Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 77 / Thursday, April 21, 2011 / Notices 22429 

17 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12). 

Number SR–CBOE–2011–028 on the 

subject line. 

Paper Comments 

• Send paper comments in triplicate 

to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, 

Securities and Exchange Commission, 

100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 

20549–1090. 

All submissions should refer to File 

Number SR–CBOE–2011–028. This file 

number should be included on the 

subject line if e-mail is used. To help the 

Commission process and review your 

comments more efficiently, please use 

only one method. The Commission will 

post all comments on the Commission’s 

Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the 

submission, all subsequent 

amendments, all written statements 

with respect to the proposed rule 

change that are filed with the 

Commission, and all written 

communications relating to the 

proposed rule change between the 

Commission and any person, other than 

those that may be withheld from the 

public in accordance with the 

provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be 

available for Web site viewing and 

printing in the Commission’s Public 

Reference Room, 100 F Street, NE., 

Washington, DC 20549, on official 

business days between the hours of 10 

a.m. and 3 p.m. Copies of such filing 

also will be available for inspection and 

copying at the principal office of the 

Exchange. All comments received will 

be posted without change; the 

Commission does not edit personal 

identifying information from 

submissions. You should submit only 

information that you wish to make 

publicly available. All submissions 

should refer to File Number SR–CBOE– 

2011–028 and should be submitted on 

or before May 12, 2011. 

For the Commission, by the Division of 

Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated 

authority.17

Cathy H. Ahn, 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2011–9648 Filed 4–20–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 7421] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals: ‘‘American Film 

Showcase—Contemporary Voices in 

Documentary and Fiction Film’’ 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

PE/C/CU–11–46. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 19.415. 

Key Dates: September 1, 2011 to 

January 31, 2013. 

Application Deadline: May 25, 2011. 

Executive Summary: The Cultural 

Programs Division of the Office of 

Citizen Exchanges in the Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) 

announces an open competition for a 

cooperative agreement to administer the 

‘‘American Film Showcase— 

Contemporary Voices in Documentary 

and Fiction Film.’’ Through this 

program, ECA seeks to bring awardwinning independent American 

documentaries and narrative films to 

audiences around the world to offer 

contemporary new insights into 

American life and culture and issues 

affecting democratic societies. The films 

and their filmmakers will be showcased 

at international venues, including U.S. 

Embassy-organized events and/or U.S. 

Embassy-supported international 

documentary and feature film festivals. 

This program will provide for travel by 

documentary and feature filmmakers 

and film experts in conjunction with 

public presentation of the films 

overseas. In addition to presentations, 

American filmmakers and film experts 

will be expected to conduct or 

participate in master classes, 

workshops, lectures and other outreach 

activities designed for a variety of 

audiences, with a focus on younger and 

underserved audiences. The classes are 

expected to include filmmaking 

workshops and training in digital 

technology, emergent media, and 

creative use of social media. The 

Showcase also will provide for followup programming that could include 

return visits overseas by American 

filmmakers or visits by young foreign 

filmmakers to the United States. 

Through this solicitation, ECA seeks 

an organization to identify and select a 

collection of contemporary American 

documentary and narrative films that 

offer a broad overview of the best in 

current American independent 

filmmaking. 

The films should demonstrate high 

artistic quality, illustrate diverse 

viewpoints, address a variety of social 

issues, and reflect the creativity 

inherent in an open, democratic society. 

Documentaries are the priority focus 

of the American Film Showcase. They 

should address important and 

compelling themes and represent more 

than half of the films in the Showcase, 

with the remainder being narrative/ 

fiction films. The Showcase also should 

include a small collection of animated 

shorts. 

U.S. public and non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 

described in Internal Revenue code 

section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit 

proposals for the American Film 

Showcase. 

For this competition, all applicants 

must demonstrate sufficient experience 

successfully exhibiting, distributing, or 

otherwise promoting American 

documentaries and narrative films. They 

also should demonstrate extensive 

knowledge of independent 

filmmaking—especially the 

documentary field—both in the U.S. and 

overseas. 

Proposals from organizations with 

significant international experience and 

also educational programming 

experience will be more competitive. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

amended, also known as the FulbrightHays Act. The purpose of the Act is ‘‘to 

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations * * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

the program above is provided through 

legislation. 

Purpose 

The Bureau seeks proposals that will 

showcase and promote contemporary 

American independent documentaries 

and narrative films and their filmmakers 

at a variety of international venues, 

including U.S. Embassy-organized 

events and U.S. Embassy-supported 

documentary film festivals, as well as at 

universities, museums, binational 


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centers and elsewhere. These events 

will help engage audiences overseas that 

have access to few if any American 

independent documentaries and 

narrative films. The Showcase will 

provide opportunities for international 

audiences to become exposed to 

American viewpoints on socially 

relevant issues as presented in these 

films; gain an understanding of the role 

of filmmaking as a catalyst for dialogue 

and for exploring solutions to 

contemporary problems; and allow 

American filmmakers to learn about life 

and culture in the foreign host 

countries. 

Documentaries are the priority focus 

of the Showcase because they can 

inspire critical discussion of difficult 

topics, help foster mutual 

understanding and demonstrate the 

importance of free speech in bringing 

about public discourse to effect change. 

The documentaries should address a 

variety of compelling themes and reflect 

contemporary American society as seen 

by independent documentary 

filmmakers. These themes should 

include—but not be limited to—human 

rights, ethnic diversity, immigration, 

democratic processes, women and 

families, civil society, the environment, 

science and technology, education and 

other subjects reflecting contemporary 

life. 

Documentaries should represent more 

than half of the films in the Showcase, 

with the remainder being narrative/ 

fiction films. Selected narrative films 

should not be extraneous to the program 

but should elaborate in some way on the 

themes explored in the documentaries. 

ECA is looking for a creative and 

imaginative proposal to illustrate this 

connection. The American Film 

Showcase should include at least 15 and 

no more than 20 documentaries and 

narrative films, with documentaries 

comprising more than 50% of the total 

number. Applicant organizations should 

specify what that number should be and 

explain the reason for the documentary/ 

narrative film ratio. In addition, the 

applicant also will select a small 

collection of animated shorts (approx. 

five) that demonstrate the latest in 

American animation techniques and 

increase programming interest, 

especially for younger audiences. 

The applicant will be responsible for 

identifying and assembling a collection 

of American documentaries on diverse 

social themes, whose filmmakers will be 

available for overseas travel and 

programming by U.S. Embassies in 

connection with the presentation of 

their documentaries at Embassysponsored events or local film festivals, 

as well as other programming 

possibilities. The applicant also will be 

responsible for identifying and 

assembling a selection of narrative/ 

fiction films that elaborate on the 

themes explored in the documentaries. 

