Opportunity Background
Current Closing Date for Applications
May 23, 2021 12:00:00 AM EDT
Purpose:
In the Act, Congress declared its finding that independently verified, factual knowledge about the countries of Eastern Europe and the independent states of the former Soviet Union is critical to the national security of the United States, the furtherance of U.S. national interests in the conduct of foreign relations, and the prudent management of U.S. domestic affairs. Furthermore, Congress found that the development and maintenance of U.S. expertise in these regions depends upon a national capability for advanced research by highly trained specialists. Such specialists constitute a national resource potentially available for service in and out of government. In the Act, Congress also declared that providing a stable and dedicated source of financial support for Title VIII functions, beyond federal, state, local, regional, and private sector funding, is critical to maintaining this important research and training on a long-term, national scale.
Through the Title VIII Program, the U.S. government, in the interest of national security, funds organizations to help develop and maintain this critical expertise.
Program Goals:
The State Department administers the Title VIII Program to attain the following goals in alignment with the legislation:
- Develop, support, and deepen American expertise in the countries of Eastern Europe and the independent states of the former Soviet Union.
- Develop American proficiency in the critical languages of Eastern Europe and the independent states of the former Soviet Union.
- Bring regional and foreign language expertise to the service of the U.S. government and contribute to U.S. knowledge and national capability.
- Advance U.S. foreign policy goals and foster international collaboration and understanding.
Through open, merit-based competitions, the Title VIII Program awards grants to American universities, institutions of higher education, and non-governmental organizations. Project proposals must be national in scope and involve an open, merit-based recruitment of fellowship recipients. All research proposals must explicitly support U.S. foreign policy and should promote analytic outreach and engagement with State Department policymakers and intelligence community analysts.
Eligible Research Programs:
The Title VIII Program supports research that addresses U.S. policy interests in the region, broadly defined. Research on the following countries is eligible for funding under this NOFO: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. (Travel to certain countries may be subject to restrictions due to unforeseen world events, statutory restrictions, U.S. embassy requirements, or general security concerns.)
The Title VIII review committees will give the highest priority to research programs that focus on current political, economic, security, democratic, or governance challenges relevant to U.S. foreign policy. Historical or cultural research that promotes understanding of current events in the region and makes an explicit connection to policy-relevant issues, broadly defined, may be competitive.
Critical Language Training:
The National Security Language Initiative (NSLI) is a U.S. government interagency effort to significantly increase the number of Americans studying and mastering critical foreign languages.
In furtherance of the NSLI, Title VIII supports funding for U.S. graduate students to pursue advanced Russian language study and as appropriate, studies of other languages of the independent states of the former Soviet Union.
Commitment to Government Service:
The Title VIII Program does not require that students or researchers commit to federal service; however, competitive proposals may include innovative initiatives that promote collaboration and information sharing with the U.S. government and/or encourage the pursuit of U.S. government career opportunities and internships.
Opportunity Structure
Federal Award Information
Total amount of funding the grantor expects to award through this announcement: Approximately $2,000,000
Anticipated number of awards: 1-10
Expected amounts of individual awards: Awards depend upon the availability of funding, scope of work, number of proposed fellowships, and volume of activities. Awards granted in 2020 ranged from $150,000 to $400,000.
Anticipated start dates for new awards: September 2021, pending availability of funds
Anticipated period of performance: Project activities may extend from 1 – 3 years.
Funding Instrument Type: Grant
Type of Funding: Fiscal Year 2020 Assistance for Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia
Competitive Scope
Eligibility
U.S. Institutions of higher education or non-profit organizations that meet the provisions outlined in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC (501) (c) (3) may apply. Organizations may submit one (1) application in response to this NOFO.
Current Title VIII grantees are eligible to respond to this NOFO as a new funding opportunity. Grantees may not request, via this announcement, cost amendments, no-cost amendments, or extension for current awards.
Grantor Contact Information: