Funding Wizard

The U.S. Embassy Apia, Samoa Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement, outlining our funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding. Please carefully follow all instructions below. This notice is subject to availability of funding. Purpose of Grants: PDS Samoa invites Statements of Interest (SOI) for projects that seek to do at least one of the following: · strengthen U.S.-Samoa cooperation and coordination on global issues of shared interest (e.g. combatting climate change, supporting Indo- Pacific security, promoting diversity and inclusion); · promote the mutual benefits of tech and innovation; and · promote stronger connections between the people of the United States, Samoa, and may include the Pacific Island region if inclusive of Samoa. All programs must include an element that will promote increased understanding of the United States including, but not limited to U.S. policy, people, culture and/or perspectives.

The U.S. Mission New Zealand Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement, outlining our funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding. Please carefully follow all instructions below. This notice is subject to availability of funding. Purpose of Grants: PDS New Zealand invites Statements of Interest (SOI) for projects that seek to do at least one of the following: · strengthen U.S.-New Zealand cooperation and coordination on global issues of shared interest (e.g., combatting climate change, supporting Indo-Pacific security, promoting diversity and inclusion); · promote the mutual benefits of tech and innovation; · promote stronger connections between the people of the United States, New Zealand, the Cooks Islands, Niue, and the Pacific Island region; · and deepen U.S. relationships with Indigenous and Pacific communities, in Aotearoa New Zealand, Niue and the Cook Islands, based on our shared values and heritage. All programs must include an element that will promote increased understanding of the United States including, but not limited to U.S. policy, people, culture and/or perspectives. Examples of PDS Grants Program projects include, but are not limited to: · Academic and professional lectures, seminars, and speaker programs; · Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances and exhibitions; or · Professional and academic exchanges and projects.

The U.S. Embassy New Zealand Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to develop and implement a three-day Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Regional Workshop sometime between October 2022-July 2023 designed to foster the implementation of diversity and inclusion practices with Pacific communities and organizations, pending the availability of funding. The workshop should preferably take part in Samoa, but may be hosted in other Pacific locations pending logistics and costs. The proposed workshop will focus on building local capacity within Pacific nations to help participants advocate for and foster the implementation of organizational practices related to diversity and inclusion (D&I). Workshop sessions should be designed to introduce and operationalize best practices in this space that emphasize the power of D&I practices to instil greater acceptance and tolerance among communities, mitigate unconscious bias, stigma and discrimination in order to eventually stimulate steady growth, increase participation and productivity, and develop robust leadership and economic opportunities for all. The program will complement good governance initiatives and programs that emphasize respect for individual rights already underway within the Pacific region. Achieving community acceptance and tolerance for differences in gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, abilities, age, origin, and appearance remains a challenge in the Pacific region. The value of diversity is often overlooked, and discrimination can occur in hiring and other selection processes. Despite the formulation of D&I frameworks within certain corporations, the actual implementation has yet to work its way through the organizational layers and down to the functional level. This workshop will bring together practitioners from all levels of society and administration including NGOs, civil society, governments and experts to discuss challenges, develop action plans, and leverage opportunities for regional collaborations to foster the implementation of D&I practices. The workshop will be held in Samoa, which is home to diverse cultures and international industries. Priority Region: Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Islands of French Polynesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, and U.S. partners from the American-affiliated Pacific including American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Hawaii.

The U.S. Mission New Zealand Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations for a cooperative agreement to develop and implement a Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Alumni Commemoration to mark the 10-year anniversary of the YPL program, pending the availability of funding. The engagement will primarily convene YPL program alumni who have participated in previous YPL conferences, small grants, exchange programs, and workshops. A secondary audience for the engagement is the YPL network of emerging leaders ages 20-35 from across the Pacific region (see below for a list of participating countries). The alumni engagement should be planned to occur sometime between January-December 2023. Program Objectives: Young Pacific Leaders is the U.S. government’s signature initiative to engage with emerging leaders in the Pacific region. The program aims to create a network of young Pacific leaders who work across national borders and the four pillars of YPL – education, environment and resource management, civic engagement, and economic and social development – to solve common problems. Through a variety of programs and engagements, YPL seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region, strengthen ties between the United States and Pacific, and nurture a community of leaders who work across borders to solve shared issues. YPL is open to young leaders ages 20-35 who are both citizens and residents of the following countries: Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Islands of French Polynesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, and U.S. partners from the American-affiliated Pacific including American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Hawaii. YPL programs have included conferences, regional workshops, exchange programs, small grants, and community service projects. There are just over 300 YPL alumni from these programs. The YPL alumni engagement will connect alumni across the region to commemorate and celebrate 10 years of the YPL initiative. It may also engage the YPL network of emerging leaders from throughout the Pacific region. The YPL alumni engagement will focus on: · Connecting and engaging YPL alumni from across the Pacific region to commemorate and celebrate 10 years of YPL and engagement with the United States · Raising awareness of the YPL program to the YPL network of emerging leaders from throughout the Pacific region · Survey YPL alumni and network to evaluate the pillars of YPL to drive future YPL programs and strategic focus