Fiction filmmakers also must be 

available for overseas travel and 

presentation of their films at U.S. 

Embassy-sponsored events, local film 

festivals, and other program venues. In 

addition to presentations, all American 

Showcase filmmakers and film experts 

will be expected to conduct or 

participate in master classes, lectures 

and workshops on a variety of subjects, 

including filmmaking, story-telling, and 

cinematography; marketing, distribution 

and funding; animation techniques and 

computer animation; digital technology, 

cell-phone and YouTube filmmaking; 

other forms of emergent media, as well 

as creative use of social networking. 

They also are expected to be available 

for interviews, radio and television 

appearances, and other outreach 

activities. Audiences are expected to 

include film professionals, film students 

and festival goers; journalism students 

and other university students; younger 

students with little background in film; 

environmental activists and civil society 

representatives; NGO’s seeking to help 

the disabled; as well as general 

audiences. 

The Showcase also will provide for 

follow-up programming that could 

include the return of filmmakers or film 

experts to countries already visited for 

more in-depth programs. Alternatively, 

several young foreign filmmakers 

encountered during the Showcase tour 

might be invited to present their films 

at one or more festivals in the United 

States. The award recipient will develop 

follow-up programs in consultation with 

ECA and U.S. Embassies. 

Applicants should submit proposals 

that show how they will identify and 

select the collection outlined here and 

how they will assist ECA in 

programming the films and their 

filmmakers in approximately 20 to 25 

countries overseas. 

Guidelines 

The successful applicant must fully 

demonstrate a capacity to achieve the 

following: 

(1) Identify the film professionals, 

subject matter specialists, and other 

experts who will be members of the 

panel(s) selecting the documentaries 

and narrative films. Provide credentials 

to illustrate the film and international 

expertise of the review panelists. 

(2) Identify the specific selection 

criteria the review panel(s) will use to 

select the documentary and narrative 

films and participating filmmakers. The 

panel(s) may include an ECA 

representative as an observer. 

Since the films and documentaries 

will be presented abroad as part of 

ECA’s public diplomacy outreach, they 

should be balanced, represent the 

diversity of American political, social 

and cultural life, and take political and 

cultural sensitivities into consideration. 

ECA will review and approve 

nominated documentaries and narrative 

films and provide final approval for the 

selection panel(s) recommendations. 

(3) Identify, select, and obtain 

approximately 15–20 American 

documentaries and narrative films 

appropriate for overseas presentation. 

Documentaries should comprise more 

than 50% of the collection and should 

reflect compelling themes and issues 

such as human rights, ethnic diversity, 

women’s issues, and the environment as 

well as categories such as history and 

social documentaries, ethnographic 

films, biographies, and the arts. The 

narrative films should relate to the 

themes presented in the documentaries. 

The collection should include 

documentary and narrative films 

appropriate for entry into international 

film festivals if requested by U.S. 

embassies. It also should include a mix 

of feature length and short films to 

allow for flexible programming at 

various venues. 

(4) Identify, select, and obtain at least 

five or more animated shorts that 

demonstrate the latest in American 

animation techniques, enhance program 

flexibility, and increase programming 

interest, especially for younger 

audiences. 

(5) Identify the filmmakers, film 

professionals, and other film experts 

who will travel overseas to present the 

films and arrange their travel, assisting 

with passport, visa, immunizations, and 

other pre-travel preparations. 

Filmmakers must be U.S. citizens who 

are at least 21 years old; demonstrate the 

highest artistic ability; be conversant 

with broader aspects of contemporary 

American society and culture; be 

conversant with the other films in the 

collection, as well as their own; and be 

adaptable to unescorted, rigorous 

touring through regions where travel 

and performance situations may be 

difficult. 

(6) Ensure documentaries and 

narrative features are available in 

appropriate formats for various kinds of 

screening venues and that sufficient 

copies of the entire collection are 

available for multiple bookings in 

various geographic areas. The applicant 

is responsible for producing Showcase 

film packages in appropriate formats 


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with sufficient copies for multiple 

exhibitions overseas. 

(7) Obtain all necessary and 

appropriate rights clearances for the 

documentaries, narrative features and 

animation shorts included in the 

Showcase collection to ensure copyright 

protection and permit flexibility in 

programming. This includes obtaining 

translation rights. 

(8) Obtain transcripts and dialogue 

lists for all documentaries and narrative 

films to allow for subtitling when 

needed. The applicant’s budget should 

include funds to cover some subtitling, 

with ECA or individual embassies 

paying the balance. 

(9) Ensure all Showcase 

documentaries and narrative films meet 

film festival criteria, in the event they 

are to be submitted for presentation at 

a U.S. Embassy-supported festival. 

Assist with festival entry forms. 

(10) Work with ECA and U.S. 

Embassy Public Affairs Sections to 

develop program models for Embassysponsored or Embassy-organized film 

events that are appropriate for many 

different audiences and venues. 

(11) Working in coordination with 

ECA, ensure Embassy Public Affairs 

Sections concur with suitability of 

selected Showcase films for their 

programming. 

(12) Develop educational, 

programming and promotional materials 

to support the Showcase collection, 

including a website, study guides, 

posters, press kits, and media packets. 

(13) Develop a comprehensive media 

and public relations strategy that 

includes outreach to international and 

U.S. media. The successful applicant 

will incorporate social media and 

innovative technologies into their 

outreach strategy. All final public 

relations strategies will be developed in 

consultation with and approved by 

ECA. 

(14) Arrange and provide orientation 

sessions and pre-travel briefings for 

filmmakers and film experts, produce 

press materials and provide publicity 

and other support while the filmmakers 

are overseas. 

(15) Evaluate program activities. 

(16) Report on program activities to 

ECA immediately following each 

overseas visit and provide a summary 

report using a format that ECA will 

provide. 

(17) Assist ECA and U.S. embassies 

with possible follow-on program 

development and implementation. 

Proposals should reflect a practical 

understanding of global issues and 

demonstrate sensitivity to cultural, 

political, economic, and social 

differences in regions where the 

documentaries and narrative films will 

be shown and the filmmakers and 

experts programmed. Special attention 

should be given to describing the 

applicant organization’s experience 

with documentary and narrative film, 

with planning and implementing 

logistical scenarios overseas, and with 

international and educational 

programming of the type described here. 

Please provide details of all such past 

experience. Applicants also should 

outline their project team’s capacity for 

doing projects of this nature and 

provide a detailed sample program to 

illustrate planning capacity and ability 

to achieve program objectives. 

