantling, and return or onward shipping as well as travel for curators and other key participants.

ECA/PE/C/CU reserves the right to:

a. fund any or none of the applications received;

b. reduce, revise, or increase the budget in accordance with ECA/PE/C/CU priorities and the availability of funds;

c. accept other than the lowest cost application;

d. enter into discussions with one or more applicants in order to obtain clarifications, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the project description, budget, or other aspects of an application.

ECA/PE/C/CU may make awards based on initial applications received, without discussions or negotiations. Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant's best terms from a cost and technical standpoint.

B.2. Award Management Successful applicants will need to routinely collaborate with ECA/PE/C/CU through regular meetings and conference calls to discuss progress, challenges, emerging topics, etc. The successful applicant must ensure that all funds are used in a manner consistent with any applicable restrictions on funding. See D5 below for funding restrictions.

Section C. Eligibility C.1.: Eligible Applicants ECA/PE/C/CU welcomes applications from U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental architectural, design, educational, and cultural organizations with 501(c) (3) status of the U.S. tax code. Applicant organizations must have certified 501 (c) (3) status at the time of proposal submission. Additionally, ECA will not accept any proposals from individuals.

· Architects whose work is proposed for representation must be U.S. citizens or have permanent resident status in the U.S. States.

Non-U.S. entities or architects applying as individuals are not eligible under this announcement.

C.2. Cost-Sharing or Matching Providing cost sharing or matching is an eligibility factor and requirement.

The non-Federal share of costs, frequently called “cost share” or “matching costs”, refers to that portion of the project or program costs not borne by the Federal Government. This may include cash and third-party in-kind contributions. These costs must reflect the realistic capacity of the applicants and any third-party contributors.

Per 2 CFR §200.306, items that are proposed for cost share must be allowable per 2 CFR §200, Subpart E—Costs Principles.

Past experience has shown that the overall cost of mounting an exhibition of this scale is considerably higher than actual federal share provided. Applicants will need to contribute cost-sharing or matching from their own organizational resources or other donors in order to complete and maintain the exhibition and provide the required outreach and educational programming.

C.3. Other Eligibility Criteria All organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued via SAM.gov as well as a valid registration in SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System in sam.gov System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and/or has a current debt to the U.S. government is not eligible to apply[footnoteRef:2]. Additionally, no entity or person listed on the Excluded Parties List System in SAM.gov can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Excluded Parties List System in sam.gov to ensure that no ineligible entity or person is included in their application. [2: 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.”]

Section D: Application and Submission Information D.1. Address to request Application Package Applicants can find application forms, kits, or other materials needed to apply on grants.gov under the announcement title “Annual Program Statement for U.S. Presentation at International Architecture Biennales,” funding opportunity number “DFOP0017180.”

Applicants can submit one application per funding cycle. If more than one application is submitted by an organization within a funding cycle, only the first application received, and time stamped by grants.gov will be reviewed for eligibility.

Contact the ECA/PE/C/CU point of contact listed in Section G if requesting reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. Please note that reasonable accommodations do not include deadline extensions.

D.2. Content and Form of Application Submission Proposal packages must adhere to the attached Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI). Proposal submissions that do not meet all of the requirements outlined in this NOFO and the PSI will be deemed technically ineligible. To ensure that all applications receive a balanced evaluation, the review panel will review from the first page of each section up to the page limit of that section and no further.

1. Completed and signed SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B forms

2. Organizations that engage in lobbying the U.S. government, including Congress, or pay for another entity to lobby on their behalf, are also required to complete the SF-LLL “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” form (only if applicable).

3. Cover Page/Executive Summary

4. Proposal Narrative

5. Budget Documents (two (2) component submission requirement)

6. Program Monitoring and Evaluation Narrative and Plan

7. Key Personnel and a letter of agreement between the applicant organization, the featured artist and the curator/commissioner

8. Timeline

9. Attachments (if applicable):

· Letters of support from partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner Applications that do not include the elements listed above will be deemed technically ineligible. To ensure that all applications receive a balanced evaluation, the review panel will review from the first page of each section up to the page limit and no further.

D.3. Unique entity identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (sam.gov) All applicants are required to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and register in www.sam.gov[footnoteRef:3] before submitting an application. ECA/PE/C/CU cannot review applications from or make awards to applicants that have not completed all applicable UEI and SAM.gov requirements. [3: Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA.) OMB designated www.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.]

