2023 U.S.-ASEAN Women's Leadership Academy for YSEALI | WLA USASEAN FY22 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for WLA USASEAN FY22 01

The 2023 U.S.-ASEAN Women's Leadership Academy for YSEALI is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity run through the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Mission to ASEAN. It is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement to support a single organization in designing and delivering a regional leadership academy under the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI). The award is intended to fund one main academy workshop, delivered either in person or virtually depending on COVID-19 rules at the time, along with structured virtual engagements before and after the workshop to prepare participants, extend learning, and sustain a regional network. Funding is noted as subject to availability.

The program is centered on advancing equality in climate action and resilience, with an emphasis on civic engagement and environmental activism. YSEALI, the broader platform behind the academy, is the U.S. government initiative for building a cross-border network of emerging Southeast Asian leaders who can collaborate on shared challenges. YSEALI programs commonly focus on four themes: economic growth and entrepreneurship, environmental issues, education, and civic engagement. This particular academy aligns most directly with environmental issues and civic engagement while also advancing the U.S. Mission to ASEAN goal of strengthening people-to-people ties and promoting equality of opportunity for women and girls, which is described as a shared priority of the United States and ASEAN.

Geographically, the academy targets participants and regional engagement across all 10 ASEAN member states plus Timor-Leste: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), the Philippines, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste. The participant cohort is expected to include 55 women working in environmental fields and focused on the climate crisis, generally in the 20 to 35 age range, with representation from each of the listed countries. The academy is designed as a four-day convening if conditions allow for travel and in-person programming; otherwise, it may be delivered virtually, with additional online meetings and gatherings built around the core workshop.

The rationale for focusing on women and climate is framed around the widely recognized reality that climate change impacts are not gender-neutral. The opportunity references UN Women findings that women are often more vulnerable to climate effects because they are disproportionately represented among poorer communities, may rely more directly on natural resources for livelihoods, and face social, economic, and political barriers that can limit their ability to adapt and recover. In practice, the academy is meant to strengthen leadership skills, expand professional networks across borders, and build participants' capacity to advocate and organize around equitable climate solutions and resilience efforts in their communities.

From an applicant standpoint, eligibility is open to a range of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations commonly able to manage federal assistance awards, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations both with and without U.S. 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not higher education institutions in that latter category). The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally implies a more collaborative relationship with the awarding agency than a standard grant, often with substantial involvement by the U.S. government in shaping or coordinating elements of the project. The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $250,000, expects to make one award, and is categorized under community development and environment (CFDA 19.040). The notice was created June 17, 2022, with an original closing date of August 1, 2022, and the full application details are provided through the linked government posting.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to ASEAN in the community development, environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2023 U.S.-ASEAN Women's Leadership Academy for YSEALI" 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 17, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 01, 2022. (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 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, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for WLA USASEAN FY22 01

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