Notice of Funding Opportunity: English Programs Fund in Armenia

Deadline: 10-Jul-23

The U.S. Embassy Yerevan, of the U.S. Department of State, announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out programs that will enhance the knowledge of English among target audiences and will improve the teaching of English at Armenian educational institutions through professional development opportunities for English teachers/educators and related activities.

The initiative will advance the U.S. Government goal of promoting English language learning and enhancing the understanding of U.S. culture and values. The initiative will also advance youth empowerment through skills-development activities for them to become competitive in academic and professional pursuits, and to become active citizens of their country.

Project Goals and Objectives

• The goal of this program is to expand the community of English language learners among Armenian youth, and professionals, and to promote understanding of U.S. culture and democratic values through tailored content. The program will also offer professional development opportunities to English teachers to equip them with knowledge and skills that promote their students’ English language skills as well as learning, literacy, and life skills. The program will also expand the English language skills among media representatives to improve their access diverse sources of information and to offer competitive and accurate content to their communities.
  • Project 1: Promoting English Language Learning and Youth Development (Tavush, Kotayk, Vayots Dzor, Gegharkunik)
    • Goal 1: Provide participants with improved English skills that may lead to better jobs and educational prospects, including future exchanges and study in the United States.
    • Goal 2: Provide youth and young adults in Tavush community with relevant capacity building projects and activities to increase their understanding of U.S. society and culture.
      • Objective 1: Equip students ages primarily 13-18 based in Tavush, Kotayk, Vayots Dzor, and Gegharkunik with effective English language communication and critical thinking skills through an afterschool English program that will offer meaningful interaction, cooperative and student-centered learning strategies, interest and age-appropriate activities, and real-life application in the format of the English Access program.
      • Objective 2: Promote English teachers’ professional development skills and knowledge through events, activities, and programs aimed at building English teachers’ network locally, regionally, and/or internationally (exchanges, mentorship, coaching, etc), learning new skills, and developing themselves as professional educators able to offer creative solutions and to create a student-centered teaching environment in their classrooms.
      • Objective 3: Equip youth and young adults with English skills aimed at enhancing the beneficiaries’ performance through access to diverse sources of information and exposure to new networks as well as creating new opportunities for employment and academic growth.
      • Objective 4: Offer a capacity-building program to youth and young adults in Tavush for academic advancement, successful employment, and community service. The objective should also include events and activities for Armenian audiences to increase the awareness of the community about U.S. culture and democratic values.
    • Expected Program Results
      • The number of English-speaking children and youth will increase. Students will gain an understanding for U.S. culture and democratic values. In addition to learning English, students will develop their leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills.
      • English teachers will feel able and confident to use diverse techniques and methodologies to improve their students’ knowledge and skills set. The teachers will be able to adapt to changing realities and update their lessons to offer student-centered and innovative approaches in their classrooms. The teachers will learn to incorporate technologies into education to be able to engage their students more effectively as well as to make use of the resources that can enhance their teaching. The teachers will build/be engaged in a network to learn from one another through mentorship, coaching, and exchange of experience.
      • Youth and young adults in Tavush will be better prepared for a successful future having benefited from trainings and activities that equip them for career preparedness and contribution to their communities. Having developed relevant skills the beneficiaries have more chances to excel as leaders in their communities.
    • Participants and Audiences
      • The program aims at benefiting diverse audiences:
        • Afterschool English Access Program: School students ages primarily 13-18 from rural and/or underserved communities.
        • English Teachers’ Professional Development: English Access program teachers, new and experienced English teachers, college/university faculty, and English educators/professionals involved in content writings, assessment, development of resources for teachers, training of teachers, etc.
        • Capacity Building in Tavush Community: Youth and young adults ages primarily 16-35 for skills development activities and English classes; children ages 6-16 (not a required component for this activity); general public for public outreach activities.
• Project 2: Promoting English Language Learning and Teacher Development (Lori, Armavir, Aragatsotn, Shirak)
  • Goal 1: Provide participants with improved English skills that may lead to better jobs and educational prospects, including future exchanges and study in the United States.
  • Goal 2: Provide English teachers with professional development opportunities to create a student-centered teaching environment and to promote critical-thinking skills in their classrooms.
    • Objective 1: Equip students ages primarily 13-18 based in Lori, Armavir, Aragatsotn, and Shirak with effective English language communication and critical thinking skills through an afterschool English program that will offer meaningful interaction, cooperative and student-centered learning strategies, interest and age-appropriate activities, and real-life application in the format of the English Access program.
