FY 2019 Cultural Programming Support | DOSRUS19CA004

Opportunity Information: Apply for DOSRUS19CA004

FY 2019 Cultural Programming Support (Funding Opportunity Number DOSRUS19CA004) is a U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to Russia grant competition run by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow through its Public Affairs Section (PAS Moscow). The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the selected recipient is expected to work closely with U.S. Embassy personnel rather than operate fully independently. The project focus is not on producing a single festival or one-off event, but on serving as an operational partner that can reliably deliver the behind-the-scenes work needed to run multiple arts and cultural programs in Russia featuring American participants.

At its core, the opportunity funds technical and logistical support to bring American artists and performers to Russia for short-term engagements that connect with Russian audiences. Programming can include a wide range of disciplines, with prominent examples such as music, dance, theater, film and television acting, and culinary arts. The Embassy also notes that it may occasionally support programs in fields like photography, comic books and graphic arts, computer art and design, arts management, painting, and other visual or graphic arts. In addition to arts and culture, the program can also support individual athletes or athletic groups to demonstrate their talent, reflecting a broader view of cultural exchange that includes sports as a form of public engagement.

The recipient organization is expected to function as the Embassy's implementing partner for execution details. Responsibilities described in the notice include negotiating artist fees, providing visa assistance, arranging international and in-country travel, coordinating airport pickup, promoting events, and procuring educational and printed materials. The grantee may also be asked to reimburse artists for program-related expenses and process vendor payments connected to travel, logistical support, or other program needs. In practical terms, this is a capacity-and-operations award: the strongest applicants are likely to be those with proven experience managing international cultural tours, travel and visa coordination, budgeting and payment processing, vendor management, and public event logistics in a complex environment.

The funding opportunity is designed to advance public diplomacy goals between the United States and Russia. The Embassy lays out three main goals: strengthening people-to-people ties through shared experiences that increase mutual understanding; building durable partnerships and institutional linkages between U.S. and Russian organizations; and showcasing American values by presenting the full range of U.S. creativity and innovation and highlighting the diversity of the United States. These aims signal that the programming is expected to be more than entertainment; it should create meaningful interactions and longer-term professional connections that can outlast any single visit.

Related to those goals, the program objectives emphasize dialogue and direct engagement with broad Russian audiences through arts and culture. Visiting artists and performers are expected to do substantial outreach beyond the stage or performance venue, including participating in Q&A sessions, facilitated discussions, media interviews, social media engagements, and public talks or workshops. This indicates the Embassy is looking for programs that combine performance with educational or conversational components, making the exchange more interactive and more visible to the public.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity in the Arts category (CFDA 19.040). Eligible applicants include U.S. and other qualifying entities across several types: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. The opportunity anticipated a single award, with an award ceiling of $650,000. The posting lists a creation date of February 15, 2019, and an original closing date of June 17, 2019.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Russia in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2019 Cultural Programming Support" 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 Feb 15, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 17, 2019. (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 $650,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

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