Deadline: 17 July 2017
The U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section in New Delhi is seeking proposals for its program entitled “Rural Youth Volunteers.
For a 3 month period, paired volunteers (one from the US, the other from India– ages 21-27) contribute to economic and social entrepreneurship projects in 2-4 different rural communities that address issues such as empowering women and girls, career planning, education, countering social discrimination, renewable energy, drug abuse, trafficking in persons or gender-based violence among others. Internships should be organized for a minimum of 8 pairs (16 participants in total). The Indian member of the pair should come from a part of India with no connection to the rural community where he/she is to be placed and should be fluent in Hindi and thereby able to act as a language bridge for his/her American counterpart. The projects themselves, developed and implemented (at least initially) by the volunteers and relevant community members, should serve to address the isolation of these communities by connecting them to the world beyond.
Following a three day orientation in New Delhi, the pairs are placed with grassroots organizations in rural communities. Each pair stays with a local family in the community. Upon completion of the 3 month program, the pairs return to New Delhi for a final “assessment of their experience”. During this time, they also map out an action plans which they will jointly implement in their home communities upon return. These plans could serve to further the social entrepreneurship projects they worked on through fundraising, campaigning and/or advocacy activities, thereby increasing public awareness of issues facing rural India.
Program Goals
- Identify, in collaboration with local partners and community members, priority economic or social challenges facing the community
- Capitalize on local resources and opportunities to plan and launch an entrepreneurial venture that serves to address the identified challenge with direct involvement of relevant members of the local community
- Build a communications and commercial bridge connecting the internship placement communities with potential markets as well as networks of relevant organizations working on similar issues.
- Create a volunteer internship experience which benefits the American-Indian volunteer pairs as well as the communities and NGOs they are working and living with.
- Share the internship experience broadly and implement some lessons learned in the volunteer interns’ home communities.
Funding Information
- Minimum (“Floor”) Award Amount: $150,000
- Maximum (“Ceiling”) Award Amount: $168,000
- Grant projects generally should be completed in one year or less.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility is open to all non-profit, non-governmental organizations.
- Individuals are not eligible for an award under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
- Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one, non-profit, non-governmental 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 is required for this funding opportunity.
- Pre-award costs are not an allowable expense for this funding opportunity.
- This award does not allow for construction activities or costs.
- U.S. Embassy New Delhi grants/cooperative agreements cannot be used to fund religious or partisan political activity; fundraising campaigns; commercial projects; scientific research; projects whose primary aim is the institutional development of the organization, or illegal activities.
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
How to Apply
All application materials must be submitted electronically via given website.
For more information, please visit Grants.gov.