Countering CCP Influence in Panama's Unviersities

The U.S. Department of State, through the U.S. Embassy in Panama, announces the Countering CCP Influence in Panama's Universities funding opportunity, number PDS-PAN-FY26-01. The Embassy is seeking proposals for a one-year public diplomacy program that expands U.S. engagement in Panamanian universities and provides an alternative to academic engagement sponsored by the Chinese Communist Party and other authoritarian actors. The program is intended to strengthen academic relationships between Panama and the United States while increasing exposure to American institutions, democratic values, research excellence, innovation, and trusted technology. Target audiences include university students, faculty, researchers, administrators, emerging academic leaders, and university offices responsible for international partnerships, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and English-language education. The program's goal is to expand U.S. engagement within Panama's higher education sector, counter CCP influence, strengthen academic partnerships with American institutions, and reinforce U.S. leadership in education, innovation, and research. By the end of the project, the recipient is expected to engage at least 1,000 students, faculty, and university administrators through at least 25 U.S.-focused programs involving areas such as artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, research, English-language education, and democratic values. The project is also expected to facilitate at least six new or expanded partnerships between Panamanian universities and U.S. universities, research institutions, companies, or academic organizations. Post-program surveys should demonstrate that at least 80 percent of participants report increased understanding of U.S. educational opportunities and CCP influence activities in higher education. Approximately $150,000 is available, subject to the availability of funds, with one award anticipated. Awards may range from approximately $25,000 to $150,000. The anticipated project start date is October 1, 2026, and proposed projects should be completed within 12 months or less. Cost sharing or matching is encouraged but is not required. Funding cannot support partisan political activity, charitable or development activities including direct social services, construction, specific religious activities, fundraising campaigns, lobbying, scientific research or surveys, commercial projects, projects primarily intended for organizational growth or institutional development, duplicate projects, or illegal activities. Additional restrictions apply to UNRWA funding, activities encouraging mass-migration caravans toward the U.S. southwest border, certain direct social services, pre-award costs, unmanned aircraft systems, and other activities governed by the federal requirements identified in the notice. Eligible applicants include U.S. and international not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society or non-governmental organizations, individuals, and U.S. and international public and private educational institutions. For-profit entities are not eligible. Organizations may subcontract with other entities, with responsibilities clearly defined in the proposal. Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier and active SAM.gov registration unless an applicable exemption is approved. Applicants may submit only one proposal per organization. Organizational proposals must include an executive summary, proposal narrative, budget, detailed line-item budget, and budget narrative. The narrative proposal is limited to 10 pages and addresses the proposal summary, organizational background, problem statement, program methods and activities, schedule and timeline, key personnel, project partners, sustainability, and a Monitoring and Evaluation Performance Monitoring Plan. Required federal forms include SF-424 or SF-424-I, as applicable, SF-424A, and SF-424B when applicable. Supporting materials include one-page resumes for proposed key personnel or qualifying position descriptions, letters of support for program partners where applicable, the latest NICRA when applicable, proof of nonprofit status, and proof of registration. Applications must be in English, budgets must be in U.S. dollars, and required signatures must be provided. The detailed budget must address applicable personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, consultants or contracts, other direct costs, and indirect costs. The application materials are submitted to pancultural@state.gov, with the Funding Opportunity Title and Funding Opportunity Number included in the email subject line. Questions about the application process may also be sent to pancultural@state.gov. Eligible proposals undergo technical screening followed by merit review. Quality and feasibility of the program idea is worth 30 points, organizational capacity and record on previous grants is worth 25 points, project planning and ability to achieve objectives is worth 20 points, budget is worth 10 points, monitoring and evaluation is worth 10 points, and sustainability is worth 5 points. If applications receive equivalent scores, the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate receives preference as a tie-breaking mechanism. Applicants are generally expected to receive notification within 120 days after the NOFO deadline. The notice contains conflicting deadline statements: its opening General Description lists September 13, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Panama time, while the detailed Submission Dates and Times section states that all applications must be received by September 1, 2026 and identifies that deadline as firm and non-rolling. The How to Apply section also states September 1, 2026. Accordingly, September 1, 2026 is treated as the controlling application deadline based on the repeated and more specific submission instructions.

Ensure every required form and attachment is included because technically incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Focus heavily on quality and feasibility, organizational capacity, and project planning because these account for 75 of the 100 review points. Define innovative but achievable activities that directly advance the stated U.S. foreign policy priorities and quantify how they will reach the required audiences and outcomes. Provide a detailed implementation timeline, clearly defined partner roles, measurable monitoring indicators, and a sustainability strategy. Build the budget from carefully determined reasonable, allowable, and allocable costs rather than rough estimates.