Annual Program Statement 2021 | H NOFO 21 103

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).

• 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.

Apply for H NOFO 21 103

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