2019 Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program | DOS PTA 201903

Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS PTA 201903

The 2019 Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program is a U.S. Department of State opportunity run through the U.S. Embassy in South Africa (Public Affairs Section, or PAS) to identify an organization that can serve as a small-grants “manager” on the Embassy’s behalf. Instead of applying for one project grant to run a single set of activities, the selected grantee would build and operate a mini grantmaking program that issues and oversees roughly 20 to 40 sub-awards to local partner organizations. The overall purpose is to support public diplomacy-related activities across South Africa, with the managing grantee handling the administrative, outreach, and monitoring responsibilities while working closely with PAS throughout.

The award is structured as a Cooperative Agreement, which means the Embassy’s PAS is expected to be substantially involved in key aspects of the program rather than acting only as a distant funder. In practical terms, PAS will closely coordinate on program planning and operations and will be involved in elements like the selection process. The managing organization is expected to create the small grants application process, manage the intake and tracking of submissions, conduct outreach and networking to encourage strong applicants, and coordinate a review process and timeline. Once sub-grants are approved, the grantee must issue sub-award agreements, move funds to sub-grantees, and then monitor and evaluate each sub-grant from start to finish, including performance and compliance during implementation.

Financially, the program’s total funding ceiling is listed at $150,000, with an expectation of one main award (ExpectedAwards: 1). The sub-awards under this umbrella are anticipated to vary in size and geographic scope, but most individual small grants are expected to fall in the $3,000 to $8,000 range. Because these are multiple small awards distributed across different areas, the managing grantee needs strong financial controls, sub-award administration experience, and the ability to track many small projects at once, including reporting, documentation, and outcomes measurement.

Eligibility is open to several categories of organizations: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS status, and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education). The Embassy is looking for a partner capable of operating at a national level across South Africa. However, the notice also signals flexibility: if no single grantee can effectively reach and manage sub-grantees in all geographic areas, PAS may consider multiple awards to cover different regions or capacities, even though the opportunity lists one expected award.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is discretionary and falls under funding activity areas that include Business and Commerce, Education, and an additional “Other” category (with further clarification presumably provided in the full solicitation text). The CFDA number is 19.040, the funding opportunity number is DOS PTA 201903, and it was issued by the Department of State, U.S. Mission to South Africa. The opportunity was posted on February 19, 2019, with an original closing date of April 23, 2019. Overall, the core goal is to find an organization that can function as a reliable intermediary: building a fair and accessible small-grants process, widening the pipeline of prospective implementers through outreach, ensuring transparent review coordination with PAS, and maintaining strong oversight and evaluation for a portfolio of small public diplomacy projects.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to South Africa in the business and commerce, education, other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2019 Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 19, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 23, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for DOS PTA 201903

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