Opportunity Information: Apply for KUWAIT PAS 2023 01
The U.S. Mission to Kuwait (U.S. Embassy Kuwait) is offering a small-grants public diplomacy funding opportunity called "Supporting Civic Engagement, Marginalized Communities, and Education Through Exchanges and Training" (Funding Opportunity Number KUWAIT-PAS-2023-01; CFDA 19.040). The embassy is seeking program ideas that advance key civic, educational, and capacity-building goals in Kuwait, with a total funding pool of $95,000. Individual awards are intended to be relatively small, with each proposed project capped at $25,000, and the embassy anticipates making around 10 awards depending on final award sizes and available funds. Projects must be implemented in Kuwait and are expected to run for a short timeframe, anywhere from 1 to 12 months, with activities planned to start during the October 2023 to September 2024 period (subject to funding availability).
A central feature of this opportunity is its two-step application process. Applicants do not submit a full proposal at the outset. Instead, they first submit a short Statement of Interest (SOI) that is only 1 to 2 pages long and is designed to quickly and clearly communicate the program concept, why it matters, and what it aims to accomplish. After the embassy completes an initial merit review of eligible SOIs, selected applicants are invited to develop and submit a full proposal for a second-round review. This approach is meant to reduce the burden on applicants by allowing the embassy to screen for strong, feasible ideas before requiring full application packages and detailed planning.
Program ideas must align with at least one of six objectives the embassy has laid out. These include: helping students in Kuwait become better prepared and more motivated to attend U.S. universities (for example through English training, college readiness programming, or advising); building local capacity to counter discrimination, harassment, and abuse against women; strengthening awareness and action to combat trafficking in persons; improving how institutions in Kuwait prepare for and respond to cybersecurity incidents; promoting people-to-people ties between the United States and Kuwait through educational, cultural, or civic activities that engage youth and young professionals; and strengthening the ability of marginalized communities, youth, and women to participate more fully in political and economic life. In practice, this frames the grant as a tool to support exchanges, training, and community-centered initiatives that produce tangible skills, knowledge, networks, and institutional improvements.
The primary audiences the embassy wants to reach are youth and young professionals, educators, women, stateless residents, and other underserved populations in Kuwait. The funding restriction is straightforward: grant funds must be used to benefit target audiences within Kuwait. This is a Kuwait-focused program even when the themes involve U.S. study, U.S.-Kuwait ties, or exchange-style programming.
Eligibility is limited to Kuwait-based applicants. That includes not-for-profit organizations such as NGOs, civil society groups, and think tanks; not-for-profit educational institutions; individuals; and foreign public entities such as governmental institutions or public international organizations, as long as they are based in Kuwait. Cost sharing is encouraged but not required, meaning applicants can strengthen competitiveness by contributing resources or securing partner support, but they can still apply without matching funds.
To apply at the SOI stage, applicants must email their materials to PASKuwaitM@state.gov by April 1, 2023. The SOI must be written in English and include a brief project description covering goals, objectives, outcomes, performance indicators, beneficiaries, and a proposed timeline. It must also explain the applicant's capacity to carry out the activity and manage U.S. government funds, and it must include the anticipated total budget amount in U.S. dollars. The embassy emphasizes that submissions not following these requirements can be deemed ineligible, and reviewers will only consider content within the page limit, with panelists focusing on the first page up to the limit for consistency.
SOIs are scored using three main criteria: the quality of the program idea (50 points), the applicant's organizational capacity and record managing grants (35 points), and the clarity and realism of program planning and the likelihood of achieving the stated objectives (15 points). Creativity is explicitly encouraged, as long as the approach is feasible and responsive to the program framework, and the timeline is practical. A Grants Review Committee conducts the review, and the panel may attach conditions or recommendations to strengthen a concept before it moves to the full proposal phase.
Applicants invited to submit a full proposal will need to provide standard federal assistance forms. Organizations generally submit SF-424 along with related budget and assurances forms (SF-424A and SF-424B), while individuals use SF-424-I. The notice also highlights federal compliance requirements tied to U.S. Department of State awards, including applicable federal regulations and standard terms and conditions.
Finally, the opportunity includes important administrative notes about federal registrations. At the SOI stage, organizations are not required to already have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) or active SAM.gov registration, but they will need both before submitting a full proposal if invited. Because SAM registration can take weeks, the embassy advises applicants to start early. Entities listed as excluded or debarred in SAM (formerly referenced as the Excluded Parties List System) are not eligible to receive awards or participate in award-funded activities. Questions about the SOI process are directed to the same email address used for submissions: PASKuwaitM@state.gov.Apply for KUWAIT PAS 2023 01
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Kuwait in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda), business and commerce, community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment, labor and training, environment, health, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), law, justice and legal services, regional development, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Public Diplomacy Grants in Kuwait" 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 Feb 08, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 01, 2023. (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 $25,000.00 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 having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than 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, Individuals, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this grant opportunity called?
This is a small-grants public diplomacy funding opportunity from the U.S. Mission to Kuwait (U.S. Embassy Kuwait) called "Supporting Civic Engagement, Marginalized Communities, and Education Through Exchanges and Training".
2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is KUWAIT-PAS-2023-01, and the CFDA number is 19.040.
3) How much total funding is available?
The total funding pool is $95,000.
4) What is the maximum amount for an individual award?
Each proposed project is capped at $25,000.
5) How many awards does the embassy expect to make?
The embassy anticipates making around 10 awards, depending on final award sizes and available funds.
6) Where must projects be implemented?
Projects must be implemented in Kuwait.
7) Who must benefit from the grant-funded activities?
Grant funds must be used to benefit target audiences within Kuwait. Even if a project involves U.S. study themes, U.S.-Kuwait ties, or exchange-style programming, the intended beneficiaries must be in Kuwait.
