Opportunity Information: Apply for FY2023VE001
The VAU PAS FY2023 Annual Program Statement is a U.S. Department of State (U.S. Mission to Venezuela) public diplomacy grant opportunity run by the Venezuela Affairs Unit (VAU) Public Affairs Section (PAS). Its core aim is to strengthen people-to-people ties between the United States and Venezuelans through cultural, educational, and media support programs that highlight shared values and encourage a peaceful, democratic transition. Projects are expected to do more than deliver services; they should build lasting connections and mutual understanding between Venezuelans and Americans, with a clear U.S. component tied to U.S. culture, history, or shared democratic values. Competitive concepts typically include meaningful engagement with U.S. experts, organizations, or institutions in ways that can continue to generate cooperation after the project ends.
The opportunity uses a two-step application process. Applicants first submit a Statement of Interest (SOI) through the designated online platform (the Colfuturo link provided in the notice). The SOI is not a full proposal. It is a short concept note meant to convey the problem being addressed, the program idea, key objectives, an activity approach, and a high-level budget outline. PAS reviews SOIs on a rolling basis and responds monthly, generally by the end of each month. Concepts that align well with the goals and priorities may be invited to submit a full proposal later, and grant panels meet quarterly to consider proposals selected for broader review.
PAS is looking for communications, cultural, and educational programming that supports democratic initiatives, economic empowerment, bilateral cooperation, and diversity, equality, accessibility, and inclusion. Priority program areas include: supporting freedom of speech and expression (including civic education); strengthening independent media through media literacy, training, and engagement; increasing citizen participation in democratic processes through education and outreach; advancing economic growth and entrepreneurship with an emphasis on marginalized groups (including women, LGBTI people, persons with disabilities, indigenous communities, and Afro-Venezuelans); supporting grassroots activism connected to human rights, democratic governance, and/or urgent citizen needs arising from the man-made humanitarian crisis; and promoting inclusive social development, again with an emphasis on groups that are often excluded. A specific category of interest is cultural projects that promote mutual understanding, especially those that engage youth and encourage the free exchange of ideas. Examples mentioned include writing and creative workshops, comics and humor projects that address social issues, playwriting as social criticism, U.S.-Venezuela artist collaborations (such as jazz master classes or joint orchestral programs), gaming workshops, and theater/filmmaking/storytelling/photography clubs, workshops, or festivals. For cultural programming in particular, the U.S. element must be explicit and built into the design, not treated as a token add-on.
There are additional program design expectations that matter for eligibility and competitiveness. Projects should aim for gender balance in recruitment and should actively recruit and accommodate participants from minority and marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities, LGBTI individuals, indigenous communities, and Afro-Venezuelans. Because Venezuela is under a Level 4 U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory, projects cannot invite U.S. citizens to travel to Venezuela; U.S.-based participation must occur virtually.
Several categories of activities are explicitly not eligible for funding. These include partisan political activity or campaign-related programming; charitable or development activities; construction; programs supporting specific religious activities; fundraising campaigns; lobbying for specific legislation or programs; scientific research; projects primarily intended to grow the applicant organization or build its institution; duplication of existing programs; and paying complete salaries for personnel. The legal authority cited for the program is the Smith-Mundt Act, and the funding source is FY2023 Public Diplomacy Funding.
On the funding side, PAS anticipates making about 12 awards, depending on final award sizes. Individual awards are expected to range from USD 10,000 to USD 60,000, with total funding available of about USD 500,000, subject to availability. Projects should generally be designed to finish within one year or less. Awards may be issued as grants, fixed amount awards, or cooperative agreements; cooperative agreements involve more active engagement by PAS staff during implementation than a standard grant.
Eligibility is limited to registered not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society/NGOs with relevant programming experience), individuals, and non-profit or governmental educational institutions. For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible. Cost sharing is preferred but not required, meaning applicants can strengthen their submission by contributing funds or in-kind support, but they will not be disqualified for proposing none.
The SOI submission window runs through July 31, 2023, and submissions are accepted on a rolling basis throughout that period via the specified platform. SOIs must be in English, and budgets must be presented in U.S. dollars. The required SOI elements include: the applicant organization name; where activities will take place; the amount requested from PAS, any cost share, and total program cost; program length; a concise program synopsis describing intended impact and stakeholder engagement; a clear list of objectives paired with activities, a timeline, and expected results for each objective; and a short description demonstrating the applicant’s expertise and capacity to implement the project and manage a U.S. government award.
Applications are evaluated by a Grants Review Committee using criteria focused on practical value and alignment: the quality and feasibility of the program idea and whether it addresses a real need; the strength of planning, including whether activities and timelines logically achieve stated objectives; how well the concept supports VAU’s priority areas; and whether the applicant has the institutional capacity and relevant experience to deliver results and administer an award. Applicants selected from the SOI stage are contacted and invited to submit a full proposal, with full application instructions provided at that time.Apply for FY2023VE001
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Venezuela in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "VAU PAS FY2023 Request for Statements of Interest: 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 Nov 09, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 31, 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 $60,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Previous opportunity: U.S. Embassy Bratislava PAS Annual Program Statement
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (FY2023VE001) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| U.S. Embassy Beirut Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund 2023 (AEIF) NOFO Apply for LBNPAS 22 AW 001 111622 Funding Number: LBNPAS 22 AW 001 111622 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Lebanon Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $35,000 |
| U.S. Embassy Beirut Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2023 NOFO Apply for LBNPAS 22 AW 002 111622 Funding Number: LBNPAS 22 AW 002 111622 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Lebanon Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| U.S. Embassy Dakar Public Diplomacy Section Request for Statements of Interest Apply for PDS DKR RSOI FY23 01 Funding Number: PDS DKR RSOI FY23 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Senegal Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| FY2023 Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation Apply for AF MAP FY23 01 Funding Number: AF MAP FY23 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Mozambique Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| U.S. EMBASSY LA PAZ PAS ANNUAL PROGRAM STATEMENT Apply for PAS LAPAZ FY23 01 Funding Number: PAS LAPAZ FY23 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Bolivia Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $40,000 |
| U.S. Embassy Lilongwe Public Diplomacy Section Annual Program Statement Apply for AFMWI FY23 APS01 Funding Number: AFMWI FY23 APS01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Malawi Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| FY2023 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund Apply for AF MAP PAS FY23 02 Funding Number: AF MAP PAS FY23 02 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Mozambique Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $35,000 |
| Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program 2023 Apply for PAS 800 FY23 03 Funding Number: PAS 800 FY23 03 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to North Macedonia Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $20,000 |
| U.S. Embassy Bamako Public Diplomacy Annual Program Statement Apply for AF BAMAKO FY23 01 Funding Number: AF BAMAKO FY23 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Mali Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Iraq Civil Society Activity Apply for 72026723RFA00001 Funding Number: 72026723RFA00001 Agency: Agency for International Development, Iraq USAID-Baghdad Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $25,000,000 |
| U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation Grants Program FY 2023 Apply for PAS 800 FY23 02 Funding Number: PAS 800 FY23 02 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to North Macedonia Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| AFCP 2023 Grants Program Apply for AFCP2023GP Funding Number: AFCP2023GP Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Indonesia Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| 2023 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2023) Apply for PAS 800 FY23 01 Funding Number: PAS 800 FY23 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to North Macedonia Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $35,000 |
| Notice of Funding Opportunity AEIF 2023(Rangoon, Burma) Apply for 23 MMR NOFO 02 Funding Number: 23 MMR NOFO 02 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Myanmar Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $35,000 |
| U.S. Embassy Dhaka PDS Annual Program Statement Apply for PDS DHAKA NOFO FY2023 01 Funding Number: PDS DHAKA NOFO FY2023 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Bangladesh Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Promoting Democracy and Human Rights (DIREITOS) activity Apply for 72065623RFA00001 Funding Number: 72065623RFA00001 Agency: Agency for International Development, Mozambique USAID-Maputo Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| U.S. Embassy Brussels PAS Annual Program Statement - Individuals Apply for PAS BE200 FY23 02 Funding Number: PAS BE200 FY23 02 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Belgium Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| U.S. Embassy Brussels PAS Annual Program Statement Apply for PAS BE200 FY23 01 Funding Number: PAS BE200 FY23 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Belgium Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| “SYLEP 2.0” Open Cooperative Agreement 2022 Apply for PAS RIYADH FY23 01 Funding Number: PAS RIYADH FY23 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $60,000 |
| Transition From Jail to Community (TJC) Toolkit Revision/Update Apply for 23JD02 Funding Number: 23JD02 Agency: Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $150,000 |
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