Federal International Development Grants

This funding opportunity supports U.S. organizations in facilitating international exchanges with American experts to promote U.S. values and democratic principles through lectures and workshops worldwide.

Executive Summary: The Ambassadors Resilience Fund aims to build resilience to violent conflict and violent extremism in Guinea by strengthening social cohesion in at-risk communities. A total of $100,000 U.S. Dollars (USD) in FY 2023 Regional Peace and Security Funds will be awarded through this RSOI (pending availability of funds), with individual grants expected to be awarded in the range of $10,000 - $25,000 U.S. Dollars (USD) for work that will support program objectives. A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Embassy in Conakry announces an open competition for organizations to submit a Statement of Interest (SOI) to carry out innovative, small-scale, community-focused projects aimed at building social cohesion and resilience among at-risk communities in Guinea. Projects should seek to address underlying drivers of violent conflict and violent extremism, such as lack of equitable access to economic opportunity, competition over scarce resources, and identity-based stigmatization or marginalization. Embassy Conakry invites organizations interested in potential funding to submit SOI applications outlining program concepts that reflect these goals. Please carefully follow all instructions below. The Ambassadors Resilience Fund is designed to contribute to the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability (SPCPS) in Coastal West Africa. The SPCPS seeks to promote peace and prevent violent conflict and violent extremism that risks destabilizing Coastal West Africa (including Guinea, Cote dIvoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin). It aims to implement a new policy approach that addresses the political drivers of fragility and supports locally driven solutions. The submission of the SOI is the first step in a two-step process. Applicants must first submit a concise one- to three-page statement of interest designed to clearly communicate program idea and objectives. This is not a full proposal. The purpose of the SOI process is to allow applicants to submit program ideas for evaluation prior to the required development of a full proposal application. Upon a merit review of eligible SOIs, selected applicants will be invited to expand on their program idea(s) by submitting a full proposal application. Full proposals will go through a second merit review before final funding decision(s) are made.

This funding opportunity provides $8 million to support a four-year project that will enhance the U.S. shipbuilding workforce through international training partnerships, focusing on critical trades and promoting fair labor standards.

This funding opportunity supports collaborative research between U.S. universities and South Korean institutions to advance innovative robotics technologies through the development of intelligent components.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that will mentor and enhance the operational capabilities of the Somalia National Army and the African Union mission, aiming to stabilize the region and improve security against extremist threats.

This program provides funding for cultural and educational projects that strengthen ties between the United States and Georgia, particularly benefiting underserved communities and promoting shared values.

