Deadline: 24-Apr-23
The Embassy of the United States in Islamabad, Pakistan has launched the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for Regional Consortium of Student Societies on Climate Change to capitalize on the strength of student societies at university campuses to encourage student action on climate change.
In the first phase of the program the prospective grantee will engage student societies at five universities per country (for a total of 25 universities) in selected South Asian cities in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka for a 12-month program, where student societies will be trained and encouraged to implement climate change-related programs in their respective universities. The training should include both formal and informal tools, opportunities for societies of all five universities in each city to meet and collaborate, and virtual opportunities for them to meet with participants from other countries as well.
In the next phase of the program (immediately after the 12-month phase described above), two representatives from each university will be selected to participate in a 3-to-5-day workshop – “South Asia Climate Consortium of Student Societies” in the U.S. to learn from U.S. experts on building sustainable climate programs as part of their student society’s programs. After the local and international engagements, the prospective grantee should support all 25 universities in implementing at least three new climate friendly policies on their campuses during the six-month period of the second phase. Each student society trained will also organize at least one climate change awareness program outside their university, reaching communities most affected by the climate crisis.
The ideal grantee will be a U.S. or Pakistan-based grantee with offices or partner organizations in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Both phases of the project are expected to be completed within 18 months.
Project Goal: Driving action against Climate Change in South Asia through cross-border student society collaborations
Objectives
- Recruit and train 1,250 members of student societies in 25 universities across South Asia to be trained on climate-friendly behaviors for implementation at their campuses and in their personal lives.
- Provide year-long support to participants as they develop and implement policies, practices, and programs to mitigate climate change on and off the university campus.
- Organize an exchange program for 50 South Asian students (members of student societies at their universities and beneficiaries of this program for a year) to learn about sustainable climate-friendly policies at American campuses and cities.
- Design and create curriculum for both in country trainings and the exchange program.
- Recruit sub-grantees/partner organizations in each country where the program activities will be implemented.
- Train and support 1,250 participants at 25 university campuses across South Asia to implement at least three new climate-friendly policies on their campuses.
- Support each participating student society to organize at least one climate change awareness program outside their university, reaching communities most affected by the climate crisis.
Funding Information
- Length of performance period: 18 months
- Number of awards anticipated: 1 award
- Award amounts: May range from a minimum of $350,000 to a maximum of $500,000
- Total available funding: $500,000
- Anticipated program start date: September 30, 2023
Project Audience(s)
- Direct: University students enrolled at five universities each in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka
- Indirect: Marginalized communities affected most by the insecurity caused by climate change-led incidents in the countries
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations in the U.S. and Pakistan
- Civil society/non-governmental organizations
- Think tanks (Not-for-profit)
- 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.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
