ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT INNOVATION FUND | DOS AZE PD 24 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS AZE PD 24 01

The Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) is a U.S. Department of State grant program that supports alumni of U.S. government-sponsored or U.S. government-facilitated exchange programs who want to turn what they learned during their exchange into practical, community-focused projects. The core idea is alumni-led problem solving: alumni form a team, identify a real local challenge, and design an innovative, service-oriented response that creates measurable community benefit. AEIF has been operating since 2011 and has funded close to 500 projects worldwide through a competitive selection process, with examples and past winners highlighted on alumni.state.gov/aeif.

For this specific opportunity administered by the U.S. Mission to Azerbaijan, the Embassy is seeking proposals that align with the U.S. commitment to "Catalyzing Change: Promoting Social Entrepreneurship as a Vehicle for Economic Development." In plain terms, projects should use social entrepreneurship and community-driven approaches to strengthen economic development outcomes in Azerbaijan. Proposals must be submitted and implemented by teams of at least two alumni (a minimum of two people who previously participated in eligible U.S. exchange programs). The Embassy is focused on public service projects, meaning the work should clearly serve a community need rather than primarily benefiting a private business interest.

The eligible project themes are clearly defined and proposals are expected to directly address at least one of them. One option is Economic Awareness and Education, which includes activities that help the public better understand economic concepts and the challenges their communities face, such as financial literacy efforts, educational campaigns, or programs that highlight pathways to economic advancement. Another option is Training for Economic Resilience, which emphasizes targeted training that helps individuals, workers, or local businesses better navigate economic pressures; examples include workshops, seminars, and skill-building sessions designed to improve employability, business resilience, or household financial stability. A third theme is Capacity Building for Sustainable Development, which supports longer-term economic development by strengthening local systems and skills. This can include setting up training centers, creating mentorship networks, or launching initiatives that encourage entrepreneurship and innovation so that communities can keep generating benefits after the grant ends. The fourth theme is Mitigating the Economic Effects of Climate Change, which links climate impacts to economic and fiscal risk and encourages projects that assess climate-related economic vulnerabilities, promote viable alternatives such as green energy, and run public awareness campaigns that help communities understand and reduce climate-related financial harm.

The program is strict about relevance to the stated objectives. Proposals that do not clearly fit the theme and program goals described in the announcement are considered ineligible, so applicants need to show a direct connection between proposed activities and at least one of the listed focus areas. All project activities must take place outside the United States and U.S. territories, which means the work should be implemented in Azerbaijan (or otherwise abroad, consistent with the Embassy focus), not in the U.S.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: DOS AZE PD 24 01) in the education activity category under CFDA 19.022. The eligible applicant type listed is individuals, which fits the alumni-led model where project teams are composed of alumni rather than institutions. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $35,000, and the Embassy expects to make one award under this competition. The original application deadline is February 22, 2024, and the opportunity was posted on January 16, 2024.

• The U.S. Mission to Azerbaijan in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT INNOVATION FUND" 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 2024-01-16.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-22. (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 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Individuals.

Apply for DOS AZE PD 24 01

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