Deadline: 31-Jul-24
The U.S. Mission New Zealand Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce an open competition for organizations interested in submitting proposals to organize a comprehensive small grants 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.
As a Pacific nation, the United States has long been committed to working with partners in the region to ensure continued regional security, as well as economic growth and development. This program for young leaders will create ties across the Pacific to ensure that they are better prepared to address challenges together in the future
Goals
- Goals of the small grants 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.
- All programs must include an element that will promote increased understanding of the United States including, but not limited to U.S. policy, people, culture, values, and/or perspectives.
Funding Information
- Total available funding: Up to $400,000 USD
- Number of awards anticipated: One Award amounts: Up to $400,000 USD
- Length of performance period: Up to 36 months
- Anticipated project start date: October 1, 2024
Activities
- Not-for-profit organizations or universities are invited to submit a proposal that describes how each of the following activities will be administered:
- The program should accommodate applicants 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.
- Participants must be alumni of the previous YPL programs. U.S. Embassy New Zealand is able to provide contact information for alumni. Proposals should include a plan for promoting the applications across the eligible countries and territories, and identifying and selecting participants, in partnership with the U.S. embassies in the Pacific region.
- Participants 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 25-40 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.
- Proposals should include plans to solicit, review, and rank grant proposals from YPL alumni and manage a website to accept proposals.
- Proposals should include virtual trainings on how to submit a proposal in advance of the competition for both alumni and a general YPL network audience.
- Proposals should include plans to administer small grants, including managing sub-grantees’ finances and reporting.
- Proposals should include an in-person training workshop with grant teams to cover essentials of grant management.
- Proposals should include an in-person debrief workshop and public showcase at the conclusion of the grant period for grant team leaders to share lessons learned.
- 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 in-person events, 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.
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.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.