North India Office Annual Program Statement | NIO NOFO 21 101

Opportunity Information: Apply for NIO NOFO 21 101

The North India Office Annual Program Statement (NIO NOFO 21 101) is a U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to India funding opportunity offered through the Public Affairs Section (PAS) under the Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. It is designed to support relatively small, targeted projects that advance U.S. Mission India public diplomacy goals, especially projects that build understanding of the United States, strengthen U.S.-India people-to-people connections, reinforce shared democratic values, and contribute to mutual prosperity. In practical terms, the opportunity invites proposals that use cultural, educational, and policy-oriented programming to deepen ties between communities and institutions in both countries.

The geographic focus is North India, specifically the states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh, as well as the Chandigarh Union Territory. The PAS indicates that it supports a broad range of initiatives across sectors, as long as the work clearly aligns with the U.S.-India relationship and public diplomacy objectives in the region. The announcement frames the North India Office role as overseeing and supporting programs that strengthen bilateral and regional ties through diverse engagement, including exchanges, dialogues, trainings, and public-facing educational or cultural activities.

Priority areas mentioned in the summary cover multiple strategic themes connected to the overall U.S.-India partnership. These include strengthening bilateral economic ties and supporting economic growth; advancing environmental health; promoting education and innovation; supporting science and health initiatives; encouraging diplomatic collaboration and Indo-Pacific cooperation; addressing shared challenges such as trafficking in persons; reinforcing shared values; and promoting defense cooperation. The APS structure implies that proposals should not be generic development projects, but instead should have a clear public diplomacy angle and measurable outcomes related to mutual understanding, partnership-building, and constructive engagement between U.S. and Indian stakeholders.

This opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses a grant as the primary funding instrument. The funding activity category is listed as education (CFDA 19.040), which signals that many competitive proposals may include training, academic collaboration, workshops, speaker programs, curriculum or capacity-building elements, or other learning-centered activities, even if they touch on topics like environment, health, or economic growth. The eligible applicant types include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions). The executive summary also notes that U.S. and Indian not-for-profit organizations, think tanks, and educational institutions are the intended proposer community, indicating a preference for credible organizations that can deliver public-facing programming and sustain institutional partnerships.

In terms of scale and competitiveness, the award ceiling is $25,000, with an expected number of awards listed as 1 in the provided source data. The opportunity was created on June 25, 2021, with an original closing date of December 31, 2021. Applicants are directed to consult the full announcement (referenced as available under a related documents tab) for the complete set of priorities, required proposal components, submission instructions, and any detailed compliance or reporting expectations, since the summary provided is mainly an overview of goals, regional coverage, and thematic interests rather than the full application checklist.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "North India Office Annual Program Statement" 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 25, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 31, 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 $25,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for NIO NOFO 21 101

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