Funding Wizard

The Regional English Language Office (RELO) in the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy Islamabad of the U.S. Department of State (hereafter referred to as “RELO Pakistan”) is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). RELO Pakistan’s purpose in funding projects under this opportunity is to improve human capacity by creating a better educated and more skillful workforce. This program will increase participants’ English language proficiency, employability, and leadership and critical thinking skills, enabling them to become productive members of their community and society.PDS Islamabad invites all eligible organizations (see Section C for Eligibility Requirements) to submit proposals for grants that address the project components listed below.Proposed budget cannot exceed $500,000 and will have a project duration of up to three (3) years. Each proposal should address the ability to implement all three program components outlined in this NOFO.Effective English language teachers can prepare Pakistanis, especially youth, to better participate in the global community and prepare them for success in the workplace, thus contributing to economic growth. The three program components announced in this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) include (1) Professional Development for English Language Teachers from Non-Mainstream Institutions; (2) Professional Development for novice Pakistani English language teachers; and (3) Professional Development for Transgender Youth and for Afghan Teachers, Students, and Young Professionals Residing in Pakistan. These program components will expand language learning opportunities for the Pakistani people, especially youth and marginalized populations. The award seeks a U.S. or Pakistani partner to promote the development of English language skills, knowledge of current English Language Teaching (ELT) pedagogies, and the leadership skills of select English language teachers, students, and young professionals, particularly from underserved, minority communities.This NOFO aims to support the Department of State’s initiatives to promote and strengthen English language teaching and learning in Pakistan through the following program components:1. Professional Development for English Language Teachers from Non-Mainstream Institutions2. Professional Development for Novice English Teachers3. Professional Development for Transgender Youth and for Afghan Teachers, Students, and Young Professionals Residing in Pakistan.Public Diplomacy GoalsPublic Diplomacy programming prioritizes communications and interaction with international audiences, educational and cultural programming, and professional and educational exchanges.English language programs are a key component of U.S. Government Public Diplomacy efforts in Pakistan, creating valuable opportunities for the Mission to engage key audiences, as well as providing lasting and meaningful professional, educational, and personal opportunities for Pakistan-based program participants.Proposals funded under this award will further the U.S. Mission to Pakistan’s following public diplomacy goals:1. Strengthen people-to-people ties between the United States and Pakistan through shared information, experiences, exchanges, and/or expertise.2. Strengthen civil society and local organizations to build long-term, self-sustaining relationships and institutional linkages between U.S. and Pakistani organizations, including capacity building for Pakistani organizations.3. Promote community cohesion through positive messages and inclusive perspectives that increase social tolerance and counter extremist narratives.More information about the Regional English Language Office can be found at:https://pk.usembassy.gov/education-culture/relopakistan/RELO Islamabad’s purpose in funding three program components under this NOFO is to improve human capacity by creating a better educated, inclusive, and more skilled workforce. Professional development for English language teachers and students in Pakistan will improve teachers’ and students’ English language proficiency and increase their classroom effectiveness, particularly for participants from marginalized and underserved communities. To this end, RELO Islamabad invites proposals that address all three program components listed in the NOFO.

The U.S. Embassy Islamabad Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) American Center (AC) is pleased to announce a funding opportunity through the Public Diplomacy grants program for 18 Lincoln Corners throughout Pakistan. Corners are located as follows:• Five (5) Lincoln Corners in the Islamabad Regional District: two (2) Lincoln Corners located in the Islamabad Capital Territory; one (1) in Rawalpindi; one (1) in Muzaffarabad, and one (1) in Gilgit.• Five (5) Lincoln Corners in the Lahore Regional District: one (1) in Lahore, one (1) in Faisalabad, one (1) in Sargodha, one (1) in Multan and one (1) in Vehari.• Two (2) Lincoln Corners in Peshawar• Six (6) Lincoln Corners in the Karachi Regional District: two (2) in Karachi, one (1) in Hyderabad, one (1) in Khairpur, one (1) in Larkana and one (1) virtual Corner in BalochistanOther Lincoln Corners may be developed at the direction of the Public Diplomacy Section. The Lincoln Corners are a nationwide network of PDS-funded cultural centers that are part of the American Spaces program, a global network of over 600 State Department-sponsored cultural centers. The Lincoln Corners conduct youth-oriented educational and cultural programming. The award recipient will oversee administrative aspects of the Lincoln Corners program, to include staffing of selected corners, training logistics, and equipment and facility maintenance. The recipient will oversee the renovation and furnishing of new Corners. The recipient will also assist in implementing Lincoln Corners programming with significant Public Diplomacy Section input and assistance.

The project aims to connect and support Afghan journalists residing in Pakistan. The award will:• Provide capacity building opportunities to approximately 20 Afghan journalists who are residing in Pakistan;• Support 2-3 existing and/or new platforms created by exiled Afghan journalists in Pakistan;• Find sustainable and safe ways to provide vital information about events in Afghanistan to the rest of the world; and• Encourage partnerships between Afghan journalists in Pakistan and international media.The target audience of this program is approximately 20 Afghan journalists in Pakistan, with equal participation by female Afghan journalists wherever possible. Proposals have a funding floor of $80,000 and a funding ceiling of $100,000. Proposals should cover a 12-to-18-month period of performance and take place in major cities of Pakistan.Important: Please review below the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for the complete list of requirements.

