Young Pacific Leaders Conference 2021 | PAS NEWZEALAND 2020 04

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS NEWZEALAND 2020 04

The Young Pacific Leaders Conference 2021 grant opportunity, announced by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Mission to New Zealand, funds organizations to design and run a comprehensive leadership program for emerging leaders from across the Pacific. The central purpose is to strengthen leadership capacity and deepen practical, working knowledge of key regional challenges so participants are better prepared to contribute to economic and civic development in their home communities and across the broader Pacific region. The program is also meant to build lasting connections among participants and reinforce the United States role as a Pacific nation committed to regional security, growth, and long-term partnership.

At the core of the project is an annual Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Conference, part of a series that has been held over the past six years in locations including American Samoa, Samoa, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Fiji, with a planned conference previously anticipated for Papua New Guinea. The 2021 conference is expected to convene participants roughly ages 25 to 35 and deliver hands-on, skills-based leadership development rather than purely lecture-style programming. The content should be organized around the four established pillars of the YPL initiative: civic engagement, environment and resource management, education, and economic and social development. Beyond individual skill-building, the conference is expected to help participants expand professional networks, collaborate with peers from other Pacific communities, and work through shared regional issues in a way that encourages cross-border cooperation.

The opportunity emphasizes experiential learning and capacity building, meaning applicants are expected to propose interactive formats such as workshops, problem-solving sessions, applied training, peer learning, and other practical activities that equip participants with tools they can use immediately. Proposals are also encouraged to include pre-conference and post-conference programming so the experience is not limited to a single event. This could include preparatory sessions, virtual engagement, mentorship, follow-on projects, alumni activities, or other structured ways to reinforce learning outcomes and sustain collaboration after the conference concludes.

The conference location is intended to be in Hawaii. This setting is specifically highlighted to underscore U.S. connections to the Pacific and to showcase the United States as a Pacific country with deep cultural, economic, and strategic ties to the region. Applicants should therefore be prepared to design a program that meaningfully leverages the location, whether through local partnerships, site-based learning opportunities, or engagement with relevant organizations that can broaden participants understanding of regional linkages.

From a funding and eligibility standpoint, this is a grant competition classified under an education-related funding activity category (CFDA 19.040). The opportunity number is PAS NEWZEALAND 2020 04, created June 30, 2020, with an original closing date of August 14, 2020. Eligible applicants are nonprofits with U.S. 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The award ceiling listed is $250,000, and the opportunity notes an expectation of up to 20 awards, indicating the program may support multiple implementers or related projects under the broader YPL conference umbrella.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to New Zealand in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Young Pacific Leaders Conference 2021" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 30, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 14, 2020. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for PAS NEWZEALAND 2020 04

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