    • Objective 2: Promote English teachers’ professional development skills and knowledge through event, activities, and programs aimed at building English teachers’ network locally, regionally, and/or internationally (exchanges, mentorship, coaching, etc.), learning new skills, and developing themselves as professional educators able to offer creative solutions and to create a student-centered teaching environment in their classrooms.
    • Objective 3: Develop and/or enhance relevant resources and content that will improve the teaching of English equipping students with English skills and promoting their critical thinking and creative skills.
  • Expected program results
    • The number of English-speaking children and youth will increase. Students will gain an understanding for U.S. culture and democratic values. In addition to learning English, students will develop their leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills.
    • English teachers will feel able and confident to use diverse techniques and methodologies to improve their students’ knowledge and skills set. The teachers will be able to adapt to changing realities and update their lessons to offer student-centered and innovative approaches in their classrooms.
    • Newly developed or enhanced content will serve as a necessary resource for teachers to support their students’ academic needs and interests through competency-based education practices.
  • Participants and Audiences
    • The program aims at benefiting diverse audiences:
      • Afterschool English Access Program: School students ages primarily 13-18 from rural and/or underserved communities.
      • English Teachers’ Professional Development: English Access program teachers, new and experienced English teachers, college/university faculty, and English educators/professionals involved in content writings, assessment, development of resources for teachers, training of teachers, etc.
      • Content Development/Enhancement: Content developers, education experts, English teachers.
• Project 3: Syunik English
  • Goal: Provide participants with improved English skills that may lead to better jobs and educational prospects, including future exchanges and study in the United States as well as opportunities for professional growth.
  • • Objective 1: Equip students ages primarily 13-18 with effective English language communication and critical thinking skills through an afterschool English program that will offer meaningful interaction, cooperative and student-centered learning strategies, interest and age-appropriate activities, and real-life application in the format of the English Access program. The service-learning component of the Access Program will increase the students’ awareness of issues facing their respective communities, while also giving them an understanding of the ways they can positively contribute to civil society.
    • Objective 2: Equip youth and young adults ages primarily 16-35 with English skills aimed at enhancing the beneficiaries’ performance through access to diverse sources of information and exposure to new networks as well as creating new opportunities for employment and academic growth.
  • Expected Program Results
    • The number of English-speaking children and youth will increase. Students will gain an understanding for U.S. culture and democratic values. In addition to learning English, students will develop their leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills.
    • Youth and young adults in Syunik will be better prepared for a successful future having benefited from English classes. Having developed relevant learning, literacy, and life skills, the beneficiaries have more chances to excel as leaders in their communities.
    • Participants and Audiences
      • The program aims at benefiting diverse audiences:
        • Afterschool English Access Program: school students ages primarily 13-18 from rural and/or underserved communities.
        • English Capacity Building for Youth: youth and young adults ages primarily 16-35
• Project 4: English for Media and PR Professionals
  • Goal: Provide journalists, media representatives and PR professionals of government offices and agencies with English language skills to improve their access to diverse sources of information, engage in professional development opportunities, and to improve their English communication skills.
  • • Objective 1: Equip participants with English language communication and critical thinking skills.
    • Objective 2: Benefit from speaker events that will allow participants to learn about a topic of interest and to contribute to the discussion preferably in English.
  • Expected Program Results
    • The number of media and government PR professionals with enhanced English language skills will increase. The participants will be able to access diverse sources of information, to produce, depending on the level, works in English, to participate in professional development opportunities that require English skills, and to engage in a large international network of media experts.
  • Participants and Audiences: The program aims at benefiting the following audiences: journalists, media, and PR professionals representing government offices and agencies.

Funding Information

• Length of performance period: up to 30 months
• Number of awards anticipated: 4 awards
• Award amounts: up to $445,000 for Project 1; up to $300,000 for Project 2; up to $130,00 for Project 3; up to $85,000 for Project 4
• Total available funding: $960,000
• Anticipated program start date: October 1, 2023

Priority Region: Armenia. Applicants are strongly encouraged to involve beneficiaries from rural communities as well as under-privileged/under-served communities.

Eligibility Criteria

• Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks, civil society/non-governmental organizations, and foundations, from Armenia and the United States.
• Educational Institutions from the United States and Armenia.
• Foreign Public Entities based in Armenia.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Armenia.