Applicants must identify all U.S. and 

foreign partner organizations and/or 

venues with whom they are proposing 

to collaborate, and describe previous 

cooperative projects in the section on 

‘‘Institutional Capacity.’’ For this 

competition, applicants must include in 

their proposal supporting materials that 

demonstrate a minimum of four years 

experience in conducting international 

exchange programs. Proposals also must 

include references with name and 

contact information for other assistance 

awards the applicant may have received 

so the Bureau may contact them directly 

and include examples of successful 

projects. 

ECA intends to award one cooperative 

agreement to a qualified institution or 

organization to administer the American 

Film Showcase program globally. 

Activities funded through this 

cooperative agreement support the 

organization and implementation of 

programs in approximately 20 to 25 

countries overseas. 

Activities must include, but are not 

limited to: 

(1) Selection of contemporary 

independent documentaries and 

narrative films with associated 

filmmakers. 

(2) Production of film packages in 

appropriate formats with appropriate 

rights clearances for multiple 

exhibitions overseas. 

(3) Development of promotional and 

corollary support material, including 

educational and media packets. 

(4) Shipping overseas. 

(5) Travel overseas by filmmakers and 

other experts. 

(6) Advance program planning. 

(7) Programming educational, media, 

and other outreach activities in 

consultation with ECA and U.S. 

embassies. 

(8) Assisting filmmakers with 

passport, visa, immunizations, and 

other pre-travel preparations. 

(9) Arranging and providing 

orientation sessions and pre-travel 

briefings, producing press materials, 

and providing support for publicity 

while the filmmakers are overseas. 

(10) Working with ECA and directly 

with the media to publicize the 

American Film Showcase program. 

(11) Evaluating program activities. 

(12) Reporting on program activities 

to ECA. 

(13) Providing suggestions for—and 

assistance with—follow-on program 

development, including the option of 

bringing foreign filmmakers to the 

United States. 

Applicants must have experience in 

aspects of documentary and narrative 

filmmaking and in planning and 

implementation of programs—with 

particular emphasis on documentary 

programs, and on overseas and 

educational programs—and should 

address these elements in the proposal. 

Proposals that include strong 

programmatic and outreach elements 

targeted to young audiences will be 

more competitive. The grantee must be 

highly responsive and able to work in 

close consultation with ECA and the 

Public Affairs Sections of the 

participating U.S. embassies. 

Successful applicants will include 

with their proposal specific criteria for 

the selection of American 

documentaries and filmmakers and the 

selection of narrative films and 

filmmakers. 

ECA Responsibilities: This is a 

cooperative agreement, and ECA will be 

substantially involved in program 

activities above and beyond routine 

monitoring. ECA activities and 

responsibilities for this program are as 

follows: 

(1) The final selection of films and 

filmmakers. 

(2) Determination of the countries to 

which the films and filmmakers will 

travel. Priority countries will be those in 

all world regions of greatest importance 

to the Department of State’s public 

diplomacy mission to build mutual 

understanding and support U.S. foreign 

policy objectives. 

(3) Facilitative assistance with the 

overseas program arrangements, as 

needed. 

(4) Final approval of all program 

arrangements. 

(5) Approval of media and public 

relations strategies and arrangements for 

Showcase events. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Cooperative 

Agreement. ECA’s level of involvement 

in this program is listed under number 

I above. 

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2011. 

Approximate Total Funding: 

$700,000. 


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22432 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 77 / Thursday, April 21, 2011 / Notices 

Approximate Number of Awards: 

One. 

Approximate Average Award: 

$700,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: Pending 

availability of funds, September 1, 2011. 

Anticipated Project Completion Date: 

January 31, 2013. 

Additional Information: Pending 

successful implementation of this 

program and the availability of funds in 

subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA’s 

intent to renew this cooperative 

agreement for two additional fiscal 

years, before openly competing it again. 

III. Eligibility Information 

III.1. Eligible Applicants 

Applications may be submitted by 

public and private non-profit 

organizations meeting the provisions 

described in Internal Revenue Code 

section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3). 

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds 

There is no minimum or maximum 

percentage required for this 

competition. However, the Bureau 

encourages applicants to provide 

maximum levels of cost sharing and 

funding in support of its programs. 

When cost sharing is offered, it is 

understood and agreed that the 

applicant must provide the amount of 

cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal 

and later included in an approved 

agreement. Cost sharing may be in the 

form of allowable direct or indirect 

costs. For accountability, you must 

maintain written records to support all 

costs which are claimed as your 

contribution, as well as costs to be paid 

by the Federal government. Such 

records are subject to audit. The basis 

for determining the value of cash and 

in-kind contributions must be in 

accordance with OMB Circular A–110, 

(Revised), Subpart C.23—Cost Sharing 

and Matching. In the event you do not 

provide the minimum amount of cost 

sharing as stipulated in the approved 

budget, ECA’s contribution will be 

reduced in like proportion. 

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements 

(a.) Bureau grant guidelines require 

that organizations with less than four 

years experience in conducting 

international exchanges be limited to 

$60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA 

anticipates making one award, in an 

amount up to $700,000 to support 

program and administrative costs 

required to implement this exchange 

program. Therefore, organizations with 

less than four years experience in 

conducting international exchanges are 

ineligible to apply under this 

competition. 

(b.) Technical Eligibility: All 

proposals must comply with the 

following: (1) Full adherence to the 

guidelines stated herein and in the 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI); 

(2) proposal submission deadline date; 

(3) non-profit organization status, and; 

(4) for purposes of this competition, a 

demonstrated track record in 

independent documentary and narrative 

film programming and at least four years 

experience in international exchanges, 

or your proposal will be declared 

technically ineligible and given no 

further consideration in the review 

process. Eligible applicants may submit 

only ONE proposal (TOTAL) in 

response to this RFGP. If multiple 

proposals are received, all submissions 

will be declared technically ineligible 

and will be given no further 

consideration in the review process. 

Please note: Applicant organizations are 

defined by their legal name, and EIN 

number as stated on their completed 

SF–424 and additional supporting 

documentation outlined in the PSI 

document. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

Note: Please read the complete 

announcement before sending inquiries or 

submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 

deadline has passed, Bureau staff may not 

discuss this competition with applicants 

until the proposal review process has been 

completed. 

IV.1. Contact Information To Request an 

Application Package 

Please contact Susan L. Cohen in the 

Cultural Programs Division, Office of 

Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/CU, SA– 

5, Third Floor, U.S. Department of State, 

2200 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 

20037, tel: 202–632–6424, fax: 202–632– 

9355, e-mail CohenSL@state.gov to 

request a Solicitation Package. Please 

refer to the Funding Opportunity 

Number ECA/PE/C/CU–11–46 located at 

the top of this announcement when 

making your request. Alternatively, an 

electronic application package may be 

obtained from grants.gov. Please see 

section IV.3f for further information. 

