Deadline: 15-Aug-22
The U.S. Embassy Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Office of Public Affairs (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to support English-speaking undergraduate students and recent graduates from Saudi Arabia in a three-week U.S.-based exchange program in Summer 2023 that explores the themes of community engagement to promote peace and prosperity, leadership development, respect for diversity, tolerance of religious beliefs, and a mutual cultural understanding.
The program should continue after the U.S.-based exchange with follow-on activities in the participants’ home communities, including through alumni activities focused on social entrepreneurship and projects promoting peaceful coexistence with other members of society and the world at large. A total of 30 participants would travel to the United States in up to two delegations from Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023. U.S. Embassy Riyadh funding will support the planning and implementation of U.S.-based programming, including a period of homestays with American families, and participant international travel.
Program Objectives
The U.S. Mission’s support of this youth leadership exchange, SYLEP, which seeks to build leadership, civic responsibility, respect for diversity, and community engagement among Saudi university students and recent graduates through a three-week summer exchange started in the summer of 2014. This successful program is being revised to strengthen additional components such as promotion of peace and prosperity, as well as tolerance and cultural understanding.
The goals and objectives of the program are to:
- Promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of Saudi Arabia.
- Prepare youth leaders to become involved in sowing the seeds of tolerance and cross-cultural understanding in their own communities.
- Inspire youth leaders to become actively engaged in social entrepreneurship programs that help their communities in areas such as addressing the needs of persons with disabilities, developing opportunities for those facing unemployment and underemployment, and assisting the underprivileged in their own society.
- Teach students techniques for conflict analysis and resolution.
Funding Information
- Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $300,000 to a maximum of $350,000
- Total available funding: $350,000
- Length of performance period: 9 to 12 months
- Anticipated program start date: June 2023
The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and the U.S. Consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran will help recruit, screen, and nominate participants beginning in early 2023. The award recipient will conduct an initial screening of applications and recommend approximately 50-75 top candidates for consideration to the Public Affairs Sections of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi Arabia. The Embassy and Consulates will select the final participants for the exchange. In addition to recruitment, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and the U.S. Consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran will provide pre-departure briefings, facilitate visa application processes, and oversee follow-on alumni projects. The award recipient must consult regularly with the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy to implement the project and coordinate participants’ international travel. The award recipients will also be responsible for preparing materials for the pre-departure briefings and providing follow-on support to participant.
Participants and Audiences
- Applicants should propose to implement a three-week U.S.-based exchange for 30 recent graduate and undergraduate students. Applicants may propose a plan to break the delegation into smaller cohorts for some of the exchange activities. This is to ensure all participants benefit from exchange activities and to increase the effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation, including the participants’ safety and well-being while on the U.S.-based program.
- Participants will be recent graduate and undergraduate university students, who have demonstrated leadership abilities in their schools and/or communities, are able to demonstrate fluency in English, and are Saudi citizens residing in Saudi Arabia.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply: public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501 (c)(3).
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
For more information, visit U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia.
