Opportunity Information: Apply for DOSRUS 18 GR 001
The U.S. Embassy Moscow Public Affairs Section (PAS), part of the U.S. Department of State, announced its FY 2018 Annual Program Statement (APS) for the Public Diplomacy Grants Program under funding opportunity number DOSRUS 18 GR 001. The opportunity is a discretionary grant/cooperative agreement program (CFDA 19.040, Humanities/Cultural Affairs) designed to support public diplomacy activities that build understanding and strengthen connections between people in the United States and Russia. Applications were accepted on a rolling basis, with a firm deadline of June 30, 2018, to allow time for review, processing, and awards before the end of the U.S. fiscal year on September 30, 2018. The agency anticipated making up to around 35 awards, with an award ceiling of $50,000 per project.
At its core, the program focuses on small grants for projects that strengthen U.S.-Russia ties by highlighting shared values and encouraging practical cooperation. A key requirement is that each proposal include a clear American cultural element and either align with one of PAS Moscow's priority program areas or incorporate a meaningful connection to U.S. experts, organizations, or institutions. The intent is not simply to fund general community programming, but to support activities that measurably increase understanding of the United States, create sustained relationships, and encourage ongoing engagement between American and Russian participants.
The APS highlights a broad set of examples to show the kinds of programming PAS Moscow is interested in supporting. These include academic and professional lectures, seminars, and speaker series; artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions; youth-focused initiatives, especially those that foreground diversity; professional and academic exchanges and collaborative projects; media training and press outreach, including digital media skills; entrepreneurship and innovation programming across technology and other sectors; and sports-related activities. While these examples are not exhaustive, they signal that the Embassy is open to a wide range of formats as long as the U.S. connection and public diplomacy purpose are strong and the outcomes support the strategic themes.
PAS Moscow identifies three priority program areas that proposals should address. First are programs that represent a long-term investment in U.S.-Russian ties through educational, cultural, professional, and other exchanges and sustained interactions. Second are programs that show active U.S. and Russian engagement to address new and evolving security challenges, emphasizing dialogue and cooperation rather than partisan politics. Third are programs that strengthen economic ties between Russians and Americans, which can include entrepreneurship ecosystems, business-to-business connections, innovation networks, and other practical linkages that support mutual economic understanding.
The opportunity also specifies the audiences it aims to reach, which helps applicants design recruitment and outreach plans. Target participants include community leaders; academic and cultural institutions; business leaders and entrepreneurs; youth; women and youth from underserved communities; U.S. and Russian thought leaders; and social and new media users. This list suggests the Embassy is interested in both traditional institutional partners (universities, museums, cultural centers) and modern influence channels (digital communities and media networks), with an emphasis on engaging young people and groups that may have fewer opportunities to participate in international exchange.
Several categories of activities are explicitly ineligible, and applicants are expected to avoid them. PAS Moscow will not fund partisan political activity, charitable or development assistance projects, construction, programs that support specific religious activities, fundraising campaigns, lobbying for specific legislation or projects, scientific research, or projects that duplicate existing efforts. In practice, this means proposals should stay firmly in the public diplomacy lane: cultural, educational, professional, and exchange-based programming that promotes mutual understanding and cooperation, rather than political campaigning, humanitarian relief, capital improvements, or research agendas.
The APS notes that the primary authorizing authority for the funding is Smith-Mundt, which is commonly associated with U.S. public diplomacy and educational and cultural exchange activities. Applicants were directed to consult the U.S. Embassy Moscow website for complete application instructions, required proposal elements, and submission procedures: https://ru.usembassy.gov/education-culture/cooperation-programs/.Apply for DOSRUS 18 GR 001
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Russia in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Embassy Moscow Public Affairs Section FY 2018 Annual Program Statement (APS)" 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 Dec 13, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 30, 2018. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 35 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: U.S. Embassy Moscow (PAS) FY 2018 Public Diplomacy Grants Program (DOSRUS 18 GR 001)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the U.S. Embassy Moscow Public Affairs Section (PAS) FY 2018 Annual Program Statement (APS) for the Public Diplomacy Grants Program, under funding opportunity number DOSRUS 18 GR 001. It is a discretionary grant/cooperative agreement program (CFDA 19.040, Humanities/Cultural Affairs) intended to support public diplomacy activities that build understanding and strengthen connections between people in the United States and Russia.
Who is offering the grant?
The program is offered by the U.S. Embassy Moscow Public Affairs Section (PAS), which is part of the U.S. Department of State.
What is the purpose of the program?
The program supports small grants for projects that strengthen U.S.-Russia ties by highlighting shared values and encouraging practical cooperation. The intent is to fund activities that measurably increase understanding of the United States, create sustained relationships, and encourage ongoing engagement between American and Russian participants.
How many awards were expected and what was the maximum award size?
The Embassy anticipated making up to around 35 awards. The award ceiling was $50,000 per project.
What type of funding instrument is used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
The APS describes the program as a discretionary grant/cooperative agreement program, meaning awards could be made using either instrument depending on the project and program needs.
When were applications due?
Applications were accepted on a rolling basis, with a firm deadline of June 30, 2018.
Why was there a June 30, 2018 deadline?
The deadline was set to allow time for review, processing, and awards before the end of the U.S. fiscal year on September 30, 2018.
What is meant by "rolling basis" submission?
Rolling basis means applications could be submitted and reviewed as they were received, up until the firm deadline of June 30, 2018.
What are PAS Moscow's priority program areas?
PAS Moscow identified three priority program areas:
- Programs that represent a long-term investment in U.S.-Russian ties through educational, cultural, professional, and other exchanges and sustained interactions.
- Programs that show active U.S. and Russian engagement to address new and evolving security challenges, emphasizing dialogue and cooperation rather than partisan politics.
- Programs that strengthen economic ties between Russians and Americans, including entrepreneurship ecosystems, business-to-business connections, innovation networks, and other practical linkages that support mutual economic understanding.
Is it required to align with a priority program area?
Proposals were expected to either align with one of PAS Moscow's priority program areas or incorporate a meaningful connection to U.S. experts, organizations, or institutions. Strong proposals typically demonstrate a clear link to public diplomacy goals and the stated strategic themes.
What is the "American cultural element" requirement?
Each proposal was required to include a clear American cultural element. The APS frames this as central to ensuring the project increases understanding of the United States and supports sustained U.S.-Russia engagement.
Do projects need a U.S. partner or U.S. participants?
The APS indicates that proposals should either align with a priority area or incorporate a meaningful connection to U.S. experts, organizations, or institutions. This signals that a substantive U.S. connection (such as involvement by U.S. experts or institutions) is an important feature of competitive proposals.
What kinds of activities does the program support?
The APS provides examples of the types of programming PAS Moscow is interested in supporting, including:
- Academic and professional lectures, seminars, and speaker series
- Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions
- Youth-focused initiatives, especially those that foreground diversity
- Professional and academic exchanges and collaborative projects
- Media training and press outreach, including digital media skills
- Entrepreneurship and innovation programming across technology and other sectors
- Sports-related activities
These examples are not exhaustive; the key is a strong U.S. connection and a clear public diplomacy purpose with outcomes that support the strategic themes.
Are only certain formats allowed (workshops, exchanges, etc.)?
No. The APS signals openness to a wide range of formats as long as the proposal has a strong American cultural element and advances public diplomacy objectives by building mutual understanding and sustained relationships.
Who are the target audiences for this program?
The opportunity identifies target participants to inform outreach and recruitment plans, including:
- Community leaders
- Academic and cultural institutions
- Business leaders and entrepreneurs
- Youth
- Women and youth from underserved communities
- U.S. and Russian thought leaders
- Social and new media users
Does the program emphasize youth and underserved communities?
Yes. The target audience list explicitly includes youth, and specifically women and youth from underserved communities, indicating an interest in expanding access to international engagement and exchange opportunities.
What kinds of projects are explicitly ineligible?
The APS states PAS Moscow will not fund:
- Partisan political activity
- Charitable or development assistance projects
- Construction
- Programs that support specific religious activities
- Fundraising campaigns
- Lobbying for specific legislation or projects
- Scientific research
- Projects that duplicate existing efforts
Can the grant fund partisan political activities or lobbying?
No. Partisan political activity and lobbying for specific legislation or projects are explicitly listed as ineligible activities.
Can the grant fund charitable aid, development assistance, or humanitarian work?
No. Charitable or development assistance projects are listed as ineligible under the APS.
Can the grant be used for construction or capital improvements?
No. Construction is explicitly listed as an ineligible activity.
Can the grant support religious programming?
The APS states that programs supporting specific religious activities are ineligible.
Can the grant support scientific research?
No. Scientific research is explicitly listed as an ineligible activity.
What does it mean that the program should not duplicate existing efforts?
The APS lists duplication of existing efforts as ineligible, meaning proposals were expected to offer distinct value and not simply replicate programming already being implemented elsewhere.
What is the authorizing authority for the program?
The APS notes that the primary authorizing authority is Smith-Mundt, which is commonly associated with U.S. public diplomacy and educational and cultural exchange activities.
Where were applicants instructed to find the complete application requirements?
Applicants were directed to consult the U.S. Embassy Moscow website for complete application instructions, required proposal elements, and submission procedures: https://ru.usembassy.gov/education-culture/cooperation-programs/
What is the CFDA number and program classification?
The APS references CFDA 19.040 (Humanities/Cultural Affairs).
What is the main thing reviewers were looking for in a proposal?
Based on the APS description, proposals needed to stay firmly in the public diplomacy lane and demonstrate: a clear American cultural element; strong U.S.-Russia connections (including ongoing engagement); alignment with priority themes or meaningful U.S. expert/institution connections; and outcomes that measurably increase understanding and build sustained relationships.
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