Deadline: 01-Aug-21
The U.S. Embassy New Zealand Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce an open competition for organizations interested in submitting proposals to organize a comprehensive program designed to provide emerging Pacific leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to become leaders in the region’s economic and civic development.
The U.S. Embassy New Zealand Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce an open competition for organizations interested in submitting proposals to organize a comprehensive program designed to provide emerging Pacific leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to become leaders in the region’s economic and civic development.
The conference should emphasize experiential learning and capacity building in order to equip diverse participants with the tools they need for success. They encourage pre- and post-conference programming that will reinforce the learnings from the conference. The location of the conference should be in Guam, in order to showcase the United States as a Pacific country, and the U.S. connections to the Pacific region.
Goals
Goals of the conference should include:
- Developing the knowledge and skills of youth in the Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand, to become economic and civil society leaders who cooperate across the region to address difficult issues.
- Ensuring that emerging Pacific Islands leaders see the United States as a partner in solving regional and global challenges.
- Building a network of emerging Pacific leaders that can share best practices and collaborate on shared challenges.
Funding Information
- Length of performance period: Up to 36 months
- Number of awards anticipated: One
- Award amounts: Up to $250,000 USD
- Total available funding: Up to $250,000 USD
- Anticipated project start date: October 1, 2021
Eligibility Criteria
- U.S. Embassy New Zealand welcomes applications from non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and private, public, or state institutions of higher education. For-profit entities are not eligible to apply.
Additional Information
- Design and implement a 3-4 day program for young leaders to take place in late 2022 or early 2023 (specific timing to be determined in partnership with the U.S. Embassy New Zealand taking into account COVID-19 travel restrictions). Demonstrating planned coordination with partner organizations knowledgeable in the region is highly encouraged.
- The program should accommodate delegates from the following countries: Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Islands of French Polynesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna and U.S. partners from the American-affiliated Pacific including American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Hawaii.
- Delegates may include alumni of the previous YPL conferences. U.S. Embassy New Zealand is able to provide contact information for alumni delegates. Proposals should include a plan for promoting the conference application across the eligible countries and territories, and identifying and selecting delegates, in partnership with the U.S. embassies in the Pacific region.
- Delegates should be drawn from Pacific Islands youth, including diaspora populations living in Australia and New Zealand, and Maori, Aboriginal, and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as youth working on Pacific issues in Australia and New Zealand. They should be between the ages of 25-35 with a track record of making positive impacts in their community, institution, or company, and have at least two years of professional experience. Proficiency in written and spoken English and citizenship in one of the participating countries is also required.
- The program should include substantive interaction with U.S. government representatives as well as non-government organizations, businesses and think tanks that focus on the Pacific, particularly in the areas comprising the predetermined thematic areas.
- The program should also include experiential learning activities, enabling delegates to immerse themselves in relevant areas of the host-country’s community, as pertains to the thematic areas.
- Proposals are encouraged to include opening and closing events, to include key speakers from a broad cross section of sectors and to include speakers from both the United States and the Pacific region.
- Participants and leaders should have formal and informal opportunities to network with each other to develop collaborative relationships that will persist after the conference’s conclusion.
- Proposals should explain how participants will be assisted in continuing and building upon the connections and learnings made during the program, and should describe how alumni of the program will be encouraged to continue to build upon their relationships and implement ideas developed at the event.
- Proposals should include management of travel and lodging logistics for all participants, speakers, and staff, as well as venue(s). Proposals must show how grant funds will be used to cover the cost of the venue, transportation, visas, travel insurance, lodging, and meals or per diem for eligible participants, speakers, and staff. All travel funded under the grant agreement should be economy class and must comply with Fly America requirements.
- Proposals should include a plan for publicizing both the application opportunity as well as the conference, to include both traditional and social media, as appropriate, in partnership with the U.S. embassies located in the Pacific region.
- Proposals should include a plan for evaluating the program’s goals, including pre- and post-event surveys of participants.
- Proposals should include a description of the applicant’s experience with U.S.-Pacific relations, youth leadership development, and event organization as well as experience in and/or ties with organizations in the Asia-Pacific or other international expertise.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=334456