EducationUSA AI/STEM and Sports Diplomacy Grant

The EducationUSA AI/STEM and Sports Diplomacy Grant is offered by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, specifically administered by the Public Diplomacy Section. This funding opportunity is designed to strengthen educational ties between the United States and Georgia by expanding access to U.S. higher education opportunities and promoting American academic institutions. The program aligns with broader U.S. foreign policy objectives, including fostering people-to-people connections, enhancing educational competitiveness, and supporting long-term partnerships with emerging global talent. The grant supports two complementary initiatives: the AI/STEM and Innovation Hubs and the Sports Pathways Initiative. Both initiatives target Georgian youth between the ages of 15 and 25, including students, athletes, entrepreneurs, and technology enthusiasts. The AI/STEM component focuses on engaging participants in innovation-driven sectors such as artificial intelligence, engineering, cybersecurity, and entrepreneurship through workshops, advising sessions, and outreach activities. The Sports Pathways Initiative connects talented athletes with U.S. collegiate athletic programs by providing guidance on scholarships, recruitment pathways, and balancing academics with athletics. Funding is structured as a federal grant with a total program allocation of 50000 dollars and anticipated individual awards ranging from 25000 to 50000 dollars. The program expects to issue one to two awards, each supporting projects that can be completed within a performance period of up to twelve months. Allowable activities include educational advising sessions, outreach programming, workshops, and engagement with U.S. institutions. Restrictions explicitly prohibit funding for construction, direct social services, partisan political activities, religious programming, and commercial ventures. Cost sharing is not required for this opportunity. Eligibility is limited to non-profit and non-governmental organizations, including EducationUSA advising centers operating in Georgia and organizations without formal EducationUSA affiliation. For-profit entities are not eligible to apply. Applicants must possess a Unique Entity Identifier and maintain an active registration in SAM.gov. Organizations may collaborate with partners or subcontractors, but only a single eligible non-profit entity may serve as the primary award recipient. The application process requires submission of standard federal forms including SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B, along with a detailed proposal of up to ten pages. The proposal must include a summary, organizational background, problem statement, program design, timeline, staffing plan, partnerships, and a monitoring and evaluation framework. Applicants must also submit a detailed line-item budget and a budget justification narrative explaining all proposed costs. Additional attachments such as resumes, letters of support, and proof of registration are required. Applications must be submitted electronically via email by August 10, 2026 at 18:00 Tbilisi time. Late submissions are not accepted. Proposals are evaluated based on criteria including program quality and feasibility, organizational capacity, project planning, budget justification, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainability. Applicants can expect notification of funding decisions within approximately 120 days after the deadline. Projects are expected to begin around October 1, 2026. Award recipients must comply with federal reporting requirements, including quarterly financial and programmatic reports and final reports at the end of the performance period. Additional compliance requirements include adherence to federal regulations, branding guidelines, and safeguarding of participant data. The program emphasizes measurable outcomes, long-term impact, and the sustainability of project results beyond the grant period.

Align proposal clearly with U.S. foreign policy priorities and demonstrate measurable outcomes strong M&E planning and realistic budgeting are critical for scoring success