Austrian-American Partnership Fund (AAPF)
🏛 U.S. Mission to Austria
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations and individuals promoting U.S.-Austria partnership and dialogue. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofits, think tanks, NGOs, educational institutions, and individuals with program execution experience. Austrian and European-based organizations may also apply. Projects must advance U.S. foreign policy, combat transnational threats, promote American culture and innovation, or strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Funded activities include public diplomacy initiatives, cultural and educational exchanges, and collaborative projects highlighting U.S.-Austrian connections. Priority given to projects demonstrating long-term sustainability and reaching young audiences.
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Program description
This is an Annual Program Statement, outlining our funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding.
Purpose of Small Grants: The Austrian-American Partnership Fund (AAPF) is organized to fund projects advancing collaboration and dialogue and expand cooperation between Austria and the United States. AAPF accepts applications for funding for innovative projects that seek to bring American perspectives to Austria or connect Americans and Austrians in the following priority areas:
• Promote understanding of U.S. global foreign policy and economic priorities and interests among Austrian publics, particularly young people, and support U.S.-Austrian initiatives that advance these priorities.
• Contribute to strengthening U.S.-Austria efforts to combat shared transnational threats, such as terrorism, illegal migration, antisemitism, or drug trafficking.
• Enhance understanding of the United States and U.S.-Austrian shared history and celebrate American arts, film, sports, and music, particularly among youth, including in connection with America’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
• Highlight American technological and scientific innovation and economic dynamism and create opportunities for U.S.-Austria collaboration in these fields.
Proposals will be considered on a rolling basis and subject to the availability of Public Diplomacy funds for Fiscal Year 2026. The selection process can take up to two – three months.
ELIGIBILITY
The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from Austria, European or, U.S.-based organizations and individuals with proven experience of executing programs. Proposals that demonstrate the long-term sustainability of the proposed project will receive priority.
The following organizations are eligible to apply:
• Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations
• Public and private educational institutions
• Individuals
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- Project proposal/narrative
- Budget and budget narrative
- Organizational background or individual biography
- Evidence of past program experience
- Letters of support (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. Mission to Austria
- 📞 202-890-9795
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 19.040 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$4,682,072
-
$3,371,312
-
$2,650,000
-
$2,446,525
-
$2,050,500
-
$1,861,451
-
$1,700,000
-
$1,565,795
-
$1,500,000
-
$1,480,000
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 19.040). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2018 | $129,428,262 | |
| 2019 est. | $34,549,598 | |
| 2020 | $129,979,440 | |
| 2021 | $128,999,999 |
FAQ
Who can apply for AAPF funding?
U.S.-based nonprofits, educational institutions, and individuals can apply. Austrian and European organizations are also eligible if they demonstrate program execution experience.
What is the award range?
Awards typically range from $5,000 to $24,500, with rolling acceptance and decisions within 2–3 months.
What types of projects are funded?
Projects promoting U.S.-Austria cultural exchange, foreign policy understanding, counterterrorism collaboration, scientific innovation, and youth engagement in relevant areas.
How competitive is this grant?
This is a small grant program with $40,000 total funding. Strong applications demonstrate long-term project sustainability and proven organizational capacity.
What makes an application stronger?
Focus on youth audiences, long-term impact, and clear connections to stated priority areas (foreign policy, transnational threats, arts/culture, innovation).
💡 Tips for applicants
- Align your project explicitly to one of the four priority areas: foreign policy education, combating transnational threats, arts/culture promotion, or scientific innovation.
- Demonstrate organizational capacity and past program execution experience to build credibility with reviewers.
- Emphasize youth engagement—the program prioritizes reaching younger Austrian and American audiences.
- Show how your project creates lasting impact beyond the funding period; sustainability matters in selection.
- Use plain language to explain how your U.S.-Austria partnership advances mutual understanding and cooperation.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when they don't clearly link to one of the four priority areas. Weak proposals lack evidence of organizational capacity to execute programs successfully. Projects without youth engagement or long-term sustainability plans score poorly.
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