The Solicitation Package contains the 

Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) 

document which consists of required 

application forms, and standard 

guidelines for proposal preparation. 

Please specify Program Officer Susan 

L. Cohen, Cultural Programs Division, 

ECA/PE/C/CU, and refer to the Funding 

Opportunity Number ECA/PE/C/CU– 

11–46 located at the top of this 

announcement on all other inquiries 

and correspondence. 

IV.2. To Download a Solicitation 

Package Via Internet 

The entire Solicitation Package may 

be downloaded from the Bureau’s Web 

site at http://exchanges.state.gov/grants/ 

open2.html, or from the Grants.gov Web 

site at http://www.grants.gov. 

Please read all information before 

downloading. 

IV.3. Content and Form of Submission 

Applicants must follow all 

instructions in the Solicitation Package. 

The application should be submitted 

per the instructions under IV.3f. 

‘‘Application Deadline and Methods of 

Submission’’ section below. 

IV.3a. You are required to have a Dun 

and Bradstreet Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number to 

apply for a grant or cooperative 

agreement from the U.S. Government. 

This number is a nine-digit 

identification number, which uniquely 

identifies business entities. Obtaining a 

DUNS number is easy and there is no 

charge. To obtain a DUNS number, 

access http://www.dunandbradstreet. 

com or call 1–866–705–5711. Please 

ensure that your DUNS number is 

included in the appropriate box of the 

SF–424 which is part of the formal 

application package. 

IV.3b. All proposals must contain an 

executive summary, proposal narrative 

and budget. 

Please Refer to the Solicitation 

Package. It contains the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

document for additional formatting and 

technical requirements. 

IV.3c. All federal award recipients 

and sub-recipients must maintain 

current registrations in the Central 

Contractor Registration (CCR) database 

and have a Dun and Bradstreet Data 

Universal Numbering System (DUNS) 

number. Recipients and sub-recipients 

must maintain accurate and up-to-date 

information in the CCR until all 

program and financial activity and 

reporting have been completed. All 

entities must review and update the 

information at least annually after the 

initial registration and more frequently 

if required information changes or 

another award is granted. 

You must have nonprofit status with 

the IRS at the time of application. Please 

note: Effective January 7, 2009, all 

applicants for ECA federal assistance 

awards must include in their 

application the names of directors and/ 

or senior executives (current officers, 

trustees, and key employees, regardless 

of amount of compensation). In 

fulfilling this requirement, applicants 

must submit information in one of the 

following ways: 


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(1) Those who file Internal Revenue 

Service Form 990, ‘‘Return of Organization 

Exempt From Income Tax,’’ must include a 

copy of relevant portions of this form. 

(2) Those who do not file IRS Form 990 

must submit information above in the format 

of their choice. 

In addition to final program reporting 

requirements, award recipients will also 

be required to submit a one-page 

document, derived from their program 

reports, listing and describing their 

grant activities. For award recipients, 

the names of directors and/or senior 

executives (current officers, trustees, 

and key employees), as well as the onepage description of grant activities, will 

be transmitted by the State Department 

to OMB, along with other information 

required by the Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA), and will be made available to 

the public by the Office of Management 

and Budget on its USASpending.gov 

website as part of ECA’s FFATA 

reporting requirements. 

If your organization is a private 

nonprofit which has not received a grant 

or cooperative agreement from ECA in 

the past three years, or if your 

organization received nonprofit status 

from the IRS within the past four years, 

you must submit the necessary 

documentation to verify nonprofit status 

as directed in the PSI document. Failure 

to do so will cause your proposal to be 

declared technically ineligible. 

IV.3d. Please take into consideration 

the following information when 

preparing your proposal narrative: 

IV.3d.1. Adherence To All Regulations 

Governing the J Visa 

The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs is the official program sponsor of 

the exchange program covered by this 

RFGP, and an employee of the Bureau 

will be the ‘‘Responsible Officer’’ for the 

program under the terms of 22 CFR part 

62, which covers the administration of 

the Exchange Visitor Program (J visa 

program). Under the terms of 22 CFR 

part 62, organizations receiving awards 

(either a grant or cooperative agreement) 

under this RFGP will be third parties 

‘‘cooperating with or assisting the 

sponsor in the conduct of the sponsor’s 

program.’’ The actions of recipient 

organizations shall be ‘‘imputed to the 

sponsor in evaluating the sponsor’s 

compliance with’’ 22 CFR part 62. 

Therefore, the Bureau expects that any 

organization receiving an award under 

this competition will render all 

assistance necessary to enable the 

Bureau to fully comply with 22 CFR 

part 62 et seq. 

The Bureau of Educational and 

Cultural Affairs places critically 

important emphases on the secure and 

proper administration of Exchange 

Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence 

by recipient organizations and program 

participants to all regulations governing 

the J visa program status. Therefore, 

proposals should explicitly state in 

writing that the applicant is prepared to 

assist the Bureau in meeting all 

requirements governing the 

administration of Exchange Visitor 

Programs as set forth in 22 CFR part 62. 

If your organization has experience as a 

designated Exchange Visitor Program 

Sponsor, the applicant should discuss 

their record of compliance with 22 CFR 

part 62 et seq, including the oversight of 

their Responsible Officers and Alternate 

Responsible Officers, screening and 

selection of program participants, 

provision of pre-arrival information and 

orientation to participants, monitoring 

of participants, proper maintenance and 

security of forms, record-keeping, 

reporting and other requirements. 

The Office of Citizen Exchanges of 

ECA will be responsible for issuing DS– 

2019 forms to participants in this 

program. 

A copy of the complete regulations 

governing the administration of 

Exchange Visitor (J) programs is 

available at http://exchanges.state.gov 

or from: 

Office of Designation, Private Sector 

Programs Division, U.S. Department 

of State, ECA/EC/D/PS, SA–5, 5th 

Floor, 2200 C Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20037. 

IV.3d.2. Diversity, Freedom and 

Democracy Guidelines 

Pursuant to the Bureau’s authorizing 

legislation, programs must maintain a 

non-political character and should be 

balanced and representative of the 

diversity of American political, social, 

and cultural life. ‘‘Diversity’’ should be 

interpreted in the broadest sense and 

encompass differences including, but 

not limited to ethnicity, race, gender, 

religion, geographic location, socioeconomic status, and disabilities. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to 

adhere to the advancement of this 

principle both in program 

administration and in program content. 

Please refer to the review criteria under 

the ‘‘Support for Diversity’’ section for 

specific suggestions on incorporating 

diversity into your proposal. Public Law 

104–319 provides that ‘‘in carrying out 

programs of educational and cultural 

exchange in countries whose people do 

not fully enjoy freedom and 

democracy,’’ the Bureau ‘‘shall take 

appropriate steps to provide 

opportunities for participation in such 

programs to human rights and 

democracy leaders of such countries.’’ 

Public Law 106–113 requires that the 

governments of the countries described 

above do not have inappropriate 

influence in the selection process. 

Proposals should reflect advancement of 

these goals in their program contents, to 

the full extent deemed feasible. 

IV.3d.3. Program Monitoring and 

Evaluation 

Proposals must include a plan to 

monitor and evaluate the project’s 

success, both as the activities unfold 

and at the end of the program. The 

Bureau recommends that your proposal 

include a draft survey questionnaire or 

other technique plus a description of a 

methodology to use to link outcomes to 

original project objectives. The Bureau 

expects that the recipient organization 

will track participants or partners and 

be able to respond to key evaluation 

questions, including satisfaction with 

the program, learning as a result of the 

program, changes in behavior as a result 

of the program, and effects of the 

program on institutions (institutions in 

which participants work or partner 

institutions). The evaluation plan 

should include indicators that measure 

gains in mutual understanding as well 

as substantive knowledge. 

Successful monitoring and evaluation 

depend heavily on setting clear goals 

and outcomes at the outset of a program. 

Your evaluation plan should include a 

description of your project’s objectives, 

your anticipated project outcomes, and 

how and when you intend to measure 

these outcomes (performance 

indicators). The more that outcomes are 

‘‘smart’’ (specific, measurable, attainable, 

results-oriented, and placed in a 

reasonable time frame), the easier it will 

be to conduct the evaluation. You 

should also show how your project 

objectives link to the goals of the 

program described in this RFGP. 

Your monitoring and evaluation plan 

should clearly distinguish between 

program outputs and outcomes. Outputs 

are products and services delivered, 

often stated as an amount. Output 

information is important to show the 

scope or size of project activities, but it 

cannot substitute for information about 

progress towards outcomes or the 

results achieved. Examples of outputs 

include the number of people trained or 

the number of seminars conducted. 

Outcomes, in contrast, represent 

specific results a project is intended to 

achieve and is usually measured as an 

extent of change. Findings on outputs 

and outcomes should both be reported, 

but the focus should be on outcomes. 


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We encourage you to assess the 

following four levels of outcomes, as 

they relate to the program goals set out 

in the RFGP (listed here in increasing 

order of importance): 

1. Participant satisfaction with the program 

and exchange experience. 

2. Participant learning, such as increased 

knowledge, aptitude, skills, and changed 

understanding and attitude. Learning 

includes both substantive (subject-specific) 

learning and mutual understanding. 

3. Participant behavior, concrete actions to 

apply knowledge in work or community; 

greater participation and responsibility in 

civic organizations; interpretation and 

explanation of experiences and new 

knowledge gained; continued contacts 

between participants, community members, 

and others. 

4. Institutional changes, such as increased 

collaboration and partnerships, policy 

reforms, new programming, and 

organizational improvements. 

Please note: Consideration should be given 

to the appropriate timing of data collection 

for each level of outcome. For example, 

satisfaction is usually captured as a shortterm outcome, whereas behavior and 

institutional changes are normally 

considered longer-term outcomes. 

Overall, the quality of your 

monitoring and evaluation plan will be 

judged on how well it (1) specifies 

intended outcomes; (2) gives clear 

descriptions of how each outcome will 

be measured; (3) identifies when 

particular outcomes will be measured; 

and (4) provides a clear description of 

the data collection strategies for each 

outcome (i.e., surveys, interviews, or 

focus groups). (Please note that 

evaluation plans that deal only with the 

first level of outcomes [satisfaction] will 

be deemed less competitive under the 

present evaluation criteria.) 

Recipient organizations will be 

required to provide reports analyzing 

their evaluation findings to the Bureau 

in their regular program reports. All 

data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 

years and provided to the Bureau upon 

request. 

IV.3e. Please take the following 

information into consideration when 

preparing your budget: 

IV.3e.1. Applicants must submit SF– 

424A—‘‘Budget Information—NonConstruction Programs’’ along with a 

comprehensive budget for the entire 

program. The award may not exceed 

$700,000. There must be a summary 

budget as well as breakdowns reflecting 

both administrative and program 

budgets. Applicants may provide 

separate sub-budgets for each program 

component, phase, location, or activity 

to provide clarification. 

IV.3e.2. Allowable costs for the 

program include the following: 

(1) Program Expenses, including but 

not limited to: Costs involved in the 

identification and selection of an 

American documentary and narrative 

film collection, including organization 

of selection panel/s; costs of producing 

multiple copies of the documentary and 

film collection; domestic and 

international travel for the selected 

filmmakers (per The Fly America Act) to 

approximately 20 to 25 countries 

overseas for an average of one-to-two 

weeks of programming; visas and 

immunizations; airport taxes and 

country entrance fees; honoraria for the 

filmmakers; educational materials and 

presentation items; excess and 

overweight baggage fees for educational 

material; trip itinerary booklets; press 

kits and promotional materials; followon activities; monitoring and evaluation; 

and international travel for program 

implementation and/or evaluation 

purposes. The following guidelines may 

be helpful in developing a proposed 

budget: 

A. Travel Costs. International and 

domestic airfares. (per The Fly America 

Act), transit costs, ground 

transportation, and visas for American 

Film Showcase participants to travel to 

overseas program destinations. 

B. Per Diem: For any U.S. portion of 

the travel, organizations should use the 

published Federal per diem rates. The 

Public Affairs Sections of the 

participating U.S. embassies and 

consulates are responsible for per diem 

abroad. Domestic per diem rates may be 

accessed at: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/ 

gsa/ep/content

View.do?contentId=17943

&contentType=GSA_BASIC%20. 

C. Sub-grantees and Consultants. Subgrantee organizations may be used, in 

which case the written agreement 

between the prospective grantee and 

sub-grantee should be included in the 

proposal. Sub-grants must be itemized 

in the budget under General Program 

Expenses. Consultants may be used to 

provide specialized expertise. Daily 

honoraria cannot exceed $250 per day, 

and applicants are strongly encouraged 

to use organizational resources, and to 

cost share heavily in this area. 

D. Health Insurance. Each American 

Film Showcase participant traveling 

abroad will be covered under the terms 

of the ECA-sponsored Accident and 

Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) 

insurance policy. Upon notification 

from the grant recipient, ECA will enroll 

participants in the plan for the period of 

the exchange. Details about the 

insurance program can be provided by 

the ECA contact for this solicitation. 

Insurance premiums are paid by ECA 

and should not be included in the grant 

proposal budget. However, the cost for 

international travel insurance for staff 

travel may be included in the proposal 

budget. 

E. Honoraria for American Film 

Showcase filmmakers abroad. Daily 

honorarium is $200 per day for each 

filmmaker or film expert, including rest 

and travel days. 

