Group items tagged

UTSAM invites applications for up to nine-month Doctoral Residency Fellowship starting in a mutually decided time after securing the founding. We are interested in proposals that involve comparative perspectives and methods of understanding security (conceptual and practical), Islamphobia and rising far right in general, and terrorism in particular.  UTSAM is an interdisciplinary forum for innovative research on socio-economic, political, and cultural explanations and analysis of security in global perspective, with a focus on the Middle East and Europe. The main goal of the UTSAM is to encourage research on security in a comparative perspective.

The U.S. Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica announces a Notification of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to strengthen citizen security through economic and social opportunity. U.S. Embassy San Jose intends to issue five awards in an amount not to exceed $1,500,000 in total funding. The anticipated start date for this activity is September 30, 2016, and project periods should not exceed two years. This funding will support United States government objectives under the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI). Within Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama), the United States works with partner nations to strengthen institutions to counter the effects of organized crime, uphold the rule of law, and protect human rights. Institution building is coupled with prevention projects that dissuade at-risk youth from turning to crime and gangs and community policing projects that engage local communities on citizen security issues. U.S. Embassy San Jose invites qualified U.S. non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS or overseas-based NGOs, U.S. and overseas-based public and private institutions of higher education, and public international organizations to submit proposals that include an implementation strategy to address the following objective: Objective: Provide workforce development, education, or entrepreneurship opportunities designed to reduce poverty, particularly among youth and women, in historically marginalized and economically-disadvantaged communities. Proposals should help create safe streets by providing economic opportunities as attractive alternatives for at-risk populations that might otherwise turn to crime and illicit drugs for their livelihood. U.S. Embassy San Jose reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted and will determine the resulting level of funding for the award.

For this grant period, consideration will be given to project proposals focusing on the following themes: · Regional and Trans-Atlantic Cooperation · Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Economic Reform, Promotion of Trade, Women in STEAM · International Security, Counter Terrorism, and Defense Issues · Energy Security and Diversification · Digitalization, Cyber Security, and Artificial Intelligence · Countering Corruption, Good Governance, Strengthening Rule of Law, and Transparency · Independent Media and Investigative Journalism · Human Rights (to include tolerance, respect for diversity, and support for historically marginalized communities.) · Youth Engagement, Volunteerism, and Active Citizenship · Environmental Preservation and Sustainability What are we looking for in a proposal? · Programs that build and enhance relationships between Slovenia and the United States through bilateral cooperation, highlight shared values, and promote mutual understanding. · Sustainable projects with strong merit and clearly defined goals and outcomes. · Projects that include acknowledgement of U.S. Embassy support and a plan to amplify our cooperation via traditional or digital media.

NEH challenge grants are capacity-building grants, intended to help institutions and organizations secure long-term improvements in and support for their humanities programs and resources. Through these awards, many organizations and institutions have been able to increase their humanities capacity and secure the permanent support of an endowment. Grants may be used to establish or enhance endowments or spend-down funds that generate expendable earnings to support and enhance ongoing program activities. Challenge grants may also provide capital directly supporting the procurement of long-lasting objects, such as acquisitions for archives and collections, the purchase of equipment, and the construction or renovation of facilities needed for humanities activities. Funds spent directly must be shown to bring long-term benefits to the institution and to the humanities more broadly. Grantee institutions may also expend up to 10 percent of total grant funds (federal funds plus matching funds) to defray costs of fundraising to meet the NEH challenge. Because of the matching requirement, these NEH grants also strengthen the humanities by encouraging nonfederal sources of support.

NEH challenge grants are capacity-building grants, intended to help institutions and organizations secure long-term support for their humanities programs and resources. Through these awards, many organizations and institutions have been able to increase their humanities capacity and secure the permanent support of an endowment. Grants may be used to establish or enhance endowments or spend-down funds that generate expendable earnings to support and enhance ongoing program activities. Challenge grants may also provide capital directly supporting the procurement of long-lasting objects, such as acquisitions for archives and collections, the purchase of equipment, and the construction or renovation of facilities needed for humanities activities. Funds spent directly must be shown to bring long-term benefits to the institution and to the humanities more broadly. Grantee institutions may also expend up to 10 percent of total grant funds (federal funds plus matching funds) to defray costs of fundraising to meet the NEH challenge. Because of the matching requirement, these NEH grants also strengthen the humanities by encouraging nonfederal sources of support.

