Small Grants Program

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U.S. Embassy BSB’s Small Grants Program

 

The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Brunei Darussalam is pleased to announce a funding opportunity through its Small Grants Program. The U.S. Embassy invites proposals for programs that further U.S. Government foreign policy objectives and promote bilateral cooperation and mutual understanding between the United States and Brunei. All programs must include a substantive American element, such as connections with American experts, organizations, or materials in a specific field that will result in increased understanding of U.S. policies and perspectives.

Applications are accepted for small grants of up to a maximum of US$20,000.  Grants are to be implemented in Brunei Darussalam over an implementation period of one year.  Proposals are evaluated at intervals throughout the calendar year, and the next submission deadline is May 15, 2023.

U.S. Embassy Brunei Small Grants fund programs focused on the following themes:

  • Entrepreneurship / Innovation / Digital Economy –Supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, and increased economic opportunities
  • Climate Change and the Environment –Advancing efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change and promote environmental preservation
  • Culture and Arts – Supporting culture with a direct connection to the United States, including visual and performing arts
  • Civil Society Development – Strengthening civil society organizations to better represent societal concerns
  • Diversity and Inclusion – Supporting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in society
  • Civic Education – Promoting the U.S. higher education system

The applicant organization should have a demonstrated ability to manage and implement donor-funded projects with adequately functional management systems.

Applications are accepted for small grants of up to a maximum of US$20,000 until May 15, 2023.

 

 

The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from these U.S. and Bruneian entities:

  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with programming experience
  • Non-profit or governmental educational institutions
  • Governmental institutions
  • Individuals

For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

Cost Sharing or Matching is not required.

 

Other Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet, as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for information on how to obtain these registrations. Individuals are not required to have a DUNS number or be registered in SAM.gov.

Interested individuals must complete the Grant Request Form and send it to EmbassyBruneiPAS@state.gov.

 

To apply: Please submit the SF424 Request for Federal Assistance Form individual or organization and send it electronically as an attachment to EmbassyBruneiPAS@state.gov. The proposals should be submitted via email, include a written narrative in English, and follow these guidelines. Each applicant will receive a confirmation email acknowledging receipt within three working days. We will also invite applicants to come and meet with us for a brief discussion on the project. Grant proposals will not be considered until all information is received.Please ensure:

  • The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity
  • All documents are in English
  • All budgets are in U.S. dollars
  • All pages are numbered

The following documents are required:

A. Mandatory application forms (available at www.grants.gov)

  • SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or
  • SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance-individuals)
  • SF424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs)
  • SF424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs-for individuals only)

B. Summary Coversheet: Cover sheet stating the applicant name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.

C. Proposal (5 pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below.

  • Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact.
  • Introduction to the Organization or Individual applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies.
  • Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed
  • Program Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve.  What aspect of the relationship between the U.S. and Brunei will be improved? The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable.
  • Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives.
  • Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal.
  • Proposed Program Schedule: The proposed timeline for the program activities.  Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events.
  • Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program?
  • Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees.
  • Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the time-frame of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant?
  • Future Funding or Sustainability Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable.

D. Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.

E. Attachments:

  • 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program
  • Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner
  • Official permission letters, if required for program activities
  • If your organization has a NICRA and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file.
  1. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

      Required Registrations:
All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations.  All are free of charge:

  • Unique Entity ID Number from Sam.Gov

SAM.gov registration

Step 1: Apply for a Unique Entity ID Number. After April 4, 2022, entities will go to SAM.gov, not Dun & Bradstreet, to obtain their Unique Entity ID (SAM). https://www.sam.gov.

  1. Submission Dates and Times
    Applications may be submitted for consideration at any time before the final closing date.
  2. Other Submission Requirements
    All application materials must be submitted by email to Embassybruneipas@state.gov

A committee comprised of U.S. Embassy Public Affairs staff will meet periodically during the year and will evaluate individual proposals after each grants round. The results will be announced within one month after the committee meeting. Successful applicants will receive official grant forms and detailed instructions for follow on administrative procedures.  Please understand that this is a competitive process and that the Embassy may receive a number of outstanding proposals. Funding for small grants is limited, which means that simply submitting a good proposal does not guarantee that the Embassy can fund the project.

Please note that Embassy grants cannot be used to fund religious organizations or partisan political activity; individual trips abroad; trade activities; fundraising campaigns; humanitarian aid; commercial projects; scientific research; projects whose primary aim is the institutional development and operational costs of the organization; or representational expenses (lunch, alcoholic beverages, flowers etc.). The Embassy also cannot give grants to commercial firms/ for-profit firms or projects with no connection to Brunei or without a U.S. component.

 

 

The recipient must submit a Narrative Report within 90 calendar days of the end of the period of performance delineated in the award.

Financial records, supporting documents, and all other records pertinent to an award shall be retained for a period of three years from the date of submission of the final financial report.

Failure to comply with the reporting requirements may jeopardize eligibility for future awards or will result in suspension of any future payments under this award until such time as this deficiency has been corrected.

Questions?  Questions about the grant application process should be directed to EmbassyBruneiPAS@state.gov