PD Poland Grant for Deepening Understanding of the U.S. through Festivals in Poland

PD Poland encourages applications from Polish citizens and/or non-governmental organizations (NGO), including:

Registered public or private non-profit organizations

Public or private non-profit educational institutions

Public or private non-profit cultural institutions

Individuals

U.S. and third-country organizations or nationals are not eligible for grants under this program unless in partnership with a Polish citizen or NGO.

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

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION  

U.S. Embassy Warsaw and U.S. Consulate General Krakow, Public Diplomacy Section (PD Poland) announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to compete for a grant award to deepen understanding of the United States through film, music, science, cultural, and other festivals in Poland. PD Poland invites proposals from eligible organizations for projects beginning no earlier than April 15, 2024. The deadline for this NOFO, #WAW-NOFO-FY24-02, is Friday, March 1, 2024. 

Please follow all instructions below. 

Program Objectives:  

This program will deepen understanding of the United States through the engagement of U.S. experts, artists, performers, or cultural works at festivals in Poland. Strong proposals will also advance priorities in the U.S.-Polish partnership, including but not limited to promoting economic, social, and scientific innovation; strengthening democratic practice, civic engagement, and tolerance; promoting gender equality; or building ties with next generation leaders and community influencers.  

Participants and Audiences  

PD Poland’s primary audiences for this funding opportunity are Polish students and young professionals, ages 18-35, as well as community influencers. PD Poland encourages efforts to ensure gender parity and geographic and socio-economic inclusion across all its activities. Applicants should be as specific as possible in their proposals about their project’s primary audience and how they will attract them to participate in the festival. The term “general public” is not an adequate description of the targeted audience. Tourists and other visitors to Poland are not a primary audience for PD Poland. 

Key Programming Descriptions: 

Each proposal should meet the following objectives:  

• Facilitate enduring connections between American artists, performers, or experts and Polish audiences.  
• Promote American artists, performers, experts, or cultural works (films, theater performances, literature, music, etc.) to Polish audiences through festivals held in Poland.  
• Increase program participants’ understanding of American culture, society, or expertise, including the rich diversity of the American experience. 

Preference will be given to proposals that prioritize and maximize the impact on the audience while limiting overhead, equipment, and other expenses that do not directly support program participants. Preference will also be given to proposals that support interactive engagement of audiences with American artists, performers, experts or works. Proposals for in-person, virtual, and hybrid engagement will be considered. 

A successful proposal should include a detailed proposed schedule of activities related to program objectives.  

Activities that could be funded include, but are not limited to: 

• Acquisition of screening or performance rights for American films, theater pieces, music, or other works of art; 
• Translations for subtitles for American films; and 
• Participation of U.S. artists, performers, critics, or experts in appearances, lectures, workshops, and master classes, etc.