Public Diplomacy Bujumbura Small Grants Program

The U.S. Department of State’s Embassy Bujumbura is soliciting proposals under the Public Diplomacy Bujumbura Small Grants Program to implement a time-bound initiative supporting American foreign policy goals through sports and health engagement. The program aims to leverage basketball as a tool to advance U.S. public diplomacy, strengthen people-to-people ties, capitalize on the Decade of Sport (2024–2034), and promote physical and mental well-being among youth and young professionals aged 15 to 35, as well as opinion leaders in Burundi. Projects must align with the broader objectives of making the United States safer, stronger, and more prosperous by showcasing American leadership and excellence in sports and health, while integrating the Freedom 250 brand and Department of State visual identity into all public-facing materials. Proposals are capped at a maximum award of $25,000 with an anticipated performance period of twelve months beginning in October 2026, and must be completed by October 2027. Applicants must be non-profit organizations, educational institutions, or public international entities; for-profit organizations are ineligible. All applicants are required to maintain an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in SAM.gov and submit a comprehensive narrative proposal not exceeding ten pages, along with standardized forms SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, budget justification, and supporting documents such as one-page resumes for key personnel and letters of support. Proposals will be evaluated on a trade-off basis using a weighted scoring system: program quality and feasibility (30 points), organizational capacity (25 points), project planning (20 points), budget reasonableness (10 points), monitoring and evaluation (10 points), and sustainability (5 points), with cost used only as a tie-breaker in favor of lower indirect cost rates. Selected applicants must comply with extensive post-award requirements including quarterly and final financial and programmatic reporting, adherence to 2 CFR Parts 175 and 200, annual recertifications on trafficking in persons compliance, and submission of Risk Analysis Information via the DS-4184 form for key personnel through the State Department’s RAM portal. Branding mandates require use of the Freedom 250 and State Department logos on all program materials. Unallowable costs include pre-award expenditures, construction, direct social services, medical assistance, and undisclosed unmanned aircraft systems use. Payment is processed via SF