Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS BE200 FY18 01
The U.S. Embassy in Brussels, through its Public Affairs Section (PAS), offers funding through its Public Diplomacy Grants Program under an Annual Program Statement (APS). The overall goal is to support projects that strengthen relationships between the United States and Belgium by emphasizing shared democratic values, encouraging mutual understanding, and promoting practical bilateral cooperation. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis until the listed deadline, meaning applicants can submit at any time during the open period rather than waiting for a single fixed submission window.
A central requirement is that every proposed project must include a clear U.S. connection. That can be shown by incorporating an American cultural element, aligning with one of the program's priority areas, or meaningfully involving U.S. experts, institutions, or organizations in a way that helps Belgian audiences better understand U.S. policy, perspectives, or society. In practice, the Embassy is looking for programs that go beyond general international exchange and clearly explain why U.S. participation or content is essential to the project design and expected outcomes.
The Embassy highlights a wide range of activities it is willing to support. Examples include grassroots initiatives that counter radicalization; lectures, seminars, and speaker series for academic or professional audiences; cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions that connect Belgian and American creators; youth leadership programs, with particular interest in reaching minorities and underrepresented groups; professional and academic exchanges; media training and press outreach; entrepreneurship and innovation programming (including technology-focused efforts); and sports-related activities that can build community ties and positive engagement. These examples are illustrative rather than exhaustive, signaling openness to different formats as long as they advance the public diplomacy mission.
Within that broad scope, PAS Brussels identifies four core priority program areas. First are programs that show active U.S.-Belgian engagement on emerging and evolving security challenges. Second are programs that spotlight cooperation to counter terrorism, radicalization, and transnational crime. Third are programs that strengthen transatlantic economic ties, including business connections, entrepreneurship, and broader economic collaboration between Americans and Belgians. Fourth are programs that build long-term investment in the bilateral relationship through sustained educational, cultural, and professional exchanges and ongoing people-to-people networks.
The intended participants and audiences are similarly diverse, but the APS emphasizes groups that can amplify impact over time or are strategically important for community resilience and civic engagement. Priority audiences include youth; women and young people from underserved communities; cultural and academic institutions; business leaders and entrepreneurs; community leaders; U.S. and Belgian thought leaders; and social and new media users. This focus suggests the Embassy is interested in both traditional institutions (universities, cultural venues, established NGOs) and modern channels for outreach and influence (digital communities and media ecosystems).
The APS also clearly defines what it will not fund. Ineligible projects include partisan political activity, charitable or development work, construction, projects that support specific religious activities, fundraising campaigns, lobbying efforts for specific legislation or projects, scientific research, and proposals that duplicate existing programs. The common thread is that the grants are meant for public diplomacy and mutual understanding, not domestic political advocacy, infrastructure, religious promotion, basic research, or general charity, and they must add distinct value rather than replicate what is already being done.
Eligible applicants include a range of organization types and individuals. The APS lists registered not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society or non-governmental organizations with relevant programming experience), individuals, non-profit or governmental educational institutions, and governmental institutions. The funding instrument is a grant, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary, and it is administered by the U.S. Mission to Belgium under CFDA 19.040. The opportunity information provided includes an award ceiling of $150,000, with applications accepted until the stated closing date (September 14, 2018), and it is identified by the funding opportunity number PAS BE200 FY18 01.Apply for PAS BE200 FY18 01
- The U.S. Mission to Belgium in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Embassy Brussels PAS 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 2017-11-09.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-09-14. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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FAQs: U.S. Embassy Brussels Public Diplomacy Grants Program (APS)
1) What is this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Embassy in Brussels through its Public Affairs Section (PAS) under a Public Diplomacy Grants Program Annual Program Statement (APS). The program provides grant funding for projects that strengthen relationships between the United States and Belgium by emphasizing shared democratic values, encouraging mutual understanding, and promoting practical bilateral cooperation.
2) What is the overall goal of the program?
The overall goal is to support projects that deepen U.S.-Belgian relationships by highlighting shared democratic values, improving mutual understanding, and promoting practical cooperation between the two countries.
3) Is there a required U.S. connection for proposed projects?
Yes. Every proposed project must include a clear U.S. connection. This can be demonstrated by incorporating an American cultural element, aligning with one of the program priority areas, or meaningfully involving U.S. experts, institutions, or organizations in a way that helps Belgian audiences better understand U.S. policy, perspectives, or society.
4) What does the Embassy mean by a "clear U.S. connection"?
A clear U.S. connection means the project is not just a general international exchange. The proposal should clearly explain why U.S. participation or U.S.-related content is essential to the project design and expected outcomes, and how it will help Belgian audiences better understand the United States.
5) Are proposals accepted on a rolling basis?
Yes. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis until the listed deadline. This means applicants can submit at any time during the open period rather than waiting for a single fixed submission window.
6) What is the application deadline listed in the opportunity information?
The stated closing date in the opportunity information provided is September 14, 2018.
7) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $150,000.
8) What types of activities does PAS Brussels indicate it may fund?
The Embassy highlights a broad range of illustrative activities, including:
- Grassroots initiatives that counter radicalization
- Lectures, seminars, and speaker series for academic or professional audiences
- Cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions connecting Belgian and American creators
- Youth leadership programs, with interest in reaching minorities and underrepresented groups
- Professional and academic exchanges
- Media training and press outreach
- Entrepreneurship and innovation programming, including technology-focused efforts
- Sports-related activities that build community ties and positive engagement
These examples are not exhaustive, and different formats may be considered if they advance the public diplomacy mission and meet the program requirements.
9) Does my project have to fit one of the priority program areas?
The APS emphasizes alignment with priority areas as one way to demonstrate a strong U.S. connection and fit with Embassy objectives. The priority areas are explicitly identified by PAS Brussels, indicating these themes are central to what the program seeks to support.
10) What are the four priority program areas?
PAS Brussels identifies four core priority program areas:
- Programs showing active U.S.-Belgian engagement on emerging and evolving security challenges
- Programs spotlighting cooperation to counter terrorism, radicalization, and transnational crime
- Programs strengthening transatlantic economic ties, including business connections, entrepreneurship, and broader economic collaboration
- Programs building long-term investment in the bilateral relationship through sustained educational, cultural, and professional exchanges and ongoing people-to-people networks
11) Who are the priority audiences or participants?
The APS emphasizes audiences that can amplify impact over time or are strategically important for resilience and civic engagement. Priority audiences include:
- Youth
- Women and young people from underserved communities
- Cultural and academic institutions
- Business leaders and entrepreneurs
- Community leaders
- U.S. and Belgian thought leaders
- Social and new media users
12) Can projects use digital or media components?
Yes. The APS explicitly references media training, press outreach, and priority audiences that include social and new media users, indicating that media and digital engagement can be appropriate elements when aligned with the public diplomacy goals.
13) Are cultural and arts projects eligible?
Yes, cultural programming is listed among the illustrative activities, including cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions that connect Belgian and American creators, provided the project advances the program mission and includes a clear U.S. connection.
14) Are youth programs eligible?
Yes. Youth leadership programs are specifically mentioned, with particular interest in reaching minorities and underrepresented groups.
15) Are entrepreneurship, innovation, or technology-focused programs eligible?
Yes. Entrepreneurship and innovation programming, including technology-focused efforts, is listed among the types of activities the Embassy is willing to support, especially where it strengthens transatlantic economic ties or broader cooperation.
16) Are sports-related activities eligible?
Yes. Sports-related activities are listed as potentially fundable when they can build community ties and encourage positive engagement.
17) What kinds of projects are explicitly ineligible for funding?
The APS states it will not fund:
- Partisan political activity
- Charitable or development work
- Construction
- Projects that support specific religious activities
- Fundraising campaigns
- Lobbying efforts for specific legislation or projects
- Scientific research
- Proposals that duplicate existing programs
18) Why are partisan political activities and lobbying not eligible?
Based on the APS description, the grants are intended for public diplomacy and mutual understanding, not domestic political advocacy. As a result, partisan political activity and lobbying for specific legislation or projects are listed as ineligible.
19) Are charitable or development projects eligible if they have a U.S. connection?
No. Charitable or development work is specifically listed as ineligible, even if the proposed activity otherwise relates to the United States.
20) Is construction funding allowed?
No. Construction is explicitly listed as ineligible.
21) Are religious programs eligible?
Projects that support specific religious activities are listed as ineligible.
22) Can the grant be used for scientific research?
No. Scientific research is explicitly listed as ineligible.
23) What does it mean that proposals cannot duplicate existing programs?
The APS lists proposals that duplicate existing programs as ineligible. In other words, the project should add distinct value rather than replicate what is already being done.
24) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- Registered not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with relevant programming experience)
- Individuals
- Non-profit or governmental educational institutions
- Governmental institutions
25) What agency administers this grant?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Mission to Belgium through the U.S. Embassy in Brussels (PAS).
26) What is the funding instrument and how is the opportunity categorized?
The funding instrument is a grant. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary.
27) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The APS information provided identifies this opportunity under CFDA 19.040.
28) What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number provided is PAS BE200 FY18 01.
29) Does the APS restrict projects to only the listed examples?
No. The activity examples are described as illustrative rather than exhaustive, suggesting openness to different formats as long as they advance the public diplomacy mission, align with program goals, and meet eligibility and U.S. connection requirements.
30) What is the main thing applicants should emphasize in their proposal narrative?
Based on the APS description, applicants should clearly explain the essential U.S. connection and how the project strengthens U.S.-Belgian relationships through shared democratic values, mutual understanding, and practical bilateral cooperation, ideally within the identified priority areas and for the priority audiences.
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