Opportunity Information: Apply for AF DRC PDS FY23 02
The U.S. Mission in Kinshasa Public Diplomacy Annual Program Statement (APS) is a small-grants funding opportunity run by the Public Diplomacy Section at the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa. It supports projects designed to strengthen ties between the United States and the Democratic Republic of the Congo by building cooperation on shared interests and emphasizing shared values. A central requirement is that every proposed project includes a clear "U.S. element" such as a U.S. expert, organization, institution, or cultural component that helps participants better understand U.S. policies and perspectives, not just general development goals.
The program focuses on engaging a wide range of audiences across Congolese society, including the general public, decision-makers, civil society leaders, and other opinion-shapers. The intent is to broaden understanding of U.S. policy, culture, history, society, and democratic values through practical, public-facing activities. Applicants are expected to be specific about who they are trying to reach and why those people matter to the project goals.
Funding priorities align with major U.S. Mission goals in the DRC. One major theme is promoting stability and durable peace, especially in eastern DRC, through activities that encourage conflict resolution and peaceful coexistence among communities. Another priority is preserving the Congo Basin rainforest, particularly by supporting approaches that balance sustainable economic opportunities for local communities with environmental protection. The APS also prioritizes strengthening democracy and good governance through non-partisan programs that improve public understanding of democratic principles and highlight democratic values shared by the U.S. and the DRC.
Economic priorities are also prominent. The Embassy is interested in projects that encourage prosperity, trade, and investment, including efforts that expand connections between U.S. and Congolese businesses, promote U.S. exports and investment, and broaden economic opportunities and entrepreneurship. Within that area, there is particular interest in advancing financial independence and opportunity for women, youth, and underserved populations, as well as activities that raise awareness of corruption and practical ways to combat it. Another key category is support for media freedom and countering mis- and disinformation, including media training, strengthening independent media, and improving resilience to false narratives. Finally, the APS welcomes programs that deepen people-to-people ties and promote the U.S.-DRC relationship through shared values and interests, including commemorations, cultural excellence, and other relationship-building public diplomacy activities.
Examples of projects the Embassy considers a good fit include speaker programs (academic or professional lectures, seminars, and expert engagements), workshops that counter violent extremism or address disinformation, interactive programs that stimulate economic growth and entrepreneurship, and professional or academic exchanges as well as cultural and English-language programming. Across these examples, the consistent expectation is that the activity is clearly public diplomacy in nature, advances mutual understanding, and features a credible U.S. connection.
Applicants must clearly define their target participants and audiences, including an age, gender, and geographic breakdown, and they must estimate expected reach. The APS encourages applicants to account not only for direct participation (people who attend trainings, events, or exchanges) but also indirect reach, such as broader exposure through social media, radio, television, or other traditional media channels when feasible.
The APS also lists activities that are not eligible. The program will not fund partisan political activity, charitable or development assistance work, construction, projects supporting specific religious activities, fundraising campaigns, lobbying for legislation or specific government programs, scientific research, or projects primarily aimed at growing the applicant organization itself (for example, general institutional capacity building that does not deliver a public diplomacy program). It also will not fund proposals that simply duplicate existing initiatives rather than adding distinct value.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of State (U.S. Mission to the DRC) under CFDA 19.040, with funding authority under the Smith-Mundt Act and supported through public diplomacy funds. The opportunity number is AF DRC PDS FY23 02. The posted award ceiling is $25,000, and the Embassy anticipated making around 10 awards. The APS was created February 22, 2023, with an original closing date of May 1, 2023.Apply for AF DRC PDS FY23 02
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Mission in Kinshasa Public Diplomacy Annual Program Statement" 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 22, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 01, 2023. (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 $25,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the U.S. Mission in Kinshasa Public Diplomacy Annual Program Statement (APS)?
It is a small-grants funding opportunity managed by the Public Diplomacy Section at the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa. It supports public diplomacy projects that strengthen ties between the United States and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by building cooperation on shared interests and emphasizing shared values.
2) What is the main purpose of this grant program?
The purpose is to broaden mutual understanding and strengthen the U.S.-DRC relationship through practical, public-facing activities that help audiences better understand U.S. policy, culture, history, society, and democratic values.
3) What makes a project "public diplomacy" under this APS?
Projects should be designed to advance mutual understanding and engage public audiences in ways that highlight U.S. policies and perspectives, shared values, and areas of cooperation. The program is not meant for general development assistance; it is meant for programming that is clearly tied to public diplomacy goals.
4) What is the required "U.S. element" and why does it matter?
Every proposal must include a clear "U.S. element," such as a U.S. expert, organization, institution, or cultural component. This matters because the Embassy is funding programs that help participants understand U.S. policies and perspectives, rather than activities focused only on general development outcomes.
5) Who should the projects aim to engage?
