U.S. Embassy Moscow PAS Alumni Support Program

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE U.S. EMBASSY Public Affairs Section Notice of Funding Opportunity U.S. Embassy, Moscow Public Affairs Section Request for Grant Proposals : U.S. Embassy Moscow PAS Alumni Support Program Announcement Type: Cooperative Agreement Application Deadline: April 15, 2021 Total Funding: up to $75,000 Funding Opportunity Number: DOSRUS21GR006 Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 19.040 Anticipated Award Date : June 1, 2021 Anticipated Project Completion Date: September 30, 2022 Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2021 Alumni Support Program Eligible Applicants: Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3), public and private institutions of higher education. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Overview. The U.S. Embassy Moscow Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce limited competition to administer the Alumni Support Program for Russia. U.S. public and private non-profit organizations and educational institutions may submit proposals to continue PAS Moscow’s ongoing engagement with alumni of U.S. government international and in-country programs. The grant recipient will work closely with Public Affairs at Mission Russia to facilitate personal and professional development opportunities for Russian alumni. The grantee will manage the solicitation and selection of proposals submitted by alumni, and support and implement selected proposals. Please carefully follow all instructions below. Program description. More than 85,000 Russians have participated in Embassy and State Department-funded programs. The U.S. Embassy’s goal is to maintain an open line of communication with alumni, and provide assistance in the form of small grants, as well as logistical and technical support to help alumni improve their personal and professional skills. The Alumni Support Program consists of two parts – connecting with alumni, and providing support for projects. Alumni Support Program maintains a website and social media platforms where alumni can learn about alumni opportunities. The implementer of the Alumni Support Program will continue to seek engagement from alumni through the website and social media platforms, and send information to alumni who have registered. The alumni support project allows alumni to submit proposals for assistance which are reviewed by the grantee and approved by the U.S. Embassy. The grantee then supports the project in coordination with the alumni, and reports on the results and impact. In many cases, alumni are unwilling to accept funds from the U.S. Embassy and our implementers, necessitating a process where the grantee handles the logistical elements of the grant request such as, but not limited to, purchasing air tickets, paying for accommodations and venue rental fees, procuring items, and paying workshop or tuition fees. The number of projects funded depends on the size of the projects and varies year to year. The cost of the projects as well as the cost to administer the Alumni Support Program such as staff salaries and overhead costs must all come from the total $75,000 project budget. In the past, alumni could request support up $1,500. Over the course of the grant performance period, the grantee (using funds in the grant) will be required to: Maintain and improve the current alumni Russia website, Contract staff dedicated to logistics and program operations, Maintain the current alumni database and expand it as new alumni register, Communicate with alumni through electronic newsletters and social media, Solicit proposals from alumni, Select winning proposals for Embassy clearance, Procure items as requested by the alumni proposals, Wire funds to alumni, which necessary, and Monitor alumni projects to ensure responsible use of resources and successful completion. Purpose. The Alumni Support Program goals are to: Prepare alumni to become responsible citizens and contributing members of their communities; Empower alumni to be actively engaged in addressing issues of concern in their communities; Foster lasting relationships between the U.S. embassy and the Russian alumni community. The objectives of the program are to: Identify competent and responsive Russian and American staff to carry out the program; Analyze the current alumni website and outreach tools and identify improved ways to connect with alumni; and Develop a program plan to deliver information and logistical support to alumni. Please see attachment for full document

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