F. Educational and Promotional Items. 

ECA funds for educational and 

promotional items should not exceed 

$200 per filmmaker or film expert per 

program. 

G. Excess Baggage. For brochures, 

educational and other support material 

related to overseas programming. 

H. Immunizations/Visas. For purposes 

of a proposed budget, line items for 

immunizations should be estimated at 

$400 per filmmaker, and visas/visa 

photos should be estimated at $600 per 

filmmaker or film expert. 

I. Press Kits. Each relevant U.S. 

embassy should receive appropriate 

contents for press kits. Items may be 

sent electronically with the 

understanding that in some cases, 

embassies may not be able to access 

large files or attachments. This line item 

may include funds for shooting and 

duplicating publicity photos and 

duplicating documentary clips. Hard 

copy versions of press kits also must be 

available. 

J. Staff Travel. Allowable costs 

include domestic staff travel for one 

staff member to attend recruitment/ 

selection events in approximately two 

U.S. cities. International staff travel will 

be allowable, especially if associated 

with monitoring and evaluation and 

undertaken in consultation with ECA. 

Cost-sharing for staff travel is strongly 

encouraged. 

2. Administrative Costs. Costs 

necessary for the effective 

administration of the program may 

include salaries for grantee organization 

employees, benefits, and other direct 

and indirect costs per detailed 

instructions in the Solicitation Package. 

While there is no rigid ratio of 

administrative to program costs, 

proposals in which the administrative 

costs do not exceed 25% of the total 

requested from ECA grant funds will be 

more competitive on cost effectiveness. 

Please refer to the Solicitation Package 

for complete budget guidelines and 

formatting instructions. 

IV.3f. Application deadline and 

methods of submission: 

Application Deadline Date: May 25, 

2011. 

Reference Number: ECA/PE/C/CU– 

11–46. 


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Methods of Submission: Applications 

may be submitted in one of two ways: 

(1.) In hard-copy, via a nationally 

recognized overnight delivery service 

(i.e., Federal Express, UPS, Airborne 

Express, or U.S. Postal Service Express 

Overnight Mail, etc.), or 

(2.) electronically through http:// 

www.grants.gov. 

Along with the Project Title, all 

applicants must enter the above 

Reference Number in Box 11 on the SF– 

424 contained in the mandatory 

Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) 

of the solicitation document. 

IV.3f.1.—Submitting Printed 

Applications 

Applications must be shipped no later 

than the above deadline. Delivery 

services used by applicants must have 

in-place, centralized shipping 

identification and tracking systems that 

may be accessed via the Internet and 

delivery people who are identifiable by 

commonly recognized uniforms and 

delivery vehicles. Proposals shipped on 

or before the above deadline but 

received at ECA more than seven days 

after the deadline will be ineligible for 

further consideration under this 

competition. Proposals shipped after the 

established deadlines are ineligible for 

consideration under this competition. 

ECA will not notify you upon receipt of 

application. It is each applicant’s 

responsibility to ensure that each 

package is marked with a legible 

tracking number and to monitor/confirm 

delivery to ECA via the Internet. 

Delivery of proposal packages may not 

be made via local courier service or in 

person for this competition. Faxed 

documents will not be accepted at any 

time. Only proposals submitted as 

stated above will be considered. 

Important note: When preparing your 

submission please make sure to include one 

extra copy of the completed SF–424 form and 

place it in an envelope addressed to ‘‘ECA/ 

EX/PM.’’ 

The original and 14 copies of the 

application should be sent to: 

Program Management Division, ECA– 

IIP/EX/PM, Ref.: ECA/PE/C/CU–11– 

046, SA–5, Floor 4, Department of 

State, 2200 C Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20037. 

(Include following language re: CD– 

ROM submission only if proposals will 

be forwarded to embassies. If post input 

is not necessary, delete language.) 

Applicants submitting hard-copy 

applications must also submit the 

‘‘Executive Summary’’ and ‘‘Proposal 

Narrative’’ sections of the proposal in 

text (.txt) or Microsoft Word format on 

CD–ROM. As appropriate, the Bureau 

will provide these files electronically to 

Public Affairs Section(s) at the U.S. 

embassy(ies) for its (their) review. 

IV.3f.2.—Submitting Electronic 

Applications 

Applicants have the option of 

submitting proposals electronically 

through Grants.gov (http:// 

www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation 

packages are available at Grants.gov in 

the ‘‘Find’’ portion of the system. 

Please Note: ECA bears no responsibility 

for applicant timeliness of submission or data 

errors resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes for proposals submitted 

via Grants.gov. 

Please follow the instructions 

available in the ‘‘Get Started’’ portion of 

the site (http://www.grants.gov/ 

GetStarted). 

Several of the steps in the Grants.gov 

registration process could take several 

weeks. Therefore, applicants should 

check with appropriate staff within their 

organizations immediately after 

reviewing this RFGP to confirm or 

determine their registration status with 

Grants.gov. 

Once registered, the amount of time it 

can take to upload an application will 

vary depending on a variety of factors 

including the size of the application and 

the speed of your internet connection. 

In addition, validation of an electronic 

submission via Grants.gov can take up 

to two business days. 

Therefore, we strongly recommend 

that you not wait until the application 

deadline to begin the submission 

process through Grants.gov. 

The Grants.gov Web site includes 

extensive information on all phases/ 

aspects of the Grants.gov process, 

including an extensive section on 

frequently asked questions, located 

under the ‘‘For Applicants’’ section of 

the Web site. ECA strongly recommends 

that all potential applicants review 

thoroughly the Grants.gov Web site, 

well in advance of submitting a 

proposal through the Grants.gov system. 

ECA bears no responsibility for data 

errors resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

Direct all questions regarding 

Grants.gov registration and submission 

to: 

Grants.gov Customer Support, Contact 

Center Phone: 800–518–4726, 

Business Hours: Monday–Friday, 7 

a.m.–9 p.m. Eastern Time. E-mail: 

support@grants.gov. 

Applicants have until midnight (12 

a.m.), Washington, DC time of the 

closing date to ensure that their entire 

application has been uploaded to the 

Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions 

to the above deadline. Applications 

uploaded to the site after midnight of 

the application deadline date will be 

automatically rejected by the grants.gov 

system, and will be technically 

ineligible. 

Please refer to the Grants.gov Web site 

for definitions of various ‘‘application 

statuses’’ and the difference between a 

submission receipt and a submission 

validation. 

Applicants will receive a validation email from grants.gov upon the 

successful submission of an application. 

Again, validation of an electronic 

submission via Grants.gov can take up 

to two business days. Therefore, we 

strongly recommend that you not wait 

until the application deadline to begin 

the submission process through 

Grants.gov. ECA will not notify you 

upon receipt of electronic applications. 

It is the responsibility of all 

applicants submitting proposals via the 

Grants.gov Web portal to ensure that 

proposals have been received by 

Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA 

bears no responsibility for data errors 

resulting from transmission or 

conversion processes. 

IV.3g. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications: Executive Order 12372 

does not apply to this program. 

V. Application Review Information 

V.1. Review Process 

The Bureau will review all proposals 

for technical eligibility. Proposals will 

be deemed ineligible if they do not fully 

adhere to the guidelines stated herein 

and in the Solicitation Package. All 

eligible proposals will be reviewed by 

the program office, as well as the Public 

Diplomacy section overseas, where 

appropriate. Eligible proposals will be 

subject to compliance with Federal and 

Bureau regulations and guidelines and 

forwarded to Bureau grant panels for 

advisory review. Proposals may also be 

reviewed by the Office of the Legal 

Adviser or by other Department 

elements. Final funding decisions are at 

the discretion of the Department of 

State’s Assistant Secretary for 

Educational and Cultural Affairs. Final 

technical authority for cooperative 

agreements resides with the Bureau’s 

Grants Officer. 

Review Criteria 

Technically eligible applications will 

be competitively reviewed according to 

the criteria stated below. These criteria 

are not rank ordered and all carry equal 

weight in the proposal evaluation: 

1. Quality of the Program Idea: 

Proposals should exhibit originality, 

substance, precision, and relevance to 

the Bureau’s mission. 


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2. Program Planning and Ability To 

Achieve Objectives: Detailed agenda and 

relevant work plan should demonstrate 

substantive undertakings and logistical 

capacity. Agenda and plan should 

adhere to the program overview and 

guidelines described above. Objectives 

should be reasonable, feasible, and 

flexible. Proposals should clearly 

demonstrate how the institution will 

meet the program’s objectives and plan. 

3. Multiplier Effect/Impact: Proposed 

programs should strengthen long-term 

mutual understanding, including 

maximum sharing of information and 

establishment of long-term institutional 

and individual linkages. 

4. Support of Diversity: Proposals 

should demonstrate substantive support 

of the Bureau’s policy on diversity. 

Achievable and relevant features should 

be cited in both program administration 

(selection of participants, program 

venue and program evaluation) and 

program content (orientation and wrapup sessions, program meetings, resource 

materials and follow-up activities). 

5. Institutional Capacity: Proposed 

personnel and institutional resources 

should be adequate and appropriate to 

achieve the program or project’s goals. 

6. Institution’s Record/Ability: 

Proposals should demonstrate an 

institutional record of successful 

exchange programs, including 

responsible fiscal management and full 

compliance with all reporting 

requirements for past Bureau awards 

(grants or cooperative agreements) as 

determined by Bureau Grants Staff. The 

Bureau will consider the past 

performance of prior recipients and the 

demonstrated potential of new 

applicants. 

7. Follow-on Activities: Proposals 

should provide a plan for continued 

follow-on activity (without Bureau 

support), ensuring that Bureau funded 

programs are not isolated events. Please 

also provide suggestions for follow-on 

program development to be funded by 

this grant. 

8. Project Evaluation: Proposals 

should include a plan to evaluate the 

activity’s success, both as the activities 

unfold and at the end of the program. A 

draft survey questionnaire or other 

technique plus description of a 

methodology to use to link outcomes to 

original project objectives is 

recommended. 

9. Cost-effectiveness and CostSharing: The overhead and 

administrative components of the 

proposal, including salaries and 

honoraria, should be kept as low as 

possible. All other items should be 

necessary and appropriate. Proposals 

should maximize cost-sharing through 

other private sector support as well as 

institutional direct funding 

contributions. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

VI.1a. Award Notices 

Final awards cannot be made until 

funds have been appropriated by 

Congress, allocated and committed 

through internal Bureau procedures. 

Successful applicants will receive a 

Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from 

the Bureau’s Grants Office. The FAA 

and the original proposal with 

subsequent modifications (if applicable) 

shall be the only binding authorizing 

document between the recipient and the 

U.S. Government. The FAA will be 

signed by an authorized Grants Officer, 

and mailed to the recipient’s 

responsible officer identified in the 

application. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification of the results of the 

application review from the ECA 

program office coordinating this 

competition. 

VI.1b. Should any proposals include 

programming for Iranian audiences or 

include follow-on activities involving 

Iranian grantees, the following 

additional requirements would apply to 

this project: 

A critical component of current U.S. 

government Iran policy is the support 

for indigenous Iranian voices. The State 

Department has made the awarding of 

grants for this purpose a key component 

of its Iran policy. As a condition of 

licensing these activities, the Office of 

Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has 

requested the Department of State to 

follow certain procedures to effectuate 

the goals of Sections 481(b), 531(a), 571, 

582, and 635(b) of the Foreign 

Assistance Act of 1961 (as amended); 18 

U.S.C. 2339A and 2339B; Executive 

Order 13224; and Homeland Security 

Presidential Directive 6. These licensing 

conditions mandate that the Department 

conduct a vetting of potential Iran 

grantees and sub-grantees for counterterrorism purposes. To conduct this 

vetting the Department will collect 

information from grantees and subgrantees regarding the identity and 

background of their key employees and 

Boards of Directors. 

Note: To assure that planning for the 

inclusion of Iran complies with 

requirements, please contact Susan L. Cohen 

at (202) 632–6424 for additional information. 

Should any proposals include 

programming involving the Palestinian 

Authority, West Bank, and Gaza, the 

following additional requirements 

would apply: All awards made under 

this competition must be executed 

according to all relevant U.S. laws and 

policies regarding assistance to the 

Palestinian Authority, and to the West 

Bank and Gaza. Organizations must 

consult with relevant Public Affairs 

Offices before entering into any formal 

arrangements or agreements with 

Palestinian organizations or institutions. 

Note: To assure that planning for the 

inclusion of the Palestinian Authority 

complies with requirements, please contact 

Susan L. Cohen, ECA/PE/C/CU, 202–632– 

6424, cohensl@state.gov for additional 

information. 

VI.2. Administrative and National 

Policy Requirements: 

Terms and Conditions for the 

Administration of ECA agreements 

include the following: 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–122, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Nonprofit Organizations.’’ 

Office of Management and Budget 

Circular A–21, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

Educational Institutions.’’ 

OMB Circular A–87, ‘‘Cost Principles for 

State, Local and Indian Governments.’’ 

OMB Circular No. A–110 (Revised), 

Uniform Administrative 

Requirements for Grants and 

Agreements with Institutions of 

Higher Education, Hospitals, and 

other Nonprofit Organizations. 

