Culture of Research and Content Design Exchanges program | AF HAR FY21 03

Opportunity Information: Apply for AF HAR FY21 03

The Culture of Research and Content Design Exchanges program is a U.S. Embassy Harare (Public Diplomacy Section) grant competition aimed at U.S.-based organizations that can blend solid research practice with creative content design to improve public education and civic discourse in Zimbabwe. The program is built around two required focus areas that must be addressed together in a single proposal: first, using theory of design to help shape civic discourse, and second, applying credible research methods (especially focus groups and analytics) to test, adapt, and refine content so it has measurable impact. The central idea is to connect rigorous evidence gathering with real-world creative production, so that public-facing messages are not just well-made, but also informed by what audiences actually need, understand, and respond to.

At the heart of the opportunity is an exchange and partnership model linking Zimbabwean universities and Zimbabwean content creators with U.S. counterparts. The Embassy is specifically looking for proposals that strengthen research capacity among Zimbabwean faculty, staff, and students while also helping Zimbabwean artists and creative professionals learn how to use research to design more effective public education content. The broader public diplomacy goal is to support democratic principles and strengthen the social fabric by encouraging constructive civic engagement and helping communities navigate difficult issues through collaboration rather than conflict. The program frames its theory of change in practical terms: if Zimbabwean universities improve their research capacity and collaboration, and if creatives who influence public conversation learn to integrate research into their design process, then Zimbabwean and U.S. partners will be better positioned to contribute to Zimbabwes national development priorities.

The grant envisions an 18-month program with several concrete deliverables. One major component is a set of online capacity-building sessions for roughly 25 Zimbabwean university faculty and staff focused on research methodologies, grant proposal development, and compliance requirements. The solicitation encourages a broad and applied curriculum, potentially covering topics like market-based research, private-sector integration, critical thinking and problem solving, what makes a productive research environment, and ways to strengthen undergraduate research capacity. The content areas suggested in the opportunity also emphasize practical frameworks for using evidence in social change work, including the value of a research culture, using research designs and methods to generate stronger evidence for interventions, programs, and policies, and approaches like positive deviance research to organize community-level change in fields such as public health, education, human rights, poverty reduction, sustainable development, civic participation, democracy and governance, and corporate citizenship.

A second major deliverable is structured professional networking meant to spark new collaborations that connect research for public education with the creative design community. The goal is not only training, but relationship-building that can last beyond the grant period, particularly partnerships between Zimbabwean institutions and U.S. institutions or experts. The third key deliverable is the launch of a model public education campaign that demonstrates the full pipeline from research to strategic content design. This campaign is intended to show how focus groups, analytics, and other feedback tools can shape messaging, characters, stories, formats, and distribution strategies in ways that promote positive civic engagement and reinforce civil society.

In terms of participants, the program anticipates working with up to 25 Zimbabwean researchers and artistic content creators who will collaborate on designing that public education campaign. Participant recruitment and selection are expected to be conducted jointly by the grantee and the U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe, and the Embassy notes that participant numbers and the mix of activities may shift depending on local conditions and budget. Overall, the program is meant to create a stronger ecosystem where universities generate usable evidence, creatives translate that evidence into compelling content, and both groups develop ongoing ties with U.S. partners.

Funding is expected to support approximately one award, with an anticipated total of about USD 100,000 and an award ceiling around USD 100,000. The funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, meaning the Embassy will likely remain substantively involved in guiding or coordinating aspects of the project, including identifying target audiences and beneficiaries in collaboration with the Public Diplomacy Section. The performance period is up to 18 months, with an anticipated start date of September 15, 2021, and the award is subject to the availability of funds. Eligible applicants are U.S. entities (the notice references eligibility details under an additional eligibility information section), and proposals were to be submitted by email to PublicDiplomacyGrants-ZIM@state.gov by the listed deadline of July 30, 2021.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Zimbabwe in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Culture of Research and Content Design Exchanges program" 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 Jun 22, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 30, 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 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for AF HAR FY21 03

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