U.S Embassy Bujumbura- PAS Annual Program statement | PAS BUJUMBURA FY22 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS BUJUMBURA FY22 01

The U.S. Embassy in Bujumbura, through its Public Affairs Section (PAS), is offering funding under its FY2022 Public Diplomacy Grants Program to support projects that strengthen relationships between the United States and Burundi. This announcement is structured as an Annual Program Statement, meaning it lays out the embassy's themes and priorities for the year and explains how eligible applicants can submit proposals for consideration. The core purpose is to fund cultural and exchange-focused programming that highlights shared values and encourages practical cooperation between Burundians and Americans.

A central requirement is that every proposed project must include a clearly defined U.S. component. In practice, that means the program needs a concrete connection to the United States, such as involvement of U.S. experts, U.S. institutions or organizations, or U.S.-based best practices in a specific field, with the goal of improving understanding of U.S. perspectives and policies. PAS also strongly encourages applicants to work with existing U.S. Embassy-linked networks in Burundi, including English Clubs, American Spaces, and U.S. exchange program alumni, since these partnerships tend to increase credibility, participation, and long-term impact.

The embassy is prioritizing projects that fit into one of four main objective areas. The first is "Skills for Success," which includes education initiatives (like lecture series or academic exchanges), English language learning, and practical job readiness training such as resume writing, financial literacy, and digital literacy. The second is "Entrepreneurship," with a strong emphasis on creating entrepreneurship opportunities for Burundian youth, expanding economic opportunities for women and marginalized communities, and promoting sustainable economic prosperity. The third area is "Democratic Values and Journalism," focused on strengthening high-quality journalism on issues relevant to both countries, reinforcing institutions that promote rule of law, transparency, and accountability, and supporting universal freedoms and democratic principles. The fourth area is "Environmental Sustainability," which includes climate change mitigation initiatives, waste reduction and resource regeneration, environmental protection, and sustainable agriculture.

The grant program is not meant to fund everything, and the announcement is explicit about what will be rejected. Projects without a distinct U.S. component are ineligible, as are partisan political activities. The embassy also will not fund development-style projects, construction or infrastructure, individual scholarships, or programs that are primarily personal development. Funding is also not available for religious activities, fundraising campaigns, lobbying efforts, scientific research, projects designed mainly to build the applicant organization itself, or projects that duplicate existing programs. The notice further excludes social travel, venture capital, gifts and prizes, alcohol, and food and drink that are not directly tied to program outcomes, and it makes clear that for-profit endeavors are not eligible.

In terms of funding and timing, awards are capped at USD 20,000 and projects must be designed to finish within 12 months or less. The funding source is FY2022 public diplomacy funds, and to be considered within that fiscal year, programs needed to start before September 30, 2022. PAS may issue awards in several formats, including standard grants, fixed amount awards, awards to individuals, or cooperative agreements. Cooperative agreements differ from regular grants because embassy staff take a more active role in implementation, and the level of involvement is agreed upon before an award is finalized.

Eligibility is open to U.S. and Burundian registered not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs) with relevant programming experience, as well as individuals and non-profit or governmental educational institutions. Commercial and for-profit entities cannot apply. Cost sharing is not required, which lowers the barrier for smaller organizations, although applicants can include it if they choose. A key limitation is that each organization or individual may submit only one proposal; submitting more than one makes all submissions from that applicant ineligible.

For organizations, registration requirements apply. Applicants needed a DUNS number and active SAM.gov registration at the time, though the notice reflects the transition the U.S. government made in 2022 from DUNS to the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued through SAM.gov. For overseas organizations, the announcement notes the need to obtain an NCAGE code before completing SAM registration during the UEI transition period. Individuals do not need DUNS or SAM registration.

The application package is fairly structured and must follow formatting and document rules. Budgets must be in U.S. dollars, and documents may be submitted in English or French (with the caveat that successful applicants may later need to complete certain required forms in English to comply with U.S. federal assistance rules). The proposal itself is limited to five pages and must be detailed enough that a reviewer unfamiliar with the idea can clearly understand what will be done and what it will accomplish. Required components include a summary coversheet, the standard federal forms (SF-424 or SF-424-I, SF-424A, and SF-424B or the individual version), the narrative proposal with sections such as a problem statement, goals and measurable objectives, activity descriptions, methods and design, a timeline, key personnel roles, program partners, a monitoring and evaluation plan, and a sustainability plan. A notable requirement is a detailed media plan, including press and social media, explaining how the program and its goals will be publicized. Applicants must also provide a separate budget justification narrative explaining each cost line-by-line, plus attachments like one-page CVs for key staff, letters of support from partners, and any official permission letters needed to carry out activities.

Submissions were accepted by email only, using PDF or DOC formats (not iCloud), and hard-copy submissions were automatically ineligible. Applications were to be sent to BurundiPublicAffairs@state.gov, with proposals submitted by August 15, 2022 considered for that fiscal year pending availability of funds. After submission, an Embassy Grants Review Committee evaluates eligible applications for completeness and overall quality, looking closely at clarity, coherence, and attention to detail.

Selection is based on specific criteria. Reviewers assess how strong and credible the U.S. component is, whether the applicant has the organizational capacity to manage the project (including financial systems and a bank account), and whether the program idea is realistic, well planned, and feasible within the proposed timeline. They also look for clearly stated goals and measurable objectives tied to embassy priority areas and target audiences, a detailed and reasonable budget that matches the proposed activities, a solid monitoring and evaluation approach with output and outcome indicators, and evidence that the program will have lasting value after the grant ends. Overall, the opportunity is geared toward practical, implementable public diplomacy projects that connect Burundians with U.S. expertise and values in ways that can be demonstrated, measured, and sustained beyond the initial funding period.

• The U.S. Mission to Burundi in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S Embassy Bujumbura- PAS Annual Program statement" 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 2022-02-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-08-15. (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 $20,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for PAS BUJUMBURA FY22 01

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