The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs leads Department efforts to expand and strengthen the relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other countries.
The Small Grants Program aims to utilize awarded funds as seed money to encourage stakeholder buy-in. This initiative seeks partnerships and cost-sharing with host country civil society and business communities to broaden the impact of proposals. A focus is placed on sustainability, detailing how projects will proceed after U.S. government funding ends. Programs must include an American cultural element or connect with U.S. experts, organizations, or institutions to promote a better understanding of U.S. policies and perspectives. The grant supports efforts in countering violent extremism, media literacy, inter-religious unification, women’s and girls’ empowerment, youth engagement, education (especially English language learning), economic development, and enhancing media ecosystems to counter misinformation and disinformation.