Deadline: 07-Jul-2026
The American Institute in Taiwan is offering funding to support a Diplomacy and Leadership Training Program for young leaders across Taiwan. The program will use a train-the-trainer model and the National Museum of American Diplomacy’s “Diplomacy Simulation” curriculum to build skills in negotiation, leadership, civic dialogue, facilitation, and community engagement. Award amounts are expected to range from approximately $10,000 to $15,000, with total available funding of $15,000.
Overview
The American Institute in Taiwan has announced a funding opportunity to support the implementation of a Diplomacy and Leadership Training Program.
The program is designed to engage and empower young leaders across Taiwan through structured training, diplomacy simulations, leadership development, and peer-led community workshops.
The initiative aims to build a sustainable network of civic ambassadors who can promote diplomatic dialogue, civic responsibility, democratic participation, and youth leadership in local communities.
Key Focus Areas
The program focuses on diplomacy, leadership, and civic engagement.
Key focus areas include:
- Diplomatic knowledge
- Negotiation skills
- Leadership development
- Consensus-building
- Facilitation techniques
- Civic responsibility
- Freedom of speech
- Democratic dialogue
- Community outreach
- Peer-led learning
- Regional stability
- Digital freedom
- Open information environments
- Youth leadership
- Conflict resolution
- Collaborative problem-solving
- Taiwan–United States partnership
- Diplomacy simulation training
- Community-based civic education
Purpose of the Program
The purpose of the Diplomacy and Leadership Training Program is to help young leaders develop practical skills in diplomacy, communication, negotiation, and civic engagement.
The program aims to move beyond traditional classroom-based learning by giving participants hands-on experience through simulations, role-playing, and facilitated discussions.
It also seeks to strengthen community-level leadership by training participants to lead diplomacy workshops for other young people across Taiwan.
Funding Amount
Award amounts are expected to range from approximately $10,000 to $15,000.
The total available funding is $15,000, subject to the availability of funds.
Applicants should design a realistic project budget that fits within the available funding and supports the full implementation of the training, capstone activity, workshops, evaluation, and outreach components.
Project Duration
Projects supported under this opportunity should be completed within eight months or less.
Applicants should prepare a clear implementation timeline that covers training, participant recruitment, capstone facilitation, community workshops, evaluation, and reporting.
Training Model
The project will use a train-the-trainer approach.
This means selected participants will first receive intensive training and then apply their learning by organizing and leading diplomacy simulation workshops in their own communities.
The model is designed to extend the reach of the program and create long-term impact through peer-to-peer education.
Diplomacy Simulation Curriculum
The initiative will use the National Museum of American Diplomacy’s “Diplomacy Simulation” curriculum.
This curriculum helps participants practice diplomatic skills through interactive simulations and role-playing activities.
Participants will gain practical experience in:
- Negotiation
- Dialogue
- Conflict resolution
- Consensus-building
- Facilitation
- Communication
- Managing complex discussions
- Applying diplomatic principles in real-world scenarios
Target Participants
The primary target audience includes aspiring young leaders aged 18 to 35.
This may include:
- Graduate students
- Young professionals
- Youth interested in international relations
- Youth interested in public engagement
- Emerging civic leaders
- Young people interested in diplomacy, democratic dialogue, and regional stability
The program will also engage secondary participants aged 15 to 25.
Secondary participants may include:
- High school students
- University students
- Young people from diverse regions of Taiwan
- Youth located outside major metropolitan areas
- Young people reached through local workshops
Community Outreach
The program will work with trained participants to expand learning into local communities.
After completing intensive training, core participants will organize and lead diplomacy simulation workshops.
These workshops will help more young people understand diplomatic dialogue, civic responsibility, freedom of speech, negotiation, and leadership.
Collaboration with educational institutions and youth-focused organizations will help provide venues, participants, and support for local implementation.
Expected Participant Reach
The project seeks to recruit and train at least 30 core participants.
These participants will complete intensive training and demonstrate their ability to facilitate diplomacy simulations through a capstone activity.
After the training phase, participants will organize and lead at least three workshops.
These workshops are expected to reach an additional 60 to 90 young people.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations and institutions.
Eligible applicants may include:
- Not-for-profit organizations
- Think tanks
- Civil society organizations
- Non-governmental organizations
- Public educational institutions
- Private educational institutions
- Individuals
- Public international organizations
- Governmental institutions
For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply.
What the Program Can Support
The funding can support activities that implement the Diplomacy and Leadership Training Program.
Supported activities may include:
- Curriculum-based diplomacy training
- Train-the-trainer workshops
- Leadership development sessions
- Negotiation and facilitation training
- Role-playing activities
- Diplomacy simulation exercises
- Capstone facilitation activities
- Community workshops
- Youth outreach
- Collaboration with schools and youth organizations
- Evaluation activities
- Documentation of learning and impact
Expected Outcomes
The program is expected to strengthen youth leadership and civic engagement across Taiwan.
Expected outcomes include:
- At least 30 core participants trained
- Stronger diplomatic knowledge among young leaders
- Improved negotiation and facilitation skills
- Increased understanding of civic responsibility
- Greater awareness of freedom of speech and democratic dialogue
- A sustainable network of civic ambassadors
- At least three community workshops delivered
- Additional 60 to 90 young people reached
- Increased youth engagement outside major metropolitan areas
- Stronger peer-led learning and community outreach
- Improved understanding of Taiwan–United States partnership values
Monitoring and Evaluation
The program will assess effectiveness through evaluation and feedback.
