Public Diplomacy Small Grants - EDUCATION | PAS UKRAINE FY22 03

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS UKRAINE FY22 03

The Public Diplomacy Small Grants - EDUCATION opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: PAS UKRAINE FY22 03) is a competitive small-grants program run by the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to support education-focused projects in Ukraine, with the broader aim of advancing education reform through U.S.-Ukraine collaboration. Funding is discretionary and depends on the availability of U.S. Government funds. The program is intended for Ukrainian non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations (NGOs) that can design and manage projects serving Ukrainian audiences, specifically at the secondary and higher education levels. Individual projects can run for up to one year, must take place in Ukraine, and must include a meaningful U.S. component, such as U.S. expertise, U.S.-informed approaches, or collaboration that clearly ties the activity to U.S. engagement rather than being purely local programming.

The Embassy highlights five thematic priorities that proposals should align with. These include professional development for university and college administrators to strengthen skills needed for institutional autonomy and competitiveness; building practical collaboration among educational institutions, local government administrations, and businesses to support regional development and decentralization; creating and implementing career advising services within Ukrainian educational institutions; professional skills development for instructors, especially around modern teaching methodologies; and strengthening inclusive learning environments in both secondary schools and higher education institutions. Within these themes, the Embassy indicates it is interested in applied, capacity-building work that strengthens systems and services rather than one-off events with limited follow-through.

Examples of eligible programming are broad but clearly oriented toward implementable education reform activities. Proposed projects may involve designing courses or curricula that promote cooperation between schools or universities and local administrations, employers, researchers, or businesses; developing and rolling out institutional strategies; conducting summer schools or other skills-focused learning events; and establishing or improving career advising activities and services. While NGOs are expected to administer the projects, educational institutions are anticipated to be core implementation partners, and additional partners can be included as appropriate. Likely beneficiary groups include school teachers and administrators, university instructors and administrators, supervisory board members, local government representatives, employers, relevant stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and students.

From an administrative and compliance standpoint, applicants need to be prepared for standard U.S. federal assistance requirements. Organizations must have an active registration in SAM.gov before an award can be made and must keep that registration active throughout the project period. Entities listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in SAM are ineligible to apply or participate in any activities under an award, consistent with U.S. government debarment and suspension rules. Applications must be complete, accurate, and written in English; incomplete submissions or any false or misleading information can lead to disqualification.

The application package requires an application form (with any relevant attachments) and a separate budget spreadsheet in USD in Excel format. Proposals are expected to include a clear project description and timeline, explaining the need being addressed, the objectives, and the approach for implementation. The Embassy indicates it will assess whether the project logic and activities realistically support education reform goals, whether the activities are feasible, and whether the concept is sustainable beyond the grant period. Applicants also must provide a monitoring and evaluation plan with measurable objectives and a plan for collecting data before and after the project to demonstrate results. In addition, applicants must show organizational capacity by describing staffing, management structure, and past experience delivering similar work.

Budget rules are relatively strict and focus on costs directly tied to project implementation rather than covering an organization s routine operating expenses. A detailed budget justification is required, itemizing costs across typical categories such as personnel, travel, equipment, supplies, contractual services, other direct costs, and indirect costs. Equipment requests are limited to under 30 percent of the total proposed budget, and pre-award costs are not reimbursable. Indirect costs are allowed either through an existing negotiated indirect cost rate (NICRA) with documentation, or through the de minimis option of 10 percent of modified total direct costs for organizations without a NICRA. Cost sharing is encouraged but not required and can include cash or in-kind contributions such as volunteer time or donated venues.

The program also spells out clear funding restrictions. Budgets may not request support for office rent and utilities, construction or renovation, vehicle purchases, partisan or electoral campaign-related activities, social welfare activities, stand-alone academic or analytical research unless necessary for a broader project, scholarships, entertainment and receptions, travel to the United States or U.S.-based activities, writing books, or alcoholic beverages. These restrictions underscore that the Embassy wants practical, reform-oriented education initiatives implemented in Ukraine, with transparent deliverables and measurable outcomes. The award ceiling listed is $40,000, and the original closing date for this cycle was July 15, 2022.

• The U.S. Mission to Ukraine in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Public Diplomacy Small Grants - EDUCATION" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.900.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-01-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-07-15. (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.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for PAS UKRAINE FY22 03

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: