Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS PAS SLO 2021 001
The FY 2021 NGO Small Grants Program - Open Competition is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to Slovenia, designed to support well-planned, well-managed projects that strengthen ties between the United States and Slovenia. The central purpose is public diplomacy: projects should deepen Slovenian understanding of the United States, including American society, culture, politics, and values, while also advancing U.S. policy priorities in Slovenia. The program is positioned as a competitive small-grants mechanism, with the Embassy signaling that new grantees may be favored when they bring strong, relevant, and high-impact proposals.
Funding is offered through grants and cooperative agreements, and the program expects to make around 10 awards. The maximum award amount (ceiling) is $10,000 per project, which suggests the Embassy is looking for focused, practical initiatives with clear deliverables rather than large, multi-year efforts. Activity areas span a broad range, including arts and humanities (cultural affairs), community development, education, environment, and law/justice/legal services, giving applicants flexibility as long as the work clearly connects back to the program goals of bilateral relationship-building and mutual understanding.
For this particular grant cycle, the Embassy highlights specific priority themes that will receive additional consideration. These include regional and trans-Atlantic cooperation; entrepreneurship and innovation (including economic reform, trade promotion, and women in STEAM); international security, counterterrorism, and defense issues; energy security and diversification; digitalization, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence; countering corruption and strengthening good governance, rule of law, and transparency; support for independent media and investigative journalism; human rights work (including tolerance, respect for diversity, and support for historically marginalized communities); youth engagement, volunteerism, and active citizenship; and environmental preservation and sustainability. Applicants that can credibly tie their activities to one or more of these areas, while still advancing U.S.-Slovenia connections and understanding of the United States, are positioned more competitively.
Eligibility is relatively broad and includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits that do not have U.S. 501(c)(3) status (other than universities), and other entity types as clarified in the opportunity’s eligibility notes. In practical terms, this indicates the Embassy is open to working with Slovenian civil society organizations, educational institutions, and other locally relevant partners that can implement programming effectively and responsibly.
Proposals are evaluated using a set of defined criteria that emphasizes both program quality and organizational capacity. Reviewers will look closely at the quality of the project concept and design, the clarity and feasibility of program goals and objectives, and the applicant’s plan for measuring effectiveness (how outcomes will be tracked and evidenced). They will also assess organizational capability and past performance, the realism and cost effectiveness of the budget, the suitability of key personnel, and the sustainability of the project beyond the grant period. In other words, strong applications are expected to be more than good ideas: they should read like implementable plans with credible staffing, a sensible budget, measurable results, and a reason the work will matter after the funding ends.
The review process is handled by the Embassy’s NGO Small Grants Committee, typically an odd-number panel of key Embassy staff (often five). The committee uses a cost-benefit approach and weighs each project’s potential to advance U.S. policy priorities. This means applicants should assume reviewers will be comparing impact per dollar across proposals, and that clearly articulated public diplomacy value and strategic relevance will matter alongside technical project design.
The Embassy also spells out what it wants to see in the strongest proposals. Top projects will actively build and deepen U.S.-Slovenia relationships through bilateral cooperation, highlight shared values, and promote mutual understanding. They should be sustainable, with clearly defined goals and outcomes rather than vague aspirations. Finally, proposals should include visible acknowledgement of U.S. Embassy support and a communications plan to amplify the partnership through traditional and/or digital media, reflecting the program’s public diplomacy purpose and the Embassy’s interest in broader reach and visibility.
Key administrative details include the opportunity number (DOS PAS SLO 2021 001), a creation/posting date of January 20, 2021, and an original application deadline of March 15, 2021.Apply for DOS PAS SLO 2021 001
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Slovenia in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda), community development, education, environment, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity: NGO Small Grants Program - Open Competition" 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 Jan 20, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 15, 2021. (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, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: FY 2021 NGO Small Grants Program - Open Competition (U.S. Mission to Slovenia)
What is the FY 2021 NGO Small Grants Program - Open Competition?
It is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to Slovenia, that supports well-planned, well-managed small projects designed to strengthen ties between the United States and Slovenia through public diplomacy.
What is the central purpose of this grant program?
The central purpose is public diplomacy. Projects should deepen Slovenian understanding of the United States, including American society, culture, politics, and values, while also advancing U.S. policy priorities in Slovenia.
Who is offering and administering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Mission to Slovenia. Proposals are reviewed by the Embassy's NGO Small Grants Committee, typically an odd-number panel of key Embassy staff (often five).
Is this a competitive grant program?
Yes. It is positioned as an open, competitive small-grants mechanism. The Embassy indicates that new grantees may be favored when they submit strong, relevant, high-impact proposals.
