Deadline: 21-Jun-22
The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to develop, organize, and oversee the 2022 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Summit (YSEALI).
Objectives
- The award recipient will be responsible for planning, organizing, and administering all components and aspects of a youth-focused YSEALI Summit to take place in person – if regional health and travel conditions allow – in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap, Cambodia, in December 2022.
- If conditions do not allow for an entirely in-person summit, the award recipient would need to adapt the proposed scope of work to implement either a hybrid event or an entirely virtual event.
- The YSEALI Summit should include the following aspects:
- Interaction among YSEALI participants and senior U.S. government officials; U.S. business and civil society leaders; and dynamic young leaders from Cambodia, plus the ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste;
- Motivational presentations including discussions with emerging and established leaders in the region with an optimistic, empowering view of youth’s role in the region’s sustainable economic future;
- Call upon and integrate YSEALI and alumni of U.S. government exchange programs to serve as speakers, panelists, and/or activity leads;
- Opportunities for YSEALI participants to engage with each other and put into practice what they have learned through the YSEALI pillars;
- Experiential learning activities to hone relevant leadership skills;
- An emphasis on building ties across ASEAN and Southeast Asia as well as with the United States. Discussions on the importance of cross-border ties to advance human capital development;
- Promotion of cultural exchange and diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility in the selection of speakers, venues, and partner institutions.
- Suggested content of the YSEALI Summit includes:
- Best practices in developing human capital through innovative experiential educational approaches and cutting-edge economic methodologies;
- Discussion on U.S. economic links to Southeast Asia especially ASEAN; Small-group skill-building workshops on relevant topics (i.e. public speaking, design thinking, data visualization, storytelling, etc.);
- The role of public-private partnerships and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in spurring innovative educational and economic reforms;
- Site visits to innovative social enterprises;
- Leadership skills and community development skills;
- Strategies for personal growth and development;
- Community service;
- Networking Training, Events, Workshops and Conferences;
Funding Information
- Number of awards anticipated: 1 award (dependent on amounts)
- Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $300,000 to a maximum of $600,000
- Total possible funding level, contingent on funds availability: $600,000
- Type of Funding: Public Diplomacy Funds
- Anticipated program start date: Award start date June 2022, program start date December 2022.
Participation and Target Audiences
- The YSEALI Summit will bring together approximately 150 YSEALI alumni, which includes alumni from the U.S.-based YSEALI Professional and Academic Fellowship programs, YSEALI regional workshops, YSEALI Women’s Leadership Academy, and the YSEALI Seeds for the Future competition winners.
- The award recipient will coordinate with the U.S. Department of State to recruit YSEALI alumni between the ages of 18-35 as participants in the YSEALI Summit.
- The application to participate in the YSEALI Summit will be open on a competitive basis to the aforementioned categories of alumni between the ages of 18-35.
- To be selected, applicants must meet the requirements to participate in the YSEALI program and demonstrate their substantial involvement in projects that have had a considerable impact on their communities, countries, or the region.
- Priority will be given to applicants specializing in the economic and development sectors or relevant fields.
- Projects that demonstrate active regional engagement or strengthen partnerships between the United States and ASEAN will be given special consideration.
- Each U.S. Embassy will review and approve applicant shortlists for their countries.
Priority Regions: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste.
Eligibility Criteria
- U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh welcomes applications from U.S.-based, Cambodia-based, and foreign non-profit organizations / non-government organizations (NGO); and U.S., Cambodia, and foreign private, public, or state institutions of higher education.
- For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply.
- Successful applicants will demonstrate strong linkages with a Cambodia-based partner organization.
- The following organizations are not eligible to apply:
- Federally funded research and development centers
- For-profit entities
For more information, visit https://kh.usembassy.gov/cambodia-young-southeast-asian-leaders-initiative-yseali-summit-2022/