Opportunity Information: Apply for STATE BISHKEK PDS 23 0002
The Democracy Commission Small Grants Program is a U.S. Department of State (U.S. Mission to Kyrgyzstan, Public Diplomacy Section) funding opportunity that provides small grants to Kyrgyz civil society organizations and independent media to run projects aligned with U.S. Embassy public diplomacy priorities. Applicants are asked to submit a short Statement of Interest with a brief budget, and the entire submission must be no more than three pages; anything longer is disqualified. The program also explicitly expects proposals to incorporate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) considerations, meaning projects should be designed to reach and include a broad mix of participants and beneficiaries across characteristics such as religion, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, sex characteristics, national origin, and age.
Funding is offered as grants (CFDA 19.900) under an “Other” activity category, with an anticipated award ceiling of $50,000 and an estimated 20 awards. The opportunity was issued January 31, 2023, with an original closing date of March 20, 2023. The Embassy emphasizes that proposals should be tightly built around the stated goals, objectives, target audiences, and geographic focus, with particular attention to rural communities and underserved populations where relevant.
Projects must fit one of five priority themes. The first theme, Advancing Business Empowerment and Social Entrepreneurship, focuses on improving economic resilience in the Kyrgyz Republic, especially in rural areas where poverty and limited opportunities have contributed to labor migration and related social challenges. The program seeks practical initiatives that strengthen rural entrepreneurship and small business development by expanding financial literacy, modern workplace competencies, business skills, and access to tools or resources that help enterprises become more sustainable. Strong proposals in this area are expected to address at least one of the highlighted constraints: rural poverty, gaps in market-relevant skills, and limited economic opportunities or resources.
The second theme, Promoting Democratic Institutions, targets ongoing democratic vulnerabilities, including reported electoral issues, corruption, low transparency, pressure on NGOs and civil society, threats to independent media, constraints on free expression, and weak public understanding of democratic institutions and legal rights, especially outside major cities. This priority also recognizes that while the NGO sector is active, many organizations, particularly in rural regions, need stronger operational capacity to increase their impact. Projects are expected to strengthen democracy through outcomes such as greater rural youth civic engagement, improved citizen-level understanding and perceptions of civil society and the rule of law, better citizen-government collaboration on good governance, and stronger organizational capacity for rural NGOs. Proposals may focus on civic education, advocacy skills, rule-of-law awareness, coalition building, or communications capacity such as public relations, digital storytelling, and technology-enabled outreach.
The third theme, Combatting Gender-Based Violence, treats GBV prevention as central to rule of law and gender equality and therefore to democratic norms. The Embassy highlights that GBV remains widespread and underreported, driven by factors like poverty, economic dependency, traditional gender norms, patriarchy, and discrimination. Projects in this area should build on earlier work such as rights awareness, leadership and economic empowerment, capacity-building for institutions that respond to GBV, and legal counseling for survivors, but with a clear emphasis on prevention. Priority challenges to address include entrenched stereotypes and prejudice, economic vulnerability, and the normalization of GBV. The stated goal is to strengthen both civil society and government capacity to prevent and address GBV through proactive measures rather than only crisis response.
The fourth theme, Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE), centers on youth vulnerability, particularly among teenagers and young adults in rural areas and new urban settlements around Bishkek who may face social exclusion, weak educational and employment pathways, and a limited sense of belonging. The program underscores that gaps in critical thinking and media literacy can make young people more susceptible to extremist narratives and manipulation. Building on prior efforts (tolerance promotion, interethnic and interfaith dialogue, youth socio-economic empowerment, traineeships, and media literacy education), this funding seeks projects that strengthen individual and community resilience. Desired approaches include boosting civic participation and community connection, improving media literacy and critical thinking to recognize and reject extremist messaging, and building the capacity of local government and civil society actors to coordinate effectively on prevention.
The fifth theme, Countering Trafficking in Persons (CTIP), supports implementation of the Kyrgyz Republic’s National Referral Mechanism (NRM) adopted in 2019, noting that limited training has left gaps among those responsible for putting the NRM into practice. Earlier projects have focused on partnership building with authorities and NGOs, strengthening regional coordination councils, improving understanding of NRM policies, and increasing public awareness about trafficking risks and safe migration. This opportunity prioritizes projects that address at least two of three specific barriers: the lack of effective standard operating procedures for state bodies and local governments to implement the NRM, limited capacity among officials and NGO actors to identify victims using established criteria and ensure protection, and low public awareness about trafficking, irregular migration risks, and migrants’ legal rights. The overarching goal is to reduce trafficking by educating and empowering labor migrants and at-risk groups, strengthening government capacity, and improving practical understanding of trafficking dynamics and response pathways.
Overall, the program is designed for focused, achievable projects with clear target audiences and measurable goals, typically emphasizing rural regions and capacity-building where needs are most acute. Successful proposals will closely match one theme, directly address the listed challenges for that theme, integrate DEIA thoughtfully, and present a concise plan and budget within the strict three-page limit.Apply for STATE BISHKEK PDS 23 0002
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Kyrgyzstan in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Democracy Commission Small Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.900.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 31, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 20, 2023. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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