Young Pacific Leaders Conference and Regional Workshops

The U.S. Department of State, through the Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy New Zealand, has announced the “Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Conference and Regional Workshops” funding opportunity, under opportunity number PDS-NEWZEALAND-2025-02. This program aims to support the implementation of one to four youth-centered conferences and workshops across the Pacific region. The initiative targets emerging leaders aged 25 to 40 from Pacific nations, with a goal of equipping them to collaboratively address critical regional challenges and enhance multilateral engagement. The YPL initiative is a signature diplomatic program that strengthens U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific by nurturing a network of young leaders committed to working across national boundaries on shared issues. It promotes leadership across four primary pillars: education, environment and resource management, civic engagement, and economic and social development. The 2025 opportunity specifically funds regional workshops and a flagship conference on critical topics, including multilateral security cooperation, food supply security, digital media and journalism, and public health security. Applicants may submit proposals to implement the following program types: a YPL Annual Conference (in New Caledonia or a Melanesian country), a workshop on food supply security (preferably in Kiribati), a digital media technology workshop (in Australia or New Zealand), and a health security workshop in another YPL country. Each selected project may be awarded up to $100,000, with total available funding set at $400,000. Proposed activities must be completed within 12 to 36 months, ideally scheduled between April 2026 and October 2027. Projects must include preparatory and follow-up activities, including online engagement and mentorship, and be accompanied by a robust monitoring and evaluation framework. Eligibility is extended to U.S. and foreign non-profit organizations, public and private educational institutions, public international organizations, governmental institutions, and think tanks. Applicants must provide cost-sharing and hold a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and active registration in SAM.gov. Applications must be submitted via email by Thursday, August 15, 2025, at 11:30 p.m. New Zealand Time. Late submissions will not be accepted unless prior coordination demonstrates submission errors beyond the applicant's control. The application package requires several components, including federal forms (SF-424 series), a two-page executive summary, a detailed proposal narrative (up to 10 pages), a line-item budget and narrative, monitoring and evaluation plans, personnel bios, timeline, and any supporting materials such as MOUs or letters of support. Submissions must comply with formatting standards including font, language, and page limits, and must include clear plans for speaker selection, participant recruitment, travel arrangements, and digital engagement. Proposals will be evaluated based on program quality and feasibility, organizational capacity, clarity of planning, monitoring and evaluation rigor, budget realism, and sustainability. The U.S. Embassy will be substantially involved in project implementation, including approving activities, speakers, and participant lists. Questions about the program or submission process should be directed to Mara Hosoda at HosodaMK@state.gov. Notification of intent to award will follow, and recipients must respond promptly with any requested documentation. The cooperative agreement will be administered by a Department of State Grants Officer, and funds will be drawn down via the SF-270 reimbursement process.

Ensure cost-sharing is clearly outlined; submit in English with A4 formatting; adhere to strict page and formatting limits to avoid disqualification.