2022 TechCamp for Young Pacific Leaders

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 TechCamp program designed to provide emerging Pacific science leaders with the skills they need to become innovative changemakers and leaders in the region, particularly focused on combatting the threat of climate change in the region.

Goals

Goals of the TechCamp should include:

Encourage innovative, locally-based outreach strategies that will increase community engagement in climate resilience, including the use of readily available technology and tools.
Support the creation of regional networks and relationships that will allow scientists and science communicators across the Pacific to build public engagement strategies to combat climate change and develop climate resilience.
Improve capacity for science leaders to manage climate finance and projects, develop climate modeling and spatial analysis, implement monitoring and evaluation, and develop infrastructure maintenance to develop sustainable climate-smart programs and plans
Ensuring that emerging Pacific Islands science leaders see the United States as a partner in solving regional and global challenges.
Building a network of emerging Pacific science 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 $316,000 USD
Total available funding: Up to $316,000 USD
Anticipated program start date: October 1, 2021

Eligibility Crietria

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

Not-for-profit organizations or universities are invited to submit a proposal that describes how each of the following activities will be administered:

Design and implement a 2-3 day program for young science 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 may 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 programs, and U.S. Embassy New Zealand is able to provide contact information for alumni delegates. Proposals should include a plan for promoting the TechCamp application across the eligible countries and territories, and identifying and selecting diverse delegates, in partnership with the U.S. embassies in the Pacific region.
Delegates should be drawn from Pacific Islands science leaders and science communicators, including diaspora populations living in Australia and New Zealand, and Maori, Aboriginal, and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as leaders working on Pacific issues in Australia and New Zealand. They should have a track record of making positive impacts in their community, institution, company or organization 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 a hands-on, participant-driven workshop connecting private and government sector technology experts with emerging scientists from Pacific countries with trainers. The workshop may take place either in person or via a hybrid model with groups of participants gathered within their various islands (pending border restrictions).
The program should give young Pacific scientists practical technical skills in financial and project management, climate modeling and spatial analysis, monitoring and evaluation, and infrastructure maintenance to develop sustainable climate-smart programs and plans.
The program should include a pitch competition with seed funding that will be open to teams comprised of TechCamp participants. The proposal should include plans for managing the small grants competition, including concluding subaward agreements and transferring any funds to the selected teams, as a follow-on activity for a period of 6 months after the conclusion of TechCamp.
The program should include a follow-on conference or workshop to reconvene participants to present their seed funding projects to a larger audience.
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 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 include a plan that explains 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, leadership development, and event organization as well as experience in and/or ties with organizations in the Asia-Pacific or other international expertise.