Opportunity Information: Apply for H NOFO 21 103
The Annual Program Statement 2021 (Funding Opportunity Number: H NOFO 21 103) is a discretionary small grants competition run by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to India, through the Public Affairs Section (PAS) in Hyderabad. The program is offered under the Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program and is structured as an annual statement of priorities rather than a single narrowly defined project call. In practice, that means applicants are expected to design and propose their own project concepts that align with the Mission's public diplomacy goals, strategic themes, and funding priorities, then submit those proposals according to the procedures laid out in the announcement.
The core expectation is that applicants clearly define project objectives that match the program area they are targeting and present them as SMART objectives: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This places emphasis on strong project design and accountability, where proposed activities connect directly to intended outcomes and where success can be tracked using concrete indicators (for example, number and profile of participants reached, learning gains, follow-on actions, partnerships formed, or alumni engagement maintained over a defined period).
Funding is provided in the form of grants, with an award ceiling of $7,500 per award and an anticipated total of about 10 awards. The opportunity opened on April 16, 2021, and the original closing date was December 31, 2021. Because the ceiling is relatively modest, the opportunity is geared toward small, focused, high-impact programs that can be executed efficiently, often through workshops, speaker events, pilot initiatives, or targeted community and professional engagements.
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations that hold 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (excluding higher education institutions in that nonprofit category). In other words, the program is aimed at established educational and nonprofit entities that can responsibly manage federal grant funds and deliver programming consistent with U.S. public diplomacy objectives in India.
In terms of thematic scope, the announcement allows proposals across a wide range of funding activity categories, including arts and cultural affairs, education, business and commerce, community and regional development, disaster prevention and relief, employment and workforce training, energy, environment, food and nutrition, health, humanities, law and justice, and science and technology/research. This breadth signals that the Mission is open to many types of engagement as long as the project is clearly tied to public diplomacy priorities and is designed to create meaningful engagement with intended audiences.
The notice also provides examples of the kinds of small projects that fit the program model. These include bringing U.S. experts to conduct speaking tours, public talks, or roundtable discussions in India; initiatives that showcase U.S. education models or course curricula; programs designed to build or maintain sustained contact with alumni of U.S. government-supported exchange programs; creative projects that advance one or more priority areas; and interactive programs around priority themes that engage audiences through cultural and arts activities such as workshops, performances, and exhibitions. The common thread across these examples is audience engagement and exchange: projects are expected to be interactive, public-facing or community-facing, and designed to strengthen connections, shared understanding, and ongoing networks aligned with U.S. Mission public diplomacy goals.
Overall, this opportunity supports small, well-defined public diplomacy projects in India, encouraging applicants to propose practical, measurable programs that fit within a limited budget while still demonstrating clear outcomes, strategic alignment, and the potential for meaningful local impact or sustained engagement (especially through networks like exchange alumni).Apply for H NOFO 21 103
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda), business and commerce, community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, employment, labor and training, energy, environment, food and nutrition, health, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), law, justice and legal services, regional development, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Annual Program Statement 2021" 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 Apr 16, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 31, 2021. (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 $7,500.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Annual Program Statement 2021 (Funding Opportunity Number: H NOFO 21 103)?
It is a discretionary small grants competition offered under the Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. It is run by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to India, through the Public Affairs Section (PAS) in Hyderabad.
Who is administering this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to India, via the Public Affairs Section (PAS) in Hyderabad.
Is this a single project call or an open statement of priorities?
It is structured as an annual statement of priorities rather than a single narrowly defined project call. Applicants are expected to propose their own project concepts that align with the Mission's public diplomacy goals, strategic themes, and funding priorities.
What kinds of projects are expected under this opportunity?
The program is geared toward small, focused, high-impact public diplomacy programs that can be executed efficiently. Examples mentioned include workshops, speaker events, pilot initiatives, and targeted community or professional engagements, as long as they are aligned with Mission priorities and designed to produce measurable outcomes.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $7,500 per award.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The opportunity anticipates about 10 awards in total.
What type of funding instrument is used?
Funding is provided in the form of grants.
When did the opportunity open and when was it originally due?
The opportunity opened on April 16, 2021, and the original closing date was December 31, 2021.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations that hold 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (excluding higher education institutions within that nonprofit category).
Are individuals eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant types listed are institutions of higher education and qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. No individual eligibility is described in the information provided.
What countries or locations are the projects expected to focus on?
The program is run by the U.S. Mission to India and references programming such as speaking tours and events in India, indicating that projects are expected to focus on public diplomacy engagement in India.
What are the main expectations for project design?
Applicants are expected to clearly define project objectives that match the program area they are targeting and present them as SMART objectives: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. The project design should link activities to intended outcomes and show how success will be tracked.
What does "SMART objectives" mean in this context?
SMART objectives are described as specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. The grant expects objectives that are clearly stated and measurable within a defined timeframe.
How should applicants demonstrate accountability and measurement?
The opportunity emphasizes accountability by requiring that proposed activities connect directly to intended outcomes and that success can be tracked using concrete indicators. Examples of indicators provided include number and profile of participants reached, learning gains, follow-on actions, partnerships formed, and alumni engagement maintained over a defined period.
What thematic areas or activity categories are allowed?
Thematic scope is broad. The announcement allows proposals across categories including arts and cultural affairs, education, business and commerce, community and regional development, disaster prevention and relief, employment and workforce training, energy, environment, food and nutrition, health, humanities, law and justice, and science and technology/research.
Does the program require projects to be related to public diplomacy priorities?
Yes. Applicants are expected to design and propose projects that align with the Mission's public diplomacy goals, strategic themes, and funding priorities.
What are examples of projects that fit the program model?
Examples include bringing U.S. experts to conduct speaking tours, public talks, or roundtable discussions in India; initiatives that showcase U.S. education models or course curricula; programs designed to build or maintain sustained contact with alumni of U.S. government-supported exchange programs; creative projects that advance one or more priority areas; and interactive programs around priority themes that engage audiences through cultural and arts activities such as workshops, performances, and exhibitions.
Is alumni engagement an encouraged element?
Yes. The notice specifically includes programs designed to build or maintain sustained contact with alumni of U.S. government-supported exchange programs as an example of the type of project that fits the program model.
Are projects expected to be interactive and audience-engaging?
Yes. The examples and description emphasize audience engagement and exchange. Projects are expected to be interactive, public-facing or community-facing, and designed to strengthen connections and ongoing networks aligned with U.S. Mission public diplomacy goals.
Given the award size, what kind of project scale is most appropriate?
With a $7,500 ceiling, the opportunity is geared toward small, well-defined programs that can be executed efficiently while still demonstrating clear outcomes and meaningful local impact or sustained engagement.
Can applicants propose projects in many different sectors, or is the focus narrow?
The focus is not narrow. The opportunity allows proposals across a wide range of sectors and activity categories, with the key requirement being alignment to public diplomacy priorities and a strong, measurable project design.
What is the overall goal of the opportunity?
Overall, it supports small, well-defined public diplomacy projects in India that demonstrate strategic alignment, measurable outcomes, and meaningful engagement, including the potential for sustained connections through networks such as exchange alumni.
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