The mission of the NEH Office of Challenge Grants is to advance knowledge and understanding in the humanities by strengthening the institutional base of humanities teaching, scholarly research, public programming, and other humanities activities. Challenge grants are capacity-building grants, intended to support significant humanities activities of high intellectual quality and to help institutions secure long-term support for their humanities programs. Through these grants many organizations and institutions have been able to increase their humanities capacity and secure the permanent support of an endowment. Grants may be used to establish or enhance endowments or spend-down funds that generate expendable earnings to support and enhance ongoing program activities. Challenge grants may also provide capital directly supporting the procurement of long-lasting objects, such as acquisitions for archives and collections, the purchase of equipment, and the construction or renovation of facilities needed for humanities activities. Funds spent directly must be shown to bring long-term benefits to the institution and to the humanities more broadly. Grantee institutions may also expend up to 10 percent of total grant funds (federal funds plus matching funds) to defray costs of fundraising to meet the NEH challenge. Because of the matching requirement, these NEH grants also strengthen the humanities by encouraging nonfederal sources of support. Applications are welcome from colleges and universities, museums, public libraries, research institutions, historical societies and historic sites, scholarly associations, state humanities councils, and other nonprofit humanities entities.

Priority Program Areas: I. U.S. - NEW ZEALAND (INCLUDING NIUE AND THE COOK ISLANDS) BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP Programs that seek to explain U.S. policies, culture, and values to New Zealand, Niuean or Cook Island audiences, resulting in a positive impact on the bilateral relationship. II. REGIONAL SECURITY Programs that address issues of regional security, cybersecurity, non-proliferation, and countering violent extremism, as well as exchanges that promote multilateral cooperation and enhance stability in the Asia-Pacific region. III. ECONOMIC GROWTH Programs related to promoting trade, investment, economic integration and responsible commercial development in the region. IV. PACIFIC ISSUES Programs related to addressing challenges specific to the Pacific/Oceanic region, such as maritime and polar affairs, infrastructure, educational development, health and wellness, and technology.

The Social Science Research Council and the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership have announced that applications are now open for the Abe Fellowship for Journalists. The fellowship is designed to encourage in-depth coverage of topics of pressing concern to the United States and Japan through individual short-term policy-related projects. Applicants are invited to submit proposals on one of four themes. 1) Threats to Personal, Societal, and International Security: Topics may include food, water, and energy insecurity; pandemics; climate change; disaster preparedness, prevention, and recovery; and conflict, terrorism, and cyber security. 2) Growth and Sustainable Development: Topics may include global financial stability, trade imbalances and agreements, adjustment to globalization, climate change and adaptation, and poverty and inequality. 3) Social, Scientific, and Cultural Trends and Transformations: Topics may include aging and other demographic change, the benefits and dangers of reproductive genetics, gender and social exclusion, expansion of STEM education among women and underrepresented populations, migration, rural depopulation and urbanization, impacts of automation on jobs, poverty and inequality, and community resilience. 4) Governance, Empowerment, and Participation: Topics may include challenges to democratic institutions, participatory governance, human rights, the changing role of NGO/NPOs, the rise of new media, and government roles in fostering innovation.

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) from civil society organizations to promote and protect the human rights of marginalized populations. This request is seeking programs that take an intersectional approach to addressing violence and discrimination targeting marginalized populations, which undermine society’s collective security, and programs that provide marginalized populations with tools to prevent, mitigate and recover from violence.

