Public Diplomacy Grants Program for 18 Lincoln Corners throughout in Pakistan

Deadline: 2-May-23

The U.S. Embassy Islamabad Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) American Center (AC) is pleased to announce a funding opportunity through the Public Diplomacy grants program for 18 Lincoln Corners throughout Pakistan.

Project Objectives: The Lincoln Corners program’s goal is to provide resources and programming that achieves the following Pakistan-specific project objectives (in priority order):

Develop Future Leaders: Empower talented Pakistan youth to become leaders in their local community and nation by focusing on shared goals and interests such as education, inclusive economic opportunities, mitigating the effects of climate change and empowering underrepresented minority groups;
Empower Women: Enable women and girls to develop their skills and advocate for their interests, while also promoting women’s rights in the local community; and
Build U.S.-Pakistan friendship and regional stability: Increase Pakistanis’ understanding of the United States, U.S. policy in the region, and the U.S. as an important and positive partner for Pakistan.

Project Goal: Though the Lincoln Corners have Pakistan-specific goals, they operate based on the global standards of the American Spaces program. These standards mandate that every Lincoln Corner offer community engagement in six core areas:

Information about the United States
English language learning
Study in the USA or EducationUSA advising
Cultural programs
Alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs
Skills building for education and career success

The American Spaces standards mandate that Lincoln Corners maintain collections of books, magazines, databases, computer workstations, and an area for programs. All materials at the Lincoln Corners—to include internet access—must be free and open to the public. Lincoln Corners vary in size, but have the following minimum characteristics:

Secure location with public access;
Minimum size of approximately 75 square meters;
Library containing a minimum of 500 books selected and provided by the U.S. Mission;
Program venue to accommodate a minimum of 20 people;
Open and accessible to women and girls;
Furniture, such as:
- 15–20 chairs
- 2–3 reading tables
- 5–8 computer desks
- 1 office desk with chair for the Corner coordinator (staff member)
Equipment, including but not limited to:
- 1 color printer and/or 1 laser printer (black and white)
- 1 copier
- 1 digital camera
- 1 air conditioner and/or portable heater, as required.
- 5–10 computer workstations
- 5–8 uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units
- 1 laptop
- 1 projector & screen
- 1 sound system (speakers + mic for public programs)
Depending on the individual Lincoln Corner programming capabilities, equipment may also include:
- Makerspace equipment such as: 3D Printer(s), robotic and circuitry kits, other STEM technology materials
- Virtual reality (VR) headsets and/or Augmented reality (AR) equipment
- Media lab equipment such as: audio, video, and photography-related equipment for media production

Funding Information

Length of performance period: Twelve (12) months
Number of awards anticipated: 2-3 awards
Award amounts: May range from a minimum of $250,000 to a maximum of $1,200,000
Total available funding: $1,200,000
Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 months

Project Audience(s): The Lincoln Corner network’s primary audiences are youth between the ages of 16-35 who are currently in university or are young professionals starting their careers – particularly those with the potential to become local or national leaders. Secondary school students are a target audience for educational programming. Women and girls are a priority target audience for educational and entrepreneurship programming; Lincoln Corners aim for at least 50% female participation in their programming. The Lincoln Corners also seek to empower traditionally underrepresented communities including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities.

Eligibility Criteria

The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations
- Civil society/non-governmental organizations
Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one, non-profit, nongovernmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal.
Corners are located as follows:
- Five Lincoln Corners in the Islamabad Regional District: two Lincoln Corners located in the Islamabad Capital Territory; one in Rawalpindi; one in Muzaffarabad, and one in Gilgit.
- Five Lincoln Corners in the Lahore Regional District: one in Lahore, one in Faisalabad, one in Sargodha, one in Multan and one in Vehari.
- Two Lincoln Corners in Peshawar
- Six Lincoln Corners in the Karachi Regional District: two in Karachi, one in Hyderabad, one in Khairpur, one in Larkana and one virtual Corner in Balochistan