Deadline: 20-Jul-23
The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs’ Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) and Embassy Tunis’ Assistance Unit seek proposals that take specific, measurable action to address the decline in traditional modes of political participation among young people.
Tunisian youth run for office less often and remain underrepresented in elected positions. With 24.5 percent of its population between the ages of 15 and 29, Tunisia cannot afford to let a quarter of the population sit on the sidelines. The project will increase university students’ leadership, networking, and analysis skills so that they become more likely to engage in advocacy and civic projects. Universities will create organizational frameworks for extracurricular activities that give students a meaningful role in the financial and administrative management of clubs. The clubs themselves will develop the skills students need to succeed as engaged citizens while creating linkages with existing community service projects.
Project’s Goal: University students become active community leaders who engage civil society organizations (CSOs) and local stakeholders to create sensible solutions addressing the pressing needs of their communities.
Objectives
A successful project will result in:
- Objective 1: Universities facilitate the creation of clubs and encourage students to play a central role in the financial and administrative management of them.
- Objective 2: Student clubs foster social activism, civic responsibility, and the revitalization of principles and practices that enable a strong, healthy, and productive political climate for all.
This NOFO responds to the mission’s Integrated Country Strategy (ICS) goal and objectives below:
- Mission Goal 1: Tunisia strengthens democratic institutions and increases citizen confidence in government responsiveness.
- Mission Objective 1.2: Tunisian citizens and civil society understand and exercise their rights and responsibilities in a democratic system.
- Mission objective 1.3: Tunisian citizens, particularly youth, women, and other geographically marginalized populations have equal access to government services and fully benefit from economic development.
Project Design
This solicitation invites applications to empower students and increase their leadership skills by developing and managing clubs within university campuses. Working directly with universities is crucial as successful project will provide tools and techniques to promote student administration collaboration in the financial and administrative management of extracurricular activities. To ensure sustainability, the project will help universities adopt new mechanisms that engage students in decision making beyond the project timeframe. Funds are available to support projects that increase youth resilience and empower them to take an active role in their communities.
- Objective 1: Universities facilitate the creation of clubs and encourage students to play a central role in the financial and administrative management of them.
- Identify universities and assess civic engagement among students: The project will first identify and assess which universities would benefit and attract most students to the leadership clubs. A follow-on assessment will identify youth engagement and political/civic participation.
- Ensure universities’ staff empowers their students to take part in decision making: The project will collaborate with universities’ staff and administration to ensure their full support and cooperation on the students’ clubs. Students should have the space to share, learn, and act within their universities based on the fundamentals of democratic participation. The universities’ involvement should also focus on allowing students to take part in the decision-making process.
- Create partnerships with international universities: The project will conduct a market analysis of existing universities in the U.S. and possible partnerships. Activities should aim to create at least one partnership to bring international expertise and foster community engagement within Tunisian universities.
- Objective 2: Student clubs foster social activism, civic responsibility, and the revitalization of principles and practices that enable a strong, healthy, and productive political climate for all.
- Provide students with capacity building and leadership training: The project will assess students’ needs and create a personalized capacity-building program for each university. These efforts will help unleash leadership potential. Examples of capacity building opportunities include training in soft skills, democratic values, political systems, and modes of participation.
- Unlock decision making tools and opportunities: The project will help students by equipping them with the right tools to take part in decision making. It will allow students to apply knowledge in real life experiences where they collaborate on passing budgets and have a say in decisions pertaining to their communities.
Project activities should mostly focus on:
- A mapping of the current literature and an assessment to identify relevant beneficiary universities, as well as student’s needs.
- Partnerships with U.S. based universities for an international expertise and curriculum of trainings.
- Facilitating clubs’ involvement in local community advocacy or other campaigns.
- Mechanisms that ensure youth are equipped to be informed and engaged leaders beyond the scope of the project.
Project beneficiaries include: At least five universities, with a total of at least 50 students per university.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $500,000
- Estimated Award Ceiling: $500,000
- Estimated Award Floor: $250,000
- Estimated Length of Project Period: 12-24 Months
Eligible Countries and Territories
In this announcement, they seek to support projects in Tunisia and work with locally registered organizations. Please note: Applications that focus on activities in countries and territories other than Tunisia will NOT be considered.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants include:
- Non-profit organizations;
- For-profit organizations;
- Private institutions of higher education;
- Public or state institutions of higher education;
- Prime Applicant
- To be considered for funding under this opportunity, applicants SHALL:
- Be registered in the Tunisian Official Gazette (Jort).
- To be considered for funding under this opportunity, applicants SHALL:
For more information, visit Grants.gov.