The U.S. Embassy in Sierra Leone administers a Public Diplomacy small grants program to support projects to strengthen the cultural ties between the United States and Sierra Leone. All programs are strongly encouraged to include an American cultural element or a connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or alumni or U.S. government exchange programs. Grants available in this program CANNOT be used to support on-going operational costs, construction, scientific research, partisan political activities, proselytizing, trade activities, fundraising campaigns, or commercial products. Further restrictions may apply. This page is updated periodically with new links and new announcements about funding opportunities, so please check back occasionally.
Please reference the specific funding opportunity number in the annual program statement or other Notice of Funding Opportunity or your application will be considered unsolicited.
Please note:
- The U.S. Embassy reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received
Department of State grant programs are governed by the Code of Federal Regulations, particularly as found at 2CFR200 (PDF 648 KB). Interested applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with applicable requirements. Additional guidance and resources are available throughout this page.
Forms:
The following forms may be used in order to submit a grant application:
- PD Small Grants Optional Application Form (Microsoft Word Document – 40 KB)– optional but highly recommended
- PD Small Grants Budget Worksheet (Microsoft Excel File – 49 KB) – optional but highly recommended
- Shortlisted applicants will be given guidance on any additional required forms
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply?
Completed applications should be submitted electronically through PASGrantsFreetown@state.gov or by submitting a hard copy addressed to:
The Grants Officer
Public Affairs Section
U.S. Mission Sierra Leone
Southridge, Hill Station
Keep in mind that unless you are applying as an individual, then you are also required to obtain DUNS and SAM numbers. Further instructions can be found in the Annual Program Statement.
How much money is available?
Most of our PD Small Grants are for amounts between $5,000 – $25,000, though many are smaller and a few are higher. If you are applying in response to a Notice of Funding Opportunity or Annual Program Statement, then further information about the amount or funds available is given in those announcements.
What is a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)?
A NOFO is an announcement that requests grant applications for a well-defined program area or activity. Public Diplomacy section occasionally publishes NOFOs on our website.
What is an Annual Program Statement?
An APS is an open-ended, annual NOFO that requests grant applications on a rolling basis throughout the year for a wider variety of activities. The Public Diplomacy section publishes an APS on this website once each fiscal year. The U.S. federal fiscal year goes from October 1 of one year to September 30 of the following year.
How long can the project period be?
Project periods can be as short as one day or as long as one year. Your proposed project period needs to make sense based on the kind of program you are proposing.
What if my project period is longer than one year?
It is rare that we fund projects that have a period of longer than one year.
Can I expect additional phases of the project to be funded later?
No. Receiving one grant in no way gives you any expectation of receiving another, especially for a continuation of the same program. As such, we recommend that you only apply for an initial phase of a project that will require additional funding later if you are confident that you can identify adequate, non-U.S. government sources of funding for subsequent phases. In such cases, applications should make it clear why your expectation of other funding at a later time is realistic.
Are there standard terms and conditions that apply to all grants?
Yes. However, the details of those provisions depend on the type of grant. For this reason, they will be provided during the award phase. In general, you should keep in mind that lobbying and partisan political activities are prohibited, as are construction activities.
Can my organization earn a profit by receiving this grant?
No. For-profit activities are not supported by this grant program.
Can I include the cost of food in a grant application? What about alcoholic beverages?
Award funds cannot be used to pay for alcoholic beverages. A modest amount of funds can be used to cover the cost of meals or refreshments IF providing this is essential to the success and effectiveness of the program.
What is “cost sharing”?
A “cost share,” also known as “matching costs,” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S. Government. It can involve money from another funding source. It can also include in-kind contributions from your organization and/or your partners, such as volunteers’ time, donated venues, or equipment that you own and which you provide for the project participants’ use as part of the project, without charging the participants.
What if I still have questions?
If you have reviewed the FAQs and other information on this website and still have questions, please email KamaraMS@state.gov and CC PASGrantsFreetown@state.gov.
