The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy South Africa of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out programs in one of six categories outlined in the Program Objectives below. All program proposals must strengthen ties and build relationships between the United States and South Africa and must have a strong, central, American element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s (separate and beyond any involvement with the U.S. Mission or its American Corners or USG exchange program alumni), and have as a primary goal the promotion of increased understanding of U.S. values, perspectives, and policies and relationship building between Americans and South Africans. Priority Region: Project activities must take place in South Africa, and be directed at South African audiences/participants. The PDS welcomes proposals that reach multiple provinces, or engage in areas outside of Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town. COVID-19: For program proposals that include elements of in-person travel between South Africa and the United States, or other international locations, travel should not be planned until January 2022 at the earliest. All program proposals, including those with exchange components, should include flexibility in planning to adjust given the constantly evolving global and local restrictions related to COVID-19. American Content: As noted above, successful proposals will include a clear description of the manner in which American content will be included in project implementation, in identifiable, substantive, and meaningful ways. American content may include the use of curricula from a U.S.-based institution, collaboration with an American subject matter expert, or other specific inclusion of a component of U.S. culture, history, or society. Program Objectives: The PDS is seeking proposals in the following six categories. An individual or organization may only submit one application, and must identify the category under which they are applying in their proposal. 1. Advancing Women in the Workforce to Achieve Economic Growth Women have made significant progress in the political and educational spheres in South Africa, but we recognize that upward mobility in the economic sphere and the inclusion of women in middle and senior management remains a challenge. The PDS seeks proposals that address the gender gap in senior leadership positions in South African businesses. Women are earning college degrees more frequently than men, but they are not in equitable leadership positions in business. This is particularly acute in senior leadership. The PDS seeks proposals for mentorship and other complementary programs that may involve an in-person exchange or summit to address the progress from mid-level managers to the C-suite and as members of Boards of Directors. The target audience will be established professionals in South Africa with the potential to influence significant industry sectors, particularly in private business in South Africa in the next five to ten years. The PDS welcomes proposals that narrow the focus to specific sectors, but encourages proposals that allow for networking across an industry. Proposals should include the option to scale the program to a greater level should funds allow, and should include plans for monitoring and evaluation, and reporting to the PDS over a five to ten year period as the objective of this program is to attain long-term outcomes. Examples of American content may include collaboration with existing U.S. Mission South Africa programs or alumni of USG-funded exchanges. 2. Mitigating Climate Change The PDS seeks proposals that will leverage mutual concerns and interests between the United States and South Africa with regard to climate change. Project proposals in this category should identify a specific theme, such as youth engagement, entrepreneurship, or education, that will yield measurable results within the life of the award. Short-term impact may lay the groundwork for long-term impact, but proposals should target a specific audience and intended program participants should be clearly identified. The PDS welcomes proposals that leverage connections between governmental organizations such as the U.S. National Park Service and the South African National Parks or between U.S. and South African higher education institutions. Priority program areas include: sustainable waste management and recycling, urban and peri-urban clean water solutions, countering wildlife trafficking, climate adaptation, urban greening, and healthy oceans 3. Improving Media Literacy and Journalism Training The PDS seeks proposals to strengthen fact-checking skills and responsible media consumption in South Africa while targeting high school or university educators and students. Proposals should include a minimum of three elements: 1) a series of engagements with basic-education stakeholders on the importance of including training in critical thinking, fact-checking skills and being a responsible media consumer in the South African public education system; 2) training for high school educators and/or students in fact-checking skills and being a responsible media consumer; 3) similar workshops targeting journalism lecturers and students from universities not already offering elements of training on disinformation or media literacy in their curricula. The PDS will favorably note proposals that aim to establish partnerships with the South African Department of Basic Education and/or specific municipalities and schools to include media literacy or consumption as parts of existing curricula or to otherwise augment relevant discussions at the secondary education level. A program goal should be to encourage fact-checking and responsible media consumption using learned skills or available resources and platforms. 4. Celebrating Black History Month and Promoting Social Justice The PDS solicits proposals as part of the broader U.S. Mission South Africa effort to commemorate Black History Month in February 2022. Preference will be given to proposals that open conversations on the shared painful histories of the United States and South Africa, and include opportunities for moderated discussion. Target audiences include university students and professors, journalists, policy makers, and youth. Project activities must include at least one event that would allow participation from U.S. Mission senior leadership in February 2022. Priority program areas are 1) raising awareness of African-American literature, culture, and history with South African audiences; and 2) conducting education outreach to underscore connections between African-Americans’ struggle for equality in the United States and South Africa’s liberation struggle. Proposals may include use of the arts, such as a performance or series of performances, in-person or virtual, that addresses the African-American experience and linkages to the South African experience. Proposals that target audiences at outlying universities, TVETs, and rural community centers are encouraged. Competitive proposals will demonstrate how the activities will resonate with South African audiences. 5. Countering Gender-Based Violence to Improve Security The PDS seeks proposals that address policy, advocacy, and/or social structures that affect Gender-Based Violence in South Africa using lessons learned from the United States. Program proposals should ensure that any action funded by the U.S. government complements the Presidentially-approved National Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Strategic Plan. Priority program areas include: incorporating youth and prevention efforts to ensure young men are actively involved in the dialogue and solution; facilitating robust discussions with traditional, cultural and religious leaders; creating programs for young men and mentorship programs for boys to address toxic masculinity and provide healthy role models. Target audiences include policy influencers at the national and municipality level, youth, university students and faculty, and journalists. Collaboration with existing U.S. Mission South Africa programs or alumni of USG-funded exchanges is encouraged. Competitive proposals will leverage linkages with the United States while tailoring programming to the immediate situation in South Africa. 6. Expanding the University Partnership Initiative The PDS seeks proposals for programs focused on strengthening existing ties and fostering new collaboration between U.S. and South African universities under the University Partnership Initiative (UPI). Priority program areas include promoting faculty and student exchanges, facilitating joint research, building administrative capacity, and creating public-private partnerships. Program proposals should address how relationships between institutions will be sustained after U.S. government funded efforts are concluded. Proposals in this category should include the option to scale to a greater level should funds allow, and should address potential significant involvement by the PDS as a likely Cooperative Agreement (see Section B/Funding Instrument Type). Collaboration with existing U.S. Mission South Africa programs or alumni of USG-funded exchanges is encouraged. Priority program areas include: promoting U.S.-South Africa faculty and student exchanges, particularly the development of dual degree programs that have South Africans complete their studies in their home country and address South Africa’s shortage of qualified academic staff; facilitating early-career training for academics; joint research, especially in agriculture, food security, health, and STEM; providing training and transfer skills in all aspects of university and community college administration through subject-matter exchange programs; exploring public-private partnerships, with an emphasis on commercialization, technology transfer, and job creation. The intended audience is South African community college and university students, university administrators, corporations, the NGO sector, and USG-funded exchange program alumni. Proposals that address linkages between South African technical universities and their American counterparts are strongly encouraged. Programs that create or grow linkages between academia and commerce are also encouraged. Please read the full announcement before submitting an application. All application materials must be submitted by email to
[email protected]. Question and Answer Opportunity: The PDS hosted a virtual question and answer session for potential applicants on May 6. A recording of the session is available on our website at https://za.usembassy.gov/notice-of-funding-opportunity-pas-zaf-fy21-05/.