8) What is the expected project duration?
Projects are expected to run for a short timeframe, anywhere from 1 to 12 months.
9) When are activities expected to start?
Activities are planned to start during the October 2023 to September 2024 period, subject to funding availability.
10) Is this a one-step or two-step application process?
This opportunity uses a two-step application process. Applicants first submit a short Statement of Interest (SOI). After an initial merit review, selected applicants are invited to submit a full proposal for a second-round review.
11) What is a Statement of Interest (SOI)?
An SOI is a short, 1 to 2 page document designed to quickly and clearly communicate the program concept, why it matters, and what it aims to accomplish.
12) Why does the embassy use a two-step process?
The two-step approach is meant to reduce burden on applicants by allowing the embassy to screen for strong, feasible ideas before requiring full application packages and detailed planning.
13) What types of program ideas are eligible?
Program ideas must align with at least one of the embassy's six objectives. In general, this grant supports exchanges, training, and community-centered initiatives that produce tangible skills, knowledge, networks, and institutional improvements.
14) What are the six program objectives?
Proposed programs must align with at least one of these objectives:
- Help students in Kuwait become better prepared and more motivated to attend U.S. universities (for example through English training, college readiness programming, or advising).
- Build local capacity to counter discrimination, harassment, and abuse against women.
- Strengthen awareness and action to combat trafficking in persons.
- Improve how institutions in Kuwait prepare for and respond to cybersecurity incidents.
- Promote people-to-people ties between the United States and Kuwait through educational, cultural, or civic activities that engage youth and young professionals.
- Strengthen the ability of marginalized communities, youth, and women to participate more fully in political and economic life.
15) Who are the primary intended audiences?
The primary audiences include youth and young professionals, educators, women, stateless residents, and other underserved populations in Kuwait.
16) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to Kuwait-based applicants, including:
- Not-for-profit organizations (NGOs, civil society groups, think tanks)
- Not-for-profit educational institutions
- Individuals
- Foreign public entities (governmental institutions or public international organizations) as long as they are based in Kuwait
17) Are applicants required to be based in Kuwait?
Yes. The opportunity states that eligibility is limited to Kuwait-based applicants.
18) Is cost sharing (matching funds) required?
No. Cost sharing is encouraged but not required. Contributing resources or securing partner support may strengthen competitiveness, but applicants may still apply without matching funds.
19) How do applicants submit the Statement of Interest?
Applicants must email their SOI materials to PASKuwaitM@state.gov.
20) What is the SOI submission deadline?
The SOI must be submitted by April 1, 2023.
21) What language must the SOI be written in?
The SOI must be written in English.
22) How long can the SOI be?
The SOI must be 1 to 2 pages long.
23) What must be included in the SOI project description?
The SOI must include a brief project description covering:
- Goals
- Objectives
- Outcomes
- Performance indicators
- Beneficiaries
- Proposed timeline
24) What else must the SOI explain besides the project concept?
The SOI must explain the applicant's capacity to carry out the activity and manage U.S. government funds.
25) Does the SOI need to include budget information?
Yes. The SOI must include the anticipated total budget amount in U.S. dollars.
26) What happens if an SOI does not follow the requirements?
The embassy emphasizes that submissions not following the stated requirements can be deemed ineligible.
27) Will reviewers consider information beyond the page limit?
No. Reviewers will only consider content within the page limit. For consistency, panelists focus on the first page up to the limit.
28) How are SOIs evaluated and scored?
SOIs are scored using three main criteria:
- Quality of the program idea (50 points)
- Organizational capacity and record managing grants (35 points)
- Clarity and realism of program planning and likelihood of achieving stated objectives (15 points)
29) Is creativity encouraged?
Yes. Creativity is explicitly encouraged, as long as the approach is feasible, responsive to the program framework, and includes a practical timeline.
30) Who reviews the SOIs?
A Grants Review Committee conducts the review.
31) Can the review panel add conditions or recommendations?
Yes. The panel may attach conditions or recommendations to strengthen a concept before it moves to the full proposal phase.
32) What happens after an SOI is selected?
Selected applicants are invited to develop and submit a full proposal for a second-round review.
33) What forms are required at the full proposal stage?
Applicants invited to submit a full proposal will need to provide standard federal assistance forms. Organizations generally submit SF-424 along with related budget and assurances forms (SF-424A and SF-424B), while individuals use SF-424-I.
34) Are there federal compliance requirements tied to these awards?
Yes. The notice highlights federal compliance requirements tied to U.S. Department of State awards, including applicable federal regulations and standard terms and conditions.
35) Do applicants need a UEI and SAM.gov registration at the SOI stage?
No. At the SOI stage, organizations are not required to already have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) or an active SAM.gov registration.
36) When are UEI and SAM.gov registration required?
Organizations will need both a UEI and active SAM.gov registration before submitting a full proposal if invited.
37) Why does the embassy advise applicants to start SAM.gov registration early?
The embassy notes that SAM registration can take weeks, so applicants are advised to begin early to avoid delays if invited to the full proposal stage.
38) Who is not eligible due to SAM exclusions/debarment?
Entities listed as excluded or debarred in SAM (formerly referenced as the Excluded Parties List System) are not eligible to receive awards or participate in award-funded activities.
39) Where should questions about the SOI process be sent?
Questions about the SOI process should be emailed to PASKuwaitM@state.gov.
40) Is this grant specifically focused on civic engagement, marginalized communities, and education?
Yes. The opportunity is framed around civic, educational, and capacity-building goals in Kuwait, with specific objectives related to education pathways (including U.S. university readiness), anti-discrimination and protection for women, trafficking in persons awareness and action, cybersecurity incident readiness, people-to-people ties, and increased participation of marginalized communities, youth, and women in political and economic life.
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