U.S. Mission to North Macedonia: 2025 PDS Grants Program

Overview

The U.S. Embassy in North Macedonia Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) invites proposals for programs that strengthen people-to-people ties between the U.S. and North Macedonia through cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.

Examples of PDS Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to:

•    Academic and professional lectures, seminars and speaker programs
•    Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions
•    Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs
•    Professional and academic exchanges and programs
•    Programs focused on entrepreneurship and innovation
•    Programs focused on empowerment of youth and underserved communities across the societal and cultural spectrum
•    Programs focused on democratic processes and values
•    Programs focused on gender issues
•    Programs focused on human and equal rights
•    Programs focused on critical thinking in media consumption
•    Programs focused on strengthening resiliency against false information and malign influence
•    Programs focused on safeguarding natural resources and ecosystems
•    Programs that support North Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic integration process

Priority Program Areas:
The objectives of the Public Diplomacy Grant Program are to promote positive relations between North Macedonia and the United States; to reinforce shared values; and to connect North Macedonia’s emerging leaders to the American people.

We fund projects that:
• Help North Macedonia’s youth build and develop skills to improve their potential through innovative science (e.g. health awareness), technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEM) programs, as well as through entrepreneurship programs and vocational training.

• Encourage North Macedonia’s youth to participate in civic life through social entrepreneurship, volunteerism, and community engagement.

• Strengthen understanding of U.S. values and institutions; highlight U.S. culture, including American Studies, English language teaching/learning, and study in the United States; as well as support diversity through the acceptance of minority groups, including individuals with special needs or handicapping conditions, and other areas of mutual interest.

Participants and Audiences: US Mission North Macedonia encourages not only diverse applicants to apply to our grants programs but would also like to see diverse target audiences and trainers. Diversity can be defined by different geographic regions, ethnicities, religious orientations, gender, physical disabilities including visual, hearing, speech, and other physically handicapping conditions.

Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization.  If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.

Program Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 12 months or less.

Funding Restrictions
None of the funds awarded resulting from Notice of Funding Opportunity may be made available for subawards, direct financial support, or otherwise used to provide any payment or transfer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Proposals will be accepted throughout the year
Proposals will be reviewed according to the following schedule:   
•  Proposals received between January 1 and March 31 will be reviewed by April 30, with responses going out by May 15.  
• Proposals received between April 1 and June 15 will be reviewed by July 30, with responses going out by August 15.