Assessment methods may include:
- Pre-program evaluations
- Post-program evaluations
- Qualitative feedback
- Participant reflections
- Workshop feedback forms
- Documentation of community outreach results
- Review of participant facilitation performance
These tools will help measure changes in participants’ understanding of diplomacy, civic responsibility, dialogue, leadership, and freedom of speech.
Why It Matters
Young leaders play an important role in building informed, democratic, and resilient communities.
Diplomacy, negotiation, and civic dialogue skills can help young people manage complex discussions, understand different viewpoints, and participate constructively in public life.
By using a train-the-trainer model, the program creates a multiplier effect, allowing trained participants to share their knowledge with peers and communities across Taiwan.
The initiative also supports broader goals related to regional stability, open information environments, digital freedom, and a stable partnership between Taiwan and the United States.
How to Apply or Prepare a Strong Application
Applicants should prepare a clear proposal that explains the training model, participant recruitment plan, curriculum delivery, community outreach strategy, evaluation process, and budget.
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility
Applicants should first confirm that they are eligible to apply.
Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, think tanks, civil society organizations, NGOs, educational institutions, individuals, public international organizations, and governmental institutions.
For-profit organizations should not apply.
Step 2: Define the Training Approach
Applicants should explain how they will deliver the diplomacy and leadership training.
The proposal should describe:
- Training structure
- Use of the Diplomacy Simulation curriculum
- Facilitation methods
- Role-playing activities
- Participant learning objectives
- Capstone activity
- Community workshop model
Step 3: Explain Participant Recruitment
Applicants should describe how they will recruit at least 30 core participants.
The recruitment plan should include:
- Target age group of 18 to 35
- Outreach to graduate students and young professionals
- Inclusion of participants from diverse regions
- Engagement beyond major metropolitan areas
- Criteria for selecting committed youth leaders
Step 4: Describe Community Workshops
Applicants should explain how trained participants will organize and lead at least three workshops.
The proposal should describe:
- Workshop format
- Target secondary participants aged 15 to 25
- Expected number of youth reached
- Locations or partner venues
- Role of trained participants as facilitators
- Community outreach methods
Step 5: Build Partnerships
Applicants should identify possible partners that can support local implementation.
Potential partners may include:
- Schools
- Universities
- Youth organizations
- Civic groups
- Community organizations
- Educational institutions
- Public engagement networks
These partnerships can help provide venues, audiences, outreach support, and local credibility.
Step 6: Prepare the Evaluation Plan
The application should explain how learning and impact will be measured.
Evaluation should include pre- and post-program assessments and qualitative feedback to measure changes in understanding, confidence, leadership, and facilitation skills.
Step 7: Prepare the Budget
Applicants should prepare a realistic budget within the expected award range of $10,000 to $15,000.
The budget should support training delivery, materials, facilitation, outreach, workshops, evaluation, and project management within the eight-month project period.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid weak or incomplete proposals.
Common mistakes include:
- Applying as a for-profit organization
- Not using or referencing the Diplomacy Simulation curriculum
- Providing an unclear train-the-trainer model
- Not explaining how 30 core participants will be recruited
- Ignoring participants outside major metropolitan areas
- Not including community workshops
- Failing to explain the capstone activity
- Providing no evaluation plan
- Proposing a project longer than eight months
- Submitting an unrealistic budget
- Not showing how the project supports youth leadership and civic dialogue
Tips for a Strong Application
A strong application should be practical, youth-focused, and community-oriented.
Useful tips include:
- Clearly explain how the train-the-trainer model will work.
- Show how the Diplomacy Simulation curriculum will be used.
- Include a strong recruitment plan for young leaders aged 18 to 35.
- Explain how workshops will reach youth aged 15 to 25.
- Prioritize outreach beyond major metropolitan areas.
- Include partnerships with schools, universities, or youth organizations.
- Describe how participants will demonstrate facilitation skills.
- Include measurable learning outcomes.
- Keep the project timeline within eight months.
- Make the budget clear and realistic.
FAQ
1. What is the Diplomacy and Leadership Training Program?
It is a youth leadership program supported by the American Institute in Taiwan to train young leaders in diplomacy, negotiation, civic dialogue, facilitation, and community engagement.
2. How much funding is available?
Award amounts are expected to range from approximately $10,000 to $15,000, with total available funding of $15,000.
3. Who can apply?
Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, think tanks, civil society organizations, NGOs, public and private educational institutions, individuals, public international organizations, and governmental institutions.
4. Are for-profit organizations eligible?
No. For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply.
5. Who are the target participants?
The primary target audience includes aspiring leaders aged 18 to 35, including graduate students and young professionals. Secondary participants include high school and university students aged 15 to 25.
6. What curriculum will be used?
The program will use the National Museum of American Diplomacy’s “Diplomacy Simulation” curriculum.
7. How long can the project last?
Supported projects should be completed within eight months or less.
Conclusion
The American Institute in Taiwan’s Diplomacy and Leadership Training Program provides an opportunity to build a sustainable network of young civic ambassadors across Taiwan.
Through diplomacy simulations, leadership training, and peer-led community workshops, the program will help young people strengthen negotiation, facilitation, civic dialogue, and community engagement skills. Strong applications should present a clear train-the-trainer model, strong youth recruitment plan, practical workshop strategy, measurable evaluation approach, and realistic budget within the available funding range.
For more information, visit American Institute in Taiwan.