U.S. Embassy Berlin: Transatlantic Partnership Program (Germany)

This program aims to strengthen transatlantic relationships by promoting mutual understanding and collaboration between the United States and Germany.

Eligible projects must feature U.S. elements, have a clear audience focus, and include a strategic implementation plan. They should enhance target audience awareness, inform attitudes, or improve skills, and include a monitoring and evaluation plan.

The program emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that all activities are accessible and representative of the diverse political, social, and cultural life in the U.S. and abroad. Proposals should demonstrate how they will engage diverse and underserved communities and maintain a non-political character.

Objectives

• The program focuses on three main objectives:
  • Sustaining and Expanding Transatlantic Networks: Build networks and foster long-term relationships between emerging leaders, educational institutions, and civil society stakeholders in the United States and Germany to collaborate on transnational challenges.
  • Fostering Democratic Civil Societies: Build consensus among stakeholders to counter challenges to secure infrastructure, supply chains, and support for Ukraine, and/or deliver digital and media literacy tools to combat disinformation in vulnerable communities.
  • Building Equitable and Sustainable Economies: Promote green innovation and energy transformation technologies to support sustainable growth and transatlantic security. Foster entrepreneurship, economic prosperity, transatlantic innovation, the digital economy, and workforce development.

Funding Information

• Grant amount: $10,000 – $50,000
• Number of awards anticipated: 5 depending on availability of funding.

Eligible Projects

• Workshops for experts/practitioners/educators and youth audiences (high school through university students and young professionals) focused on countering malign influence, countering extremism, or media literacy.
• Trainings or activities to empower advocacy for shared democratic values.
• Youth leadership and civic engagement programs.
• Green innovation and energy transformation hackathons for German students.
• Digital economy and innovation summits bringing together young innovators, policymakers, and business leaders from the United States and Germany.

Ineligible Projects

• The following types of programs are not eligible for funding:
  • Social welfare projects, charitable or development activities; fund-raising campaigns;
  • One-time study trips for youth, school, and university classes, travel to student conferences such as MUN;
  • Any activities that appear partisan or that support individual or party electoral campaigns;
  • Lobbying for specific legislation or programs;
  • Construction programs;
  • Scientific or medical research and studies;
  • Production of media such as films, art, literature, music, and podcasts;
  • Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization;
  • Duplications of existing programs;
  • Completion of activities begun with other funds (however, new activities that build from lessons learned as the result of an earlier project are acceptable).
• Exhibits and cultural performances, while technically being eligible, must have clear links to objective areas to be eligible for consideration.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Public Diplomacy Section will consider proposals from Germany-based applicants, including:
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations with a presence in Germany;
  • Non-profit or governmental educational institutions;
  • Governmental institutions and other public entities.
• Non-German organizations are required to partner with a German institution. They will not entertain applications from U.S. or third country organizations that cannot show evidence of a German partner institution.

Application Requirements

• One-page 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;
• Official permission letters, if required for program activities;
• A brief project description summarizing goals, objectives outcomes, performance indicators, beneficiaries, and proposed timeline and how they relate to the goals and objectives outlined in this document;
• A clear statement of the applicant’s organizational capacity to carry out the proposed activity and manage U.S. Government funds;
• The anticipated total budget amount (in U.S. dollars).

For more information, visit Grants.gov.