AUTHORITY: Grant making authority for the Program for Research and Training on Eastern Europe and the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII) is contained in the Soviet-Eastern European Research and Training Act of 1983 (22 U.S.C. 4501-4508, as amended). PURPOSE: Congress determined that independently verified factual knowledge about the countries of Eastern Europe and Eurasia is critical to the national security of the United States, the furtherance of its national interests in the conduct of foreign relations, and the prudent management of its domestic affairs. Congress further concluded that providing a stable and dedicated source of financial support for Title VIII functions supplementing other Federal, State, local, regional, and private sector funding is critical to maintaining this important research and training on a long-term, national scale. The development and maintenance of U.S. expertise on these regions depends upon a national capability for advanced research by highly trained specialists with in-country experience. These specialists are a national resource available for service in and out of Government. In order to guarantee the existence of that knowledge and the capability to sustain it, certain essential functions are necessary, including: a. graduate training; b. advanced research; c. public dissemination of research data, methods, and findings; d. contact and collaboration among Government and private specialists; and e. American specialists? firsthand experience of the countries of Eastern Europe and Eurasia, including on-site advanced training and research to the extent practicable. For further information or to arrange a consultation, please contact BristolA@state.gov.

The Embassy of the United States of America in Guatemala's Public Affairs Section (PAS) invites interested individuals and non-profit organizations from Guatemala and the United States to submit proposals for projects requesting funding. A panel comprised of Embassy staff members will review each complete proposal received before the deadline of midnight, Wednesday, February 20, 2013 and select five to eight proposals for funding. At least one, but no more than three, of the selected proposals will be from individuals or organizations who have never received U.S. Government funding. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by March 31, 2013. Please note that selected proposals will have to complete additional forms and registration documents within thirty days of notification in order to receive funding. Proposals should fit under one of four main themes: 1) Supporting the rule of law and citizen security 2) Encouraging economic growth and sustainable environmental practices 3) Improving health and education 4) Increasing mutual understanding between the United States and Guatemala Important notes: - All potential applicants should be knowledgeable of similar existing programs in Guatemala, including those funded by the U.S. Government, in order to avoid duplication of effort.

The REPS Office of the U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs Section seeks proposals for a program entitled "World Affairs in Theory and Practice." Implemented at the New Delhi American Center (NDAC), this competitive program will draw from a target audience of high-achieving undergraduate-level students connected to academic programs in the fields of international affairs, sustainable development, human rights, health policy business, and related disciplines. Participants will complete one of three MOOCs (Massive, Open, Online Courses) on themes of global health, environmental security, and international trade offered by American universities and expertly facilitated at the NDAC. Courses will meet weekly and will last 4-6 weeks, depending on the format of each MOOC selected for the series. Following the completion of each MOOC course, participants will participate in a live simulation of diplomatic negotiations around a similar theme as their course, helping them understand complex issues in theory and practice. Finally, participants will be introduced to EducationUSA advisors from the U.S. India Educational Foundation (USIEF) for counseling on options for pursuing higher education in the United States.

Communities in the United States (US) and around the world are entering a new era of transformation in which residents and their surrounding environments are increasingly connected through rapidly-changing intelligent technologies. This transformation offers great promise for improved wellbeing and prosperity but poses significant challenges at the complex intersection of technology and society. The goal of the NSF Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) program solicitation is to accelerate the creation of the scientific and engineering foundations that will enable smart and connected communities to bring about new levels of economic opportunity and growth, safety and security, health and wellness, and overall quality of life. For the purposes of this solicitation, communities are defined as having geographically-delineated boundaries-such as towns, cities, counties, neighborhoods, community districts, rural areas, and tribal regions-consisting of various populations, with the structure and ability to engage in meaningful ways with proposed research activities. A "smart and connected community" is, in turn, defined as a community that synergistically integrates intelligent technologies with the natural and built environments, including infrastructure, to improve the social, economic, and environmental well-being of those who live, work, or travel within it.