The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Consulate General Lahore of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards, contingent on funding availability, through the Public Diplomacy Grants Program. The implementer(s) will be legally recognized non-profit and non-governmental organization(s) that meet(s) the U.S. and Pakistan technical and legal requirements to develop and implement public diplomacy programs as specified in Section C. Information about the Public Diplomacy Section can be found at: https://pk.usembassy.govThe Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Consulate General Lahore seeks proposals to 1) empower women leaders for peacebuilding, 2) promote leadership for women through sports, and 3) develop capacity of business incubation centers in Punjab. Through the above activities and based on funding availability, we hope to provide the necessary skills and resources needed to create greater opportunities for populations in Punjab.The budget can be (1) up to a maximum of $50,000 for a project to empower women leaders for peacebuilding, (2) up to $200,000 to promote leadership for women through sports, and (3) up to $500,000 to develop capacity of business incubation centers. Each project should have a duration of 18 months or less and be implemented in Punjab.

The Community Engagement Office (CEO) of the Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, U.S. Department of State (hereinafter known as “CEO”) is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards, contingent on funding availability, through the Public Diplomacy Grants Program.Under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), CEO is seeking proposals for creative methodologies and approaches to mitigate extremist narratives in Pakistan by engaging communities, promoting conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and addressing intersecting issues that can be drivers of violent extremism. The project proposals may include the following intersecting theme(s) around Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) work: Climate Change and its Impact, Gender in P/CVE, Early Intervention, Dialogue and Critical Thinking, Education and Capacity Building, and/or Technology & Media.Proposals have a funding floor of $150,000 and a funding ceiling of $300,000. Proposals should cover a minimum of 18 months period of performance and not exceed two years. Please specify locations where activities will occur. Please review below the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for the complete list of requirements.

Based on funding availability, this project will recruit 50 aspiring female and male entrepreneurs in Karachi to pursue their startup ventures by using the STEM and Entrepreneurship resources available at the Lincoln Corner Karachi’s Startup Lab!. The prospective grantee will create comprehensive courses that include training on digital applications, entrepreneurship-related STEM gadgets and equipment, and step-by-step facilitation processes that aspiring entrepreneurs will undertake at the Startup Lab! At the end of the training, participants will have developed a startup that at the very least has initiated sales via digital marketing. The prospective U.S.-based grantee will be a university, NGO, or other relevant organization, and will be responsible for creating the course, recruiting local partners as needed, marketing the program, recruiting the participants, and ensuring that the training is delivered. The period of performance is 6 months to a year.

Based on funding availability, the Community Engagement Office (CEO), of the Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, U.S. Department of State (hereinafter known as “CEO”) is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards, through the Public Diplomacy Grants Program. Under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), CEO is seeking proposals to strengthen existing Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) models and structures by building on the foundations of previous and existing work in the region through capacity building, policy interventions, implementation oversight and reinforcement of learned outcomes. CEO is seeking to partner with an expert organization (international or national) who will operate as ‘Technical Lead’ on programming, design, and evaluation models in partnership with two or more regional or local grass-root CSOs/NGOs and key institutions (government and non-government) as sub-grantees. CEO will fund one proposal through a Cooperative Agreement with innovative approaches and tools to prevent and counter violent extremism that meets the above-mentioned brief. In doing so, proposals may cover interventions including countering narratives, dissemination of alternative narratives, building resilience within communities, and conducting outreach to change social discourse, thereby reducing acceptance of extremist narratives and ideologies. Project programming must focus on Punjab (North, Central, and South) and clearly specify locations where activities will occur and cover up to a minimum of 24 months for period of performance. Proposals have a funding floor of $1,000,000 and a funding ceiling of $1,200,000. Important: Please review below the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for the complete list of requirements.

Based on funding availability, the Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the Embassy of the United States of America in Islamabad, Pakistan (hereafter referred to as “PDS”) solicits proposals for multiple funding opportunities for projects to train and build capacity among Pakistani journalists, including traditional media practitioners, digital media professionals, vloggers, and documentary makers, among others. These projects aim to increase the Pakistani media's ability to report accurately, combat misinformation, and develop the capacity to produce factual, data-driven, and investigative journalism on complex issues such as energy and environmental concerns, economic growth and development, and civil society issues. These projects will address Mission Pakistan goals by strengthening the country’s press and civil society and by empowering local media actors to play a critical role in providing accurate, balanced, and quality information. The projects outlined below are intended to be nationwide. The projects vary in their target audiences and funding amounts. All projects should be completed within 12 to 18 months.In response to this NOFO, organizations may submit proposals for multiple projects, but applicants must submit a separate Applicant Summary Coversheet (see Attachment 1) for each proposal that clearly outlines for which project the application is intended. Applicants who submit one (1) proposal covering more than one (1) project will not be considered for funding.

The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) at the U.S. Consulate General Peshawar is pleased to announce a funding opportunity available through the public diplomacy grants program to link Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) journalism and mass communication students with senior journalists/media professionals, who will serve as mentors. Based on funding availability, this project will offer an opportunity for the students to apply theory to practical, hands-on ground experience in a professional environment through a paid internship. The aim of the one-year-long project is to offer approximately 40 journalism students (50% women) an internship for a minimum of two months. Depending on the success and demonstrated outcomes of the program, this project may be extended at the discretion of PDS and contingent upon funding availability.The proposal budget should not exceed $50,000 for the one-year period of the grant. The project must be designed to meet the needs of the students of journalism and mass communication at KP universities, keeping in view their examination schedules.

The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the United States Consulate General in Peshawar is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance award funding. Based on funding availability, this project will bring experts from the United States to train staff of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Archaeology and Museums in various aspects of museum management including, but not limited to, handling and cataloging of museum artifacts, object conservation, and record keeping and digitization. Implemented by a U.S.-based organization, this training would allow the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Archeology and Museums to display more objects in the provincial museums, ultimately leading to an increase in heritage tourism. The award ceiling is $250,000, and the duration is up to 24 months with a possible one-year extension.