U.S. Embassy Windhoek PDS Annual Program Statement | PDS WINDHOEK FY2024 05 5

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the U.S. Embassy Windhoek Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) Annual Program Statement?

It is a discretionary grant opportunity issued by the U.S. Mission to Namibia to fund small-scale public diplomacy projects that strengthen cultural ties between the United States and Namibia. The program supports cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values, encourages people-to-people connections, and advances practical bilateral cooperation.

What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?

The core purpose is to support projects that build mutually beneficial engagement between U.S. and Namibian communities and institutions, while promoting greater understanding of U.S. policy approaches and perspectives through a clear U.S. connection in each project.

What types of projects are being funded?

The opportunity funds small-scale public diplomacy projects. Examples of the kinds of outputs the Embassy expects include workshops, exchanges, training series, public events, or collaborative productions, paired with measurable outcomes such as skills gained, partnerships formed, audiences reached, or improved policy-relevant understanding.

Is a U.S. component required in every proposal?

Yes. A central requirement is that every proposed program includes a clear American cultural element or a tangible connection to the United States.

What counts as a tangible connection to the United States?

The announcement gives examples such as collaboration with U.S. experts, U.S.-based organizations, or U.S. institutions in a relevant field. The U.S. component should be meaningful and connected to the program design rather than a generic reference.

Why does the Embassy require an American cultural element or U.S. connection?

The intent is to promote greater understanding of U.S. policy approaches and perspectives while building mutually beneficial engagement with Namibian communities and institutions.

Do projects need to align with U.S. government priorities?

Yes. Projects are expected to align with U.S. government priorities and to go beyond general cultural outreach.

What is the Integrated Country Strategy (ICS) and why does it matter for proposals?

The U.S. Mission to Namibia Integrated Country Strategy (ICS) sets four-year, Chief-of-Mission-led priorities for U.S. engagement in Namibia. Competitive proposals should explicitly connect to the ICS themes and show how planned activities will contribute to those priorities through concrete outputs and measurable outcomes.

What are the ICS focus areas mentioned in the announcement?

The listed focus areas include: (1) empowering an inclusive, rules-based democracy; (2) catalyzing a resilient and sustainable economy; and (3) cultivating equitable access to services to help unleash Namibia's human resources.

How should applicants demonstrate alignment with the ICS focus areas?

Applicants should describe specific activities (for example, workshops, exchanges, training series, public events, or collaborative productions) and define measurable outcomes (for example, skills gained, partnerships formed, audiences reached, or improved policy-relevant understanding) that tie directly to one or more ICS themes.

Does the announcement prioritize any specific subject area?

Yes. Cultural heritage is highlighted as a specific area of interest, particularly programs that support disaster risk reduction for cultural heritage in disaster-prone areas and efforts related to post-disaster cultural heritage recovery.

Are cultural heritage projects required, or just encouraged?

They are encouraged as a specific area of interest. The overall opportunity remains focused on public diplomacy projects that strengthen U.S.-Namibia cultural ties and align with Embassy priorities.

Can proposed projects complement other U.S. public diplomacy or cultural heritage efforts?

Yes. Applicants can propose projects that complement existing efforts of the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), including the Cultural Heritage Center, or other public diplomacy programs.

Is it important to avoid duplicating existing programs?

The announcement signals that proposals reinforcing or extending ongoing U.S. cultural heritage and public diplomacy initiatives, rather than duplicating them, may be especially responsive to the Embassy's objectives.

Do proposals need to support U.S. treaties or bilateral agreements?

Where relevant, competitive proposals will directly support U.S. treaty or bilateral agreement obligations. Applicants should address this when it applies to the proposed activities.

Who is eligible to apply for this grant?

Eligibility is broad and includes registered not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society or non-governmental organizations with relevant programming experience), individuals, non-profit or governmental educational institutions, and governmental institutions.

Are U.S. (American) organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. American entities are eligible, but they are expected to demonstrate credible expertise in the Namibian context, including knowledge of local conditions, appropriate partnerships, and a realistic plan for implementation in Namibia.

What is the award type or funding instrument?

The opportunity uses a grant instrument.

What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is issued under CFDA numbers 19.022 and 19.040.

How much funding is available per award?

The award ceiling is USD 10,000 per grant.

How many awards does the Embassy expect to make?

The announcement anticipates five awards.

Is this grant intended for large or small projects?

Funding is modest, and the program is best suited to targeted, well-defined initiatives that can be delivered within a limited budget while clearly featuring a U.S. connection and direct relevance to Embassy priorities.

When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on January 8, 2024.

What is the closing date for applications?

The original closing date is June 30, 2024.

What makes a proposal competitive under this Annual Program Statement?

Based on the announcement, competitive proposals typically (1) include a clear American cultural element or tangible U.S. connection, (2) go beyond general cultural outreach, (3) explicitly connect to the U.S. Mission to Namibia ICS priorities, (4) describe concrete outputs and measurable outcomes, and (5) where applicable, support relevant treaty or bilateral agreement obligations and/or complement existing ECA or other public diplomacy efforts without duplicating them.