Rebuilding a Russian-American Conversation
Rebuilding a Russian-American Conversation (RARAC) is a small grants public diplomacy program funded by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and administered by Cultural Vistas that aims to build connections between American organizations and Russian communities to share culture, pursue common opportunities in a collaborative manner, and address common global challenges.
What is Public Diplomacy?
Public diplomacy includes conversations between a variety of audiences, including, for example, cultural institutions responding to the demands imposed by the pandemic, social entrepreneurs seeking new opportunities in virtual engagement, artists reinventing and advancing their skills, organizations working in sustainability re-tooling to cope with shifts in consumption, and universities looking at the future of career readiness, among many more.
Application Information
RARAC provides seed grants of up to $7,500 for 15 virtual public diplomacy projects.
Who is eligible?
U.S.-based institutions and organizations with non-profit status, including faith-based institutions, who have an identified partner based in Russia; no applications from individuals will be considered.
Application components
- Resumes and contact information for at least two individuals from the U.S.-based organization
- A letter of support confirming participation from a Russia-based entity
- A project proposal outlining the project’s objectives, target demographics/constituent groups, and collaboration plans with a Russia-based organization. Proposals should also include a tentative project timeline, budget, and monitoring and evaluation plan.
Program Timeline
February 1, 2022: Application deadline
March 2022: Selected project teams are notified and attend a virtual program orientation session.
April – July 2022: Project implementation period
August 2022: Virtual program debriefing session
August – September 2022: Project teams participate in recording a retrospective podcast with Cultural Vistas staff
FAQs
Who can submit a proposal?
- We will consider applications from U.S.-based nonprofits, including faith-based institutions; no applications from individuals will be considered.
What kinds of entities in Russia can my organization partner with?
- You can partner with non-profits, civil society organizations, community organizations, and similar entities in Russia. Your application must include a letter of support confirming participation from a Russia-based entity (not an individual).
Can my project receive funding outside of the RARAC small grants program?
- Yes, organizations can allocate funds from outside of the RARAC small grants program to implement their projects. However, if projects are providing services to the public, services must be provided free of charge during the project implementation period (April-August 2022).
How does Cultural Vistas select which projects to fund?
- Projects will be selected based on the feasibility of the project’s workplan between April and July 2022; the project’s sustainability, based on its identifiable long-term goals or plans to scale the initiative; and the level of positive impact the project will have on its target issues.
When will I know if my project is awarded funding?
- We will make our award announcement in late February 2022.
How will funding be distributed?
- Selected projects will provide Cultural Vistas with bank transfer information for the U.S.-based organization involved in the project. Cultural Vistas will not transfer funds to organizations based in Russia. The first 80 percent of grant funds will be distributed in late March after teams have submitted their final project implementation plans. The remaining 20 percent will be distributed after teams submit their final project reports in August.
Contact
For questions regarding eligibility and the application process, please email RARAC@culturalvistas.org