Funding Wizard

PDS Sofia invites proposals for programs that strengthen people-to-people ties between the United States and Bulgaria through cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All programs must include an American cultural element, or connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives. Examples of PDS Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to: · Academic and professional seminars, conferences, and speaker programs; · Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions featuring participants from the United States; · Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs; · Professional and academic exchanges and training programs; Priority Program Areas: · Strengthen governance, transparency, and rule of law to foster democratic norms, economic development, energy diversification, and security stability. · Build media literacy and resilience among the Bulgarian public against disinformation. · Promote the development of a robust independent media and civil society, including through the promotion of civic activism and volunteerism. · Promote activities that highlight the social and cultural connections between the United States and Bulgaria. · Protect and preserve Bulgarian cultural heritage. · Advance the socioeconomic inclusion of historically underserved and/or marginalized communities, including women, Roma and other minority groups, LGBTQI+ individuals, migrant populations, and disadvantaged youth. · Promote education and skills-building in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and environmental / clean energy sectors. · Increase cultural understanding and connectivity between the people of Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

The U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to foster the development of independent media in Bulgaria through training for journalists and journalism students. The program will strengthen journalistic resilience to Russian disinformation and manipulation in Bulgaria. The grantee would conduct training and seminars for journalists and journalism students from around Bulgaria (with a special focus on those who are generally underserved by such programs, but also including influential regional journalists from outside the capital) on detection of and protection against Russian disinformation in the spheres of traditional and online media. The objective of these trainings is to help journalists identify and fact-check the flood of disinformation coming from Russian sources. Participants and Audiences: Journalists and journalism students from around Bulgaria (with a special focus on those who are generally underserved by such programs, but also including influential regional journalists from outside the capital).

The U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to foster the development of civil society and public engagement in Bulgaria through the creation of a Youth Academy for Civic Participation. This project will encourage young people throughout Bulgaria, especially outside of Sofia and in underserved communities, to understand the importance of civic participation, especially the importance of exercising the right to vote and doing so in an informed manner. The primary goal is to increase high-school-age Bulgarians’ interest in democracy through interactive workshops on the right to vote, elections, and public participation tools. Through project activities, including the simulation of elections at various high schools throughout Bulgaria and collaborations with election observation organizations, the academy will help Bulgarian youth have a voice and become actively involved in solving problems that directly affect them, including corruption, freedom of speech, and minority rights. This project will also boost youth understanding of “issue advocacy” – i.e. how citizens and civil society organizations engage communities and government institutions at various levels (local, national, and international) to raise awareness of problems and to identify and push for solutions. Target audiences include high school students in traditionally underserved areas with large minority populations, and a geographic focus on southern and northwestern Bulgaria.