Enhancing and Supporting the Network of American Spaces in Armenia

The U.S. Department of State, through the Public Diplomacy Section of U.S. Embassy Yerevan, is offering the Enhancing and Supporting the Network of American Spaces in Armenia funding opportunity under opportunity number ASSF-FY26-ARM-2. The Embassy announces an open competition intended to support and enhance the American Spaces network in Armenia and deepen people-to-people ties and U.S.-Armenia cooperation. The network includes the American Center Yerevan, Yerevan American Corner, Yerevan American Corner-TechnoLab, Vanadzor American Corner, Charentsavan American Corner, and Kapan American Corner. The program is designed to expand high-quality educational, cultural, informational, English-language, digital literacy, STEM, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, professional skills, and innovation programming across these locations. The primary project audience is in the Republic of Armenia and generally consists of participants ages 16 through 35, while younger learners ages 13 through 15 and adults over age 35 may participate in appropriate activities. The project goal is to advance U.S.-Armenia cooperation and partnership by supporting American Spaces as open, trusted, and collaborative environments where participants can engage with programs shaped by American innovation and best practices. The seven stated objectives address expanding educational, cultural, and informational programming; strengthening English teaching and learning; building digital and STEM competencies; developing emerging and young leaders; promoting responsible and practical AI literacy; deepening U.S.-Armenia people-to-people engagement; and strengthening the operational effectiveness and modernization of the American Spaces network. The recipient will plan and implement approved activities, manage program personnel and logistics, procure approved supplies and technology, administer payments, monitor performance, and comply with reporting requirements. Because the award is a cooperative agreement, U.S. Embassy Yerevan will have substantial involvement, including approval of activities, program personnel, vendors, purchases, communications, promotional materials, IT strategy, and other implementation matters. One award is anticipated, with an award amount and total available funding of USD 111,400, subject to availability of funds. The attachment states that the total award may be up to USD 111,400. Up to USD 66,500 may be allocated to American Spaces operational costs, while up to USD 44,900 is allocated to programming. The programming allocation includes USD 38,500 for thematic programming and USD 6,400 for the mandatory U.S. AI Leadership on Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity Frontline project. Applicants must propose at least one program in each identified thematic area, including American English learning and teaching, cultural programs, AI literacy and responsible technology use, professional skills building, U.S. exchange alumni engagement, and preparation for U.S. higher education through TOEFL iBT. Allowable operational categories include design and furnishings, resources and supplies, technology, internet, and staffing. Construction, partisan political activity, charitable or direct social services, specific religious activities, fundraising campaigns, lobbying, scientific research or surveys, commercial projects, organizational growth or institutional development projects, duplicative projects, and illegal activities are not supported. Alcoholic beverages and entertainment-related expenses are also unallowable. Cost sharing or matching is encouraged but is not required. Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society or non-governmental organizations, and public and private educational institutions. For-profit entities are expressly ineligible. The notice further states that only one non-profit, non-governmental entity can be the prime recipient, creating an eligibility condition that applicants should evaluate carefully when applying as an educational institution. Organizations may subcontract with other entities if responsibilities are clearly defined. Applicants may submit only one proposal per organization. Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier and active SAM.gov registration unless an approved exemption applies, and the registration must remain active while the proposal is under review and throughout any resulting federal award. Subrecipients must also obtain a UEI before an award is processed or directed to them. Organizations with a SAM exclusion are not eligible. The application package requires the applicable SF-424 application form, SF-424A, and SF-424B when applicable, together with a narrative proposal of no more than 20 pages. The proposal must address the proposal summary, organizational background and relevant grant experience, problem statement, program methods and activities, deliverables, project schedule and timeline, key personnel, project partners, sustainability or future funding, and a Monitoring and Evaluation Performance Monitoring Plan. The M&E materials include a monitoring and evaluation narrative limited to two pages, a Theory of Change diagram or If-Then Statement, and a Monitoring and Evaluation Datasheet. Applicants must also provide a detailed line-item budget, budget justification narrative, key personnel resumes or position descriptions, applicable partner support letters, the latest NICRA when applicable, proof of nonprofit status, and proof of organizational registration. All documents must be in English, budgets must be in U.S. dollars, and required authorized signatures must be included. Applications are evaluated on Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea for 30 points, Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants for 25 points, Project Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives for 20 points, Budget for 10 points, Monitoring and Evaluation for 10 points, and Sustainability for 5 points. Eligible applications undergo technical review, while submissions missing required forms or documents are considered ineligible and are not reviewed by the grants review committee. The Department also conducts a risk review considering financial stability, management systems and standards, history of performance, audit reports and findings, and the applicant's ability to implement project requirements. If applications receive equivalent scores, the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate receives preference as a tie-breaking mechanism. Questions concerning the solicitation were due August 25, 2026, at 11:59 PM Armenia Time and may be directed to AmericanCenterYRV@state.gov. The final application deadline is September 10, 2026, at 11:59 PM Armenia Time. Applications must be submitted to yerevangrants@state.gov with the Funding Opportunity Title and Funding Opportunity Number in the email subject line, and the notice also states that PDS will use the Grants.gov timestamp to determine timeliness. The deadline is firm and is not rolling. The anticipated project start date is October 1, 2026, and projects may run for up to 24 months, through approximately October 2028. Applicants will generally be notified of review results within 120 days after the application deadline. Continuation funding beyond the initial budget period may be considered non-competitively subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress, and a determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State, but the notice does not establish a recurring application cycle.

Develop an innovative but feasible program with clear measurable objectives tied directly to the NOFO priorities. Show specifically how activities contribute to current U.S. foreign policy priorities and strengthen U.S.-Armenia engagement. Provide a realistic implementation timeline and clearly identify target audiences, recruitment, and geographic implementation. Demonstrate organizational expertise, internal financial controls, responsible fiscal management, and relevant prior performance. Build a detailed budget from carefully determined costs rather than rough estimates and ensure every item is reasonable, allowable, allocable, and connected to project activities. Include measurable output and outcome indicators with milestones and measurement timing. Explain how project benefits or objectives will continue after project activities end. Verify technical completeness before submission because missing required forms or documents makes an application ineligible for review.