U.S. Embassy Brussels PAS Annual Program Statement (APS | PAS BE200 FY24 01

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this grant opportunity?

This is the U.S. Embassy in Brussels Public Diplomacy Grants Program (Annual Program Statement) offered through the Embassy's Public Affairs Section (PAS) at the U.S. Department of State. It provides grant funding for projects designed to deepen relationships between the United States and Belgium through public diplomacy programming.

2) What is the main goal of the program?

The main goal is to strengthen U.S.-Belgium ties by highlighting shared democratic values and encouraging practical bilateral cooperation. Projects should improve understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives while building people-to-people and institution-to-institution connections.

3) Who is running and funding the program?

The program is offered by the U.S. Embassy in Brussels through its Public Affairs Section (PAS) at the U.S. Department of State.

4) What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is PAS BE200 FY24 01. The CFDA number is 19.040.

5) Is this a grant or a contract?

The funding instrument is a grant.

6) How much funding is available per award?

The award ceiling listed for this opportunity is $50,000.

7) How many awards does the Embassy expect to make?

The opportunity estimates approximately 25 awards.

8) When is the application deadline?

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but they must be submitted by July 31, 2024.

9) How does the review process work if applications are rolling?

A review committee evaluates pending applications each quarter. The stated cutoff date is designed so awards can be finalized before the end of the U.S. government fiscal year on September 30, 2024.

10) What types of projects are a good fit for this program?

The Embassy indicates a wide range of public diplomacy-style programming can fit, including:

• Academic and professional lectures or speaker series
• Seminars and workshops
• Artistic and cultural collaborations (for example, joint exhibitions or performances)
• Youth leadership initiatives
• Professional or academic exchanges
• Entrepreneurship and innovation programming
• Sports-related activities that include a broader civic or community engagement component

11) What are the priority program areas?

The APS highlights several priority areas that will be especially competitive:

• U.S.-Belgium partnership on emerging and evolving security challenges, including disinformation
• Countering radicalization and violent extremism, including political extremism
• Building leadership skills among youth leaders
• Strengthening organizational capacity to promote social cohesion through diversity principles
• Engaging youth around the enduring relevance of U.S.-Belgium historical bonds, linking shared history to present-day cooperation and civic identity

12) What does it mean that projects must include an "American element"?

Proposed activities must clearly include an American element. Based on the APS description, this could take the form of U.S. cultural content, clear alignment with one of the program priority areas, or a concrete connection to American experts, organizations, or institutions.

13) Do projects need to connect to U.S. policy and perspectives?

Yes. The intent is to improve understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives while also building durable relationships between individuals and institutions in the United States and Belgium.

14) Who are the target audiences and participants?

The APS calls out specific priority groups, including:

• Youth, particularly young people from underserved communities
• Women, especially women entrepreneurs and women from underserved communities
• Underserved, minority, and refugee communities
• Civil society organizations and academic institutions (including capacity-building and partnerships)

15) Are youth-focused proposals especially encouraged?

Yes. Youth are central to the stated target audiences, and the Embassy specifically prioritizes youth leadership development and youth engagement around the relevance of U.S.-Belgium historical bonds.

16) Are proposals focused on women and women entrepreneurs encouraged?

Yes. The APS identifies women as a priority group, with specific emphasis on women entrepreneurs and women from underserved communities.

17) Does the program encourage work with underserved, minority, and refugee communities?

Yes. The Embassy expresses interest in reaching underserved, minority, and refugee communities, and notes that proposals demonstrating credible access, inclusive recruitment, and thoughtful design for these participants are likely to align well with Embassy goals.

18) What does the Embassy look for in participant recruitment and inclusion?

Based on the APS summary, proposals are expected to show credible access to the intended audiences, thoughtful participant recruitment, and inclusive program design, particularly when serving underserved communities, women, youth, minority groups, and refugee communities.

19) What kinds of projects are explicitly not eligible for funding?

The APS lists several categories of ineligible projects, including:

• Partisan political activity
• Charitable or development work
• Construction
• Projects supporting specific religious activities
• Fundraising campaigns
• Lobbying efforts aimed at specific legislation or projects
• Scientific research
• Proposals that duplicate existing projects

20) Can the grant be used for construction or building renovations?

No. Construction is listed as ineligible.

21) Can the grant support charitable, humanitarian, or development assistance work?

No. Charitable or development work is listed as ineligible, indicating the Embassy is funding public diplomacy programming rather than aid or development projects.

22) Can the grant be used for partisan political activity or lobbying?

No. The APS excludes partisan political activity and lobbying efforts aimed at specific legislation or projects.

23) Are religious programs eligible?

Projects supporting specific religious activities are listed as ineligible.

24) Can the grant fund scientific research?

No. Scientific research is explicitly excluded.

25) Will the Embassy fund projects that already exist elsewhere?

The APS excludes proposals that duplicate existing projects, which suggests projects should be distinct and provide clear added value rather than repeating an already funded or ongoing initiative.

26) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include individuals and others, but the description specifically emphasizes:

• Registered not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks, NGOs, and civil society groups with relevant programming experience)
• Non-profit or governmental educational institutions

27) What type of applicants are likely to be most competitive?

Based on the APS summary, the program is best suited to applicants who can demonstrate strong local networks in Belgium, credible linkages to the United States (the required American element), and a program design that advances one or more Embassy priorities with measurable public diplomacy impact.

28) What is meant by the "activity category" being listed as "Other"?

The activity category is listed as "Other," which is described as common for public diplomacy programming that can span multiple areas such as culture, education, civil society, media literacy, and community engagement.

29) What themes are considered especially competitive?

The APS suggests that proposals aligned with the highlighted priority areas are especially competitive, including programming on disinformation and evolving security challenges, countering radicalization and violent extremism, youth leadership, social cohesion and diversity principles, and youth engagement connected to U.S.-Belgium historical bonds.

30) What is the overall purpose behind the deadline and timing?

The APS explains that the July 31, 2024 cutoff date is set so awards can be finalized before the U.S. government fiscal year ends on September 30, 2024.