PDS - Annual Program Statement 2023 | C APS 23 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for C APS 23 001

PDS - Annual Program Statement 2023 (Funding Opportunity Number: C APS 23 001) is a discretionary grant competition announced by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to India, through the Public Diplomacy Section in Chennai (PD Chennai). The overall goal is to fund public diplomacy programs that strengthen bilateral U.S.-India ties and broader regional connections, especially across the Indo-Pacific. The opportunity is designed for projects that do more than deliver local programming: proposals are expected to explicitly incorporate and promote a clearer understanding of U.S. policy priorities and U.S. perspectives within the project design, content, and engagement strategy.

This grant supports a wide range of public-facing and exchange-oriented activities that connect people, institutions, and communities around shared challenges and opportunities. The funding instrument is a grant, with an award ceiling of $25,000, and the opportunity anticipates making one award. The original posting date was February 21, 2023, with an original application deadline of April 22, 2023. The eligible applicant pool includes U.S.-recognized nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions), as well as public or state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. The activity categories listed are broad and reflect the public diplomacy nature of the program, spanning areas such as education, community development, consumer protection, disaster prevention and relief, energy and environment, health, law and justice, science and technology, and other research and development fields. The associated CFDA number is 19.040.

Programmatically, applicants are asked to anchor proposals in one or more of four priority themes. The first theme, Global Threats, focuses on issues that cross borders and require coordinated action. Within this theme, PD Chennai highlights Trafficking in Persons (TIP), encouraging programs that raise awareness among vulnerable populations and key stakeholders while sharing practical best practices for prevention, identification, and response. Climate Change is also emphasized, with interest in projects that convene and foster dialogue among stakeholders, including civil society, around preparedness and resilience to climate-related challenges.

The second theme, Economic Prosperity, supports initiatives that expand opportunity and strengthen the enabling environment for growth. Under Entrepreneurship, the announcement prioritizes projects that promote and support start-up hubs, incubators, business associations, and similar initiatives that encourage innovation and expand cooperation in business, science, and technology, particularly benefiting emerging business leaders. It also specifically calls for efforts that increase womens participation, advancement, and retention in the labor force and help women move into leadership roles. Under Education, PD Chennai seeks projects that expand access to education and economic opportunity for underserved communities and programs that promote STEM education. STEM efforts are especially encouraged when they involve institutional partnerships and place particular focus on women and girls and underserved groups.

The third theme, Regional Security, centers on the Indo-Pacific and the U.S.-India partnership as a stabilizing and cooperative force in the region. PD Chennai is interested in programs that promote U.S.-India collaboration and shared goals related to Indo-Pacific development. It also seeks projects addressing regional security concerns such as cybersecurity, critical and emerging engineering technologies, and countering violent extremism. A notable component of this theme is the preference for exchanges or collaborative formats that promote multilateral cooperation and contribute to stability across the Indo-Pacific. In addition, proposals may focus on building social and intellectual connections among Indo-Pacific countries, creating bridges of understanding by giving participants structured opportunities to identify shared values and appreciate common ground.

The fourth theme, Shared Democratic Values, targets programs that strengthen democratic norms, inclusion, and rights-respecting societies. Priorities include efforts that increase the effectiveness of individuals, organizations, and coalitions working to advance human rights, along with programs that build awareness and sensitization around gender-based violence (GBV). PD Chennai also encourages capacity-building initiatives for local organizations focused on social and economic inclusion of marginalized communities, explicitly including LGBTQ communities, with an emphasis on creating durable, self-sustaining relationships within and across communities and institutions. Another priority area is press freedom and related programming that improves investigative journalism quality, enhances transparency, reinforces professional standards, and counters disinformation. Finally, the theme includes programs that promote pluralism, religious freedom, and broader social inclusion.

Taken together, this opportunity is structured as a small, targeted public diplomacy grant meant to catalyze practical programming and partnerships in and around Chennai and the broader mission space, while clearly advancing mutual understanding and highlighting U.S. policy perspectives on major global and regional issues. Competitive proposals, based on the stated priorities, would likely be those that define a clear target audience, propose concrete activities and measurable outcomes, demonstrate credible partnerships and implementation capacity, and show how the program will build sustained networks or continued engagement beyond the grant period, all while aligning tightly with at least one of the four themes.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the business and commerce, community development, consumer protection, disaster prevention and relief, education, energy, environment, food and nutrition, health, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), law, justice and legal services, natural resources, regional development, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "PDS - Annual Program Statement 2023" 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 21, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 22, 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 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for C APS 23 001

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