U.S. Mission to South Africa Public Affairs Section Annual Program Statement 2023

Overview

PAS Mission South Africa invites proposals for projects that strengthen ties between the United States and South Africa through activities that highlight shared values and promote bilateral cooperation and meaningful exchange by connecting South Africans to Americans through institutions, perspectives, and experiences. All projects must include a substantive American element – which may be a connection with American experts, organizations, or institutions in a specific field – that will increase understanding of the United States among South Africans.

PAS is seeking proposals that address one or more of the following challenges from a public diplomacy perspective. Public Diplomacy (PD) seeks to promote partnerships and information/knowledge exchange between Americans and foreign publics and institutions to enable more effective, mutually beneficial cooperation with the United States globally, benefitting the U.S. national interest and the national security of the United States as well as the countries with whom we partner. PD aims to identify and fund programs and projects that broaden and deepen dialogue and empower cooperation between American citizens and institutions -- including civil society and educational organizations – and their South African counterparts. 

Submissions that do not clearly describe the project’s strong and central American element will not be considered.

 Priority Program Areas

• Projects that advance women’s and youth economic empowerment, including but not limited to projects that reduce barriers to participation in the economy for disadvantaged groups.
• Projects that advance pluralism, social inclusion, or shared history, including projects that examine shared histories and current challenges in the United States and South Africa;
• Projects that support U.S. principles and methodologies for promoting free and objective media, including combatting misinformation in community-level media organizations.
• Projects designed to improve the effectiveness of community youth sports and/or cultural organizations to counter violence, crime, and drop-out rates in their communities through connections with American peer organizations and best practices. 

 Examples of PAS Small Grants projects include, but are not limited to:

• Academic or professional speaker projects involving an American speaker, either in person or virtual or a combination (hybrid);
• Artistic and cultural projects, joint performances, or exhibitions involving the work of American artists or American subject matter;
• Projects that expand activities at American Spaces;
• Projects that strengthen the relationships between American and South African organizations or institutions and their respective target audiences;
• Projects developed by an alumnus/a of a U.S.-government sponsored educational or professional exchange program.
• Projects that facilitate development and dissemination of joint media (radio, TV, digital, print) content on issues of importance to both Americans and South Africans

Proposals from American entities must demonstrate that the entity has a strong presence or partner in South Africa. 

Length of performance period:    12 to 18 months
Number of awards anticipated:    4 to 8 (depending on award amounts)
Anticipated project start date:    On or before September 30, 2023

This Annual Program Statement has a rolling deadline.  We will review proposals on a rolling basis until available funds are exhausted or April 30, 2023, whichever comes first. In short, we will review qualified proposals on a first-come, first-served basis. We also reserve the right not to issue any awards.