Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) | AF PD MAP FY25 03

Opportunity Information: Apply for AF PD MAP FY25 03

The Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) is a U.S. Department of State-supported grant opportunity run through the U.S. Mission to Mozambique that funds projects designed and led by alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs. The core idea is to help exchange alumni build on the skills, relationships, and experience they gained during their exchange by designing practical, community-focused solutions to real problems. AEIF has operated globally since 2011 and has supported nearly 500 alumni-led projects, using a competitive selection process to identify proposals that are both feasible and aligned with U.S. public diplomacy and foreign policy priorities.

For the AEIF 2025 cycle (pending funding availability), proposals must be public service projects managed by teams of at least two exchange alumni. Every project is expected to do at least one of the following: bring together alumni from different exchange programs to strengthen or expand alumni networks and cross-regional collaboration; deepen ongoing collaboration between alumni and the U.S. government around shared goals and challenges; and/or build alumni leadership capacity while supporting concrete community-based project implementation. All proposed activities must take place outside the United States and its territories, and proposals must clearly align with the program objectives or they will be considered ineligible.

This funding round prioritizes proposals connected to Mozambique and is organized around four thematic areas. The first theme, Education Partnerships, supports efforts that strengthen ties between U.S. and Mozambican secondary or higher education institutions, including joint research and academic collaboration on shared issues such as climate change, migration, economic growth, culture and history, food security, inclusion and accessibility, STEM, and technology access; vocational and technical training initiatives also fit within this theme. The second theme, English Language Learning, supports projects that expand access to English through teacher training, direct instruction for targeted groups, curriculum development, improved learning resources, professional development, and linking English to career development, including preparation for prerequisite English testing used for admission to U.S. higher education. The third theme, Social Impact Entrepreneurship, focuses on building entrepreneurship ecosystems by strengthening social impact business initiatives that address challenges such as environmental needs, education, banking/financial inclusion, agriculture, health and accessibility, technology, and infrastructure, with an emphasis on capacity-building, certifications, and potential access to seed funding; proposals that are inclusive and can scale beyond the grant period receive special emphasis. The fourth theme, Strengthening Media Ecosystem, targets press freedom and journalism capacity, including improving reporting standards and investigative journalism, expanding public media literacy, countering disinformation and misinformation, and improving access for underserved communities in Mozambique, including people with disabilities and people who speak local vernacular languages; collaborations between Mozambican and U.S. media organizations that advance ethical standards, journalist safety, anti-disinformation efforts, and the sustainability of independent media are particularly relevant.

A central requirement across all themes is a clear and specific commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). Applicants must explain how the project will advance equity for groups that may be underserved or marginalized, with examples tied to religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, and/or disability. DEIA is not a general statement in this program; it is a required element that should show up in project design choices, participant selection and outreach, accessibility considerations, and intended community benefits.

Eligibility is tightly defined. Applications must be submitted by U.S. government exchange alumni or alumni associations of U.S. government exchange alumni. Eligible applicants include alumni associations, organizations led by or partnering with U.S. government exchange alumni, or an individual exchange alumnus/alumna leading the project team. Project teams must include at least two alumni, and teams may include alumni from different exchange programs and even different countries. U.S. citizen alumni are not permitted to submit proposals as the lead applicant, but they may participate as team members. While only exchange alumni (or alumni associations) may apply, alumni teams are allowed to partner with not-for-profit or non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and academic institutions to help implement activities, and the grant award may be issued either to the individual alumnus/alumna or to the partner organization. For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.

Key administrative details include the funding opportunity title Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF), funding opportunity number AF PD MAP FY25 03, and a grant instrument type under a discretionary opportunity category. The agency is the U.S. Mission to Mozambique. The application closing date listed is January 17, 2025. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is USD 35,000, and the opportunity anticipates making about two awards. The CFDA/assistance listing number associated with the opportunity is 19.022.

• The U.S. Mission to Mozambique in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF)" 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 2024-11-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-17. (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 $35,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for AF PD MAP FY25 03

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