Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS GEO 23 004 02022023
The Alumni Grants Program is a competitive funding opportunity from the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi (U.S. Mission to Georgia) aimed specifically at Georgian alumni of U.S. Government (USG) exchange and training programs. The program is designed to support practical, community-facing projects that advance Georgia's democratic development and Western integration. Proposals are expected to respond to a real and clearly defined local need, and applicants must be able to show measurable results, meaning the project should have concrete outcomes that can be tracked and reported rather than general awareness-raising without clear deliverables. Partnerships are allowed and often useful, including collaboration with public institutions, private sector actors, and local civil society organizations when relevant to the project design.
A key thematic note in the announcement concerns basic education: if an applicant proposes an education-focused project, it should concentrate on strengthening public schools for grades 1 through 12. The Embassy signals a preference for efforts like teacher training and professional development, or student-centered innovations such as improving school libraries, creating or upgrading science and language labs, and implementing enrichment programs. In other words, the program is not looking for broad education reform concepts, but for specific interventions that improve learning conditions and teaching capacity in public schools and that can be completed within the grant period.
The performance period is capped at 12 months or less, and projects are anticipated to begin about four months after the application deadline. Funding is not guaranteed because the notice is explicitly subject to the availability of funds. The opportunity is listed as discretionary, administered by the U.S. Department of State, with an award ceiling of $20,000 and an expectation of around eight awards. The listing identifies CFDA 19.900 and indicates eligibility for individuals (in this case, Georgian USG alumni), with the funding instrument described as a grant or other similar assistance mechanism.
Applications have very specific compliance requirements, and proposals can be ruled ineligible if formatting and submission rules are not followed. All materials must be submitted in English, budgets must be presented in U.S. dollars, pages must be numbered, and documents should be formatted for 8.5 x 11 paper. Microsoft Word files must be single-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman, with at least 1-inch margins. The required package includes standard U.S. government forms for individual applicants and non-construction budgets and assurances (SF-424I, SF-424A, and SF-424B), along with the completed Alumni Application Form (2023), CVs for the alumni applicant(s) and key personnel, and letters of support from any partners that clearly explain each partner's roles and responsibilities. If any project activities require official permissions, those permission letters must be included as well. The announcement notes that instructions for the mandatory forms are available in both English and Georgian, and it provides a practical warning that SF-424 forms typically will not open correctly in web browsers; applicants should download them, open them in Adobe, and enable all features.
Submission is handled by email to TbilisiGrants@state.gov, and applicants must put the program name (Alumni Program) in the subject line. The Embassy will not accept compressed files such as RAR or ZIP. If the email is larger than 6MB, applicants should split the submission across multiple emails. If an applicant submits two separate proposals, each proposal must include a complete, separate set of all mandatory documents and be submitted as separate application packages rather than combined.
The program also includes clear funding restrictions that applicants need to budget around. Administrative staff salaries, office space, and operating/overhead costs cannot exceed 30 percent of the total amount requested; these costs are only allowable when they are tied directly to project activities and comply with grant guidelines. Salaries and honoraria must be presented transparently by rate of pay and percentage of time devoted to grant work. Payments for foreign experts are not automatically disallowed, but they are subject to case-by-case review. Several categories are outright ineligible, including construction; alcohol or entertainment costs (for example, paying for a DJ); "contingency" or "miscellaneous" budget lines; charitable assistance or direct social services delivered to a population; support for or opposition to political activity; programs that advance specific religious activities; fundraising campaigns; venture capital or for-profit efforts, including charging participants a fee; individual scholarships; personal development-focused projects; and projects that duplicate existing programs. Food costs are also tightly limited: they cannot exceed 10 percent of the total requested amount unless covered by cost share, and if included they must be well-justified and remain within the 10 percent cap. This food limit also covers per diems tied to grant activities.
In practical terms, a strong application under this opportunity would be one that identifies a specific community problem, proposes a realistic set of activities that can be completed within a year, includes credible partners where helpful, and defines outputs and outcomes that can be measured (for example, numbers trained, materials installed, labs equipped, students reached, or documented improvements in school capacity). Just as important, it would present a clean, compliant application package that follows the formatting, documentation, and submission rules closely, because the Embassy makes clear that noncompliance can lead to ineligibility regardless of project quality.Apply for DOS GEO 23 004 02022023
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Georgia in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alumni Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.900.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 02, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 25, 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 $20,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Individuals.
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Alumni Grants Program (U.S. Embassy Tbilisi) - FAQs
1) What is the Alumni Grants Program?
The Alumni Grants Program is a competitive funding opportunity from the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi (U.S. Mission to Georgia) that supports practical, community-facing projects designed and led by Georgian alumni of U.S. Government (USG) exchange and training programs. The focus is on projects that advance Georgia's democratic development and Western integration and can show measurable results.
2) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is identified for individuals, specifically Georgian alumni of U.S. Government exchange and training programs. The opportunity is aimed at alumni applicants (and can include key personnel), as reflected by the required individual applicant forms (SF-424I) and the need for CVs for the alumni applicant(s) and key staff.
3) What types of projects are expected to be competitive?
