Deadline: 21-Aug-23
The Regional English Language Office (RELO) in the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy Islamabad of the U.S. Department of State (hereafter referred to as “RELO Pakistan”) is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
RELO Pakistan’s purpose in funding projects under this opportunity is to improve human capacity by creating a healthier, better educated, and more skilled workforce. The educators and youth who participate in this program will increase their English language proficiency and critical thinking skills, becoming more productive members of their community. They will be able to apply the new skills learned in the program to improve their teaching (educators) or to make them more competitive for future education or employment opportunities (students).
OPEN Plus is an overarching term for virtual training both for English language teachers and English language learners. The virtual training available under OPEN Plus is packaged in many forms. Some courses will be initiated by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of English Language Programs and some by RELO Pakistan. Some courses work with limited cohorts of up to 50 participants; some may be open to anyone who wants to learn the topic offered.
The overall goal of the OPEN Plus program is to provide an opportunity to educators and learners who are interested in expanding their skill set, but do not have either an in-person course of similar caliber available to them or are unable to attend in-person training due to security or logistical restrictions. OPEN Plus aims to improve the participants’ classroom methodology and/or their English language proficiency. In addition to improving English language methodology and/or English language proficiency, the program aims to expose participants to critical thinking skills as they relate to teaching and learning.
Public Diplomacy Goals
- Strengthen people-to-people ties between the United States and Pakistan through shared information, experiences, exchanges, and/or expertise.
- Strengthen civil society and local organizations to build long-term, self-sustaining relationships and institutional linkages between U.S. and Pakistani organizations, including capacity building for Pakistani organizations.
- Promote community cohesion through positive messages and inclusive perspectives that increase social tolerance and counter extremist narratives.
Project Objectives
- By the end of the OPEN Plus Program, at least 1,000 pre-and-in-service English language teachers in Pakistan will increase their English language proficiency, improve their critical thinking skills, and become more confident educators with exposure to 21st century classroom methodology through online professional development opportunities. Another 1,000 students are anticipated to also increase their English language proficiency, improve their critical thinking skills, and become more confident English language speakers through tailored virtual programming designed to engage learners in social issues and current events.
Funding Information
- Awards may range from a minimum of $350,000 to a maximum of $450,000.
- Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in two years or less.
Program Dates: October 01, 2023 to September 30, 2025.
Participants: The target participants for this project are public/private sector educators and public/private school students. Encourage programming targeting under-employed and unemployed participants in documented climate-vulnerable and/or flood-affected areas. Participants for each of the virtual training opportunities will be identified and/or selected by the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in participating provinces.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations
- Civil society/non-governmental organizations
- Public and private educational institutions (Not-for-profit departments)
- 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.
- Cost-sharing or matching is welcomed but not required for this funding opportunity.
- Pre-award costs are not an allowable expense for this funding opportunity.
All proposals should:
- Address how the project will contribute to one or more of the project objectives listed;
- Enumerate specific outputs and outcomes to be achieved by the end of the grant period, using the Grantee M&E Tool;
- Describe involvement of American participants, expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s;
- Clearly specify the audiences to be reached and the geographic locations of program activities. Proposed programs in multiple locations should explain how the project objectives will be accomplished;
- Describe how elements of the project will have a multiplier effect or be sustainable beyond the life of the grant;
- Include a traditional and/or social media plan for marketing or advertising program activities and outcomes;
- Include a plan for achieving gender equity among selected participants, administrative staff, and teachers.
- Encourage programming targeting under-employed and unemployed participants in documented climate-vulnerable and/or flood-affected areas.
- Demonstrate competency to manage all financial and oversight aspects of the project, including participant costs and transparent arrangements of sub-grant relationships with partner organizations, if applicable; and
- Explain how programs and activities will be monitored and evaluated, including developing performance indicators using the Grantee M&E Tool. Indicators should include baselines, targets, descriptions of data collection instruments, such as surveys of participants, and information on when results will be reported to the Public Diplomacy Section.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.