Notice of Funding Opportunity for Alumni of U.S. Government Programs | 01 2021

Opportunity Information: Apply for 01 2021

The U.S. Embassy in Riga, Latvia is inviting proposals for the 2022 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2022), a small-grants program run by the U.S. Department of State that supports projects designed and led by alumni of U.S. government-funded or U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs. The purpose of AEIF is to help exchange alumni build on the skills, networks, and experience they gained during their U.S.-supported exchange and turn that into practical, innovative work that addresses real community challenges. AEIF has operated globally since 2011 and has funded hundreds of alumni-led projects worldwide through a competitive selection process.

For this Riga-based competition, proposals must align with a specific theme: the 100th Anniversary of U.S.-Latvia Diplomatic Relations. The Embassy is looking for projects that reach a general audience in Latvia and do three things at once: reflect on the past century of U.S.-Latvia relations, think forward about where the relationship should go next, and promote transatlantic values. The notice gives examples of the kinds of concepts that would fit, such as public events featuring talks by exchange alumni about how their experiences shape their civic or professional work, or activities aimed at young people that encourage discussion of the bilateral relationship and how youth civic participation can influence the next 100 years. All activities must take place in Latvia, and proposals that do not clearly address the stated theme and objectives are considered ineligible.

Awards are expected to be in the range of USD 10,000 to USD 40,000, with an award ceiling of USD 40,000, and the Embassy anticipates making about five awards. The performance period is June through December 2022, meaning projects should be implemented and completed within that window. The opportunity was announced in mid-November 2021, applications were due by January 31, 2022, and the Embassy planned to make decisions no later than February 11.

Eligibility is centered on exchange alumni. Applicants must be alumni of a qualifying U.S. government-funded exchange program listed on alumni.state.gov or a U.S. government-sponsored exchange program (including J-1 related programs). Each proposal must be submitted by a team that includes at least two exchange alumni, and teams can mix alumni from different programs and even different countries. A key restriction is that U.S. citizens may not submit proposals as the applicant, although U.S. citizen alumni are allowed to participate as team members. Another important detail is that organizations such as NGOs, think tanks, and academic institutions cannot apply in the name of the organization; however, they can participate as implementing partners. If an application is routed through an organization partner for administrative purposes, the alumni must be closely tied to that organization and be the ones who actually carry out the project work.

There are also administrative requirements depending on how the award is processed. If the grant is processed with an individual, that person does not need a DUNS number or SAM.gov registration. If the grant is processed through an organization partner, that organization must have an entity identifier (DUNS/UEI as referenced in the notice) and an active SAM.gov registration, and it must follow equal opportunity and non-discrimination practices for both employment and beneficiary services, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or political affiliation. Applicants are limited to submitting one proposal total.

The notice spells out several content limitations that shape what can and cannot be proposed. The grant cannot be used for partisan political activity, lobbying, or supporting or opposing political parties, although certain nonpartisan civic and election-related educational activities may be allowable. Projects may address non-discrimination and tolerance, including work with disadvantaged minorities and certain human rights-related topics, but they must be framed carefully as human-rights support rather than advocacy for a specific organization’s agenda or a particular lifestyle; the Embassy notes it may brief grantees on this distinction. Projects cannot support religious goals or religious activities, cannot fund the creation of media content or journalist salaries, and should primarily target Latvian audiences.

The application process is fairly structured and requires use of official templates. Applicants must download and submit the AEIF 2022 application and budget forms from the provided link and follow the formatting instructions closely. Submissions must be in English, budgets must be in U.S. dollars using the designated budget form, and pages must be numbered. Required federal forms include SF-424 (or the individual version SF-424-I, depending on whether the applicant is an organization or an individual), SF-424A (budget information), and SF-424B (assurances). The proposal itself must include clear team information for at least two alumni (names, contact details, roles, qualifications, and estimated time commitments), a concise project summary describing the challenge, objectives, and intended impact, and a more detailed plan describing goals and measurable objectives, methods and design, a timeline with dates and locations, beneficiaries, and any plan for sustaining the work after the grant ends. Applicants should also list any local partners, provide a communication and outreach plan that incorporates AEIF 2022, ExchangeAlumni, and U.S. Embassy branding, and include a monitoring and evaluation plan that explains how outcomes will be measured (for example, changes in knowledge, awareness, attitudes, or capacity). A detailed budget justification narrative is required, with line items explained in as much detail as possible.

Budget rules are strict and are a major screening factor. AEIF 2022 will not fund airfare to or from the United States, or any activities taking place in the United States. It also will not cover staff salaries, office space, overhead or operational expenses, major durable equipment purchases, construction, alcohol, excessive meals or entertainment, academic or scientific research, charitable or development aid, direct social service delivery, individual scholarships, social travel, gifts or prizes, duplicative programming, institutional development, venture capital or for-profit activities, charging participation fees, fundraising campaigns, or religious activities. Applications including these costs or activities can be deemed ineligible by the selection committee.

After selection, the award is administered by a Grants Officer, and only expenses incurred on or after the official start date in the signed award document are allowable. The U.S. government does not commit to future or renewal funding beyond the selected award, and it does not reimburse costs associated with preparing the application. Funding is disbursed in two tranches: 80 percent after the agreement is finalized and signed, and the remaining 20 percent after final reports are submitted and approved. Grantees must submit program and financial reports as required in the award, and a final descriptive report is due within 30 days of project completion, along with invoices, agreements, and other supporting financial documentation to demonstrate transparent use of funds. For questions, the notice directs applicants to contact the Embassy point of contact listed (JurgelaneS@state.gov), and it notes that funding is subject to availability and only successful applicants will be contacted.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Latvia in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Funding Opportunity for Alumni of U.S. Government Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.022.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 17, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 31, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $40,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 01 2021

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