Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS NBO PDS FY23 001
The U.S. Embassy Nairobi Public Diplomacy Section (PDS Nairobi), under the U.S. Department of State, offers funding through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program as part of an Annual Program Statement. The overall goal is to support projects that deepen cultural, academic, and professional connections between the United States and Kenya. Proposed activities are expected to highlight shared values and encourage practical cooperation between the two countries, typically through public-facing programming, exchanges, or skills-building initiatives. A core requirement is that every project includes a clear American element, such as engagement with U.S. experts, U.S. organizations or institutions, or U.S.-related content that helps Kenyan audiences better understand U.S. policy perspectives and society. The program also signals a preference for fresh, creative approaches, especially ideas that have not been funded recently under previous PDS Nairobi annual solicitations.
Funding priorities fall into three main thematic areas. The first focuses on strengthening rule of law, democracy, and good governance. Projects in this track can address topics like democratic governance and civic participation, inclusion and social cohesion, media literacy and media independence, anti-corruption efforts, prevention of gender-based violence, and prevention of violent extremism. The second priority area centers on climate resilience, including food security, with an emphasis on reducing or responding to the health, environmental, and economic harms linked to pollution and environmental degradation, particularly for marginalized or underserved communities. The third priority is expanding access to STEAM education and entrepreneurship opportunities. This area supports efforts that help more people, especially women and girls and members of underserved groups, participate in STEAM learning, innovation, and related economic opportunities, including training and pathways into entrepreneurship.
The opportunity has a strong geographic inclusion requirement. At least one third (33 percent) of grant-funded activities must take place outside Kenya's five largest metropolitan areas: Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu, and Eldoret. In practice, this means proposals should be designed to reach communities beyond the main urban centers, whether through regional workshops, county-level outreach, satellite events, or hybrid models that still include meaningful in-person engagement in non-metropolitan locations.
Target audiences include Kenyans ages 15 to 30 (including students), emerging voices such as civil society leaders and social influencers, business leaders and entrepreneurs, established opinion leaders (including leadership in cultural or academic institutions), and underserved or underrepresented groups and communities. Proposals that clearly define who will participate, why they are the right audience for the goal, and how the project will reach them are aligned with the stated intent of the program.
The announcement also clearly lists what it will not fund. Ineligible activities include partisan political programs, charitable or development work, construction, support for specific religious activities, fundraising campaigns, lobbying for specific legislation or programs, scientific or narrowly academic research, projects mainly intended to build the applicant organization's institutional capacity, scholarships or tuition assistance, commercial or for-profit activities (including seed money), and programs that duplicate existing initiatives. In other words, the grants are meant for public diplomacy programming with direct public engagement and exchange value, not political campaigning, humanitarian aid, infrastructure, research-only work, or business capitalization.
Eligibility is geared toward Kenya-based applicants. PDS Nairobi encourages proposals from Kenyan organizations, institutions, and individuals, and while partnerships with U.S.-based entities are allowed and often helpful for meeting the "American element" requirement, the primary grant recipient must be based in Kenya. Eligible applicants include Kenya-registered nonprofit organizations (including think tanks and civil society/NGOs with relevant programming experience), Kenyan individuals, Kenya-based nonprofit or governmental educational institutions, and governmental institutions.
From the source details provided, the opportunity is a discretionary grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) administered by the U.S. Mission to Kenya, with an award ceiling of USD 50,000. The opportunity number is DOS NBO PDS FY23 001, the CFDA number listed is 19.040, and the original closing date shown is 2023-04-30, with a creation date of 2023-01-25.Apply for DOS NBO PDS FY23 001
- The U.S. Mission to Kenya in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Embassy Nairobi, PDS Annual Program Statement – Small Grants Program" 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 2023-01-25.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-04-30. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - U.S. Embassy Nairobi Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program
1) What is this grant opportunity?
This is the U.S. Embassy Nairobi Public Diplomacy Section (PDS Nairobi) Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program, offered under the U.S. Department of State as part of an Annual Program Statement. It provides funding for public-facing projects designed to deepen cultural, academic, and professional connections between the United States and Kenya.
2) What is the overall goal of the program?
The goal is to support projects that strengthen U.S.-Kenya connections by highlighting shared values and encouraging practical cooperation. Typical project approaches include public programs, exchanges, and skills-building initiatives that engage Kenyan audiences.
3) What kinds of activities does the program generally support?
Projects are expected to be public-facing and can include programming such as exchanges, trainings, workshops, or other skills-building initiatives. The emphasis is on engagement and exchange value that helps build understanding and cooperation between Kenyan audiences and the United States.
4) Is an "American element" required?
Yes. Every project must include a clear American element. Examples mentioned include engagement with U.S. experts, U.S. organizations or institutions, or U.S.-related content that helps Kenyan audiences better understand U.S. policy perspectives and society.
5) Does the program prefer new ideas or continuing projects?
The program signals a preference for fresh, creative approaches, especially ideas that have not been funded recently under previous PDS Nairobi annual solicitations.
6) What are the main funding priority areas?