Competitive projects are expected to respond to a real, clearly defined local need and produce concrete, trackable deliverables rather than broad awareness-raising without clear outputs. Strong proposals typically include a realistic activity plan that can be completed within the grant period, measurable outputs and outcomes, and well-defined roles for any partners.
4) What does "measurable results" mean for this grant?
It means the project should have concrete outcomes that can be tracked and reported. Examples implied by the announcement include counts and documentation such as numbers of people trained, materials installed, labs equipped, students reached, or documented improvements in school capacity. Projects that only raise general awareness without clear deliverables are less aligned with the program's expectations.
5) Are partnerships allowed, and who can be a partner?
Yes. Partnerships are allowed and can be useful. The announcement notes collaboration may include public institutions, private sector actors, and local civil society organizations when relevant to the project design. If you include partners, you must provide letters of support that clearly explain each partner's roles and responsibilities.
6) Is there special guidance for education-related proposals?
Yes. If proposing an education-focused project, it should concentrate on strengthening public schools for grades 1 through 12. The Embassy indicates a preference for practical interventions such as teacher training and professional development, student-centered innovations, improving school libraries, creating or upgrading science and language labs, and implementing enrichment programs. Broad education reform concepts are not the emphasis; the focus is on specific, implementable improvements that fit within the grant period.
7) How long can a project last?
The performance period is capped at 12 months or less.
8) When are projects expected to start?
Projects are anticipated to begin about four months after the application deadline.
9) How much funding is available per award?
The award ceiling is $20,000.
10) How many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of around eight awards.
11) Is funding guaranteed if a proposal is strong?
No. The notice is subject to the availability of funds, and funding is not guaranteed.
12) What agency administers this opportunity, and what is the assistance listing?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Department of State, listed as discretionary, and identifies CFDA 19.900.
13) What is the funding instrument for this program?
The funding instrument is described as a grant or another similar assistance mechanism.
14) What language must the application be submitted in?
All application materials must be submitted in English.
15) What currency must be used for the budget?
Budgets must be presented in U.S. dollars (USD).
16) What formatting rules can make an application ineligible if not followed?
The announcement states proposals can be ruled ineligible if formatting and submission rules are not followed. Requirements include: pages must be numbered; documents should be formatted for 8.5 x 11 paper; Microsoft Word files must be single-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman, with at least 1-inch margins; and all materials must be in English with budgets in USD.
17) What documents and forms are required in the application package?
The required package includes: SF-424I (individual applicant), SF-424A (non-construction budget), SF-424B (assurances), the completed Alumni Application Form (2023), CVs for the alumni applicant(s) and key personnel, letters of support from partners explaining roles and responsibilities, and any required official permission letters for project activities that need approvals.
18) Where can applicants find instructions for the mandatory forms?
The announcement notes that instructions for the mandatory forms are available in both English and Georgian.
19) How should applicants open and complete the SF-424 forms?
The announcement warns that SF-424 forms typically will not open correctly in web browsers. Applicants should download the forms, open them in Adobe, and enable all features.
20) How do applicants submit the application?
Submission is handled by email to TbilisiGrants@state.gov.
21) What must be included in the email subject line?
Applicants must put the program name, "Alumni Program," in the subject line.
22) Are compressed files (ZIP/RAR) allowed for submission?
No. The Embassy will not accept compressed files such as RAR or ZIP.
23) What if the application email is larger than 6MB?
If the email is larger than 6MB, applicants should split the submission across multiple emails.
24) Can an applicant submit more than one proposal?
Yes. If an applicant submits two separate proposals, each must include a complete, separate set of all mandatory documents and be submitted as separate application packages rather than combined.
25) Is there a limit on administrative and overhead costs?
Yes. Administrative staff salaries, office space, and operating/overhead costs cannot exceed 30 percent of the total amount requested. These costs are only allowable when tied directly to project activities and compliant with grant guidelines.
26) How should salaries and honoraria be shown in the budget?
Salaries and honoraria must be presented transparently, including the rate of pay and the percentage of time devoted to grant work.
27) Are foreign experts allowed to be paid under the grant?
Payments for foreign experts are not automatically disallowed, but they are subject to case-by-case review.
28) What activities or costs are explicitly ineligible?
The announcement lists several categories as outright ineligible, including: construction; alcohol or entertainment costs (for example, paying for a DJ); "contingency" or "miscellaneous" budget lines; charitable assistance or direct social services delivered to a population; support for or opposition to political activity; programs that advance specific religious activities; fundraising campaigns; venture capital or for-profit efforts, including charging participants a fee; individual scholarships; personal development-focused projects; and projects that duplicate existing programs.
29) Are food costs allowed, and is there a cap?
Food costs are tightly limited. They cannot exceed 10 percent of the total requested amount unless covered by cost share. If included, food must be well-justified and remain within the 10 percent cap. The food limit also covers per diems tied to grant activities.
30) What is the main compliance risk highlighted in the announcement?
A key risk is ineligibility due to noncompliance with formatting, documentation, and submission rules. The announcement emphasizes that even strong project ideas can be ruled ineligible if the required forms, formatting standards, and submission instructions are not followed closely.
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