The U.S. Embassy Prague Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce available funding for projects advancing key strategic goals through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement, outlining our funding priorities and the procedures for submitting requests for funding. Please carefully follow all instructions below. This notice is subject to availability of funding. Purpose of Small Grants: The U.S. Embassy Prague Public Diplomacy Section is interested in funding projects that strengthen social, political and cultural ties between the United States and Czech Republic and support our Priority Program Areas. Projects should specifically target Czech audiences living within the Czech Republic. All programs must: include an American cultural or policy element, OR involve a connection with American expert/s, performers, organization/s, or institution/s relevant to the grant project, OR promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives. Examples of successful PAS Small Grants Program programs include, but are not limited to: Academic or professional lectures, seminars, workshops, discussions and speaker programs by U.S. experts and/or about the United States. Community or civic engagement projects promoting shared U.S.-Czech values. Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, masterclasses by U.S. artists and exhibitions of U.S. works. Professional and academic exchanges and programs to the United States. Project proposals must also support at least one Priority Program Area. Priority Program Areas: I. U.S.-CZECH BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP Programs that seek to explain U.S. policies, culture, and values to Czech audiences, resulting in a positive impact on the bilateral relationship. II. ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, TRADE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP Programs that promote and support entrepreneurship, innovation, and/or bilateral trade between the U.S and the Czech Republic. III. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND STEM EDUCATION Programs related to climate change, environmental protection, scientific cooperation and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education, including programs that promote critical thinking skills. IV. HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND CIVIL SOCIETY Programs that promote human rights, support marginalized groups, encourage gender equality and empowerment of women, and that foster a culture of integration and diversity. Programs that strengthen democratic values of transparency, government accountability, anti-corruption and the rule of law. Programs that encourage strong civic engagement and democratic participation by all sectors of society and that support the development of a thriving civil-society and non-governmental sector. V. INDEPENDENT MEDIA AND COMBATTING DISINFORMATION Programs that strengthen an independent media, investigative journalism or media literacy among the public, such as programs that counter disinformation or train audiences to recognize disinformation or misinformation online and in news. VI. REGIONAL SECURITY, CYBER SECURITY AND/OR ENERGY SECURITY Programs that promote energy security, cyber security, and/or our NATO security alliance. The following types of programs are not eligible for funding: Programs relating to partisan political activity Humanitarian aid Construction programs Fund-raising campaigns Scientific research Programs that dont support an Embassy Priority Program Area or that dont involve an American component Projects intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization Projects seeking funds for personal use Participants and Audiences: We seek geographically and demographically diverse audiences within the Czech Republic and prioritize proposals with a significant programming component outside of Prague. Programs should target adults or teenage audiences primarily (high school and older). Deadlines: All applications must be submitted electronically to grantsprague@state.gov. There will be three deadlines for grant submission in FY2024 and three review meetings to make funding decisions. Applications can be submitted any time prior to one of these deadlines: January 15, 2024 March 19, 2024 May 14, 2024 Applications received after the final deadline of May 14, 2024 will not be considered. Grant applications will be evaluated within two weeks after these deadlines, and if yours is selected for funding, you will be asked to submit further paperwork. Please note that we can only fund future programs. Please apply as early as possible and at least three months prior to the start of the project. The Grant Application form is available on the U.S. Embassy Prague Web site: https://cz.usembassy.gov/education-culture/small-grants-program/ Criteria Each proposal selected for funding will be evaluated according to the criteria outlined below. Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea: The program idea supports at least one of the Embassys Priority Program Areas. (Projects that do not strongly support a Priority Area will not be considered further.) Programs are well developed, detailing how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline. The organization has expertise in its stated field and has the internal controls in place to manage federal funds - this includes a financial management system and a bank account. Inclusion of American Component: The program includes a strong American component, such as addressing an American policy, subject matter or an aspect of American culture; or involving an American speaker, artist, performer, organization or author; or involves an exchange with the United States. Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives: Goals and objectives are clearly stated and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results with the target audience(s) and includes public outreach components/activities. Monitoring Evaluation Plan and Sustainability: Applicant demonstrates ability to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured. Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program. Budget: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities. Review and Selection Process A grant review committee comprised of U.S. Embassy Prague staff and partners will evaluate all applications submitted within two weeks of one of the three deadlines in this announcement. Applications that do not comply with the requirements of this announcement will be ineligible for further consideration. When deciding which projects to support, the Embassy will consider the full range and diversity of Czech organizations and will seek to target geographically and demographically diverse audiences in the Czech Republic. Proposals must be linked to U.S. Embassy Priority Program Areas and incorporate an American component, such as an American subject matter, speaker, artist, performer, author, exchange, etc. Selection committee results will be announced in a timely manner following the review committee decisions. Applicants will be notified if their proposal has been approved for immediate funding, or in some cases proposals may be approved provisionally pending future availability of funding. Organizations or individuals whose grant applications will not be funded will also be notified via email. Issuance of this Notice of Funding Opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received. Payment Method: Payments will be made in at least two installments, as needed to carry out the program activities (generally 80% advance; 20% reimbursement) but may also be based on achieving project milestones. Reporting Requirements As a condition of Embassy funding, the U.S. Embassy Grants Officer (GO), or a Grants Officer Representative (GOR) will propose an appropriate grant monitoring plan to observe the funded activity, event, or project contemplated in the proposal. Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports. The award document will specify how often these reports must be submitted. Failure to comply with the reporting requirements may jeopardize eligibility for future awards or will result in suspension of any future payments under this award until such time as this deficiency has been corrected.

This grant provides funding to strengthen peacebuilding efforts and support collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian civil society organizations to promote coexistence and a sustainable two-state solution.

The Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) announces an open competition for projects in support of the Child Protection Compact (CPC) Partnership between the United States and the Government of Nepal. The CPC Partnership is jointly developed and implemented by the United States and the Government of Nepal through a multi-year plan (approximately five years). The purpose of this CPC Partnership is to advance and strengthen the efforts of the Government of Nepal and civil society organizations in Nepal to combat forced child labor and child sex trafficking in a victim- 2 centered, coordinated, sustainable, and multi-sectoral approach to support an effective system of justice, prevention, and protection. This includes the implementation of a victim-centered prevention strategy that addresses targeted risk factors, promotes high-quality comprehensive victim protection, and investigates, prosecutes, and convicts perpetrators of child trafficking. The Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens (MoWCSC) is the primary focal point for the Government of Nepal under the CPC Partnership. However, the TIP Office anticipates close collaboration with additional government ministries and agencies at a federal, provincial, and local level including a full range of criminal-justice stakeholders. The full partnership will be posted online here: Child Protection Compact Partnerships - United States Department of State Nepal is the eighth CPC Partnership the US government has negotiated globally; the TIP Office has active CPC Partnerships in Peru, Mongolia, Colombia, and Cote d’Ivoire, and previous CPC Partnerships with the governments of Jamaica, the Philippines, and Ghana. More information is available at: . The purpose of this notice of funding opportunity is to advance and strengthen the efforts of the Government of Nepal and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Nepal to combat child trafficking in a victim-centered, coordinated, sustainable, and multi-sectoral approach to support an effective system of prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership. Applicants are expected to propose activities that align with the goals and objectives outlined below from the U.S.-Nepal CPC Partnership text. Applicants should use the following illustrative activities to guide their proposals but are not expected to include every item listed: Objective 1 (Prevention): The Government of Nepal, particularly local government, coordinates with NGOs on child trafficking prevention efforts that are comprehensive and contextualized into local community child protection initiatives. Illustrative Activities: • Capacity Building o Strengthen and empower Local Coordination Committees on Human Trafficking; Train Child Welfare Officers to further identify and combat child trafficking; o Provide technical assistance to the MoWCSC on effective prevention strategies. • Awareness Raising o Engage schools and communities on action plans to identify and prevent child trafficking; o Engage families and communities about the risks of child trafficking among vulnerable communities; o Work with government and local communities to increase child registration for identification. • Community Interventions: o Targeted interventions for most at-risk populations; examples include but not limited to working with cash plus programs, community savings and loans cooperatives, financial inclusion strategies, vocational training, and alternative livelihoods; o Pilot or support community resilience programs to minimize the effects of disasters and climate change that exacerbate child trafficking risk factors. Objective 2 (Protection): The Government of Nepal supports child trafficking victims by providing accessible trauma-informed, victim-centered care, and supports NGOs to protect children throughout the country. Illustrative Activities: • Training and Curriculum Development o Expand social workers’ use of victim-centered and trauma-informed approaches; o Build capacity of local child-care centers with curriculum on minimum standards of care and sustainability plan. • Direct Victim Support o Enable organizations to provide protection services to child trafficking victims; o Identify and support protection services for male victims of trafficking, including shelter services for boys; 4 o Support reintegration efforts, including but not limited to vocational/ apprenticeship training, paying of school fees, and small business support. • Standard Operating Procedures o Create SOPs and/or handbooks to guide victim support in partnership with local committees; o Support implementation of identification guidelines with MoWCSC; o Develop repatriation procedures, SOPs, and guidelines for