FY21 Annual Program Statement

This is an Annual Program Statement outlining U.S. Embassy funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding. Submitted applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

This document contains both general priorities for Germany-wide and Berlin/Brandenburg area projects as well as regional priorities from each of the U.S. Consulates General located throughout Germany. If your organization is considering an application for a regionally focused project, please consult the specific Consulate's priority program areas in this NOFO.

Please ensure to indicate for which region you are applying by prefacing the application title with one of the codes below and carefully follow the instructions in this document.

BER; Berlin; Germany-wide projects, Berlin, Brandenburg

DUS; Düsseldorf; North Rhine-Westphalia

FRA; Frankfurt; Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Baden-Württemberg

HAM; Hamburg; Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Hamburg, Bremen

LEI; Leipzig; Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, Thuringia

MUN; Munich; Bavaria

A. Program Description

1. General Information and Germany-Wide Priorities

The U.S. Embassy in Berlin invites proposals for programs that promote bilateral cooperation and highlight shared values. All programs must include an American perspective, societal or cultural element, and/or connection with American experts, organizations, or institutions in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and viewpoints. Additionally, programs must include public outreach components, such as livestreaming, traditional media, digital outreach, or events open to the general public.

Examples of Public Diplomacy Grant programs include, but are not limited to:

· Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions

· Digital and virtual productions, including podcasts and games

· Lectures, workshops, and seminars as well as exchanges for professional and academic audiences

General Priorities:

· Projects that promote climate-smart innovations and energy transformation technologies, policies, and infrastructure to support green growth and transatlantic security;

· Projects that support entrepreneurship and economic prosperity, transatlantic innovation, and the digital economy;

· Projects that foster proactive approaches to countering racially and ethnically motivated terrorism, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim prejudice, homophobia, and other forms of right-wing extremism that threaten both our shared values and political stability, including, but not limited to:

o Civic education programs, particularly those promoting democratic institutions and values or focusing on media literacy and disinformation

· Projects that enhance our resiliency when faced with disinformation and regional destabilization;

· Projects that promote educational, cultural, and civic exchanges and enhance understanding of our shared values, traditions, and history, or promote transatlantic institutional and/or community linkages, in particular

o Engaging youth on the topics of democracy, diversity, and environmental protection, to facilitate new 21st century transatlantic connections shaped by future decision-makers.

o Providing support for exchange-opportunities for vocational students, first-generation Germans, and underserved youth populations to promote the U.S-German relationship.

o Creating long-term relationships with U.S. and German educational institutions in the fields of business, environment, economics, international relations, science, and technology.

· Projects that develop STE(A)M, soft skills, and media literacy programs focusing on youth audiences, minority communities, underserved populations, and first-generation Germans;

· Programming to support alumni of U.S. government exchange programs.

Participants and Audiences:

· Youth and underserved communities;

· Civil society and non-government organizations;

· Academic and cultural institutions;

· Entrepreneurs;

· Immigrant populations;

The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:

· Programs relating to partisan political activity;

· Charitable or development activities;

· Construction programs;

· Fund-raising campaigns;

· Lobbying for specific legislation or programs;

· Scientific research;

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

· Programs that duplicate existing programs;

· Grants to for-profit entities

2. Berlin Consular District: Berlin and Brandenburg

Priority Program Areas:

Priority program areas as outlined above. Special consideration will be given to proposals featuring an explicit Brandenburg component

3. Düsseldorf Consular District: North Rhine-Westphalia

Priority Program Areas:

Priority program areas as outlined above.

4. Leipzig Consular District: Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia

Priority Program Areas:

· Proposals creating student exchanges to the United States with extra weight given to applications from schools in predominantly disadvantaged areas.

5. Frankfurt Consular District: Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Baden-Württemberg

Priority Program Areas:

Priority program areas as outlined above.

6. Hamburg Consular District: Hamburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania

Priority Program Areas:

· Projects that create exchanges and programs in support of the 2020 Joint Declaration of Intent between the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, Education, and their German counterparts concerning cooperation on apprenticeships, vocational education and training.

· Projects that advance the transition to greener technologies, with a focus on Northern German institutions to cooperate on producing hydrogen via renewable energy sources.

· Projects that foster entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation via sister city partnerships, such as Hamburg-Chicago, Rostock-Raleigh, and Kiel-San Francisco.

7. Munich Consular District: Bavaria

Priority Program Areas:

Priority program areas as outlined above.

8. Authorizing legislation, type and year of funding:

Funding authority rests in Smith-Mundt and Fulbright-Hays. The source of funding is FY2021 Public Diplomacy Funding.

B. Federal Award Information

1. Award Information

Length of performance period:

Up to 24 months

Number of awards anticipated:

N/A

Award amounts:

Up to $12,000

Total available funding:

$200,000

Type of funding:

FY 2021 Smith-Mundt PD Funds

Anticipated program start date:

2021

Funding Opportunity Title:

Annual Program Statement

Funding Opportunity Number:

BER-APS-FY21-001

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number:

19.040

CFDA Title:

Public Diplomacy Programs

Program:

N/A

Announcement Type:

Annual Program Statement

Announcement Date:

05/07/2021

Deadline for Submission of Proposals:

Proposals will be considered on a rolling basis until August 15, 2021

Agency Contacts:

Stefan Koehler | KoehlerS [at] State [dot] gov | +49 (30) 8305-2112

Izaak Martin | MartinIH [at] State [dot] gov | +49 (30) 8305-2547

This notice is subject to availability of funding

2. Funding Instrument Type

Fixed Amount Award or Grant

3. Program Performance Period

Proposed programs should be completed in 24 months or less. The Department of State will entertain applications for continuation agreements 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.

C. Eligibility Information

The following activities and costs are not covered under this announcement:

· Social welfare projects;

· Paying to complete activities begun with other funds (however, new activities that build from lessons learned as the result of an earlier project are acceptable);

· Activities that appear partisan or that support individual or party electoral campaigns;

· One-time events, such as stand-alone conferences and one-off round tables (however, a series of workshops within a larger programmatic concept is acceptable);

· Medical research and clinical studies;

· Cultural presentations, cultural research, cultural clubs, or festivals, etc.

1. Eligible Applicants

The Public Affairs Section considers applications from the United States and the EU, including:

· Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations;

· Individuals;

· Non-profit or governmental educational institutions;

· Governmental institutions

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Applicants are not required to include third party funding, but partnering for co-sponsorship will be welcomed.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier (Data Universal Numbering System/DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet), as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov.

[...] Please refer to the attached APS PDF File for the full text including application requirements.