Alumni Small Grants (ASG)

The U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat's Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce the availability of funding through the Alumni Small Grants Program. This opportunity is tailored to alumni of U.S. government-funded and U.S. government-sponsored (USG) exchanged programs and seeks projects aimed at enhancing the connections between the United States and Turkmenistan through innovative cultural and professional initiatives that emphasize shared values and promote bilateral cooperation.

Projects are expected to:

- Take place in Turkmenistan including in the American Corners in Dashoguz, Mary and Turkmenabat and American Center in Ashgabat.

- Incorporate cultural elements or draw from the applicant's U.S. exchange experience in a specific field.

- Foster increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives.

Project Goal: Strengthen the capacity of USG alumni, particularly youth from underserved communities in Turkmenistan to participate in economic, educational, and community service activities that emphasize shared values and bilateral cooperation by leveraging USG exchange alumni experience.

Project Audience(s): Audiences may include students (at secondary and university levels), women and girls, journalists, media professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, musicians, and various underserved or vulnerable populations.

Grantees are also encouraged to host programming and take advantage of existing resources at American Center in Ashgabat and American Corners in Dashoguz, Mary and Turkmenabat.

Project Objectives: (Project proposals may address one or more of these objectives, or other objectives within the above policy priorities. NOTE: These are example objectives - PDS will also consider projects with different objectives targets that support the above project expectations.)

Objective 1: Increase alumni engagement through tailored capacity building trainings to support and strengthen the U.S.-Turkmenistan Alumni Association (USTAA).

Objective 2: Equip youth from rural and underserved communities with knowledge and skills related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM).

Objective 3: Increase English language proficiency skills of youth and young adults from (at secondary and university levels) from Ahal, Balkan, Dashoguz, Mary and Lebap regions or young professionals of specific fields (for example tourism, sports, medicine, STEM) through training and interactive activities (grammar lessons, conversation practice, etc.).

Sub-objective 3.1. Increase English language instruction capacity (professional development for English language teachers through teacher trainings activities.

Objective 4. Build organizational capacity of civil society organizations to improve institutional accountability, transparency, and support for local communities across Turkmenistan.

Objective 5: Equip young adults with media literacy skills to recognize, analyze, and counteract mis/disinformation across various digital media platforms.

Objective 6: Increase awareness and willingness of participants to adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives through community dialogues or workshops on climate change and environmental sustainability.

Objective 7: Equip women, youth and/or residents of remote regions with business and entrepreneurship skills, such as financial literacy, risk management, marketing, and sales, through practical and hands-on training, mentorship, and internship opportunities.

Objective 8: Increase the number of advocacy initiatives aimed at advancing the rights for people with disabilities by raising awareness, promoting inclusive policies, and engaging government stakeholders.

Objective 9: Increase participation of women and youth from vulnerable and marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities, in economic empowerment and civic engagement activities.

Applicants are encouraged to choose one or more project objectives listed above, or suggest their own project objectives, identify indicators that track success towards progress made towards objectives, and develop their own Monitoring and Evaluation (M & E) plans.

Alumni grant proposals must support projects that address a tangible need in a community and have measurable outcomes. Applicants should be encouraged to develop partnerships with the public/private sector as well as local organizations, where applicable.

Below are examples of past Alumni Small grants funded projects:

· Summer and winter EnglishPalooza activities

· "Launch Life: Coding Bootcamp" for girls and women.

· "Technovation Girls Turkmenistan" for girls aged 8 to 18

· Annual Alumni Gala

· "Professional Navigator" for people with disabilities

· "From Disability to Chess-Ability"

· Academic and professional lectures, seminars, training, and/or speaker programs.