crossborder trafficking cases. • Capacity Building o Support the rollout of the Social Information Management System (SIMS) as a data collection tool and ensure it meets data sharing and case tracking needs; o Assist the “1098 hotline” for victims of human trafficking to be more responsive to victims and increase capacity to identify and serve trafficking victims. • Advocacy o Support pending legal code amendments that align laws with the Palermo Protocol; o Ensure civil society organizations are adequately resourced to provide needed victim services. Objective 3 (Prosecution): The Government of Nepal, including law enforcement, prosecutors and the judiciary, utilizes existing trafficking-specific legal frameworks to identify child trafficking victims, investigate cases, and prosecute and convict perpetrators of child trafficking in a child-friendly, victim-centered, and traumainformed manner. Illustrative Activities: • Training and Curriculum Development o Comprehensive (basic and advanced) training for justice-sector actors on the human trafficking law and how to utilize it during investigations, prosecutions, and convictions; o Comprehensive (basic and advanced) training for justice sector actors on victim-centered, trauma-informed, and child-friendly practices; o Training for law enforcement entities on trauma-informed and childfriendly techniques for gathering evidence and testimony from survivors of child trafficking; o Victim-centered training in the National Police Academy to combat human trafficking; o Curriculum for the National Judicial Academy focused on human trafficking laws, trauma-informed and child friendly practices, in coordination with NGOs o Methods to investigate and monitor online violence and cybercrimes. • Standard Operating Procedures o Child-friendly procedures for accompaniment of child trafficking victims and witnesses before the courts; o Child interview SOPs for police investigators and MoWCSC social workers; o Nationwide SOPs on victim identification, referral, and case management; o Support airport and border officers with resources for improved screening tools. • Establish New Practices o Digitized Court or “E-court” using video conferencing or video testimony likely connected with protection homes to support criminal cases; o Victim service units and victim-friendly court environments within the Supreme court and District courts; o Child-friendly spaces in local police offices, and/or other relevant locations; o Create child-friendly space guidelines that are adopted and used to train relevant staff; o Promote creation of a secure network and data collection system for criminal justice actors to share case details. • Advocacy o Expand judges’ use of current legal frameworks with innovative prosecution techniques such as victim compensation; o Promote appointment of an Office of the Special Rapporteur for Human Trafficking within the National Human Rights Council; o Create a cybercrime law from current cybercrime policy. 6 Objective 4 (Partnership): The Government of Nepal addresses child trafficking in a coordinated manner across all relevant ministries, local authorities and NGOs. Illustrative Activities: • Expand Alliances o Engage with private sector actors to raise awareness and prevent forced child labor in targeted industries; o Engage telecommunications companies to prevent online sexual exploitation of children; o Encourage parliamentary involvement on child protection issues; o Analyze the use of information technology to support child trafficking prevention and protection. • Information Sharing o Encourage information sharing across different data management systems, including the Missing Children and National Police databases. • National Frameworks o Review and support the Master Plan on Child Labor; o Support regional referral mechanisms and/or intergovernmental MOUs on trafficking with neighboring countries in the region; o Foster development and implementation of a National Action Plan. • Advocacy o Empower the National Coordination Committee on Human Trafficking; o Promote creation of a national budget line to combat child trafficking to ensure programs and relevant ministries are properly funded; o Facilitate sustainability planning to maintain CPC investments beyond the end of the agreement.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in eliminating labor abuses and conditions of forced labor connected to cyber scam operations in Southeast Asia.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to non-profit organizations working to promote peace and a negotiated two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through youth engagement, civil society capacity-building, and innovative public discourse initiatives.

The Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department) announces the availability of approximately $3,000.000 total costs (subject to the availability of Federal funds) for one cooperative agreement to fund a technical assistance project in Cambodia to increase the responsiveness of Cambodian Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and their key stakeholders to labor exploitation and barriers that impede access to decent work. We encourage prospective applicants and interested parties to use the Grants.gov subscription option to register for future updates provided for this particular FOA. In order to achieve the project goal, applicants must propose strategies to achieve the following outcomes:Outcome(s) (1) Increased understanding of the linkage between disability and vulnerability to child labor, forced labor and/or human trafficking and of barriers that impede access to decent work for persons with disabilities. (2) Increased coordination and partnerships between/among Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and their key stakeholders to address the prevalence of child labor, forced labor and/or human trafficking among persons with disabilities and barriers that impede their access to decent work. (3) Increased implementation of sustainable interventions by OPDs and their key stakeholders that address the linkage between disability and vulnerability to child labor, forced labor and/or human trafficking and barriers that impede access to decent work. Questions regarding this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) may be emailed to ortiz.carlie@dol.gov.

U.S. Embassy Riyadh announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program that provides exchange opportunities for emerging Saudi leaders in video game development and fosters linkages between them and experienced U.S. practitioners, professionals, educators and peers. Please read this document carefully and follow all instructions. This notice is subject to availability of funding.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in eradicating descent-based slavery and discrimination towards enslaved and formerly enslaved persons in the Sahel region of West Africa. Two projects will be awarded; one for Mauritania only and one regional project, focused on two or more countries in the Sahel region of West Africa. If applying to both opportunities, applicants should submit two separate applications.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs in North Macedonia to implement innovative public service projects that address local and global challenges.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Embassy Niamey of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to increase womens participation as mediators in community peace processes in Tillaberi Region. Please follow all instructions below. Priority Region: Tillaberi Region Program Description and Objectives: In January 2023, community leaders in northern Tillaberi Regions Bani Bangou Department signed a landmark peace agreement between the Fulani and Zarma ethnic groups. The peace agreement ended three years of cyclical intercommunal massacres exacerbated by the Islamic State of the Greater Sahara (IS-GS)s vicious attacks and recruitment schemes in these localities. Six months later, Tuareg and Fulani leaders in neighboring Ouallam Department signed their own community peace accord to end similar intercommunal violence strategically spurred by IS-GS. Neither Bani Bangou nor Ouallam Department has experienced cyclical intercommunal massacres since the accords signature. The National Council for Safeguarding the Homeland (CNSP) has continued sponsoring the mediation of additional peace agreements in localities across northern Tillaberi Region since the coup detat in July 2023, targeting areas like Gourol Commune that have been devastated by intercommunal massacres, IS-GS warfare, and mass population displacement. Nigerien women did not serve as mediators in the negotiation of the Tillaberi Region peace accords. Instead, the men mediators held focus group discussions with women community members to incorporate their perspectives into their conflict analysis prior to the start of negotiations. This reflects a common trend in Nigerien peacebuilding and mediation: men lead and facilitate peace processes, involving women as passive informants and participants in the peace accord ceremonies. Peacebuilding interventions have had a transformative impact on the ability of women leaders in Tillaberi Region to mediate disputes and promote peace in their communities. Yet older men continue to dominate the mediation of community peace processes, ultimately leaving local patriarchal power structures untouched. Prospective projects should respond to the following goal: Women leaders will increase their participation in northern Tillaberi Region peace processes as mediators and institutionalize their leadership in partnership with national and local authorities by 2026. Prospective projects should reflect a strong strategic vision with clearly defined procedures for overcoming gender inclusion barriers in northern Tillaberi peace processes. Prospective projects should build on previous women peacebuilding interventions in northern Tillaberi and work with local women leaders who have been already trained on mediation skills and conflict resolution. Applicants are strongly encouraged against holding new trainings for local women leaders and are instead advised to work with local women leaders who have previously received mediation training. Applicants are advised to focus on strategic activities that advance womens integration into local peace process mediation. Possible project activities include: - Rapid gender inclusion assessment of northern Tillaberi Region peace processes - Gender inclusion strategy development for northern Tillaberi Region peace processes - Advocacy meetings to implement a peace process gender inclusion strategy - Gender-inclusive peace monitoring - Public gender inclusion sensitization activities Close collaboration with Nigerien authorities like the Ministry of Interiors Stabilization Unit and the High Authority for the Consolidation of Peace (HACP) as well as other partners implementing peace process support activities in northern Tillaberi Region is essential for successful project implementation. The successful applicant will demonstrate a successful track record of gender inclusion in local peacebuilding and will have collaborated previously with national or local Nigerien authorities. Applicants should budget for quarterly meetings of a project advisory group that will ensure coordination with Nigerien authorities and other women, peace, and security implementing partners. Participants and Audiences: The successful applicant will work with women leaders in northern Tillaberi Region who have been trained by previous peacebuilding and gender inclusion programs to co-design and implement gender inclusion activities. The successful applicant will build on pre-existing relationships with local and national Nigerien authorities, community leaders, and womens leaders in northern Tillaberi Region to manage a broad coalition of partners critical to successful gender inclusion.

The Global Engagement Center seeks to support a third-party implementer to conduct a three-phase project to mitigate foreign influence efforts in Indonesia. The project implementer is expected to share findings through a publicly available report, partnered media reporting, and a series of briefings that integrate findings and propose actionable recommendations, with translation of published materials and public events into Indonesian.

