Notice of Funding Opportunity for Alumni | PAS SEC FY20 02

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS SEC FY20 02

The Notice of Funding Opportunity for Alumni (Funding Opportunity Number PAS SEC FY20 02) is a discretionary grant competition run by the Public Affairs Sections of the U.S. Embassy in Quito and the U.S. Consulate in Guayaquil under the U.S. Mission to Ecuador. The program sits within the Inspira Ecuador network, which is the U.S. Mission alumni community for Ecuadorians who previously participated in U.S. Department of State funded exchanges, programs funded by the Embassy or Consulate in Ecuador, or who have received Public Diplomacy grant funding. The overall intent is to activate and strengthen alumni-led engagement, especially by building satellite alumni communities in Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca that can deliver community service projects and events led by alumni themselves.

The core purpose of the grants is to fund alumni-driven projects that help reactivate Ecuadors economy and or support local communities during and after COVID-19, while also emphasizing shared values between the United States and Ecuador. Every proposed project must align with at least one U.S. Mission priority and or a U.S. foreign policy theme, and the Embassy signals that it will give special consideration to proposals that clearly demonstrate alumni leadership, meaningful community engagement, teamwork among alumni, and implementation in or around Quito, Guayaquil, or Cuenca. Projects may be submitted by eligible alumni as individuals or through qualifying non-profit or educational organizations, with the underlying idea that alumni take visible leadership roles and convert their exchange experience into practical community impact.

The Embassy highlights three main priority areas for funding. The first is Economy, covering projects that help revive the economy during and after the pandemic, improve the business climate, strengthen entrepreneurship and innovation, and encourage corporate social responsibility. The second is Civil Society, focused on inclusion and rights-based work such as human rights promotion, racial and ethnic equality, gender equality and womens empowerment, diversity and social inclusion, and tangible support for at-risk youth, women, and marginalized communities affected by COVID-19. The third is Information, aimed at combatting disinformation through support for press freedom, stronger investigative journalism, and greater transparency during or after the pandemic. Across all three areas, proposals are expected to show a clear logic for how activities lead to real outcomes, not just one-off events.

A key requirement is that proposals include a distinctly U.S. component. In practice, this means the project should meaningfully incorporate U.S. expertise, processes, approaches, tools, partnerships, or personnel rather than simply being a local activity with U.S. branding. This emphasis fits the Public Diplomacy nature of the funding: the project should strengthen mutual understanding and demonstrate practical collaboration connected to U.S. experience or best practices.

The opportunity is limited to U.S. Mission Ecuador alumni, and it is not open to for-profit or commercial entities. The Public Affairs Section explicitly encourages applications from alumni applying through registered non-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society organizations with relevant programming experience), individuals, non-profit or governmental educational institutions, and governmental institutions. Proposed projects must be designed to finish within 24 months or less, which sets an expectation for realistic planning, a workable timeline, and achievable deliverables within a defined period.

The NOFO also lists a wide range of activities that are not eligible for funding, which helps clarify what this program is and is not meant to support. Ineligible concepts include activities without a distinct U.S. component, partisan political work, development-style projects and programs, infrastructure or construction, individual scholarships, personal development-only activities, projects supporting specific religious activities, fundraising campaigns, lobbying for specific legislation or programs, scientific research, projects primarily intended for organizational growth or institutional development, proposals that duplicate existing programs, social travel or visits, venture capital, and any for-profit endeavors. Taken together, these restrictions signal that the Embassy is looking for time-bound, community-facing public diplomacy projects with clear public benefit and measurable outcomes, not investments, construction, or organizational expansion.

Applications must be submitted in English by email to contactocultural@state.gov, using two required forms: a Project Proposal form (to describe the concept, activities, and implementation plan in detail) and a Budget form (to list and justify expenses line by line). The review process is conducted by a grants panel that scores proposals using several criteria: the strength of the U.S. component; the applicants organizational capacity and prior performance (including financial systems and access to a bank account for organizations); the quality and feasibility of the idea and its implementation timeline; clearly stated goals and objectives tied to strong expected impact; alignment with Embassy priority areas and target audiences; a detailed and realistic budget and justification; a monitoring and evaluation plan with output and outcome indicators plus milestones; and sustainability, meaning the benefits of the project should last beyond the grant period.

If a proposal is selected as a finalist, organizations must complete additional compliance steps before receiving an award, including obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier (historically referenced here through DUNS) and maintaining an active registration on SAM.gov. Individuals do not need to meet the DUNS or SAM registration requirement. The Embassy notes that it will notify finalists in writing and request the required documentation and other mandatory forms at that stage. For questions about the application process, applicants are directed to the Public Affairs Section at contactocultural@state.gov, with the caveat that the Embassy does not provide pre-consultation on questions already addressed in the program statement and cannot discuss applications after submission until the review process is complete.

In terms of basic award details provided in the source listing, the opportunity was posted on April 14, 2020, had an original closing date of June 30, 2020, and lists an award ceiling of 10,000 dollars. The notice also states that funding depends on availability, which is typical for public diplomacy grant competitions and means awards are contingent on final budget allocations.

• The U.S. Mission to Ecuador in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Funding Opportunity for Alumni" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-04-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-06-30. (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 $10,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for PAS SEC FY20 02

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