What type of funding instrument is used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Funding is offered through grants and cooperative agreements.
How many awards does the Embassy expect to make?
The program expects to make around 10 awards.
What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum (ceiling) award amount is $10,000 per project.
What kinds of projects fit a $10,000 ceiling?
The ceiling suggests the Embassy is looking for focused, practical initiatives with clear deliverables rather than large or multi-year efforts.
What activity areas are eligible or of interest under this program?
The opportunity notes a broad range of activity areas, including arts and humanities (cultural affairs), community development, education, environment, and law/justice/legal services, as long as the work clearly supports the program goals related to bilateral relationship-building and mutual understanding.
Are there priority themes that receive additional consideration?
Yes. The Embassy highlights specific priority themes that will receive additional consideration in this grant cycle.
What are the priority themes for this grant cycle?
- Regional and trans-Atlantic cooperation
- Entrepreneurship and innovation (including economic reform, trade promotion, and women in STEAM)
- International security, counterterrorism, and defense issues
- Energy security and diversification
- Digitalization, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence
- Countering corruption and strengthening good governance, rule of law, and transparency
- Support for independent media and investigative journalism
- Human rights work (including tolerance, respect for diversity, and support for historically marginalized communities)
- Youth engagement, volunteerism, and active citizenship
- Environmental preservation and sustainability
Do projects have to align to a priority theme to be funded?
The opportunity indicates that the listed themes receive additional consideration. Applicants that credibly tie activities to one or more of these themes, while still advancing U.S.-Slovenia connections and understanding of the United States, are positioned more competitively.
What does "public diplomacy" mean in the context of this program?
Based on the opportunity description, it means projects should deepen Slovenian understanding of the United States (society, culture, politics, values) and strengthen U.S.-Slovenia ties, with visible partnership and communication that amplifies the connection.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is relatively broad and includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits that do not have U.S. 501(c)(3) status (other than universities), and other entity types as clarified in the opportunity's eligibility notes.
Does an organization need U.S. 501(c)(3) status to be eligible?
No. The opportunity explicitly includes nonprofits that do not have U.S. 501(c)(3) status (other than universities), indicating that non-U.S. nonprofit entities may be eligible.
What kinds of organizations does the Embassy appear open to funding?
In practical terms, the eligibility framing indicates openness to Slovenian civil society organizations, educational institutions, and other locally relevant partners that can implement programming effectively and responsibly.
How are proposals evaluated?
Proposals are evaluated using defined criteria emphasizing program quality and organizational capacity.
What evaluation criteria are specifically mentioned?
- Quality of the project concept and design
- Clarity and feasibility of program goals and objectives
- Plan for measuring effectiveness (how outcomes will be tracked and evidenced)
- Organizational capability and past performance
- Realism and cost effectiveness of the budget
- Suitability of key personnel
- Sustainability of the project beyond the grant period
What does the Embassy mean by "measuring effectiveness"?
It refers to the applicant's plan for tracking and evidencing outcomes, meaning reviewers want to see how results will be measured and demonstrated.
How important is the budget in the review?
The budget is explicitly part of the evaluation. Reviewers assess realism and cost effectiveness, and the committee uses a cost-benefit approach, comparing impact per dollar across proposals.
What is the NGO Small Grants Committee and how does it review proposals?
The review process is handled by the Embassy's NGO Small Grants Committee, typically an odd-number panel of key Embassy staff (often five). The committee uses a cost-benefit approach and weighs each project's potential to advance U.S. policy priorities.
What characteristics does the Embassy say it wants in top proposals?
- Active relationship-building and deeper U.S.-Slovenia ties through bilateral cooperation
- Highlighting shared values and promoting mutual understanding
- Sustainability and clearly defined goals and outcomes (not vague aspirations)
- Visible acknowledgement of U.S. Embassy support
- A communications plan to amplify the partnership through traditional and/or digital media
Is sustainability important even for a small grant?
Yes. Sustainability beyond the grant period is listed as an evaluation criterion, and the Embassy emphasizes sustainable projects with clear goals and outcomes.
Does the program require public acknowledgement of Embassy support?
The opportunity indicates that the strongest proposals should include visible acknowledgement of U.S. Embassy support.
Is a communications plan expected?
Yes. The Embassy highlights that proposals should include a communications plan to amplify the partnership through traditional and/or digital media, reflecting the public diplomacy purpose and interest in reach and visibility.
What is the opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity number is DOS PAS SLO 2021 001.
When was this opportunity posted?
The creation/posting date is January 20, 2021.
What was the application deadline for this grant cycle?
The original application deadline was March 15, 2021.
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