Funding-Limited Submission - US Dept. of State 2010 Community Solutions Program; May 12, 2010

The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs invites proposal submissions for the Community Solutions Program in Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, South and Central Asia and the Western Hemisphere. The Community Solutions Program serves as a mechanism to support and encourage initiatives organized by young civic and community leaders, ages 25-38, currently working to address the economic, environmental, political, and social challenges confronting their respective local communities. Through professional fellowships with a specific leadership component, Community Solutions will provide opportunities for eligible individuals to more effectively address issues of concern in their own towns, cities and regions.

The specific themes for the professional fellowships for this program are:

Transparency and Accountability: Fellowships should provide exposure to institutions and concepts related to civil society, grass-roots democracy, good governance, anti-corruption, transparency, accountability, and/or free and fair elections. The important role of volunteerism and the culture of volunteerism can also be addressed, when appropriate.

Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries:

· Africa: Zimbabwe, Uganda, Rwanda, Liberia, Zambia, Sierra Leone

· East Asia and the Pacific: Mongolia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Singapore, Philippines, and Malaysia

· Europe: Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic

· South and Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan

Tolerance/Conflict Resolution: Fellowships should expose participants to issues and strategies that address tolerance, multi-culturalism, discrimination, and conflict resolution. Negotiation skills, the art of compromise, fair treatment of minority populations, and civil rights and responsibilities can also be addressed. Based on participants’ specific interests, fellowships may need to be identified that deal with conflict resolution and crisis response tools for use in failing, failed, and post-conflict states and complex emergencies/disasters.

Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries:

· Africa: Zimbabwe, Uganda, Rwanda, Liberia, Zambia, Sierra Leone

· South and Central Asia: Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh

· Near East & North Africa: Israel, West Bank/Gaza, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Syria

· Western Hemisphere: El Salvador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Trinidad

Environmental Issues: Fellowships for the “Environmental Issues” theme should focus on issues related to water and resource management, food security, supporting the food supply (at local, regional or national levels), social entrepreneurship (to leverage science and technology to address ecological and environmental issues) low-carbon technologies, and the use of natural resources, pollution, sustainable energy, and climate change.

Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries:

· South and Central Asia: Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,

· Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan

· Near East & North Africa: Israel, West Bank/Gaza, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Syria

· Western Hemisphere: El Salvador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Trinidad

Women’s Issues: Fellowships for the “Women’s Issues” theme should focus on issues related to women’s empowerment, women’s education, women’s health, women entrepreneurs, gender equality, and the prevention of all forms of exploitation, including domestic violence. Special emphasis should be placed on identifying Fellowships that will provide exposure to best practices for grassroots organizations working to advance the political, economic, and social empowerment of women.

Geographic Regions and Eligible Countries:

· Africa: Zimbabwe, Uganda, Rwanda, Liberia, Zambia, Sierra Leone

· Near East & North Africa: Israel, West Bank/Gaza, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Syria

Eligible applicants may not submit more than one proposal in this competition. If more than one proposal is received from the same applicant, all submissions will be declared technically ineligible and will receive no further consideration in the review process.

For more information on this competition see: http://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html

Because the Department of State limits eligible applicants to only one proposal, the University of Kentucky has established an internal selection process. Individuals interested in submitting to this program are to send the following information electronically to the Vice President for Research at vpr@email.uky.edu and a copy to their Associate Dean for Research by Wednesday, May 12, 2010:

1) Specific program - US Dept. of State - 2010 Community Solutions Program

2) Names and departments of PI and co-investigators

3) Name of the specific project (include themes and countries chosen)

4) Description of proposed project (including objectives and activities) and justification or rationale for why the proposed project should be selected as UK's applicant - maximum 2 pages.

A committee will be appointed to review the information and make recommendations as to the University’s applicant. The Department of State deadline is June 3, 2010.

Questions about the submission process may be sent to Ms. Annette Evans in the Office of the Vice President for Research (alevan4@email.uky.edu or 257-1663).