Opportunity Information: Apply for SMK800190002
The Annual Program Statement (Funding Opportunity Number SMK800190002) is a public diplomacy grant opportunity run by the U.S. Embassy in Skopje through the Department of State, U.S. Mission to North Macedonia. Its main purpose is to support creative projects that strengthen mutual understanding between people in the United States and North Macedonia and that visibly advance the overall bilateral relationship. The program is designed for initiatives with a clear public-facing impact, especially those that build connections, share expertise, and highlight shared values and interests between the two countries.
Funding is intended for projects that fit within several priority themes. These include entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as culture and the arts, particularly efforts that encourage mutual appreciation of artistic work from both countries. The Embassy is also looking for programs that promote diversity and empower youth and underserved communities, along with initiatives that support North Macedonia's path toward deeper Euro-Atlantic integration, including accession-related goals tied to NATO and the European Union. In practice, the strongest proposals are likely to be those that combine people-to-people engagement with tangible learning, skills development, or cultural exchange in a way that is easy for the public to see and understand.
The types of activities the Embassy generally considers appropriate are broad and flexible, as long as they connect back to the program goals. Examples include youth engagement projects focused on leadership or education, especially those that create exchanges or sustained connections between young people in North Macedonia and the United States. The opportunity also supports bringing an American expert or performer to North Macedonia, which could include guest speakers, trainers, artists, or other professionals whose work contributes to mutual understanding. Additional eligible activities include conferences, workshops, forums, panel discussions, and master classes centered on American themes or on issues of shared interest; exhibitions featuring American works or American-focused themes; and cultural programs that intentionally reach youth and underserved communities. The Embassy also notes that television and social media programming can be supported when it clearly advances the same public diplomacy objectives, suggesting that strong communications and outreach components are welcome when they are mission-driven rather than purely promotional.
At the same time, the program is explicit about what it typically does not fund, which helps clarify the boundaries of the grant. Projects focused on printing or promoting books or manuscripts are generally not supported, and travel to the United States for professional development is also listed as ineligible, indicating the emphasis is more on in-country programming and public engagement rather than individual training trips. The Embassy does not usually cover ongoing salary costs, office equipment purchases, or expenses aimed at finishing activities that already began using other funding sources. It also avoids funding that mainly promotes a local arts scene without a clear public diplomacy or bilateral exchange angle. Importantly, the opportunity excludes projects that are political in nature or that could appear partisan, including support for individual candidates, electoral campaigns, political party activities, or anything that could be interpreted as taking sides in domestic politics. Fundraising, commercial or trade ventures, individual travel to conferences or meetings, general social welfare projects, and projects supporting religious activities are also typically not funded, reinforcing that the focus is on public diplomacy programming rather than charity, commerce, or advocacy tied to religion or partisan politics.
From the posted grant details, awards are offered as grants and/or cooperative agreements under CFDA 19.040, with an award ceiling of $20,000. The posting anticipated around 10 awards. The opportunity was created on July 9, 2019, and listed an original closing date of August 1, 2019. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full notice, so applicants would generally need to consult the official announcement for the exact eligibility categories and required documentation. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a small-grants public diplomacy program meant to fund well-scoped, clearly nonpartisan projects that create meaningful engagement between U.S. and North Macedonian communities, institutions, and audiences.Apply for SMK800190002
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to North Macedonia in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Annual Program Statement" 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 Jul 09, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 01, 2019. (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 $20,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: Annual Program Statement (Funding Opportunity Number SMK800190002)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is the Annual Program Statement (Funding Opportunity Number SMK800190002), a public diplomacy grant opportunity run by the U.S. Embassy in Skopje through the U.S. Department of State (U.S. Mission to North Macedonia). It supports creative, public-facing projects that strengthen mutual understanding between people in the United States and North Macedonia and that visibly advance the bilateral relationship.
What is the main goal of the program?
The program is designed to support initiatives that build connections, share expertise, and highlight shared values and interests between the United States and North Macedonia. Strong proposals are typically those with clear people-to-people engagement and a tangible public impact that is easy to see and understand.
What themes or priorities does the Embassy want to fund?
Projects are expected to align with one or more of the priority themes described in the announcement, including:
- Entrepreneurship and innovation
- Culture and the arts, especially mutual appreciation of artistic work from both countries
- Diversity promotion and empowerment of youth and underserved communities
- Support for North Macedonia's deeper Euro-Atlantic integration, including accession-related goals tied to NATO and the European Union
What kinds of projects are considered a good fit?
A good fit is a well-scoped, clearly nonpartisan public diplomacy project that creates meaningful engagement between U.S. and North Macedonian communities, institutions, and audiences. Proposals tend to be strongest when they combine relationship-building with clear learning outcomes, skills development, or cultural exchange and include an intentional outreach component.
What activities are explicitly mentioned as eligible examples?
The Embassy describes a broad range of potentially appropriate activities, as long as they connect back to public diplomacy goals. Examples listed include:
- Youth engagement projects focused on leadership or education, particularly those that create exchanges or sustained connections between youth in North Macedonia and the United States
- Bringing an American expert or performer to North Macedonia (for example: guest speakers, trainers, artists, or other professionals)
- Conferences, workshops, forums, panel discussions, and master classes centered on American themes or issues of shared interest
- Exhibitions featuring American works or American-focused themes
- Cultural programs intentionally designed to reach youth and underserved communities
- Television and social media programming, when it clearly advances public diplomacy objectives
Does the program support media or social media projects?
Yes, television and social media programming may be supported when it clearly advances the same public diplomacy objectives. Based on the description, media components are most competitive when they are mission-driven and tied to mutual understanding and public engagement rather than being purely promotional.
Is travel to the United States supported under this opportunity?
No. Travel to the United States for professional development is listed as ineligible. The emphasis is described as in-country programming and public engagement rather than individual training trips to the United States.
Are book printing or book promotion projects eligible?
Generally no. Projects focused on printing or promoting books or manuscripts are typically not supported under this opportunity.
Can grant funds be used to pay ongoing salaries?
Typically no. The announcement notes that the Embassy does not usually cover ongoing salary costs.
Can the grant pay for office equipment?
Typically no. Office equipment purchases are listed among the items the Embassy does not usually fund.
Can this grant be used to finish a project that has already started with other funding?
Typically no. The Embassy does not usually fund expenses aimed at completing activities that already began using other funding sources.
Are local arts promotions eligible if they do not include a U.S. exchange element?
Usually not. The program avoids funding that mainly promotes a local arts scene without a clear public diplomacy or bilateral exchange angle. Arts projects are most aligned when they encourage mutual appreciation and understanding between the two countries.
Are political or partisan projects allowed?
No. The opportunity excludes projects that are political in nature or that could appear partisan. Examples of excluded activities include support for individual candidates, electoral campaigns, political party activities, or anything that could be interpreted as taking sides in domestic politics.
Does the program fund fundraising activities?
No. Fundraising is listed among the types of activities that are typically not funded.
Are commercial, trade, or business ventures eligible for support?
No. Commercial or trade ventures are listed as typically not funded. While entrepreneurship and innovation are priority themes, the program is framed as public diplomacy support rather than commercial investment or trade promotion.
Does the Embassy fund individual travel to conferences or meetings?
No. Individual travel to conferences or meetings is listed as typically not funded.
Are general social welfare or charity projects supported?
No. General social welfare projects are listed among the activities typically not funded. The focus is on public diplomacy programming rather than charity or general welfare support.
Are projects supporting religious activities eligible?
No. Projects supporting religious activities are listed as typically not funded.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling listed in the posting is $20,000.
How many awards were anticipated?
The posting anticipated around 10 awards.
What type of funding instrument is used?
Awards are offered as grants and/or cooperative agreements.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 19.040.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on July 9, 2019, and listed an original closing date of August 1, 2019.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the full notice. Applicants are expected to consult the official announcement for exact eligibility categories and required documentation.
What geographic focus does the program imply?
Based on the description, the program emphasizes public-facing programming in North Macedonia that connects to the United States through people-to-people engagement, American experts/performers, American themes, or other bilateral exchange elements.
How should applicants think about "public-facing impact"?
The opportunity emphasizes initiatives with a clear public-facing impact. In practical terms, this points toward projects that are visible to broader audiences (not just internal institutional activities) and that clearly communicate how they strengthen mutual understanding and the bilateral relationship.
What makes a proposal "clearly nonpartisan" under this program?
Based on the exclusions listed, a clearly nonpartisan proposal avoids electoral politics and party or candidate support and is structured so it cannot reasonably be interpreted as taking sides in domestic political debates. The focus should remain on public diplomacy objectives such as cultural exchange, shared values, and mutual understanding.
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