Funding priorities are grouped into three thematic areas:
- Rule of law, democracy, and good governance
- Climate resilience (including food security)
- STEAM education and entrepreneurship opportunities
7) What topics fit under the rule of law, democracy, and good governance priority?
Examples of relevant topics include democratic governance and civic participation, inclusion and social cohesion, media literacy and media independence, anti-corruption efforts, prevention of gender-based violence, and prevention of violent extremism.
8) What does the climate resilience (including food security) priority focus on?
This priority emphasizes reducing or responding to health, environmental, and economic harms linked to pollution and environmental degradation, with particular attention to marginalized or underserved communities.
9) What does the STEAM education and entrepreneurship priority support?
This area supports expanding participation in STEAM learning, innovation, and related economic opportunities. It especially encourages efforts that increase access for women and girls and members of underserved groups, including training and pathways into entrepreneurship.
10) Is there a geographic requirement for where activities must take place?
Yes. At least one third (33 percent) of grant-funded activities must occur outside Kenya's five largest metropolitan areas: Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu, and Eldoret.
11) What does "outside the five largest metropolitan areas" mean in practice?
Proposals should be designed to reach communities beyond the main urban centers. The opportunity notes approaches like regional workshops, county-level outreach, satellite events, or hybrid models that still include meaningful in-person engagement in non-metropolitan locations.
12) Who are the intended target audiences?
The program identifies several target audiences, including:
- Kenyans ages 15 to 30 (including students)
- Emerging voices (such as civil society leaders and social influencers)
- Business leaders and entrepreneurs
- Established opinion leaders (including leadership in cultural or academic institutions)
- Underserved or underrepresented groups and communities
13) How important is it to define the target audience in the proposal?
It is explicitly aligned with the program intent to clearly define who will participate, why they are the right audience for the project goal, and how the project will reach them.
14) What types of projects or activities are not eligible for funding?
The announcement lists multiple ineligible activity types, including:
- Partisan political programs
- Charitable or development work
- Construction
- Support for specific religious activities
- Fundraising campaigns
- Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
- Scientific or narrowly academic research
- Projects mainly intended to build the applicant organization's institutional capacity
- Scholarships or tuition assistance
- Commercial or for-profit activities (including seed money)
- Programs that duplicate existing initiatives
15) Can the grant be used for political campaigning or partisan activities?
No. Partisan political programs are explicitly listed as ineligible.
16) Can the grant be used for charitable aid, development assistance, or humanitarian work?
No. Charitable or development work is listed as ineligible. The program is intended for public diplomacy programming with direct public engagement and exchange value, rather than aid-oriented activities.
17) Can the grant be used for construction or infrastructure upgrades?
No. Construction is explicitly listed as an ineligible activity.
18) Can the grant support religious programming?
Support for specific religious activities is listed as ineligible.
19) Can the grant be used for fundraising or lobbying?
No. Fundraising campaigns and lobbying for specific legislation or programs are both listed as ineligible.
20) Can the grant pay for research projects?
Scientific or narrowly academic research is listed as ineligible. The focus is on public diplomacy programming rather than research-only efforts.
21) Can the grant be used to build the applicant organization's internal capacity?
Projects mainly intended to build the applicant organization's institutional capacity are listed as ineligible.
22) Are scholarships or tuition assistance allowed?
No. Scholarships or tuition assistance are explicitly listed as ineligible activities.
23) Can the grant provide seed funding or support commercial activities?
No. Commercial or for-profit activities, including seed money, are listed as ineligible.
24) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is geared toward Kenya-based applicants. PDS Nairobi encourages proposals from Kenyan organizations, institutions, and individuals, and the primary grant recipient must be based in Kenya.
25) What types of applicants are considered eligible?
Eligible applicants include:
- Kenya-registered nonprofit organizations (including think tanks and civil society/NGOs with relevant programming experience)
- Kenyan individuals
- Kenya-based nonprofit or governmental educational institutions
- Governmental institutions
26) Can a U.S.-based organization apply as the main applicant?
The opportunity states that the primary grant recipient must be based in Kenya. U.S.-based partnerships are allowed and can be helpful, but the main recipient must be Kenya-based.
27) Are partnerships with U.S. entities allowed or encouraged?
Partnerships with U.S.-based entities are allowed and often helpful, particularly for meeting the required American element of the project.
28) What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument type is a discretionary grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant), administered by the U.S. Mission to Kenya.
29) What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling listed is USD 50,000.
30) What is the opportunity number and CFDA number?
The opportunity number is DOS NBO PDS FY23 001, and the CFDA number listed is 19.040.
31) What are the dates shown for this opportunity?
The source details provided list a creation date of 2023-01-25 and an original closing date of 2023-04-30.
32) What is the program trying to avoid funding?
Based on the ineligible list and the program description, the grant is meant to avoid projects that are primarily political campaigning, humanitarian or development aid, construction, religious activity support, fundraising or lobbying, research-only efforts, internal organizational capacity-building, tuition support, for-profit commercialization/seed funding, or duplicative programming. The emphasis is on public diplomacy engagement and exchange value.
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