Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund 2026

The U.S. Embassy Yaounde Public Diplomacy Section is soliciting proposals from alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs to develop projects that advance bilateral priorities and strengthen people-to-people ties while celebrating Freedom250, the 250th anniversary of the United States. Applicants must submit a minimum team of two alumni, including at least one Cameroonian resident, and are required to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and register in SAM.gov prior to submission. Key project requirements include addressing youth unemployment, transparency in critical sectors, or local tensions through innovation and digital technology, with robust Freedom250 digital outreach and sustainability plans. Evaluation criteria include quality and feasibility (30 points), organizational capacity and grant compliance history (25 points), project planning and ability to achieve objectives (20 points), budget reasonableness (10 points), monitoring and evaluation plans (10 points), and sustainability (5 points). The application deadline is May 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Central Africa Time, with submissions directed to PDSgrantsYaounde@state.gov. The program structure includes Component 1 supporting up to two national projects in Cameroon with awards ranging from $5,000 to $35,000 each, and Component 2 supporting one Central Africa Regional Summit convening alumni from Cameroon and six neighboring countries with awards ranging from $40,000 to $100,000. All projects have a 12-month performance period with anticipated start dates within 45 days of funding notification. Project activities will take place in Cameroon and the Central Africa region, with the Regional Summit bringing together alumni from the Democratic Republic of Congo and five other neighboring countries to foster commercial diplomacy, peace, and innovation.