FY 2020 Notice of Funding Opportunity: NGO Small Grants Program | DOS PAS SLO 2020 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS PAS SLO 2020 003

The FY 2020 Notice of Funding Opportunity: NGO Small Grants Program (Funding Opportunity Number: DOS PAS SLO 2020 003) is a competitive small-grants program run by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Mission to Slovenia (U.S. Embassy Ljubljana). It is designed to support Slovenian civil society organizations and eligible educational institutions with projects that build and deepen ties between the United States and Slovenia. The program looks for projects that are clearly planned, realistically managed, and able to demonstrate how they advance U.S. public diplomacy goals by improving understanding of the United States, including American society, culture, politics, and values.

The grant is intentionally broad in terms of what it will fund, but it is anchored to several policy and thematic priorities. Proposed projects can address areas such as democracy and human rights, security and defense, and economic and business development, as long as they also align with at least one of the Embassy's stated priority themes. Those priority themes include regional and trans-Atlantic cooperation; entrepreneurship, innovation, economic reform, trade promotion, and support for women in STEAM; international security, counterterrorism, and defense issues; energy security and diversification; digitalization, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence; anti-corruption efforts, good governance, rule of law, and transparency; independent media and investigative journalism; human rights (including tolerance, respect for diversity, and support for historically marginalized communities); youth engagement, volunteerism, and active citizenship; and environmental preservation and sustainability. In practice, the strongest applications are likely to be the ones that connect a local Slovenian need to one of these themes while making a credible case for how the project strengthens U.S.-Slovenia connections and public understanding.

Funding amounts are small by design, and the program is positioned as a way to supplement other resources rather than fully finance large initiatives. Typical awards fall in the range of USD 3,000 to USD 5,000, with an award ceiling of USD 10,000 for exceptional proposals. The Embassy anticipated making around 10 awards under this notice. Applicants that have not previously received Embassy grant funding are explicitly encouraged to apply, which signals that the program is open to new partners and not limited to organizations with an existing funding history.

Eligibility extends beyond traditional nonprofits and includes a few categories that matter for Slovenian applicants. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits that do not have 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education). The award instrument is a grant, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary, and the activity categories listed include arts (cultural affairs), community development, and education (CFDA 19.040). Projects are reviewed through a competitive process by an internal Embassy committee, which evaluates proposals based on their potential to advance U.S. policy priorities and the overall strength and feasibility of the project design.

A notable feature of this specific 2020 cycle is the COVID-19-related emphasis on flexibility and virtual delivery. The Embassy flagged that the usual requirement for a "significant American component" could be harder to meet if Americans cannot travel to Slovenia. Rather than waiving the requirement, the notice encourages applicants to be creative about virtual engagement and the use of local expertise, especially for the August 2020 cultural or NGO grants cycle. Proposals that avoid dependence on international travel by American artists, specialists, speakers, or performers, or that include a realistic alternative virtual plan, are described as more competitive given limited funding and travel uncertainty. The notice even provides an example: a lecture series on American history that originally relied on an American teacher traveling to Slovenia should include a backup plan to deliver lectures and teacher training via video conferencing if travel becomes impossible.

Administratively, the notice was created on June 26, 2020, and the original application deadline was August 17, 2020. The program operates under the funding authorities of the Smith-Mundt Act and the Fulbright-Hays Act (as amended), which are core legal foundations for U.S. public diplomacy and educational and cultural exchange activities. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a small, targeted public diplomacy grant for Slovenian organizations that can deliver concrete, well-managed projects tied to Embassy priorities, with a clear American connection that can still function under travel restrictions through virtual or hybrid approaches.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Slovenia in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda), community development, education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2020 Notice of Funding Opportunity: NGO Small Grants Program" 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 Jun 26, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 17, 2020. (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 $10,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for DOS PAS SLO 2020 003

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