Notice of Funding Opportunity – Annual Program Statement - U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Kazakhstan

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
U.S. EMBASSY NUR-SULTAN – U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL ALMATY, PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTIONS

Notice of Funding Opportunity – Annual Program Statement

Funding Opportunity Title:  Annual Program Statement for Cultural Affairs
Funding Opportunity Number:  DOS-KAZ-NS-PAS-21-002
Deadline for Applications: Rolling Deadlines: The first is April 15, 2021; The second is July 15, 2021.
CFDA Number:  19.040 – Public Diplomacy Programs
Maximum for Each Award: $50,000

CONTACT INFORMATION

For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact KZ-PAS-Proposals@state.gov
To inquire about the process for obtaining a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) contact Donald Hunter at HunterDS@state.gov.

Due to the volume of applicants and inquiries, the Public Affairs Section (PAS) does not accept letters of intent, concept papers, or requests for meetings or phone calls prior to application.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application package has been received in its entirety. Incomplete applications will be considered ineligible. Applicants are urged to begin the application process well before the submission deadline. No exceptions will be made for organizations that have not completed the necessary steps.

A. Program Description

The U.S. Embassy Nur-Sultan and U.S. Consulate General Almaty Public Affairs Sections (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State are pleased to announce funding is available through the Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement, outlining our funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting funding requests. Please carefully follow all instructions below.

Purpose of Public Diplomacy Grants: PAS invites proposals for programs that strengthen cultural ties between the United States and Kazakhstan and support a priority program area (see below) in order to highlight shared values and promote bilateral cooperation. All proposed programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in order to promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives. Competitive proposals will promote continued/sustainable cooperation between the people of the United States and Kazakhstan even after the project concludes.

Examples of programs could include, but are not limited to

Academic and professional lectures, seminars, and speaker programs;
Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions;
Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs; and
Professional and academic exchanges and programs.

Priority Program Areas:

Effectively Harnessing Social Media, Digital Media, and Promoting Media Literacy: Kazakhstan has a growing and diversifying media market and a demand for objective, professional journalism; at the same time, online consumption of news, stories, and information sharing is higher than ever, including through messaging apps. The United States supports a sovereign and independent Kazakhstan, which includes support for a well-informed, discerning public who can inoculate itself against disinformation, online bullying, and better understand how to effectively use social media (define goals, design and execute a plan or campaign to achieve those goals, and how to monitor and evaluate success). Preference/priority will go to programs that specifically address Kazakh-language media.

Project Objectives (any of the following):

Increase social media literacy skills, especially for youth and the general public so that they can better identify and critically analyze disinformation.
Train social entrepreneurs and/or young professionals on how to design and manage an online campaign.
Support media professionals in further developing their media skills, including digital and media skills, data journalism, and effective informational campaigns.

Project Audiences:

Kazakh-speaking public
Youth, especially in regions of Kazakhstan outside of Almaty and Nur-Sultan
Social entrepreneurs, young professionals
Media professionals, including journalists, bloggers, and editors

Civil Society Capacity Building:

The U.S. Government believes that a strong democracy supports key values, such as respect for civil and human rights, youth empowerment, social inclusion, empowerment of underserved communities, including women, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQI persons, as well as respect for the rule of law, social justice, and the promotion of grassroots problem solving. The U.S. Embassy is interested in supporting projects that share American best practices, experience, and expertise with Kazakhstani organizations also promoting these mutual values and to strengthen their ability and capacity to advance these important issues.

Project Objectives (any of the following):

Train civil society organizations on constituency outreach and effective messaging, including identifying and knowing your target audience, determining what motivates them, and creating effective messaging, especially social media marketing.
Increase the capacity of individuals and civil society organizations to better analyze government policies, budgets, and procurement in order to advocate for policies, budgets, and increased government transparency and accountability.
Increase civil society organization (CSO) awareness of various funding streams to promote self-sustainability through fundraising, selling merchandise, partnering with companies engaged in Corporate Social Responsibility, etc.

Project Audiences:

Civil society organizations that promote the following:
- Good governance and rule of law
- Human Rights and social justice, especially working with individuals from underserved communities
- Youth empowerment
- Air quality and environmental issues

Sharing America with Kazakhstan:

The United States and Kazakhstan have rich cultural traditions as shown in the visual arts, literature and storytelling, theater and performing arts, film, music, dance, sport, and education. Educational and cultural activities are a great way to engage the public, especially at-risk youth, to bridge cultures, deepen cultural ties and understanding, and discuss topics of mutual importance. The U.S. Embassy is interested in supporting art, education, and cultural projects that strengthen understanding and cultural ties between the United States and Kazakhstan. Priority will be given to proposals and sustainable initiatives that seek to promote and raise awareness of values of freedom of expression, women’s empowerment, tolerance, diversity and inclusion, and youth engagement/empowerment.

Project Objectives:

Conduct educational or cultural programming to increase exposure to and understanding of the United States, demonstrating the strong mutual values held by each culture.
Develop projects celebrating the 30th anniversary of U.S.-Kazakhstan bilateral relations (established on December 25, 1991).

Project Audiences (any of the following):

Kazakh-speaking public
Rural or underserved communities
Youth, especially in regions of Kazakhstan outside of Almaty and Nur-Sultan
Social entrepreneurs
University staff, educators, students
Artists/artisans
Athletes

Authorizing legislation, type and year of funding:

This program will be funded under the appropriate Public Diplomacy authorization. All programming is subject to the statutory limitations of the funding determined.

B. Federal Award Information

Funding Mechanism Type: Cooperative Agreement and/or Grant
Length of performance period: 9-12 months
Number of awards anticipated: 10 awards (dependent on amounts)
Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $50,000
Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2021 Public Diplomacy Funding
Anticipated program start date: June 30, 2021 for applications submitted by April deadline; September 15, 2021 for applications submitted by July deadline.

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

The Public Affairs Section reserves the right to award less or more than the funds described under circumstances deemed to be in the best interest of the U.S. government, pending the availability of funds and approval of the designated grants officer.

Funding Instrument Type: Grant or Cooperative Agreement. Cooperative Agreements are different from grants in that PAS staff are more actively involved in the project execution and anticipate having moderate to substantial involvement once the award has been made.

C. Eligibility Information

The following Kazakhstani and U.S. organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations
- Civil society/non-governmental organizations
- Think tanks
- Public and private educational institutions
Cost sharing or matching is not required for this funding opportunity.
In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier (Data Universal Numbering System/DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet), as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D. Required Registrations on how to obtain these registrations. Individuals are not required to have a unique entity identifier or be registered in SAM.gov.
This award does not allow:
- Projects relating to partisan political activity;
- Charitable or development activities;
- Construction projects;
- Projects that support specific religious activities;
- Fund-raising campaigns;
- Lobbying for specific legislation or programs
- Scientific research or surveys;
- Commercial projects;
- Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization;
- Projects that duplicate existing projects; or
- Illegal activities

D. Application and Submission Information

Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.

Content and Form of Application Submission

Please ensure:

Proposal clearly addresses the goals, audiences, and objectives of this notice.
All documents are in English.
All budgets are in U.S. dollars.
All pages are numbered.
All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper.
All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.
All applicant authorized signatures are provided where indicated on the various, required forms.

Application Deadline

Applications may be received on a rolling basis. The Selection Committee anticipates reviewing proposals within 30 days of the deadline. Applications submitted early have a greater likelihood of consideration while funding is available, therefore applications are encouraged as soon as possible.

The Public Affairs Section will accept proposals throughout the year and will review proposals according to the following schedule:

First deadline: April 15, 2021
Second deadline: July 15, 2021. *Applications received after July 15, 2021 will not be accepted.

Application Submission Process: There are two application submissions methods available to applicants. Applicants may submit their application using Submission Method A or Submission Method B outlined below.

Submission Method A: Submitting all application materials directly to the following email address: KZ-PAS-Proposals@state.gov. Applicants opting to submit applications via email to KZ-PAS-Proposals@state.gov must include the Funding Opportunity Title and Funding Opportunity Number in the subject line of the email.

Submission Method B: Submitting all application materials through Grants.gov. For those opting to apply through Grants.gov, thorough instructions on the application process are available at http://www.grants.gov. For questions relating to Grants.gov, please call the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or go to https://www.grants.gov/support.html. Please note that KZ-PAS-Proposals@state.gov is unable to assist with technical questions or problems applicants experience with Grants.gov.

Required Registrations

Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in the System for Award Management (SAM) is not eligible to apply for an assistance award in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.” Additionally, no entity listed on the EPLS can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the EPLS in SAM to ensure that no ineligible entity is included.

All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations. All are free of charge:

Unique entity identifier from Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS number)
NCAGE/CAGE code
www.SAM.gov registration

Follow the steps outlined below to obtain the required registrations:

Step 1: Apply for a DUNS number and an NCAGE number (these can be completed simultaneously)

DUNS application: Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet, if your organization does not have one already, you may obtain one by calling 1-866-705-5711 or visiting http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

NCAGE application: Application page here (but need to click magnifying glass and then scroll down to click new registration) https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx

1. 1. 1. Instructions for the NCAGE application process:https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/Docs/US%20Instructions%20for%20NSPA%20NCAGE.pdf
      1. For help from within the U.S., call 1-888-227-2423
      2. For help from outside the U.S., call 1-269-961-7766
    2. Email NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil for any problems in getting an NCAGE code. After receiving the NCAGE Code, proceed to register in SAM by logging onto: https://www.sam.gov/

Step 2: Once DUNS and NCAGE are obtained, continue to SAM registration on www.SAM.gov .

Applicants utilizing Grants.gov must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. Registering with Grants.gov is a one-time process; however, it could take as long as two weeks to have the registration validated and confirmed. Please begin the registration process immediately to ensure that the process is completed well in advance of the deadline for applications. Until that process is complete, you will not be issued a user password for Grants.gov, which is required for application submission. After completing the required steps above to obtain a DUNS number, NCAGE/CAGE code, and SAM.gov registration, follow the steps below to complete Grants.gov registration:

Step 1: Once SAM registration is confirmed, continue to Grants.gov organization registration http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html.Organizations must maintain an active SAM registration (www.SAM.gov) with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or an application under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. SAM registration must be renewed annually. Given the volume of applications, review may take up to 90 days, and we are unable to individually confirm receipt of proposals.

Step 2: Register yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR); and be authorized as an AOR by your organization on www.grants.gov .

Applicants must acquire all required registrations and rights in the United States and Kazakhstan. All intellectual property considerations and rights must be fully met in the United States and Kazakhstan.

Any sub-recipient organization must also meet all the U.S. and Kazakhstan requirements described above.

*Individuals interested in educational exchange or study opportunities in the United States should visit https://kz.usembassy.gov/education-culture/ for more information on available programs.

E. Technical Requirements for Application

When submitting a proposal, applicants are required to include the following documents and information from Sections 1–5 below, as applicable:

Section 1—Standard Form 424 Family

All submissions must include the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance (Attachment 1) and the SF-424A Budget Information—Non-Construction (Attachment 2). These forms and the instructions for completing them are available at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html under the heading “SF-424 Family.” NOTE: The SF-424B is required only for those applicants who have not registered in SAM.gov or recertified their registration in SAM.gov since February 2, 2019 and completed the online representations and certifications. An authorized signature by the applicant must be provided on this form.

Please note:

Other items NOT required/requested for submission, but which may be requested if your application is approved for funding include:
1. Copies of an organization or program audit within the last two (2) years
2. Copies of relevant human resources, financial, or procurement policies
3. Copies of other relevant organizational policies or documentation that would help the Department determine your organization’s capacity to manage a federal grant award overseas.
The Embassy reserves the right to request any additional programmatic and/or financial information regarding the proposal.

Section 2—Organization Information

Applicant Organizational Information Sheet: Applicants must complete and submit the form provided (Attachment 3). An authorized signature by the applicant must be provided on this form.
Proof of Registration: A copy of the organization’s registration should be provided with the proposal application. U.S.-based organizations should submit a copy of their IRS determination letter. Kazakhstan-based organizations should submit a copy of their certificate of registration from the appropriate government organization.

Section 3—Technical Proposal

Applicants must submit a complete narrative proposal in a format of their choice, or they may use the attached proposal template (Attachment 4). The proposal shall not exceed twelve (12) pages. Refer to the evaluation criteria in Part G below for further detail about what makes a strong proposal. All proposals must address the following areas:

Organizational Description and Capacity
Project Justification, Sustainability, and Impact
Project Goals, Audiences, Objectives, Activities, and Deliverables
Implementation Timeline
Monitoring and Evaluation (see note below)

Monitoring & Evaluation

Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP): Proposals must include a draft Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP). Using the provided PMP template (Attachment 5), applicants should describe how they intend to monitor and evaluate the activities of their award and collect data that tracks award performance. The applicant should also submit If-Then statements to illustrate how project activities will lead to intended outcomes. In addition, the applicant must complete a short table outlining their proposed activities and indicators. The datasheet’s purpose is to explicitly illustrate how a project’s activities lead to tangible results (such as increased beneficiary skills, knowledge, or attitudes) that ultimately address a PAS objective.

Section 4—Budget

Budget and Budget Detail: Applicants must submit a detailed budget and budget narrative justification. Applicants are encouraged to utilize the template provided with the funding opportunity, but are not required to do so (Attachment 6). Line item expenditures should be listed in the greatest possible detail. Personnel salaries should include the level of effort and the rate of pay, which should cover the percentage of time each staff member will dedicate to grant-based activities. If your organization is charging an indirect cost rate, you must apply it to the modified total budget costs (MTDC), refer to 2CFR§200.68. Budgets that are not in the provided format will not be considered. Budgets shall be submitted in U.S. dollars and final grant agreements will be conducted in U.S. dollars.
Audit Requirements: Please note the audit requirements for Department of State awards in the Standard Terms and Conditions https://www.state.gov/m/a/ope/index.htm and 2CFR200, Subpart F – Audit Requirements. The cost of the required audits may be charged either as an allowable direct cost to the award OR included in the organization’s established indirect costs in the award’s detailed budget.
Visa Fees: Include all visa application and related fees in your budget as applicable. Please note DS-2019s for post-funded programs must be submitted directly by the award recipient. If you anticipate your program will include the DS-2019 visa processing, your organization must be a registered Designated Sponsoring Organization. For more information go to: https://j1visa.state.gov/sponsors/become-a-sponsor/

Section 5—Key Personnel and Project Partners

Key Personnel: A résumé, not to exceed one page in length, must be included for the proposed key staff persons, such as the Project Director and Finance Officer, as well as any speakers or trainers (if applicable). If an individual for this type of position has not been identified, the applicant may submit a 1-page position description, identifying the qualifications and skills required for that position, in lieu of a résumé.
Project Partners: Letters of support should be included for sub-recipients or other partners. The letters must identify the type of relationship to be entered into (formal or informal), the roles and responsibilities of each partner in relation to the proposed project activities, and the expected result of the partnership. The individual letters cannot exceed 1 page in length.

Special Characters in Submissions

Grants.gov does not accept all UTF-8 special characters in file attachment names. Applicants are able to enter all special characters from the UTF-8 character set when submitting applications and information to Grants.gov. However, if the grantor’s system is not yet compatible with these special characters, the grantor system may produce garbled or missing text in the application. As a result, the application may be rejected.

F. Review and Selection Process

Acknowledgement of receipt. Applicants will receive acknowledgment of receipt of their proposal.
Review. All submissions are screened for technical eligibility. If a submission is missing any required forms/documents listed, it will be considered ineligible and will not be reviewed by the grants review committee. A technical review panel will review the proposal and based upon the criteria noted in this NOFO.
Follow up notification. Applicants will generally be notified within 90 days after the NOFO deadline regarding the results of the review panel.

G. Application Evaluation Criteria

Criteria: Each application submitted under this announcement will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the criteria enumerated below. The criteria are designed to assess the quality of the proposed project, and to determine the likelihood of its success.

Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – 20 points: The program idea should be innovative and well developed, with sufficient detail about how project activities will be carried out. The proposals should demonstrate originality and outline clear, achievable objectives. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. The project scope is appropriate and clearly defined.

Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants – 5 points:

- - The project proposal demonstrates that the organization has sufficient expertise, skills, and human resources to implement the project.
  - The organization demonstrates that it has a clear understanding of the underlying issue that the project will address.
  - The organization demonstrates capacity for successful planning and responsible fiscal management. This includes a financial management system and a bank account.
  - Applicants who have received grant funds previously have been compliant with applicable rules and regulations.
  - Where partners are described, the applicant details each partner’s respective role and provides curriculum vitae (CVs) for persons responsible for the project and financial administration. Proposed personnel, institutional resources, and partners are adequate and appropriate

Project Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 25 points: The project plan is well developed, with sufficient detail about how activities will be carried out. The proposal specifies target audiences, participant recruitment, and geographic areas of implementation. The proposal outlines clear, achievable objectives. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. The project scope is appropriate and clearly defined.

- - A media or amplification plan (if appropriate) that shows how the organization will use social or traditional media or otherwise increase the number of people who gain exposure to the issue and knowledge of the activities beyond the core participants.

Budget – 20 points: The budget and narrative justification are sufficiently detailed. The budget demonstrates that the organization has devoted time to accurately determine expenses associated with the project instead of providing rough estimates. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The results and proposed outcomes justify the total cost of the project. Budget items are reasonable, allowable, and allocable.

Monitoring and Evaluation – 15 points: Points for M&E will be awarded by considering three subset criteria within the narrative: (1) Technical M&E; (2) Program Design; and (3) Learning. Specifically, scoring will be based on the following:

Technical M&E: A submission will be considered technically sound if there is a complete and thorough draft submission of an M&E Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP). This will include a list of proposed project activities, corresponding milestone, output, and outcome indicators, a description of data collection methods, and a timeline for collecting such information. Funded projects will have their plans finalized during the negotiation phase, and monitoring plans may be subject to periodic updates throughout the life of the project.

Program Design: A submission will be considered well designed if the proposal addresses a significant problem, identifies an appropriate target audience, and presents a clear theory of change on how the program will address that problem. Whether through a logical framework, theory of change diagram, or a set of if-then statements, the proposal should state in some form “If these activities are completed, then these outcomes will result”. Further, if the project requires selecting participants, or beneficiaries, the proposal should articulate how the selection will be done in an equitable way.

Learning: A submission will satisfy the learning component by demonstrating an ability to adjust project activities based on new information. Does the design incorporate community or participant feedback to allow for adjustments? If the proposal is from a prior grantee, does the proposal discuss how the grantee has adapted, improved or otherwise modified their approach based on learning from previous experience/past performance? If this is a new grantee or new project, has the proposal demonstrated that the applicant used desk research, prior experience, or other evidence to directly inform program design?

Expenses directly associated with monitoring and evaluation are considered allowable. The suggested template includes a space to list the portion of the total budget amount directly associated with monitoring and evaluation activities.

Sustainability – 15 points: The project proposal describes clearly the approach that will be used to ensure maximum sustainability or advancement of project goals after the end of project activity.

H. Federal Award Notices

The grant award or cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document and it will be provided to the recipient for review and signature by email. The recipient may only start incurring project expenses beginning on the start date shown on the grant award document signed by the Grants Officer.

If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the Department of State.

The Federal government is not obligated to make any Federal award as a result of the announcement. Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received. The U.S. government also reserves the right to make an award in excess of the award ceiling.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Terms and Conditions: Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply. These include: 2 CFR 25, 2 CFR 170, 2 CFR 175, 2 CFR 182, 2 CFR 183, 2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 600, Certifications and Assurances, and the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions, all of which are available at: https://www.state.gov/m/a/ope/index.htm

Reporting

Recipients are required to quarterly program progress and financial reports throughout the project period. Progress and financial reports are due 30 days after the reporting period. Final certified programmatic and financial reports are due 120 days after the close of the project period.

All reports are to be submitted electronically.

Awardees that are deemed to be high risk may be required to submit more extensive and frequent reports until their high risk designation has been removed.

I. Other Information

Guidelines for Budget Justification

Personnel and Fringe Benefits: Describe the wages, salaries, and benefits of temporary or permanent staff who will be working directly for the applicant on the project, and the percentage of their time that will be spent on the project.

Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this project, for both program staff, consultants or speakers, and participants/beneficiaries. If the project involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel.

Equipment: Describe any machinery, furniture, or other personal property that is required for the project, which has a useful life of more than one year (or a life longer than the duration of the project), and costs at least $5,000 per unit.

Supplies: List and describe all the items and materials, including any computer devices, that are needed for the project. If an item costs more than $5,000 per unit, then put it in the budget under Equipment.

Contractual: Describe goods and services that the applicant plans to acquire through a contract with a vendor. Also describe any sub-awards to non-profit partners that will help carry out the project activities.

Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the project, which do not fit in the other categories. For example, shipping costs for materials and equipment or applicable taxes. All “Other” or “Miscellaneous” expenses must be itemized and explained.

Indirect Costs: These are costs that cannot be linked directly to the project activities, such as overhead costs needed to help keep the organization operating. If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, attach a copy of your latest NICRA. Organizations that have never had a NICRA may request indirect costs of 10% of the modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.68.

“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S. Embassy. It also includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time and donated venues.

Branding Requirements

As a condition of receipt of a grant award, all materials produced pursuant to the award, including training materials, materials for recipients or materials to communicate or promote with foreign audiences a program, event, project, or some other activity under an agreement, including but not limited to invitations to events, press materials, and backdrops, podium signs, etc. must be marked appropriately with the standard, rectangular U.S. flag in a size and prominence equal to (or greater than) any other logo or identity. Note: Exceptions to the branding requirement are allowable under certain conditions. If an applicant is notified that their award has been chosen for funding, the Grants Officer will determine, in consultation with the applicant, if an exception is applicable.

Copyrights and Proprietary Information

If any of the information contained in your application is proprietary, please note in the footer of the appropriate pages that the information is Confidential – Proprietary. Applicants should also note what parts of the application, program, concept, etc. are covered by copyright(s), trademark(s), or any other intellectual property rights and provide copies of the relevant documentation to support these copyrights.

U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Kazakhstan