Grants to celebrate the contribution of African Food to American Cuisine (Uganda)

The program will engage 75-100 Ugandan chefs, culinary students, and food industry professionals through advanced culinary workshops. It will culminate in a fusion banquet that highlights the historical and cultural connections between African and American food traditions. Key activities will take place at prominent hospitality venues, including the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI) in Jinja and select locations in Kampala.

The program aims to address both cultural and economic challenges within Uganda’s hospitality industry by fostering the development of local talent and creating career advancement opportunities for Ugandan chefs in an industry largely dominated by foreign professionals. By offering hands-on training with a focus on American cuisine, particularly Southern traditions rooted in African heritage, the program seeks to enhance culinary skills and inspire innovation in Uganda’s food sector. Applicants must demonstrate how they will integrate the expertise of the American culinary professional into Uganda’s culinary space while promoting economic growth and empowering Ugandan chefs to succeed locally and internationally.

Objectives

• To utilize food as a medium for cultural exchange between the United States and Uganda, by highlighting the significant contributions of African cuisine to American culinary traditions.
• To leverage the expertise of an African American chef to showcase how culinary traditions can serve as a platform for intercultural dialogue.
• To equip Ugandan chefs and culinary students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in Uganda’s growing hospitality sector.
• To facilitate career advancement for Ugandan chefs and culinary students by providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to become culinary entrepreneurs.

Funding Information

• Total available funding: $20,000 pending availability of funds
• Grant amount: Awards may range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $20,000
• Number of awards anticipated: 1 award (dependent on amounts)
• Duration: three months

Eligibility Criteria

• The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from U.S. and Ugandan individuals and organizations: The following are eligible to apply:
  • Educational institutions with culinary arts, hospitality programs.
  • Local community groups and organizations engaged in culinary arts or hospitality development.
  • Individuals, and other cultural institutions that aim to engage in cultural exchange or educational projects related to food and culinary arts.
  • All organizations, regardless of their country of origin, must ensure that their proposed programs align with the project’s objectives and provide significant benefits to the target participants and audiences.

Ineligibility Criteria

• For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

Review Criteria

• A Grants Review Committee will evaluate all eligible applications. Applicants selected for further consideration will receive official written notification and detailed information on the process of finalizing awards. Applicants selected for further consideration must provide official copies of all registrations outlined in the eligibility requirements. Failure to provide these documents will result in disqualification. Awards are contingent upon availability of U.S. Government funds and the signing of official award documents. Verbal or other informal communications cannot be considered official notification of an award, and applicants may not obligate expenses for a proposed project until all required administrative procedures have been completed.

Application Requirements

• Please ensure:
  • The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity
  • All documents are in English
  • All budgets are in U.S. dollars
  • All pages are numbered
  • All documents are formatted to fit 8 ½ x 11 paper, and
  • All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12 point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins.
  • 1-page Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program
  • Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner
  • If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, include your latest NICRA as a PDF file.
  • Official permission letters, if required for program activities.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.