Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0009621
The FY 2023 American Spaces Digital Literacy and Training Program is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) opportunity to fund one organization to run a large, multi-country initiative focused on digital literacy, media literacy, and countering disinformation through the global American Spaces network. American Spaces are the U.S. government’s public cultural and information centers overseas, used by U.S. embassies and consulates as public diplomacy platforms to engage local communities. Through free programming and open access to information, these spaces promote democratic values, freedom of expression, rule of law, and other civic principles, often in environments where censorship or political pressure can limit access to reliable information.
At the core of the program is practical training and capacity building for two main groups: (1) American Spaces staff and coordinators overseas, and (2) American Spaces target audiences, such as journalists and other media professionals, librarians, educators, information specialists, and engaged citizens. The intent is to strengthen people’s ability to find, evaluate, and responsibly share information online, to build trust and resilience against manipulation, and to reinforce understanding of why a free and independent media matters for healthy democratic societies. The award supports not just training delivery, but also the behind-the-scenes work needed to make training effective at scale, including curating, compiling, and when necessary creating new training content and materials that American Spaces can use with their communities.
The FY 2023 effort is designed to be primarily regional in focus, centered on Europe and Central Asia, with an emphasis on countering Russian and other foreign disinformation in selected parts of these regions. Activities are expected to reach up to about 150 American Spaces across 33 priority countries (the exact list is provided in the full announcement and may shift as ECA priorities evolve). Applicants are expected to propose a curriculum plan that can be deployed broadly across those priority countries and adapted to local contexts. A specific required element is the inclusion of at least one asynchronous, self-guided, self-paced digital learning tool that can be used by public audiences across all priority countries, ensuring that training remains accessible beyond live workshops and can be used repeatedly by different communities.
Beyond regional training and curriculum delivery, the program also includes global support elements meant to strengthen American Spaces programming and outreach overall. This includes at least one training, mentoring, and cultural visit to the United States for selected American Spaces staff affiliated with partner organizations, which functions as an exchange component to deepen professional networks and expose participants to U.S. approaches to media literacy, civic education, and democratic engagement. In addition, the program calls for social media message map development along with implementation and deployment strategies, signaling that participants will be expected to think not only about what is taught in trainings, but also how to communicate effectively online, amplify credible information practices, and support American Spaces in consistent public-facing messaging.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant competition under a cooperative agreement, meaning the Department of State anticipates substantial involvement in the project’s direction and execution compared to a standard grant. The opportunity number is SFOP0009621 under CFDA 19.441. The agency expects to make one award, with an award ceiling of $1,900,000. Eligible applicants include U.S. public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. The opportunity was posted March 31, 2023, with an original closing date of June 7, 2023.
Overall, the grant is structured to create a coordinated, scalable digital and media literacy training ecosystem for American Spaces in Europe and Central Asia: build or assemble strong curriculum resources, train both staff and public-facing professional audiences, deliver programming locally and regionally, add an online self-paced learning component that can reach people consistently across countries, and reinforce outreach through strategic messaging and a U.S.-based exchange experience for selected staff.Apply for SFOP0009621
- The Department of State, Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2023 American Spaces Digital Literacy and Training Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.441.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 31, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 07, 2023. (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 $1,900,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FY 2023 American Spaces Digital Literacy and Training Program (SFOP0009621) - FAQs
1) What is the FY 2023 American Spaces Digital Literacy and Training Program?
This opportunity is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) initiative to fund one organization to run a large, multi-country program focused on digital literacy, media literacy, and countering disinformation through the global American Spaces network.
2) Who is the funding agency?
The funding agency is the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).
3) What is an American Space?
American Spaces are U.S. government public cultural and information centers overseas. U.S. embassies and consulates use them as public diplomacy platforms to engage local communities by providing free programming and open access to information.
4) Why does this program focus on digital and media literacy?
The program is designed to strengthen people’s ability to find, evaluate, and responsibly share information online. It aims to build resilience against manipulation and disinformation and reinforce understanding of the role of free and independent media in democratic societies.
5) What are the main program goals?
Based on the description provided, the program is structured to create a coordinated, scalable training ecosystem by: developing or assembling curriculum resources; training American Spaces staff and public audiences; delivering local and regional programming; including a self-paced online learning component; and strengthening outreach via strategic messaging and a U.S.-based exchange experience for selected staff.
6) Who are the primary target groups for training?
The program centers on two main groups: (1) American Spaces staff and coordinators overseas, and (2) American Spaces target audiences such as journalists and other media professionals, librarians, educators, information specialists, and engaged citizens.
7) What kinds of activities does the award support?
The award supports training delivery and capacity building, plus the supporting work needed to deliver training effectively at scale. This includes curating, compiling, and when needed creating training content and materials that American Spaces can use with their communities.
8) What region is the program primarily focused on?
The effort is designed to be primarily regional, centered on Europe and Central Asia.
9) Is there a specific disinformation focus mentioned?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes countering Russian and other foreign disinformation in selected parts of Europe and Central Asia.
10) How many countries and American Spaces are expected to be reached?
Activities are expected to reach up to about 150 American Spaces across 33 priority countries. The exact country list is referenced as being provided in the full announcement and may shift as ECA priorities evolve.
11) Does the applicant need to propose a curriculum?
Yes. Applicants are expected to propose a curriculum plan that can be deployed broadly across the priority countries and adapted to local contexts.
12) Is an online self-paced learning tool required?
Yes. A required element is including at least one asynchronous, self-guided, self-paced digital learning tool that can be used by public audiences across all priority countries so the training remains accessible beyond live workshops and can be reused.
13) Is there a global component in addition to regional activities?
Yes. The program includes global support elements intended to strengthen American Spaces programming and outreach overall.
14) Is travel to the United States included in the program design?
Yes. The program includes at least one training, mentoring, and cultural visit to the United States for selected American Spaces staff affiliated with partner organizations. This exchange component is meant to deepen professional networks and expose participants to U.S. approaches to media literacy, civic education, and democratic engagement.
15) What is meant by a “social media message map,” and is it required?
The program calls for social media message map development along with implementation and deployment strategies. This indicates the funded project is expected to address not only training content, but also how to communicate effectively online and support consistent public-facing messaging for American Spaces.
16) What type of award is this?
This is a discretionary grant competition under a cooperative agreement.
17) What does “cooperative agreement” mean in this opportunity?
In this context, a cooperative agreement means the Department of State anticipates substantial involvement in the project’s direction and execution compared to a standard grant.
18) How many awards does ECA expect to make?
ECA expects to make one award.
19) What is the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling is $1,900,000.
20) What is the opportunity number and CFDA number?
The opportunity number is SFOP0009621 and the CFDA number is 19.441.
21) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include U.S. public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status. The description notes additional eligibility details are referenced in the full announcement.
22) When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on March 31, 2023, with an original closing date of June 7, 2023.
23) What kinds of values and civic principles are American Spaces intended to support?
American Spaces programming is described as promoting democratic values, freedom of expression, the rule of law, and other civic principles, often in environments where censorship or political pressure can limit access to reliable information.
24) What does “scalable” mean in the context of this program?
“Scalable” refers to designing curriculum resources, training approaches, and materials that can be deployed broadly across many countries and up to about 150 American Spaces, while still being adaptable to local contexts.
25) What is the expected role of training materials and curriculum resources?
The program is intended to produce or assemble practical training content that American Spaces can use with their communities, including curated and compiled materials and, when necessary, newly created content to support effective delivery at scale.
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