The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number before they can be awarded funding by the prime. However, they do not need to complete the full www.sam.gov registration.

Note: The process of obtaining a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 2-4 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). A Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code and a UEI number are issued through SAM.gov. Once received continue with the remainder of the SAM.gov registration.

Selected applicants must maintain active SAM.gov registration with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or application under consideration. Registration renewal is required annually. If an applicant has not fully complied with APS requirements at the time of application, the applicant may be deemed technically ineligible and will not move to the merit review process.

D.3.1. Exemptions An exemption from UEI/sam.gov may be permitted under the following circumstance:

· There are exigent circumstances that prohibit the recipient from receiving a UEI and completing SAM registration prior to receiving the award. These circumstances are identified in the justification below and the recipient will be required to register within 30 days of the award date in accordance with 2 CFR 25.

Applicants 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 and provide proof of exigent circumstances. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

D.4. Submission Dates and Times ECA/PE/C/CU will accept applications throughout the year on grants.gov under the announcement title “Annual Program Statement for U.S. Presentation at International Architecture Biennales,” funding opportunity number “DFOP0017180.” Applications will be reviewed and paneled for funding according to the following schedule:

· Proposals received between March 23, 2026 – 11:59 p.m. on May 12, 2026, will be reviewed and paneled for funding for the 20th Architecture Biennale scheduled for May - November 2027. The applicant recommended for funding will be notified by August 2026.

· Proposals received between December 16, 2027, – February 29, 2028, will be reviewed and paneled for funding for the 21st Architecture Biennale scheduled for May - November 2029. The applicant recommended for funding will be notified by May 2028.

· Proposals received between December 1, 2029 – February 26, 2030, will be reviewed and paneled for funding for the 22nd Architecture Biennale scheduled for May-November 2031. The applicant recommended for funding will be notified by May 2030.

Faxed, couriered, or emailed documents will not be accepted.

D.5. Funding Limitations, Restrictions, and Other Considerations None of the funds awarded resulting from this Notice of Funding Opportunity may be made available for subawards, direct financial support, or otherwise used to provide any payment or transfer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

ECA/PE/C/CU will not consider applications that reflect any type of support for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization.[footnoteRef:4] [4: Please refer the link for Foreign Terrorist Organizations: https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations/]

None of the funds awarded under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) may be used for any initiatives or programs, or any activities that do not comply with Executive Order 14173 titled Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.

By signing the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, the applicant certifies the following:

1) Its compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government's payment decisions for purposes of section 3729(b)(4) of title 31, United States Code and;

2) It does not operate any programs promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that violate any applicable anti-discrimination laws.

The following activities and costs are not covered under this announcement (this list is NOT exhaustive):

· Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the applicant organization;

· Projects seeking funds for personal use;

· Administration of a project that will make a profit;

· Expenses incurred before or after the specified dates of award period of performance (unless prior written approval is received);

· Alcoholic beverages;

Section E: Application Review Information E.1. Proposal Review Criteria Each application will be evaluated individually against the following criteria and not against competing applications. Please use the below criteria as a reference, but do not structure your application according to these sections. These criteria are not rank ordered and carry equal weight in the proposal evaluation:

Architectural Merit and Suitability for the Venice Biennale: Proposals should describe how the curator, architect, and exhibition theme reflect American excellence and represent the vitality and/or range of the contemporary U.S. architecture and design community; and articulate the suitability of the exhibition for the U.S. Pavilion at the International Architecture Biennale in Venice (10 points).

Quality of the Exhibition Concept and Design: List of works and a well-defined curatorial vision, including design concepts for the exhibition, photos, blueprints, and other visual materials; well-developed plan to monitor exhibition installation and track program success indicators (10 points).

Advancement of U.S. Foreign Policy Goals: The extent to which the exhibition and educational programming will showcase the exceptionalism and innovation of American architecture; highlight the ingenuity and pioneering spirit of U.S. architects and designers; and advance U.S. foreign policy goals as articulated in Department or ECA Bureau strategic documents (10 points).

Organizational Capacity and Expertise: Proposals should detail the necessary personnel, institutional resources and budget to successfully design and manage the exhibition at the U.S. Pavilion in Venice; describe previous experience with successfully managing exhibitions of U.S. artists in overseas venues; and demonstrate knowledge of the Venice Biennale, the U.S. Pavilion and the Peggy Guggenheim Foundation; and outline the applicant organization’s ability to implement the proposed exhibition with a cost-effective budget (10 points).

