U.S. Embassy Prague Public Diplomacy Section Grant for American Center Travelling Outdoor Exhibit Coordination

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The U.S. Embassy Prague Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to coordinate and carry out a series of outdoor, travelling exhibits in Czech towns to inform Czech citizens of cultural, strategic or historic ties between the United States and the Czech Republic. Please follow all instructions below.

Program Objectives:

The information aims to raise their awareness of the strong partnership between the United States and Czech Republic, and improve perceptions of the United States as a strategic partner.

Program Details: 

The exhibits will consist of eight, double-sided, outdoor exhibition stands for a total of 16 panels (size A0), which the U.S. Embassy already owns and will provide to the selected partner. The exhibit should change locations every 4-6 weeks. PDS will work with the grantee to identify exhibit themes and locations, focusing on towns and cities outside of Prague.

The grantee should have experience in event management and public outreach activities, including graphic design, advertising and logistics. The grantee will manage all facets of the program, in close coordination with the PDS, including:

·       Graphic design, translation of text if needed, and printing of exhibit panels (which can be done by third-party vendors). The PDS will provide content for the exhibitions, including themes, art, photos and text, and must approve all final artwork. The panels shall be printed on high-quality, aluminum panels (example here: https://www.fotografieobrazy.cz/index.php/fotokolaz/52-alu-fotokolaz).

·       Transportation, installation, and monitoring of the stands, which are sectional. Assembled measurements are 200 centimeters (height) by 108 centimeters (width), and 128 kilograms. The heaviest individual piece is 30 kilograms. 

·       Communication and applying for/receiving permits, as required, with municipal authorities to coordinate the use of public spaces (town square, park, etc.). 

·       Event planning for kickoff events in each exhibit location, including microphone/speaker/lectern (if necessary), advertising/media advisories and refreshments. 

·       When not in use, grantee will store the stands and exhibits in a secure, covered location.

Participants and Audiences:

The target audience for the program is adults and students in cities all over the Czech Republic.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Length of performance period: Up to 24 months (12 months is preferred)

Number of awards anticipated: one

Award amounts: Up to $20,000

Total available funding: Up to $20,000

Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2024 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funding

Anticipated program start date: February 2024

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative agreement. The embassy PDS expects to be substantially involved in suggesting themes or selecting/providing specific artwork or information to be displayed, in approving all final exhibit materials, in selecting locations and dates of exhibits and in planning related opening events or programs.

Program Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 24 months or less. In exceptional and justified cases PDS will consider extending the project performance period.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible. Please ensure:

• The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity
• All documents are in English
• All budgets are in U.S. dollars
• All pages are numbered
• All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and
• All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.

The following documents are required: 

1. Mandatory application forms

·       SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance –individuals) at https://cz.usembassy.gov/education-culture/small-grants-program.

·       SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at https://cz.usembassy.gov/education-culture/small-grants-program/.

·       SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at https://cz.usembassy.gov/education-culture/small-grants-program/.

o  (Note: the SF-424B is only required for individuals and for organizations not registered in SAM.gov.)

2. Summary Page: Cover sheet stating the applicant name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.

3. Proposal (SIX pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below. 

·       Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact.

• Introduction to the Organization or Individual applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies.
• Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed
• Program Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.
• Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.
• Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate.
• Proposed Program Schedule and Timeline: The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.
• Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program? 
• Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees.
• Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the time-frame of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant?
• Future Funding or Sustainability:  Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable.

4. Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate file to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

5. Attachments:

·       One-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program

·       Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner

·       If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file. 

·       Official permission letters, if required for program activities

Applications are due no later than January 10, 2024. Complete grant applications (SF-424, SF-424A, and Grant Request Form) must be submitted electronically to grantsprague@state.gov with the subject line “Travelling Exhibits Proposal”.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

 1.     Criteria: Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below.

Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – 20 points: The program idea supports at least one of the Embassy’s strategic goals is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.  

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 20 points: The organization has expertise in its stated field and has the internal controls in place to manage federal funds. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.

 Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 15 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.

Budget – 10 points: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities.

Monitoring and evaluation plan – 15 points: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators, and shows how and when those will be measured.

Sustainability – 10 points: Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.

 Support of Equity and Underserved Communities – 10 points:  Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the program will support and advance equity and engage underserved communities in program administration, design, and implementation. 

2.     Review and Selection Process

 A review committee comprised of U.S. Embassy Prague staff will evaluate all complete applications. When deciding which project to support, the Embassy will consider the full range and diversity of Czech organizations and will seek to target geographically and demographically diverse audiences in the Czech Republic. Proposals linked to U.S. Embassy Prague Strategic Goals and involving an American speaker, artist, performer, author, etc., are given preference.