Rolling Deadline to August 2015 (Projects must begin by September 30, 2015)

The U.S. Consulate Toronto is pleased to announce that limited funding is available through the U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs Small Grants program to support activities that promote U.S.-Canada bilateral relations in the following four priority areas: 1) Increase entrepreneurship and economic prosperity, maximize economic growth and bilateral trade, tourism, and investment, especially among youth and underserved communities; 2) Enhance civil society's ability to respond to transnational crime, natural disasters or terrorist threats; 3) Enhance bilateral partnerships in promotion of rule of law assistance, development, and cooperation in the Americas and beyond; and 4) Promote cultural exchange and enhance understanding of our shared history, traditions, and values. Preference will be given to proposals that address the first three areas.

The goal of these grants is to enhance relations between Canadian and U.S. organizations and people in the priority areas described, and/or to allow Canadian audiences to better understand the United States, its culture, society, government, language, legal, economic and political systems, and values. In furtherance of these goals, grant proposals must include American content. American content can include speakers who are American citizens, use of U.S. training models or materials, exchanges with U.S. institutions, promotion of U.S. culture and arts, etc.

Activities that are typically funded include, but are not limited to:

Academic and professional lectures; public seminars and programs;
Professional development workshops and training for youth and underserved communities
Cultural, professional and academic exchanges and projects;
Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions;

Activities that are not typically funded include, but are not limited to:
Grants to individuals
Scientific research
Paying to complete activities begun with other funds;
Projects that are inherently political in nature or that contain the appearance of partisanship/support to individual or single party electoral campaigns;
Speakers who are not American citizens.

Proposals will be considered on a rolling basis up until August 15, 2015, 18:00. All projects must begin before September 30, 2015. This does not mean that the activity being funded must be completed before September 30, 2015, but that preparation for the activity must begin before that date.

Proposals can be submitted at any time before August 15, 2015. All applicants are typically contacted 4-6 weeks after their proposal submission and informed whether or not their proposal was selected.

Please read more about the eligibility and evaluation criteria, submission, selection process and reporting here at http://canada.usembassy.gov/about-us/embassy-offices/cultural-affairs/u.s.-embassy-ottawa-public-affairs-small-grants-program-fy-2015 . Proposals should be submitted online to the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa at the following email address: Ottawa-PA@State.gov and copied to the email address of the U.S. Consulate Toronto: TorontoPA@State.gov

Hilary Fuller Renner, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Consulate Toronto
Rennerh@state.gov 416-595-1721