Promotion of American Public Diplomacy Goals: Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the exhibition and educational program will work to advance the interests of the United States in program administration, design, and implementation; and explain the scope of planned public programming in Venice to engage broad audiences and highlight important developments in the American architecture scene (10 points).

Cost Share - In the event of a tie, the application with the greater amount of cost-share will move forward.

E.2. Review and Selection Process ECA/PE/C/CU is committed to ensuring a competitive and standardized process for awarding funding. Applications will be screened initially to determine whether they meet the eligibility requirements outlined in section C and have submitted all required documents outlined in section D. Applications that do not meet these requirements will be deemed ineligible and not move forward to the Merit Review Panel.

The Merit Review Panel will assess the proposals and make recommendations for exhibitions to represent the U.S. at major international exhibitions.

ECA/PE/C/CU reserves the right to request the assistance of non-U.S. government Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), if appropriate. Point values for individual elements of the application are presented in E.1, of this part. Panel Reviewers will determine scores based on the strengths and weaknesses of the aforementioned criteria and for consistency with the program goals and objectives outlined in section A. Panel Reviewers’ ratings, and any resulting recommendations, are advisory. Panel Reviewers may provide conditions and recommendations on applications to enhance the proposed project, which must be addressed by the applicant before further consideration of the award.

ECA/PE/C/CU reserves the right to make an award based on the initial application received with or without discussion or negotiations. Therefore, applications should contain the applicants’ best terms from both cost and technical standpoints.

Final selection authority resides with ECA/PE/C/CU’s senior level official. Final award decisions will be determined by whether the application meets the Department of State’s programmatic goals and objectives and how it supports the Department’s overarching foreign policy priorities.

E.3. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov (formerly FAPIIS) Prior to making a federal award, FAO and ECA are required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (formerly FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313). The applicant may review information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered and visible as responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov.

ECA/PE/C/CU is required to complete a review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.206 and consider the following risk factors:

a. Financial stability

b. Management systems and standards

c. History of performance

d. Audit reports and findings

e. Ability to effectively implement requirements Section F: Federal Award Administration Information F.1. Federal Award Notices ECA/PE/C/CU will provide separate notification to applicants on the result of their applications. Successful applicants will receive a letter describing any panel conditions and recommendations. This notification is not an authorization to begin activities and does not constitute formal approval or a funding commitment.

Final approval is contingent on the applicant successfully responding to the review panel’s conditions and recommendations; Congressional Notification requirements; registration in required systems; and completing and providing any additional documentation requested by ECA/PE/C/CU or the Department’s warranted Grants Officer.

The Grants Officer is the Department of State official delegated the authority to write, award, and administer grants. The notice of Federal award signed by the Grants Officers is the sole authorizing document. 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 awarded, the notice of Federal award will be provided to the applicant’s designated Authorizing Official via MyGrants to be electronically counter-signed in the system. MyGrants is the Department of State’s cloud based, federal assistance management system.

Additional information that successful applicants may be required to submit after notification of intent to make a Federal award, but prior to issuance of a Federal award, may include:

· Written responses and any revised application documents addressing any conditions or recommendations from the Review Panel and ECA/PE/C/CU;

· If applicable, completion of the Department’s Financial Management Survey, if receiving funding for the first time or requested by the Grants Officer;

· Submission of required documents to register in the Payment Management System (PMS) managed by the Department of Health and Human Services if receiving funding for the first time. PMS registration is bureau specific;

· Other requested information or documents included in this funding opportunity or subsequent communications with the recommended applicant prior to issuance of a Federal award.

Payments under awards will be made through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Payment Management System (PMS). Unless otherwise determined by the Grants Officer, payments requests can be made on a reimbursement or advance basis. Advance payments must be limited to the minimum amount needed and timed to match actual cash needs of program activities and any allowed indirect costs.

F.2. Administrative and National Policy and Legal Requirements ECA/PE/C/CU requires all recipients of federal assistance funding to comply with applicable Department of State and Federal laws and regulations, including but not limited to the following:

· The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200).

