Opportunity Information: Apply for SMK800 22 PAS006
The FY2022 U.S. Embassy Skopje Speaker Program is a competitive grant opportunity run by the Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State in North Macedonia. The basic idea is to fund one organization to plan and deliver a series of speaker engagements that bring U.S. citizen experts to North Macedonian audiences, either in person or online. These engagements are meant to support U.S. Embassy Skopje strategic priorities by pairing credible American expertise with local professional and student audiences across the country, while also creating real networking and relationship-building opportunities between the speakers and participants.
The program focuses on topics that the embassy considers strategically important for both the United States and North Macedonia. Priority themes include rule of law reforms, judicial independence, government accountability and transparency, modern journalism practices, combating disinformation, cybersecurity, climate and security issues, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and advancing womens economic empowerment. Proposals can also incorporate priority themes tied to emerging current events, as long as they fit the overall purpose of strengthening understanding of U.S. perspectives and fostering practical exchanges between U.S. experts and local stakeholders.
A key expectation is that the selected implementer will manage the full package of planning and logistics for multiple speaker programs over a one-year period. Within that timeframe, the grantee is expected to conduct roughly three to five speaker programs, with the possibility of doing more if activities are delivered virtually. Applicants must present clear, outcome-focused project objectives using SMART standards (specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant), and they are expected to define measurable indicators and explain how results will be tracked and assessed.
Speaker selection is collaborative but ultimately controlled by PAS. The implementing organization must propose at least three suitable U.S. speakers aligned with the priority topics and be able to respond to additional speaker requests suggested by the embassy. Even if an organization identifies strong candidates and potential audiences, PAS makes the final decisions on which speakers are used and which audiences are targeted, ensuring the programming stays aligned with embassy priorities and public diplomacy goals.
Programs can be delivered as traveling engagements, virtual engagements, or a mix of both. For in-person programs, speakers travel to North Macedonia to deliver lectures, workshops, seminars, or consultative sessions, potentially in one city or across multiple cities depending on who the program aims to reach. For virtual programs, experts engage audiences in real time via online platforms, with formats that can range from point-to-point to multi-location participation; applicants are expected to account for time zone differences and practical constraints. Because of the COVID context at the time of the opportunity, proposals are expected to include a virtual engagement plan even if the preference is to hold activities in person. If circumstances force most programming online, the embassy encourages implementers to expand the number of sessions to maintain overall impact.
The grant is capped at up to $30,000, with an expectation of a single award (one implementer selected). Grant funds can be used for core program delivery costs tied to the speaker events, including international airfare, in-country travel, lodging, venues, and interpretation. Applicants are also told to budget for interpretation and translation, which signals that bilingual accessibility is not optional but a baseline requirement. Additionally, international air travel funded with U.S. government money must comply with the Fly America Act, meaning travel should be booked on U.S. flag carriers or eligible code-share arrangements when available, and applicants need to factor that into both planning and cost estimates.
The target audiences are clearly defined and revolve around two groups: emerging leaders and established leaders. Emerging leaders include rising professionals in business, technology, education, government, and public administration, such as entrepreneurs, social activists, journalists, teachers, researchers, and civil servants viewed as up-and-coming influencers. Established leaders include senior public figures and top professionals across sectors (innovators, tech leaders, academics, researchers, media professionals, business owners, government officials, and politicians), including alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs who are positioned to influence broader society and policy discussions. Regardless of format, all activities must engage audiences in North Macedonia and must include a clear U.S. element, meaning the programming should strengthen understanding of U.S. policies, institutions, and the broader political, economic, and social context behind them.
The opportunity also places a noticeable emphasis on visibility and coordination with the embassy. Applicants are required to submit a media engagement plan describing how the project will be promoted, how often updates and highlights will be shared with PAS, and how the organization will coordinate messaging with the U.S. Embassy to amplify public outreach through embassy platforms. The program is explicitly not meant to generate profit: grantees cannot charge admission or participation fees for speaker events and cannot use events as fundraisers for charitable causes.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant from the Department of State, U.S. Mission to North Macedonia, listed under CFDA 19.900. The funding opportunity number is SMK800 22 PAS006. The opportunity was created June 21, 2022, and the original application deadline was August 22, 2022. While eligibility is broadly listed as "Others" in the notice, the practical message is that organizations capable of delivering professional speaker programming, managing logistics, measuring outcomes, and coordinating effectively with local partners are the intended applicants. For organizations applying from outside North Macedonia, the embassy strongly recommends partnering with local entities to ensure the programs are implemented smoothly and reach the intended audiences nationwide.Apply for SMK800 22 PAS006
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to North Macedonia in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2022 U.S. Embassy Skopje Speaker Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.900.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 21, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 22, 2022. (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 $30,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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