Escape The Hack: Countering Cyber Scams with an Immersive Experience for Everyday Indonesians

The Escape the Hack: Countering Cyber Scams with an Immersive Experience for Everyday Indonesians funding opportunity is offered by the U.S. Embassy Jakarta under the U.S. Department of State’s Public Diplomacy Section. This initiative is funded through FY 2026 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds and is structured as a cooperative agreement, indicating substantial involvement by the U.S. Embassy in program design and implementation. The opportunity is designed to address the growing threat of cyber scams impacting both Indonesians and U.S. citizens, with billions of dollars lost annually to cybercrime. The Embassy seeks to fund a single implementing partner to develop and execute a high-visibility, interactive public awareness campaign centered around cybersecurity education. The primary purpose of this grant is to increase public awareness and prevention of cyber scams through an innovative, immersive escape room experience. The program will simulate scam scenarios and educate participants on identifying and responding to cyber threats. The initiative includes a month-long installation in a prominent Jakarta location, with potential expansion to additional cities. It also incorporates a launch event featuring expert speakers, workshops, and panel discussions on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and law enforcement cooperation. The project is intended to reach thousands of direct participants and millions more through media amplification. Funding for this opportunity ranges from 100000 to 300000 dollars, with a total program funding of 300000 dollars and only one anticipated award. The period of performance is generally 5 to 12 months, though proposed project activities are expected to be completed within approximately six months. Allowable costs include program design, venue rental, staffing, logistics, promotional materials, and monitoring and evaluation. However, funding restrictions prohibit construction, direct social services, partisan political activities, fundraising campaigns, and religious or commercial projects. Cost sharing is encouraged but not required. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, individuals, and public international organizations or governmental institutions, though only nonprofit, non-governmental entities may serve as the primary recipient. For-profit entities are explicitly excluded. Applicants must meet certain administrative requirements, including obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier and maintaining SAM.gov registration unless applying as individuals. Only one application per organization is permitted. The application process requires submission of standard federal forms (SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B where applicable), along with a detailed narrative proposal of up to six pages. The proposal must include a summary, organizational background, problem statement, program design, timeline, staffing plan, partnerships, sustainability approach, and a monitoring and evaluation plan. Applicants must also submit a detailed budget and justification, along with supporting documents such as resumes, letters of support, and proof of nonprofit status. Applications must be submitted via email to the designated Embassy grants inbox by August 7, 2026, at 11:59 PM Western Indonesia Time. Late submissions are not accepted. The review process evaluates proposals based on program quality, organizational capacity, implementation planning, budget justification, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainability. Applicants can expect notification within approximately 120 days after the deadline. The anticipated project start date is October 2026. While the opportunity does not explicitly state that it recurs annually, it is part of a broader public diplomacy funding framework that may issue similar opportunities in future cycles. For inquiries, applicants are directed to contact the Public Diplomacy Section via the provided email address. Overall, this funding opportunity emphasizes innovation, public engagement, and measurable impact in strengthening cybersecurity awareness and resilience in Indonesia.

Ensure strong alignment with cybersecurity awareness goals and U.S. foreign policy priorities; provide detailed M&E plan with measurable outcomes; demonstrate organizational capacity and realistic implementation timeline; justify budget clearly