Rainbow Dialogues: All In This Together | K NOFO 22 103

Opportunity Information: Apply for K NOFO 22 103

Rainbow Dialogues: All In This Together is a U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to India discretionary grant opportunity designed to expand a proven engagement model beyond an existing American Center program and into six second-tier cities in the consular district. The core idea is to create welcoming, practical spaces where gender and sexual minority community members are more visibly "seen, accepted, and supported" by deliberately building new allies among influential local groups. Rather than focusing only on the community itself, the project targets the wider ecosystem that shapes day-to-day safety, dignity, and opportunity, including youth leaders, educators and university leadership, law enforcement, medical and health workers, multinational and private-sector employers, and other professional sectors that interact with gender-diverse people in public life.

The grant expects programming that uses sustained dialogues and structured workshops to shift attitudes and behaviors that contribute to stigma and discrimination. A major intended outcome is measurable reduction in discriminatory views and increased understanding and acceptance, paired with concrete advocacy for employment pathways and economic opportunity for gender and sexual minority communities. Importantly, the opportunity emphasizes measurement and accountability: implementers are expected to use pre- and post-surveys with a selected audience sample to track changes in perceptions, and to secure follow-up commitments from partner institutions and organizations. These commitments could include policy or practice changes, ongoing partnerships, pledges to host additional events, or steps that improve access to jobs and fair treatment.

Geographically, the project is meant to run in six key cities: three in the northeastern states and three in the Hindi-belt states of Bihar and Jharkhand. This focus signals an intent to reach audiences outside the largest metropolitan centers and to engage communities where public conversation about gender and sexuality may be less common or where institutional support networks may be thinner. Content is expected to be locally resonant and culturally grounded, highlighting the historical and cultural roots of gender diversity in South Asia while also centering contemporary lived experience. The narrative approach includes the achievements, challenges, and personal journeys of individuals and their family members, with the goal of building empathy and credibility with new audiences in education, healthcare, government, and business.

In terms of implementation, the announcement encourages a mix of platforms and tools that can reach both in-person and public audiences. Suggested activities include storytelling workshops, campus conversations, social media campaigns, networking events, training workshops, and broader awareness campaigns that draw in print and electronic media. The program guidance also stresses the value of non-threatening, relationship-building environments, especially those rooted in art, culture, and personal anecdotes. By placing events in public-facing spaces such as educational institutions and corporate settings, the project aims to normalize respectful engagement, share accurate information, and recruit allies who can influence workplace practices, campus climate, service delivery in healthcare, and interactions with law enforcement.

Administratively, this opportunity is offered as a grant under the Humanities/Cultural Affairs category (CFDA 19.040) by the Department of State, U.S. Mission to India. The funding opportunity number is K NOFO 22 103. The award ceiling is USD 80,000, with an expectation of one award. The notice was created on June 24, 2022, with an original closing date of July 31, 2022. Eligible applicants are listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. Overall, the grant is structured around community engagement that is practical, culturally grounded, and measurable, with a clear emphasis on building durable partnerships that can reduce discrimination and expand economic and institutional support for gender and sexual minorities in targeted regions.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rainbow Dialogues: All In This Together" 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 24, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 31, 2022. (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 $80,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for K NOFO 22 103

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