Funding-Limited Submission - U.S. Dept. of State – Youth Ambassadors Program with South America and Mexico; May 28, 2009

The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for the Youth Ambassadors Program with Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, and the United States. Public and private non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations may submit proposals to recruit and select youth and adult participants and to provide the participants with three-week exchanges focused on civic education, community service, and leadership along with follow-on projects in their home communities. For planning purposes, it is anticipated that exchange delegations will travel from all 13 countries to the United States, and U.S. exchange delegations will travel to six South American countries.

The total amount of funding available is $3,000,000. ECA anticipates awarding approximately three grants. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal project configurations and budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds.

Applicant organizations may apply for one, two, or all three of the options outlined below. The Bureau strongly urges organizations to limit their applications to the option(s) where they have the strongest institutional capacity in every country; this capacity must be thoroughly described in the proposal. Please note the funding range for each option.

· Option One: Southern Cone regional project (Project A): $900,000-$1,000,000

· Option Two: Andean regional project (Project B) plus a single-country or joint project (one of Projects C through F below): $850,000-$1,000,000

· Option Three: Three or four single-country projects or joint project (Projects C through G below): $750,000-$1,000,00

If an organization chooses Option Two or Option Three, please note that the intention is to have these projects conducted separately and distinctly from one another.

The list below identifies the project name, the language in which the exchange will be conducted, the requested secondary themes (of which applicants choose one), and whether an exchange to the partner country by U.S. students and teachers is requested.

· Project A: Southern Cone (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay) Regional project. English. Secondary theme: Environment, Drug and alcohol abuse prevention, Business and entrepreneurship, or Alternatives to violence. U.S.-to-Chile and U.S.-to-Paraguay exchanges.

· Project B: Andean (Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru) Regional project. Spanish. Secondary theme: Environment, Business and entrepreneurship, or Drug and alcohol abuse prevention. U.S.-to-Ecuador exchange.

· Project C: Colombia Single-country project. English. Secondary theme: Drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

· Project D: Venezuela Single-country project. English. Secondary theme: Environment, Drug and alcohol abuse prevention, or Business and entrepreneurship.

· Project E: Suriname and Guyana Joint project. English. Secondary theme: Environment, Business and entrepreneurship, or Drug and alcohol abuse prevention. U.S.-to-Suriname/Guyana exchange.

· Project F: Mexico Single-country project. Spanish. Secondary theme: Alternatives to violence.

· Project G: Brazil Single-country project. English. Secondary theme: Business and entrepreneurship. U.S.-to-Brazil exchange.

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

Because the Department of State limits eligible institutions 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 Monday, May 18, 2009:

a) Names and departments of UK Project Director and key personnel, partner countries and participating organizations

b) Identify the specific Project and provide an overview of the program objectives, proposed themes, activities, and follow-on in-country (maximum 3 pages)

c) Proposed budget - funding level requested, program cost, total cost-sharing from applicant and other sources.

A committee will be appointed to review the information and make recommendations as to the University’s submission in time for the May 28, 2009 deadl