U.S. Embassy Panama Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program

The U.S. Embassy PANAMA Public Affairs Section (PAS) 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 throughout the year. However, we encourage all grant applications be submitted under one of our biannual Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) posted on the U.S. Embassy Panama website and Grants.gov. Please carefully follow all instructions below.

Purpose of Small Grants: Public Affairs Section PANAMA invites proposals for programs that strengthen cultural ties between the U.S. and PANAMA 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.

Examples of PAS Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to:

• Academic and professional lectures, seminars and speaker programs;
• Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions;
• Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs;
• Professional and academic exchanges and programs;
• Community engagement or student programs on entrepreneurship, STEM education

Main Objectives of the U.S. Embassy in Panama:

1.     Make our Extended Borders More Secure

2.     Protect the American Citizen and Business Communities

3.     Help Make Panamanian Institutions More Resilient, Transparent and Democratic

4.     Promote More Open and Sustainable Economic Growth

Funding is available to support projects in line with the four foreign policy goals listed above that:

Promote U.S.-Panamanian Shared Values –

·     Projects which promote U.S. culture, including music, sports, education, like American Studies, English and promotion of studying in the United States or tourism in the U.S, arts and any cultural manifestation.

·     Activities, workshops and speakers programs that strengthen our ties and increase mutual understanding between the U.S. and Panama peoples with preference on sharing U.S. values, history and culture.

·     Projects which support educational exchange and partnership particularly those related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) among Panamanian youth. 

Strengthen Prosperity –

·     Projects which foster Economic Growth, improved business climate, entrepreneurship, innovation, corporate social responsibility, U.S. businesses, and Intellectual Property Rights.

·     Projects which encourage social development, help reduce inequality and extend HIV/AIDS prevention.

·     Projects which support agriculture, energy, environment, sustainable practices and Environment Science Technology and Health

Reinforce Democracy, freedom and transparency –

·     Programs that promote good governance, open data and more transparent, independent and democratic institutions in Panama.

·     Projects which support human rights, racial/ethnic equality, gender equality and women’s empowerment, diversity and social inclusion in a strong civil society and may improve the lives of at-risk youth and grassroots communities.

·     Programs related to freedom of the press that improve quality of investigative journalism and transparency.

Priority Program Areas:

The Public Affairs Section will prioritize projects that:

• Improve STEM and English education in Panama
• Reinforce journalistic standards to counter disinformation and support freedom of information
• Encourage inclusion and diversity through engagement with marginalized populations, women, and minorities to reduce economic inequality

Eligible Applicants:

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

·        Universities and educational institutions

·        Governmental institutions.

·        Individuals

For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

All organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet, NCAGE/CAGE Code, as well as an active registration on https://www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 of our Notice of Funding Opportunity for information on how to obtain these registrations. Step by step guideline available at our website (see links below). Individuals are not required to have a DUNS number or be registered in SAM.gov.

Submission Dates and Times

Applications may be submitted for consideration at any time between January 1st. and the closing date of March 31, 2020. For review purposes, proposals should be submitted at least three months before the beginning of the project to allow time for processing the grant.

All application materials must be submitted in English by e-mail to PanCultural@state.gov  

Application package must contain:

·        Proposal (including Budget Narrative)

·        Budget Worksheet

·        Form SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance and SF-424_A

Required application forms and templates are available at our website:

  https://pa.usembassy.gov/education-culture/grants/

  https://pa.usembassy.gov/es/education-culture-es/subvenciones/ 

For further information please read carefully our Notice of Funding Opportunity PAS-PAN-FY20-02 U.S.Embassy Panama Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program.