SVCF Community Action Grants in California

The U.S. Embassy Kyiv's 2024 Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program - EDUCATION (PDSG) is an open competition for Ukrainian non-government, non-profit organizations (NGOs). The program's mission is to support projects aimed at strengthening Ukraine's educational system as a vital contributor to the nation's post-war restoration and development. The Embassy plans to award small grants, ranging from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $50,000, for performance periods of six to twelve months, pending funding availability from the U.S. Government. Collaboration with counterparts in education—such as colleges, universities, and local/central governments—is central to the program, and partnerships between U.S. and Ukrainian organizations, leveraging U.S. expertise and concepts, are encouraged. The strategic priority is to strengthen US-Ukraine people-to-people ties and establish clear potential for lasting engagement between institutions. The program focuses on specific thematic priorities designed to address war-generated challenges and support economic recovery. These include fostering collaboration between educational institutions, employers, and government entities to produce a qualified workforce aligned with Ukraine’s priority economic fields; this priority specifically addresses the labor market demand by drawing from U.S. examples to support educational modernization. A second focus is the development of training opportunities and programs for social groups most affected by the war, specifically individuals with disabilities, veterans, and IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons), to increase their employability and support regional economic growth. This anticipates leveraging U.S. experience to integrate a growing population of veterans, students with special learning needs, and displaced populations into the labor market, potentially through the piloting of centers for veteran and disability services focusing on entrepreneurship and vocational re-training. Additional priorities include supporting the optimization of the Ukrainian educational system as part of educational reform in response to war and post-war reconstruction challenges, considering Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Projects in this area may include strategy development, enhancement of teaching in priority fields identified by the Government of Ukraine, and ensuring access to high-quality education for students in war-affected areas or studying online from abroad. Finally, the program focuses on developing civic education programs for Ukrainian students and adults to facilitate social cohesion and reintegration of citizens from occupied territories and IDPs, with a possible connection to Ukrainians sheltered abroad. The target audience (beneficiaries) for the funded projects includes social groups that suffered most in the war, such as veterans, individuals with disabilities, and IDPs, along with decision-makers in crisis circumstances. Key participants are Ukrainian stakeholders in education who have the power to shape the educational sector to pragmatically address the challenges of the post-war recovery period. A core expected outcome and measurable result is that all proposals must include a monitoring and evaluation plan with clearly defined indicators to measure the realization of project goals, ensuring clear and sustainable results. Proposals should support Ukraine’s efforts to rebuild its economy and re-integrate target groups into the labor market, equipping business representatives with modern tools and concepts to build enduring professional relationships between Americans and Ukrainians.