Traveling U.S. Cultural Exhibits | PAS CHISINAU FY20 11 ISPACE

Traveling U.S. Cultural Exhibits (Mobile Culture Bus) - Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is the Traveling U.S. Cultural Exhibits grant opportunity?

This opportunity, issued by the U.S. Mission to Moldova (U.S. Embassy in Chisinau), funds a cooperative agreement for a Moldovan non-governmental organization to acquire, renovate, equip, and operate a full-sized coach bus that serves as a mobile hub for American cultural, educational, and public engagement programming throughout Moldova.

2) What is the main goal of the project?

The central goal is to create a traveling venue that allows the Embassy and its partners to bring U.S.-linked cultural content and community programming directly to audiences outside the capital. The bus is intended to function as a platform for activities inside the bus and also in outdoor or adjacent spaces near where it is parked.

3) What type of funding instrument is this?

This is a cooperative agreement, not a standard grant. That means the implementing organization is expected to work in close coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau rather than operating fully independently.

4) What does "cooperative agreement" mean in practice for the selected organization?

The selected NGO should expect active coordination with the Embassy on planning and delivering programming. The organization would work jointly with the Embassy and with local and national partners to shape programming, select communities and venues, and recruit target audiences, while also managing the practical operations of the mobile platform.

5) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to not-for-profit entities officially registered in Moldova, including NGOs and civil society organizations. The listing notes the eligible applicant category as nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, paired with the explicit requirement that the organization be registered in Moldova.

6) Can organizations outside Moldova apply?

Based on the information provided, eligibility is limited to not-for-profit entities officially registered in Moldova. No other applicant categories are described as eligible.

7) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is PAS CHISINAU FY20 11 ISPACE.

8) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 19.900.

9) What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $150,000.

10) How is the funding categorized?

The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding.

11) What are the key activities the award is intended to support?

The award is intended to support the acquisition, renovation, equipping, and operation of a full-sized coach bus that will be used as a traveling platform for American cultural, educational, and public engagement programs across Moldova.

12) What kinds of events and programming can the bus support?

The bus is meant to support a broad range of activities, including film screenings, art exhibitions, performances, workshops, classes, speaker sessions, information fairs, and related community-oriented activities.

13) Is programming limited to activities inside the bus?

No. The concept is designed to host activities both inside the bus and in outdoor or adjacent spaces, allowing the mobile venue to scale programming depending on local venues and community needs.

14) Is there a geographic focus for where activities should take place?

Yes. A major emphasis is placed on reaching smaller towns and villages rather than concentrating events in Moldova's larger cities. Geographic outreach and accessibility are core purposes of the project.

15) What responsibilities would the selected organization have beyond buying the bus?

The selected organization is expected to both (1) manage operational needs such as vehicle acquisition, renovation, logistics, staffing, scheduling, maintenance, and (2) manage programming needs such as partnership building, event planning, outreach, and delivering cultural and educational content aligned with Embassy priorities.

16) Who will shape the programming and select host communities?

Programming, community selection, and audience recruitment are expected to be done jointly by the implementing NGO in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau and in collaboration with local and national partners.

17) What is the role of partners in this project?

The implementing NGO is expected to work with the Embassy and with local and national partners to shape programming, choose appropriate communities and venues, and recruit target audiences.

18) Does the opportunity reference any similar projects or models?

Yes. The notice points applicants to a similar mobile culture bus model in a nearby country for background context.

19) What documents are required in the application package?

Applicants must submit a complete application package with three mandatory components: (1) an application in the required MS Word format using the provided template, (2) a detailed budget in the required MS Excel format using the provided template, and (3) a monitoring and evaluation plan in a free-form format.

20) Are the application and budget formats mandatory?

Yes. The application must be submitted in the required MS Word format using the provided template, and the budget must be submitted in the required MS Excel format using the provided template.

21) What is required in the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan?

The M&E plan is required in a free-form format. Based on the description, it should explain how results such as reach, participation, and program outcomes will be tracked and reported.

22) What should the budget cover?

The budget is expected to show how funds will be allocated across acquisition, renovation, equipment, and operations related to implementing and running the mobile cultural platform.

23) When was the opportunity posted and when was the original closing date?

The posting indicates it was created on February 14, 2020, and the original application closing date was April 17, 2020.

24) What is the intended audience for the mobile programming?

The bus is designed to bring U.S.-linked cultural, educational, and public engagement programming directly to audiences throughout Moldova, with a specific emphasis on reaching communities outside Chisinau, especially smaller towns and villages.

25) What are applicants expected to demonstrate in their submission?

Applicants are expected to demonstrate, at a minimum, how they will implement the mobile cultural platform, how they will allocate funding across bus acquisition/renovation/equipment/operations, and how they will measure and report results such as reach, participation, and program outcomes.