The U.S. Embassy Argentina Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce its Public Diplomacy Annual Call for Strategic Programs. PAS will evaluate those proposals that focus exclusively on the development of one or more of the following strategic programs: A) International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) On Demand. B) Empowering Women Leaders in Congress and Local Legislatures C) Empowering Women Leaders in Argentine Labor Unions D) Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) E) Alumni Groups Meeting and Networking Event F) Argentina TESOL Annual Convention G) Empowering Youth program H) Promote Democracy Among Youth I) Study of the United States Program J) Bilingual Science Camp To apply, please read carefully the additional information contained in the documents attached.

ROGRAM DESCRIPTIONThe U.S. Embassy Nairobi, Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce that funding is available through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement, outlining funding priorities, focus themes, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding. Please carefully follow all instructions below.Purpose of Small Grants: PDS Nairobi invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the United States and Kenya and promote bilateral cooperation. All programs must advance a U.S. linkage including for example a connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policies, economic models, and perspectives on U.S.-Kenya partnership.Priority Program Areas: Proposals must address one of the following key program areas:1. Economic Prosperity Advances the prosperity of the United States and Kenya through a fair and reciprocal economic partnership, the strengthening of Kenyas business climate, support for its startup ecosystem, clean energy solutions and climate change resiliency, and education that skills the next generation of workers. 2. Democracy and Governance Deepens the bilateral relationship on a broad range of common interests including the respect for human rights, safeguarding civic space, rule of law, public accountability, anti-corruption efforts, shared democratic values, and protection of fundamental freedoms.3. Celebrating 60 Years of U.S.-Kenya Partnership 2024 is the 60th anniversary of U.S.-Kenya ties, a milestone to celebrate as well as build upon. Amplify what the United States and Kenya are accomplishing together across various fields, including but not limited to the trade and investment partnership, climate action and renewable energy, public health advancements, education, shared values, and security cooperation. Participants and Audiences:Kenyans who may be in any of the following categories; Kenyans between the ages of 16 and 35, including students, civil society leaders and social influencers; Business leaders and rising entrepreneurs; Established opinion leaders, including cultural influencers and academic institution leadership.

YSEALI (yseali.state.gov) is the U.S. governments signature initiative to engage emerging leaders in Southeast Asia. The program aims to create a network of young Southeast Asian leaders who work across national borders to solve common problems. Through a variety of programs and engagements, YSEALI seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region, strengthen ties between the United States and Southeast Asia, and nurture a community of leaders who work across borders to solve shared issues. YSEALI is open to young leaders ages 18 to 35 who are both citizens and residents of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries (Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) or Timor-Leste. Responding to priorities from youth in the ASEAN region, YSEALI programs focus on four themes (i.e., Civic Engagement, Economic Empowerment and Social Entrepreneurship, Education and Environmental Issues). The 2025 YSEALI WLA: InnovateHER will advance all of the YSEALI themes and the U.S. Mission to ASEANs strategic goals: Sub-objective 3.2.1. ASEAN recognizes the contribution of women in the economic recovery of the region and strives to promote DEIA principles across its economic community pillar. Sub-objective 3.2.2. The United States creates a program to promote the role of women across ASEAN in contributing to peace and security across the region. The 2025 YSEALI WLA: InnovatHER will be designed for 50 to 60 female participants who have professional experience working in the tech industry. Possible fields include artificial intelligence technology, clean energy, cybersecurity, software development, medical technology research, and tech start-up incubators. The participants, age 20 to 35, must represent all 10 of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states and Timor-Leste. The Academy will have pre-workshop virtual activities and an in-person four-day or five-day workshop located in Southeast Asia. The purpose of the pre-workshop and workshop activities will be to: (1) create a network of Southeast Asian women making advances in technology who will design future activities and workshops for women in the YSEALI network; (2) explore how technological advancements, including artificial intelligence, could improve the daily lives of women; (3) discuss political and governmental policies that are affecting womens access to the digital economy and technological advancements; (4) develop general leadership skills, including self-awareness of personal professional strengths. FULL NOFO is on the U.S. Mission to ASEAN website here.