The mission of this Challenge Grants program is to strengthen the institutional base of the humanities by enabling infrastructure development and capacity building. Awards aim to help institutions secure long-term support for their core activities and expand efforts to preserve and create access to outstanding humanities materials. Applications are welcome from colleges and universities, museums, public libraries, research institutions, historical societies and historic sites, scholarly associations, state humanities councils, and other public and nonprofit humanities entities. Programs that involve collaboration among multiple institutions are eligible as well, but one institution must serve as the lead applicant of record that will be legally, programmatically, and fiscally responsible for the award. Through these awards organizations can increase their humanities capacity through capital expenditures to support the design, purchase, construction, restoration, or renovation of facilities for humanities activities and the purchase of equipment and software. Such expenditures bring long-term benefits to the institution and to the humanities more broadly. Challenge grants may also support long-term humanities projects with funds invested in a restricted, short-term endowment or other investment fund (or spend-down fund) that generate expendable earnings to support and enhance ongoing humanities activities. Eligible activities include the preservation and conservation of humanities materials, and the sustaining of digital infrastructure for the humanities.

The mission of this Challenge Grants program is to strengthen the institutional base of the humanities by enabling infrastructure development and capacity building. Grants aim to help institutions secure long-term support for their core activities and expand efforts to preserve and create access to outstanding humanities materials.

The mission of this Challenge Grants program is to strengthen the institutional base of the humanities by enabling infrastructure development and capacity building. Awards aim to help institutions secure long-term support for their core activities and expand efforts to preserve and create access to outstanding humanities materials. Applications are welcome from colleges and universities, museums, public libraries, research institutions, historical societies and historic sites, scholarly associations, state humanities councils, and other public and nonprofit humanities entities. Programs that involve collaboration among multiple institutions are eligible as well, but one institution must serve as the lead agent and formal applicant of record. Through these awards organizations can increase their humanities capacity with funds invested in a restricted, short-term endowment or other investment fund (or spend-down funds) that generate expendable earnings to support and enhance ongoing program activities. Eligible activities include the documentation of cultural heritage materials that are lost or imperiled; the preservation and conservation of humanities materials; and the sustaining of digital scholarly infrastructure. Challenge grants may also support the purchase of equipment and software; the design, purchase, construction, restoration, or renovation of facilities needed for humanities activities; and collections sharing. Such expenditures bring long-term benefits to the institution and to the humanities more broadly. Up to 10 percent of total grant funds (federal matching funds plus certified gifts) may be used for fundraising costs during the period of performance.

The Partnership for the Development of Eastern Congo (P-DEC) Program seeks an integrated set of cross-sectoral interventions. Through a cohesive and holistic approach, P-DEC Program aims to amplify the impact of USAID investments and complement other planned interventions by the Government of the DRC and external actors in the public and private sectors. The purpose of the P-DEC Program is therefore to address the development emergency in eastern Congo through a multi-year, multi-sectoral initiative that will build community trust, strengthen the resilience of individuals and communities, fortify existing governance structures, and create opportunities for long-term development and self-reliance of local communities. These activities may also reach across a range of partner types - from public-private partnerships to capacity-building of local organizations. USAID envisions an approach centered around two geographically defined planning and implementation phases. While geographically defined, the phases are not sequential, nor are they strictly defined technical categories; they are fluid, and are conceptual in nature. The approach also focuses on urban and peri-urban areas with large populations, existing transportation networks, and a level of security and stability necessary for implementation.

COMAC builds upon previous USAID/Afghanistan programming, including the current Afghan Civilian Assistance Program (ACAP III) activity, which ends in February 2018. The original ACAP program supported Afghan civilian families and communities that have suffered losses as a result of the being caught between fighting among Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), Afghan National Army, and Resolute Support (RS) troops against the Taliban and other anti-government elements (AGEs). COMAC will provide tailored, small-scale assistance packages to eligible families to mitigate the immediate impact of the ongoing conflict on their lives. No cash disbursements are foreseen. Assistance will be provided based on individual family needs. COMAC's funding directive is to assist Afghan civilian victims harmed by military operations.

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) from civil society organizations to promote and protect the human rights of marginalized populations. This request is seeking programs that take an intersectional approach to addressing violence and discrimination targeting marginalized populations, which undermine societys collective security, and programs that provide marginalized populations with tools to prevent, mitigate and recover from violence.

"Ploughshares Fund helps make the world more safe and secure." It's a simple sentence, but it's supported by complex work. How do we do it? By funding organizations and people who promote the elimination of nuclear weapons, prevent the emergence of new nuclear states, and build regional peace.