The U.S. Mission New Zealand Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations for a cooperative agreement to develop and implement a Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) program on good governance, anti-corruption, and integrity, pending the availability of funding. The six-day workshop (inclusive of travel days) will convene emerging leaders ages 20-35 from across the Pacific region (see below for a list of participating countries) to build competencies in developing and sustaining initiatives to promote good governance, transparency, integrity and accountability through youth civic participation and civic education. The workshop will be held in Suva, Fiji in the second half (July-December) of 2023. Program Objectives: YPL is the U.S. government’s signature initiative to engage with emerging leaders in the Pacific region. The program aims to create a network of young Pacific leaders who work across national borders and the four pillars of YPL – education, environment and resource management, civic engagement, and economic and social development – to solve common problems. Through a variety of programs and engagements, YPL seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region, strengthen ties between the United States and Pacific, and nurture a community of leaders who work across borders to solve shared issues. YPL is open to young leaders ages 20-35 who are both citizens and residents of the following countries: Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Islands of French Polynesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna, and U.S. partners from the American-affiliated Pacific including American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Hawaii. One component of YPL are the regional workshops held across the Pacific region on strategic topics. This regional workshop on good governance will advance the YPL theme of civic engagement and the U.S. Embassy New Zealand’s priority to promote resilient and accountable democratic institutions at the local, regional, and national levels that engage civil society. The YPL Regional Workshop on Civic Education for good governance, anti-corruption, and integrity will bring together around 100 YPL members from Pacific nations who are currently working on civic education initiatives to promote civic participation, good governance, and transparency and accountability in government. The workshop will deepen participants’ knowledge and understanding of current challenges, including socio-economic and environmental (e.g. climate change), and opportunities for governments and civil society in the Pacific region to effectuate positive change. The workshop will introduce methods and tools for civil society and government to promote youth civic participation, mobilize stakeholders, and implement effective projects or campaigns. The workshop should include in-depth discussions and experiential learning sessions led by experts from the Pacific region and the United States. Participants should be encouraged to collaborate with fellow emerging leaders from across the region and coordinate with government agencies at all levels, business development institutions, community organizations, and youth groups in their respective countries to implement projects or campaigns. The workshop will also create and sustain a virtual network of emerging leaders. A follow-on activity may be implemented after the program to report on project successes and challenges and produce a toolkit with best practices on cross-border collaboration.

The U.S. Mission New Zealand Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce an open competition for organizations interested in submitting proposals to organize a comprehensive small grants program designed to provide emerging Pacific leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to become leaders in the region’s economic and civic development. As a Pacific nation, the United States has long been committed to working with partners in the region to ensure continued regional security, as well as economic growth and development. This program for young leaders will create ties across the Pacific to ensure that we are better prepared to address challenges together in the future. The State Department has convened a Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) small grants program annually since 2018, with training workshops taking place in New Zealand. All these small grants programs shared the goal of building leadership capacity and creating ties among emerging leaders from across the Pacific region (see below for a list of participating countries). This year, the small grants program should bring together a group of emerging leaders, ages 25-35, with the goal of providing them with practical leadership skills and a deeper knowledge of regional issues related to the four pillars of the YPL program: civic engagement, environment/resource management, education, and economic and social development. The small grants program should also help participants work with their peers on issues that affect the region. The small grants program should emphasize experiential learning and capacity building in order to equip participants with the tools they need for success. We encourage pre- and post-small grants programming. The location of the in-person training workshops should be in New Zealand. Goals of the small grants should include: · Developing the knowledge and skills of youth in the Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand, to become economic and civil society leaders who cooperate across the region to address difficult issues. · Ensuring that emerging Pacific Islands leaders see the United States as a partner in solving regional and global challenges. · Building a network of emerging Pacific leaders that can share best practices and collaborate on shared challenges. · All programs must include an element that will promote increased understanding of the United States including, but not limited to U.S. policy, people, culture, values, and/or perspectives.

The U.S. Embassy New Zealand Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce an open competition for organizations interested in submitting proposals to organize a comprehensive program designed to showcase the best of U.S. and New Zealand green and blue technology to established New Zealand leaders. “Green and blue technologies” are those which are environmentally friendly and promote sustainable ocean activities, clean energy, or products that use alternative fuel technologies. This conference program will create ties between the U.S and New Zealand innovative tech and business industries to increase the use of blue and green technology and improve climate resilience to ensure that we are better prepared to address challenges together in the future. The conference should bring together a group of established leaders in government, private, and university sectors interested in adapting blue and green technologies for their lines of work. The conference should address the research and development, business, and community needs of blue and green technology. The conference should also help participants grow their networks and enable them to work with their peers on issues that affect the region.The location of the conference should be in New Zealand, with preference given to Auckland. The conference should take place before September 30, 2022.