The APS is intended to engage a wide range of audiences across Congolese society, including the general public, decision-makers, civil society leaders, and other opinion-shapers. Applicants are expected to clearly explain who they plan to reach and why those audiences matter to the project goals.
6) What level of detail is expected about the target audience?
Applicants must define target participants and audiences with an age, gender, and geographic breakdown, and they must estimate expected reach.
7) How should applicants think about "reach" for this program?
The APS encourages applicants to account for both direct participation (people attending events, trainings, exchanges, or workshops) and indirect reach, such as broader exposure through social media, radio, television, or other traditional media channels when feasible.
8) What are the main funding priorities of the APS?
Funding priorities align with major U.S. Mission goals in the DRC, including stability and durable peace, rainforest preservation in the Congo Basin, democracy and good governance, economic prosperity and entrepreneurship, anti-corruption awareness and practical countermeasures, media freedom and countering mis- and disinformation, and people-to-people ties that deepen the U.S.-DRC relationship.
9) What kinds of projects support stability and durable peace?
The APS highlights activities that promote conflict resolution and peaceful coexistence among communities, with particular attention to durable peace and stability in eastern DRC.
10) What does the APS prioritize related to the Congo Basin rainforest?
It prioritizes preservation of the Congo Basin rainforest, especially projects that support approaches balancing sustainable economic opportunities for local communities with environmental protection.
11) What does the APS support in democracy and governance?
The APS prioritizes strengthening democracy and good governance through non-partisan programs that improve public understanding of democratic principles and highlight democratic values shared by the U.S. and the DRC.
12) What economic themes are emphasized in this opportunity?
The Embassy is interested in projects that encourage prosperity, trade, and investment. This includes efforts that expand connections between U.S. and Congolese businesses, promote U.S. exports and investment, and broaden economic opportunities and entrepreneurship.
13) Are there particular economic audiences the APS is especially interested in supporting?
Yes. Within economic programming, there is particular interest in advancing financial independence and opportunity for women, youth, and underserved populations.
14) Does the APS support anti-corruption programming?
Yes. The APS notes interest in activities that raise awareness of corruption and practical ways to combat it.
15) What does the APS say about media freedom and disinformation?
The APS includes support for media freedom and countering mis- and disinformation. Examples include media training, strengthening independent media, and improving resilience to false narratives.
16) What is meant by "people-to-people ties" in this APS?
It refers to programs that deepen relationships between people in the U.S. and the DRC and promote the U.S.-DRC relationship through shared values and interests. The APS mentions commemorations, cultural excellence, and other relationship-building public diplomacy activities.
17) What are examples of projects the Embassy considers a good fit?
Examples listed include speaker programs (academic or professional lectures, seminars, and expert engagements), workshops that counter violent extremism or address disinformation, interactive programs that stimulate economic growth and entrepreneurship, professional or academic exchanges, and cultural and English-language programming.
18) What is the consistent expectation across all example projects?
The consistent expectation is that the activity is clearly public diplomacy in nature, advances mutual understanding, and includes a credible U.S. connection.
19) What activities are not eligible for funding under this APS?
Ineligible activities include partisan political activity, charitable or development assistance work, construction, projects supporting specific religious activities, fundraising campaigns, lobbying for legislation or specific government programs, scientific research, projects primarily aimed at growing the applicant organization itself (such as general institutional capacity building without a public diplomacy program), and proposals that simply duplicate existing initiatives rather than adding distinct value.
20) Can the grant be used for construction or infrastructure?
No. Construction is explicitly listed as not eligible.
21) Can the grant be used for partisan political activities?
No. Partisan political activity is explicitly not eligible.
22) Are religious activities eligible?
The APS states it will not fund projects supporting specific religious activities.
23) Can this grant fund fundraising campaigns or lobbying?
No. Fundraising campaigns and lobbying for legislation or specific government programs are listed as not eligible.
24) Does the APS fund scientific research?
No. Scientific research is listed as not eligible.
25) Can an organization apply to fund general capacity building for itself?
The APS will not fund projects primarily aimed at growing the applicant organization itself, such as general institutional capacity building that does not deliver a public diplomacy program.
26) Will the Embassy fund projects that duplicate existing initiatives?
No. The APS states it will not fund proposals that simply duplicate existing initiatives rather than adding distinct value.
27) What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The posted award ceiling is $25,000.
28) How many awards does the Embassy anticipate making?
The Embassy anticipated making around 10 awards.
29) Who is the awarding agency and program office?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Mission to the DRC, managed by the Public Diplomacy Section at the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa.
30) What is the program identification information for this APS?
The opportunity number is AF DRC PDS FY23 02. The program is under CFDA 19.040, with funding authority under the Smith-Mundt Act and supported through public diplomacy funds.
31) What were the key dates listed for this APS?
The APS was created on February 22, 2023, and it had an original closing date of May 1, 2023.
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