Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS COL 2024 ASACKACC
The U.S. Embassy Colombo Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) is offering a discretionary public diplomacy grant through a Cooperative Agreement to support American Spaces in Sri Lanka. The opportunity is titled "Administrative Support - American Spaces in Sri Lanka" (Funding Opportunity Number: PDS COL 2024 ASACKACC). The Embassy intends to make one award (expected awards: 1) with an award ceiling of up to $100,000, and the original application deadline listed is July 7, 2024. Because this is a Cooperative Agreement, the Embassy expects significant PDS involvement in shaping, approving, and supporting activities during implementation, rather than a hands-off grant arrangement.
A key feature of this opportunity is that it bundles three related awards into one implementation package, and the Embassy is looking for a single grantee to manage all three. Two components relate to American Corner Kandy (ACK): one covering administrative support and one covering programmatic support. The third component supports programmatic activities at American Center Colombo (ACC). The selected grantee would be responsible for coordinating and delivering the full scope across both locations, and, if needed, issuing sub-awards or sub-grants to keep operations and programming running throughout the grant period.
The work centers on "American Spaces," which are public-facing cultural and learning hubs often hosted within libraries or partner institutions. In Sri Lanka, these spaces are meant to provide free resources, educational opportunities, and a structured way for local communities to engage with U.S. society, culture, and values. They are required to follow global American Spaces standards, which include maintaining public-access resources (such as books, magazines, databases, and computer workstations) and ensuring there is space to run events and programs. Importantly, everything offered through the spaces, including internet access, must be free and open to the public.
Programming is expected to align with the six core American Spaces program areas: information about the United States; English language teaching and learning; EducationUSA advising; cultural programs; alumni engagement for participants in U.S. government-sponsored exchanges; and skills-building. In practice, this means the grantee is not only running events but also maintaining a consistent schedule and portfolio of activities that meet these required pillars while responding to local needs and Embassy public diplomacy priorities.
The primary audience is youth ages 17 to 35, especially those seen as having leadership potential at the local or national level. The spaces also emphasize inclusion and outreach to traditionally underrepresented communities, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. The broader intention is to use the American Spaces platform to widen access to learning, leadership development, and civic engagement opportunities, not just for already-connected participants.
The stated goals combine civic, economic, and leadership outcomes. On the civic side, the program aims to bolster Sri Lankan civil society, promote democratic governance, and encourage respect for human rights. On the economic and workforce side, it seeks to support sustainable growth by strengthening workforce readiness through education, including English language, and other practical skills development. A third thread is leadership: enhancing youth leadership skills through targeted initiatives that can translate into community impact.
Those goals are reinforced through specific objectives focused on relationship-building and capacity-building. The program is designed to build U.S.-Sri Lanka friendship and contribute to regional stability by improving understanding of the United States and U.S. policy in the region, and by positioning the United States as a constructive partner for Sri Lanka. It also aims to develop future leaders by empowering talented young Sri Lankans to take leadership roles, and to promote peace, democracy, reconciliation, and human rights through relevant programming. In addition, the objectives explicitly prioritize youth empowerment through English, entrepreneurship, STEAM education, and media literacy, and prioritize women’s empowerment by helping young women build skills, advocate for their interests, and promote women’s rights within their communities.
On the operational side, the grantee will provide general and administrative support to the specified spaces in Kandy and Colombo, with a key staffing requirement: the recipient is expected to provide staff to operate American Corner Kandy. In contrast, the recipient does not need to employ staff for American Center Colombo, but is responsible for programmatic support there. Across both sites, staff are expected to develop and implement programming that is approved by PDS, provide the public with free access to computers and materials, conduct outreach to build participation and community awareness, and maintain strong working relationships with local government and other stakeholders.
The opportunity also includes practical, facilities-related responsibilities. The recipient may be asked to support maintenance of the physical American Spaces, and to repair or replace equipment and furniture as needed. This reflects that the award is not purely for events and workshops; it also supports the continuity and quality of the spaces as functional, welcoming public venues.
For American Corner Kandy specifically, the notice highlights an existing Memorandum of Understanding between the Embassy PDS and the Kandy Municipal Council (KMC), which serves as the host institution. While the MOU is described as not legally binding, it sets expectations for each party’s contributions, and it specifies that the host institution provides the ACK venue free of charge. This arrangement suggests the grantee’s role is to manage operations, staffing, programming, and coordination within a host-provided facility, while working closely with PDS and maintaining a positive relationship with KMC and other local partners.
Finally, the Embassy flags a transition expectation: the selected implementer may need to work alongside the current American Spaces implementer for up to two months to ensure a smooth handover. This implies the program is ongoing and continuity matters, so proposals would likely be expected to show operational readiness, the ability to quickly assume responsibilities, and a plan for maintaining service quality and public access without disruption.
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits that do not have 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, and the funding is issued by the U.S. Mission to Sri Lanka under CFDA numbers 19.040 and 19.441.Apply for PDS COL 2024 ASACKACC
- The U.S. Mission to Sri Lanka in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Administrative Support – American Spaces in Sri Lanka" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040, 19.441.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-06-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-07. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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