U.S. Embassy Brussels PAS Annual Program Statement (APS) | PAS BE200 FY21 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS BE200 FY21 01

The U.S. Embassy Brussels Public Diplomacy Section runs an annual grants program designed to support non-profit, cultural, and educational initiatives that strengthen ties between the United States and Belgium. This opportunity is published as an Annual Program Statement (APS) to keep the process open and competitive, with postings available through Grants.gov. The program funds projects that help highlight shared values, encourage practical bilateral cooperation, and improve understanding of the United States in Belgium. The funding instrument is a discretionary grant administered by the Department of State, U.S. Mission to Belgium, and the overall scope includes areas like arts and culture, education, community and regional development, humanities, and science and technology-related programming (in the sense of innovation and public engagement, not laboratory research).

Applications for the referenced cycle were accepted on a rolling basis until July 20, 2021, with proposals reviewed quarterly by a grants committee depending on funding availability. Individual applicants and organizational applicants use separate Grants.gov listings: PAS-BE200-FY21-01 for organizations and PAS-BE200-FY21-02 for individuals. The maximum award amount for a single project is up to $100,000 (USD). The notice indicates an expected number of awards (listed as 100), though actual selections depend on funds and proposal quality. As a practical matter, the rolling submission and quarterly review structure means timing can affect when a proposal is considered, so applicants benefit from submitting well before the final deadline.

A central requirement is that every proposal include a clear American element. That can be an American cultural component, U.S. expertise, or a substantive partnership with an American organization or institution. The Embassy also expects proposals to align with at least one priority program area and to connect participants with American experts, organizations, or institutions in ways that promote better understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives. In other words, it is not enough for a project to happen in Belgium and be broadly international; it needs a meaningful U.S. connection and a public diplomacy purpose tied to U.S.-Belgian relations.

The Embassy identifies several priority themes it is actively looking to support. These include programs that show active U.S.-Belgian partnership on new and evolving security challenges; initiatives that highlight cooperation to counter or prevent terrorism, extremism, transnational crime, and social polarization; projects that strengthen transatlantic economic ties and improve socio-economic well-being; innovative educational, cultural, or professional development programs that can serve as sustainable, long-term investments in the relationship; and programs with national reach that bridge Belgium's linguistic and regional divides by connecting like-minded organizations across communities.

The APS is also clear about the kinds of audiences it wants to reach. Priority or welcomed target groups include academic institutions, business leaders and entrepreneurs, community leaders, cultural institutions, journalists and media organizations, social and new media users, and U.S. and Belgian thought leaders. There is a specific interest in engaging women and youth from underserved communities, as well as youth more broadly, suggesting that inclusion and broader access are important considerations in program design, outreach, and participant selection.

In terms of what the money can support, the Embassy allows a wide range of public-facing and exchange-oriented activities. Examples include lectures, seminars, and speaker programs; artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions; entrepreneurship and innovation programming (including technology-focused initiatives); grassroots efforts that counter violent extremism influences; media collaborations and press outreach; professional and academic projects; sports-related programming; and youth leadership development, especially for underserved communities. The common thread across these activities is that they should build durable networks, create opportunities for U.S.-Belgian collaboration, and generate measurable public diplomacy impact rather than serving as one-off events without follow-through.

Just as important, the APS lays out what it will not fund. Ineligible activities include charitable or general development work, construction, fundraising campaigns, lobbying for specific legislation or projects, partisan political activity, duplicative projects that simply replicate existing efforts, activities that support specific religious exercises, and scientific research. Applicants should read those exclusions carefully because proposals that drift into these areas can be rejected even if they otherwise have a strong U.S.-Belgium theme.

Several administrative and compliance rules are emphasized. All application materials must be completed in English, and all budgets and financial figures must be presented in U.S. dollars. If the project includes flights to or from the United States, travel must comply with the Fly America Act and/or the EU-U.S. Open Skies Agreement, meaning applicants need to plan travel procurement with those rules in mind. If a grant is awarded, the recipient works with the assigned Grants Officer and/or Grants Officer Representative to ensure the proposed costs are allowable and properly documented, which is standard for U.S. government assistance and affects how budgets should be constructed from the start.

On the submission side, applicants must use Grants.gov Workspace to assemble and submit the application package, which requires creating and managing a Workspace account. In addition, applicants must be registered in SAM.gov to be eligible for federal assistance. For non-U.S.-based organizations, the APS notes that DUNS and NCAGE numbers are prerequisites for SAM registration (as stated in the opportunity materials), and it explicitly warns that the Embassy cannot help applicants complete SAM.gov registration. The notice also stresses that there are no fees for registration or for steps in the application and grant management process, and it cautions applicants about third-party companies that offer paid registration help but are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government. SAM.gov registrations must be renewed annually, and that renewal is free.

For questions or clarifications, the Embassy directs applicants to contact the grants team by email at USGrantsBE@state.gov.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Belgium in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda), community development, education, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), regional development, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Embassy Brussels PAS Annual Program Statement (APS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 08, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 20, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 100 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Small businesses.

Apply for PAS BE200 FY21 01

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