OMB Circular No. A–102, Uniform 

Administrative Requirements for 

Grants-in-Aid to State and Local 

Governments. 

OMB Circular No. A–133, Audits of 

States, Local Government, and Nonprofit Organizations 

Please reference the following 

websites for additional information: 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants. 

http://fa.statebuy.state.gov. 

VI.3. Reporting Requirements: You 

must provide ECA with a hard copy 

original plus two copies of the following 

reports: 

(1.) A final program and financial 

report no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award; 

(2.) A concise, one-page final program 

report summarizing program outcomes 

no more than 90 days after the 

expiration of the award. This one-page 

report will will be transmitted to OMB, 

and be made available to the public via 

OMB’s USAspending.gov website—as 

part of ECA’s Federal Funding 

Accountability and Transparency Act 

(FFATA) reporting requirements. 

(3.) A SF–PPR, ‘‘Performance Progress 

Report’’ Cover Sheet with all program 

reports. 

Award recipients will be required to 

provide reports analyzing their 

evaluation findings to the Bureau in 

their regular program reports. (Please 


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refer to IV. Application and Submission 

Instructions (IV.3.d.3) above for Program 

Monitoring and Evaluation information. 

All data collected, including survey 

responses and contact information, must 

be maintained for a minimum of three 

years and provided to the Bureau upon 

request. 

All reports must be sent to the ECA 

Grants Officer and ECA Program Officer 

listed in the final assistance award 

document. 

VI.4. Optional Program Data 

Requirements: Award recipients will be 

required to maintain specific data on 

program participants and activities in an 

electronically accessible database format 

that can be shared with the Bureau as 

required. As a minimum, the data must 

include the following: 

(1) Name, address, contact 

information and biographic sketch of all 

persons who travel internationally on 

funds provided by the agreement or who 

benefit from the award funding but do 

not travel. 

(2) Itineraries of international and 

domestic travel, providing dates of 

travel and cities in which any exchange 

experiences take place. Final schedules 

for in-country and U.S. activities must 

be received by the ECA Program Officer 

at least three work days prior to the 

official opening of the activity. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For questions about this 

announcement, contact: Susan L. 

Cohen, U.S. Department of State, 

Cultural Programs Division, ECA/PE/C/ 

CU, SA–5, Third Floor, ref: ECA/PE/C/ 

CU–11–46, 2200 C Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20037, tel: 202–632– 

6424, fax: 202–632–9355, 

CohenSL@state.gov/. 

All correspondence with the Bureau 

concerning this RFGP should reference 

the above title and Ref. number ECA/ 

PE/C/CU–11–46. 

Please read the complete 

announcement before sending inquiries 

or submitting proposals. Once the RFGP 

deadline has passed, Bureau staff may 

not discuss this competition with 

applicants until the proposal review 

process has been completed. 

Notice: The terms and conditions 

published in this RFGP are binding and may 

not be modified by any Bureau 

representative. Explanatory information 

provided by the Bureau that contradicts 

published language will not be binding. 

Issuance of the RFGP does not constitute an 

award commitment on the part of the 

Government. The Bureau reserves the right to 

reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets 

in accordance with the needs of the program 

and the availability of funds. Awards made 

will be subject to periodic reporting and 

evaluation requirements per section VI.3 

above. 

Dated: April 15, 2011. 

Ann Stock, 

Assistant Secretary for Educational and 

Cultural Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2011–9727 Filed 4–20–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 7420] 

Bureau of Educational and Cultural 

Affairs (ECA) Request for Grant 

Proposals; Community Solutions 

Program 

Announcement Type: New 

Cooperative Agreement. 

Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/ 

PE/C/EUR–SCA–11–36. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 19.415. 

Key Dates: 

Application Deadline: June 2, 2011. 

Executive Summary: The Office of 

Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of 

Educational and Cultural Affairs invites 

proposal submissions for the 

Community Solutions Program in 

Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, 

Europe, the Middle East and North 

Africa, South and Central Asia, and the 

Western Hemisphere. Public and private 

non-profit organizations meeting the 

provisions described in Internal 

Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 

501(c)(3) may submit proposals to 

conduct this professional fellowship 

program. The Community Solutions 

Program serves as a mechanism to 

support and encourage initiatives 

organized by young civic and 

community leaders, ages 25–38, 

currently working to address the 

economic, environmental, political, and 

social challenges confronting their 

respective local communities. Through 

four- to six-month professional 

fellowships with a specific leadership 

component, Community Solutions will 

provide opportunities for eligible 

individuals to more effectively address 

issues of concern in their own towns, 

cities and regions. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

I.1. Authority 

Overall grant making authority for 

this program is contained in the Mutual 

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as 

amended, also known as the FulbrightHays Act. The purpose of the Act is ‘‘to 

enable the Government of the United 

States to increase mutual understanding 

between the people of the United States 

and the people of other countries * * *; 

to strengthen the ties which unite us 

with other nations by demonstrating the 

educational and cultural interests, 

developments, and achievements of the 

people of the United States and other 

nations * * * and thus to assist in the 

development of friendly, sympathetic 

and peaceful relations between the 

United States and the other countries of 

the world.’’ The funding authority for 

the program above is provided through 

legislation. 

I.2. Purpose and Program Description 

In an increasingly connected world, 

local economic, environmental, 

political, and social challenges are 

intimately linked to their counterparts 

on a global scale. So too, are each 

community’s solutions and approaches 

to these problems. Making progress on 

today’s complex global challenges on a 

local scale requires multi-dimensional 

public engagement strategies to forge 

partnerships, mobilize broad coalitions, 

and galvanize public opinion across all 

sectors of society. 

The Community Solutions Program 

seeks to enhance the skills of 

approximately 65–75 civic and 

community leaders to more effectively 

address current economic, 

environmental, political, and social 

challenges in their communities through 

increased civic engagement and 

dialogue, leadership development, and 

an enhanced understanding of the way 

public and private resources interface 

for the common good. Through a fourto six-month fellowship, complemented 

by leadership development, Community 

Solutions will provide opportunities for 

eligible individuals to experience best 

practices, learn about effective models 

of public and community engagement, 

and develop concrete strategies to better 

address complex issues in their home 

communities. 

ECA anticipates funding one project 

for approximately $1,500,000 to take 

place over the course of two years and 

target young professionals currently 

engaged in initiatives that aim to 

improve and enhance the economic, 

environmental, political, and social 

well-being of their communities. 

As a global tool to address 

community-based challenges, the 

Community Solutions Program seeks to: 

(1) Enhance the participants’ ability to 

address complex local economic, 

environmental, political, and social 

challenges through a U.S.-based 

fellowship; 

(2) Provide concrete tools to the 

participants to take on greater 

leadership roles in their communities, 

by developing their skills for effective 


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