· The Department’s Standard Terms and Conditions

· 2 CFR 25 - UNIVERSAL IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

· 2 CFR 170 - REPORTING SUBAWARD AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION INFORMATION

· 2 CFR 175 - AWARD TERM FOR TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

· 2 CFR 182 - GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE)

· 2 CFR 183 - NEVER CONTRACT WITH THE ENEMY

· 2 CFR 600 – DEPARTMENT OF STATE REQUIREMENTS

F.3. Reporting Reporting is critical to effective program management and oversight. Reports are required as a means of evaluating the recipient’s progress and utilization of resources. They are divided between a performance progress report and a financial status report. Applicants should be aware that ECA/PE/C/CU awards will require that all reports (financial and progress) are uploaded to MyGrants.

Financial Reports Financial status reports must be completed using Form SF-425, the Federal Financial Report form. The report form is available in the Payment Management System and once completed must downloaded as a PDF and uploaded to MyGrants.

Program Reports Narrative performance progress reports should measure progress on how activities reflect progress toward objectives, objectives towards outcomes, and outcomes towards achieving the overall goal. In addition, an M&E Tracker comparing the indicators targets and actual may be required. Reports should also include an update on expenditures during the quarter. Where relevant, progress reports should include the following:

· Any tangible impact or success stories from the project, when possible;

· Relevant supporting documentation or products related to the project activities (such as articles, meeting lists and agendas, participant surveys, photos, manuals, etc.) as separate attachments;

· Any problems/challenges in implementing the project and corrective action plan with an updated timeline of activities;

· Proposed activities for the next quarter; and,

· Additional pertinent information, including analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs, if applicable.

Final Reporting A final performance and financial report is required 120 days after the expiration of the award.

NOTE: Delays in reporting may result in delays of payment approvals and failure to provide required reports may jeopardize the recipient's ability to receive future U.S. government funds. ECA/PE/C/CU reserves the right to request any additional programmatic and/or financial project information during the award period.

Section G: Federal Awarding Agency Contact G.1. Contacts For technical submission questions related to this APS, please contact Rain Bian (BianRC@state.gov) and Jill Staggs (StaggsJJ@state.gov).

For assistance with Grants.gov accounts and technical issues related to using the system, please call the Contact Center at +1 (800) 518-4726 or email support@grants.gov. The Contact Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except federal holidays.

For a list of federal holidays visit:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ G.2. Question Submission To maintain fairness and transparency in competition, ECA/PE/C/CU will not answer questions related to proposal concept or design. All questions must be submitted via email to contact listed in G.1. Prospective applicants are advised to regularly review the announcement page in grants.gov for any updates.

Guidance or information provided by any ECA/PE/C/CU representative that contradicts this APS will not be binding. Issuance of this APS does commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of applications.

Section H: Other information H.1. Conflict of Interest In accordance with applicable Federal awarding agency policy, applicants must disclose in writing any potential conflict of interest to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity.

H.2. Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Disclosure Applicants should be aware that ECA/PE/C/CU understands that some information contained in applications may be considered sensitive or proprietary and will make appropriate efforts to protect such information. However, applicants are advised that ECA/PE/C/CU cannot guarantee that such information will not be disclosed, including pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or other similar statutes.

H.3. Marking Policy Applicants are advised that recipients and sub-recipients of Federal assistance awards are subject to the State Department’s Marking Policy. More information on this policy can be found in Section N of the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions.

H.4. Evaluation Policy Applicants are advised that recipients and sub-recipients of Federal assistance awards are subject to the Department of State Evaluation Policy. More information on this policy can be found here: Department of State Managing for Results.

H.5. Monitoring Site Visits A monitoring site visit, at least once during the lifetime of an award, may be conducted by Department of State personnel. The site visit is conducted to gather additional information on the recipient’s ability to properly implement the project, manage State Department funds, and share substantiating document for programmatic and financial reporting.

H.6. Mandatory disclosures (2 CFR 200.113) Applicants for a federal award must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity all violations of federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the federal award. Non-federal entities that have received a Federal award including the term and condition outlined in Appendix XII of the 2 CFR 200—Award Terms and Conditions for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters — are required to report certain civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings to www.sam.gov. Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in §200.338 Remedies for Noncompliance, including suspension or debarment.

H.7. Background Information on ECA/PE/C/CU The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Cultural Programs Division (ECA/PE/C/CU) seeks to advance the international visibility of American creative excellence through innovative and pioneering works of art and cultural projects that reflect U.S. foreign policy and public diplomacy goals.

Pursuant to the Bureau’s authorizing legislation, programs must maintain a non-political character and should be representative of the diplomacy of American political, social, and cultural life. Applicants are strongly encouraged to adhere to the advancement of this principle both in program administration and in program content.