The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Office of Press and Public Diplomacy (NEA/PPD) in conjunction with the Public Affairs Office, Syria Transition Assistance Response Team (START) of the U.S. Department of State has announced that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy GrantsProgram to support activities related to securing the lasting defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), counteracting the influence of ISIL and other extremist organizations, and building resiliency to counter violent extremism among Syrian populations in Syria, Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon.
Purpose of Public Diplomacy Awards: NEA/PPD and START invites proposals from eligible not-for-profit organizations and non-government organizations (NGOs) for programs that support the lasting defeat of ISIL, counter violent extremist propaganda (CVE), and strengthen community resilience to thwart violent extremist organizations (VEO) recruitment efforts, particularly among youth, Syrian refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Radical actors exploit grievances to polarize communities and recruit vulnerable youth. Accordingly, NEA will prioritize projects that build mutual understanding between refugee and host communities; support moderate voices; and develop a positive sense of identity, cultural pride and community empowerment.
They will give precedence to efforts to help counter radicalization and recruitment to violence by terrorist organizations that pose the highest level of threat and risk to the United States, U.S. persons, allies, and other U.S. interests. This includes working with those exposed to extremist ideologies under ISIL. NEA/PPD and START require that applicants be in good legal standing with appropriate government authorities in the country where the project will be managed at the time of application to this funding opportunity. Award recipients will be required to maintain legal standing throughout the life of the award, including for any sub-grant made under its auspices.
Building the capacity of local partners and community organizations is a key tenant of NEA/PPD and START funded programs. To meet this requirement to build local capacity, applicants from international NGOs or U.S.-based or nonprofit organizations are required to work with local partner organizations in Turkey, Jordan and Syria to aid in beneficiary selection, design and implementation of activities, and evaluation of program impact and effectiveness; potential partners should be named in the application. Examples of NEA/PPD and START Grants Program include, but are not limited to:
Messaging campaigns revealing ISIL’s dark legacy;
Storytelling for recovery and increased emotional resiliency;
Safeguarding Heritage Sites in Syria;
Education and Psychosocial support
Award Information
Total available funding: $2,000,000
Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $500,000
Length of performance period: 12 to 24 months
Anticipated program start date: October 1 to December 30, 2019
Priority Program Areas
Cultural heritage education and stewardship
Strengthening Youth Community Engagement
Peacebuilding and reconciliation
Building resilience through art, music and drama
Education and Entertainment to counter the ideology and practice of violent extremism
Refugee/IDP and host relationship building through shared community projects, sports, film or entrepreneurship activities
Developing moderate voices, positive community influencers and role models
Participants and Audiences
Syria citizens and internally displaced persons (IDPs), and Syrian refugees in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey, with a particular emphasis on at-risk youth.
NEA/PPD and START requires that all activities fully address gender considerations, ensuring that both men and women benefit from support where applicable, negative impacts are addressed or avoided, and relevant gaps between men and women are closed, and that gender awareness is a built-in component of project activities. This should be documented through gender analysis in the project narrative that identifies any relevant gender gaps and ways the proposed activities will address those gaps. Proposals should demonstrate how addressing relevant gender gaps will enhance the project’s goals and objectives.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible Applicants
NEA/PPD and START encourages applications from U.S., regional and local registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/NGOs with programming experience.
For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.
Cost Sharing or Matching
There is no minimum or maximum percentage required for this competition. However, NEA/PPD and START encourage applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing or in-kind funding in support of its programs.