Community Activism program | TIRCOMACTFY24

Opportunity Information: Apply for TIRCOMACTFY24

The Community Activism program is a U.S. Embassy Tirana (Albania) funding opportunity that invites Albanian non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations to propose projects that expand and strengthen networks of community activists. The core idea is to build practical, on-the-ground capacity for activism and advocacy, so that residents and civil society actors can work more effectively with each other and with institutions to solve community problems. Proposals are expected to show clearly how they will help grow a culture of activism and advocacy and how they will connect activists with civil society organizations, media outlets, local government, and the broader public in ways that lead to visible, tangible results.

The program is focused specifically on Albania as the priority region and is framed around improving citizen-driven engagement and local democratic life. Projects should provide direct support to grassroots initiatives or civil society organizations so they better understand activism as an ongoing process, not a one-off event, and learn how to apply it in local contexts. The opportunity emphasizes outcomes like improving public services, protecting and promoting human rights, and strengthening local democracy through constructive participation. In practice, that means proposals should be designed to help activists and community members organize, communicate, advocate, and build coalitions that can realistically influence public decisions or service delivery.

The Embassy outlines several key objectives that strong proposals should address. First, applicants should help grassroots groups and civil society organizations deepen their understanding of activism and the tools available for local advocacy, including approaches that support better governance, rights protection, and democratic participation. Second, proposals should help consolidate a community of activists, meaning not just training individuals in isolation but building stronger networks, shared skills, and sustained collaboration so people can carry out citizen-driven initiatives more effectively. Third, the program seeks to improve dialogue between residents and local or national authorities, encouraging better communication channels and more constructive engagement around community priorities. Finally, the opportunity calls for facilitating concrete initiatives that respond to pressing civic concerns, indicating the Embassy is looking for practical action and not only awareness-raising.

In terms of funding mechanics, this opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally implies closer involvement or coordination with the funder compared with a standard grant. The award ceiling is USD 180,000, with the Embassy expecting to make one award. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 19.900, with a funding activity category noted as Humanities, and it is labeled as an earmark opportunity. The original application closing date is February 26, 2024, under funding opportunity number TIRCOMACTFY24.

Eligibility is limited to Albanian not-for-profit entities, including civil society organizations, NGOs, and think tanks that can respond to the notice of funding opportunity and that have relevant experience and expertise in community activism programming. U.S. organizations and individuals are explicitly not eligible for this program. Cost sharing or matching funds are not required and will not be used as an evaluation criterion, although applicants are encouraged to consider cost share where feasible.

There are also specific compliance requirements tied to U.S. federal registration systems. To be eligible for an award, organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and maintain an active registration in SAM.gov. The opportunity also limits submissions to one proposal per organization; if an organization submits multiple proposals, all of them will be deemed ineligible. Overall, the Embassy is signaling that it wants one strong, well-structured project led by an Albanian organization with demonstrated capacity, clear partnerships and engagement pathways, and a plan that turns civic participation into measurable community-level improvements.

• The U.S. Mission to Albania in the humanities sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Activism 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 2024-01-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-26. (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 $180,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for TIRCOMACTFY24

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: