Democracy Commission Small Grants Program | TASHKENT PDS FY23 002

Democracy Commission Small Grants Program (U.S. Embassy Tashkent) - FAQs

What is the Democracy Commission Small Grants Program?

The Democracy Commission Small Grants Program is a competitive grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent through its Public Diplomacy Section (PDS), under the U.S. Department of State. It supports practical, community-facing projects that help strengthen democratic institutions and civil society in Uzbekistan.

What is the overall purpose of this grant opportunity?

The overall purpose is to support the development of democratic institutions and a stronger civil society in Uzbekistan by providing small grants to local organizations that can deliver targeted, measurable activities aligned with the Embassy's public diplomacy priorities. The program emphasizes addressing social needs, strengthening civic participation, and supporting more inclusive and accountable systems.

Who is offering and administering the grant?

The grant is offered by the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent and administered through the Embassy's Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) under the U.S. Department of State.

Is this a competitive grant?

Yes. Proposals are reviewed competitively, so applicants should assume a selective process and prepare strong proposals with clear objectives, realistic workplans, and evidence they can implement the project effectively.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is TASHKENT PDS FY23 002.

What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number for this opportunity?

The CFDA/Assistance Listing number is 19.900.

What type of funding instrument is used?

Funding is provided as a grant under a discretionary funding opportunity.

How much funding is available per project?

The award ceiling is $50,000 per project.

Is the number of awards known?

The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided information. Because the process is competitive, applicants should plan for a selective review environment.

When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on April 4, 2023.

What was the original application deadline?

The original application deadline was May 15, 2023.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to organizations based in Uzbekistan. The announcement indicates eligible applicants can include nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, and civil society/non-governmental organizations, with a specific emphasis on nonprofit NGOs and associations, nonprofit CSOs, and independent local media organizations.

Are individuals eligible to apply?

The provided information describes eligibility in terms of organizations based in Uzbekistan and does not mention individuals as eligible applicants.

Can for-profit organizations apply?

Yes. The announcement indicates that eligible applicants can include for-profit organizations, as long as they are based in Uzbekistan and the proposal aligns with the program priorities.

Can independent media organizations apply?

Yes. Independent local media organizations are specifically highlighted as intended applicants, provided they are based in Uzbekistan.

What kinds of projects does the program want to fund?

The program is designed to fund initiatives that address social needs, strengthen civic participation, and support more inclusive and accountable systems through practical, targeted, measurable activities. Projects should be community-facing and clearly aligned with the U.S. Embassy's public diplomacy priorities.

What are the priority topics for proposals?

The Embassy is seeking proposals within one of two priority topics: (1) strengthening the role of women and marginalized communities through education and entrepreneurship, and (2) strengthening civil society while promoting human rights and the rule of law.

What is Topic 1 about?

Topic 1 focuses on strengthening the role of women and marginalized communities through education and entrepreneurship. The stated goal is to improve the social and economic situation of low-income families and disadvantaged groups by supporting structured interventions that expand skills, employability, entrepreneurship, and social inclusion.

What kinds of activities fit under Topic 1?

Examples described for Topic 1 include skills training, entrepreneurship support, employability programs, mentorship networks, community education initiatives, and other structured interventions that help participants gain economic resilience and social inclusion. Projects should connect education and/or economic opportunity to broader empowerment outcomes, especially for groups that face barriers to participation.

What is Topic 2 about?

Topic 2 centers on strengthening civil society while promoting human rights and the rule of law. The goal is to increase the capacity of Uzbekistan's civil society to respond to unmet social needs affecting women, youth, migrants, and other vulnerable groups.

What kinds of activities fit under Topic 2?

Examples described for Topic 2 include capacity building and problem-solving initiatives that help civil society actors deliver services, advocate effectively, build coalitions, raise awareness of rights, improve legal literacy, or support community-based solutions connected to human rights protections and rule-of-law principles.

Who are the target audiences or beneficiaries mentioned?

The opportunity references women, youth, migrants, low-income families, disadvantaged groups, marginalized communities, and other vulnerable groups as key populations that projects may serve, depending on the topic area.

Do projects need to be implemented in Uzbekistan?

The opportunity is intended for Uzbekistan-based organizations and aims to strengthen democratic institutions and civil society in Uzbekistan, indicating projects are expected to be implemented in-country and reach local target audiences.

How important is alignment with Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) priorities?

Applicants are instructed to align proposals closely with PDS goals, priority program areas, and target audiences. Successful proposals should clearly explain who will benefit, what will be delivered, why it matters in the Uzbek context, and how results will be measured within the project period and budget.

What should an application emphasize to be competitive?

Based on the provided description of competitive review, applications should emphasize clear objectives, a realistic workplan, a credible implementation approach, direct relevance to one of the two priority topics, and measurable results that can be delivered within the proposed budget and project period.

Are measurable outcomes expected?

Yes. The program description emphasizes targeted, measurable activities and suggests applicants should explain how results will be measured.

Is this program focused on practical community-facing work or research?

The program is described as supporting practical, community-facing projects. The provided information does not describe research as a primary focus.

What does the grant seek to strengthen at a systems level?

The grant aims to support more inclusive and accountable systems by strengthening democratic institutions and civil society, increasing civic participation, and improving civil society capacity to respond to social needs and rights-related gaps affecting vulnerable populations.