Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS NEWZEALAND 2026 03
The Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Solutions Labs grant opportunity is an open competition run by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs (EAP) in partnership with the U.S. Consulate General in Auckland. It funds the design and delivery of a series of practical, action-oriented workshops for emerging leaders from Pacific Island Countries (PICs), generally ages 20 to 40, with the goal of turning ideas into real initiatives that align with key U.S. foreign policy priorities in the Pacific. The program builds on the Young Pacific Leaders network that has been operating since 2013 and is intended to strengthen alumni engagement, expand advocacy and collaboration, and generate concrete outcomes that support regional development and stability while reinforcing U.S. policy objectives in a strategically important region.
The Solutions Labs are planned as a multi-year workshop series running across 2026 through 2028. Applicants can propose to host one workshop or multiple workshops in the series, depending on their capacity and expertise. Each workshop is expected to cost roughly between $100,000 and $250,000, with the award ceiling set at $250,000 per award. The U.S. Mission to New Zealand anticipates making around five awards, and the funding instrument will be a cooperative agreement, meaning the U.S. government will likely have substantial involvement in shaping, approving, and monitoring program activities rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal interaction.
Workshop topics must be centered on one or more of the stated priority areas. These include unlocking investment in the Pacific, which suggests programming that helps leaders identify barriers to investment, improve investment readiness, strengthen entrepreneurship and market systems, or create policy and community pathways that attract sustainable capital. Another theme is advancing the American Decade of Sports for Pacific economic impact, which points toward using sports as a driver of economic opportunity, youth engagement, tourism, workforce development, and community resilience, potentially linking sports programs with broader economic development strategies. A third priority is pursuing peace in the Pacific with faith communities, indicating a focus on conflict prevention, social cohesion, community-based peacebuilding, and the constructive role that religious and faith-based organizations can play in stability and inclusive dialogue. The final theme, promoting digital freedom and open information environments, suggests efforts related to media literacy, countering disinformation, protecting online civic space, strengthening independent media ecosystems, supporting safe and secure digital participation, and advancing policies or practices that encourage an open and rights-respecting internet.
The purpose of these Labs is not just discussion, but to catalyze advocacy and action. In practice, that usually means the workshops are expected to be structured around problem-solving and deliverables, such as team-based project concepts, pilot activities, stakeholder engagement plans, policy recommendations, partnerships, or scalable models that participants can take back to their communities and institutions. The opportunity explicitly notes that it will build on prior YPL activities such as conferences, exchanges, alumni-led projects, community service, and digital engagement, so proposals that connect the Labs to existing YPL networks, alumni momentum, and follow-on implementation are likely to fit the intent of the program.
Eligible applicants are broad and include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not universities in those categories), and individuals. The opportunity is listed under funding activity categories that include business and commerce, humanities, and regional development, reflecting that these Labs can blend economic, civic, cultural, and community dimensions as long as they clearly support the stated priorities. The funding opportunity number is PDS NEWZEALAND 2026 03, the CFDA (assistance listing) number is 19.040, and the original application closing date is June 30, 2026.Apply for PDS NEWZEALAND 2026 03
- The U.S. Mission to New Zealand in the business and commerce, humanities, regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Young Pacific Leaders Solutions Labs" 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 2026-05-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-06-30. (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 5 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, Individuals.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Solutions Labs
What is the Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Solutions Labs grant opportunity?
The YPL Solutions Labs is an open competition run by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs (EAP) in partnership with the U.S. Consulate General in Auckland. It funds the design and delivery of practical, action-oriented workshops for emerging leaders from Pacific Island Countries (PICs) to help turn ideas into real initiatives aligned with U.S. foreign policy priorities in the Pacific.
What is the main goal of the Solutions Labs?
The goal is to move beyond discussion and actively catalyze advocacy and action. Workshops are expected to emphasize problem-solving and produce concrete outputs that participants can take back to their communities, institutions, or networks.
Who are the intended participants for the workshops?
The workshops are intended for emerging leaders from Pacific Island Countries (PICs), generally ages 20 to 40, and connected to the Young Pacific Leaders network.
How does this program relate to the Young Pacific Leaders network?
The Solutions Labs build on the Young Pacific Leaders network that has operated since 2013. The program is intended to strengthen alumni engagement, expand advocacy and collaboration, and generate tangible outcomes that support regional development and stability while reinforcing U.S. policy objectives in the Pacific.
What years will the Solutions Labs take place?
The Solutions Labs are planned as a multi-year workshop series running across 2026 through 2028.
Can an applicant propose just one workshop, or must they propose the entire series?
Applicants can propose to host one workshop or multiple workshops in the series, depending on their capacity and expertise.
What is the expected cost per workshop?
Each workshop is expected to cost roughly between $100,000 and $250,000.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $250,000 per award.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The U.S. Mission to New Zealand anticipates making around five awards.
What type of funding instrument will be used?
The funding instrument will be a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement indicates the U.S. government will likely have substantial involvement in shaping, approving, and monitoring program activities, rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal interaction.
What topics are eligible for Solutions Labs workshops?
Workshop topics must be centered on one or more of the stated priority areas: unlocking investment in the Pacific; advancing the American Decade of Sports for Pacific economic impact; pursuing peace in the Pacific with faith communities; and promoting digital freedom and open information environments.
What does "unlocking investment in the Pacific" mean in the context of this opportunity?
This theme suggests programming that helps leaders identify barriers to investment, improve investment readiness, strengthen entrepreneurship and market systems, or create policy and community pathways that attract sustainable capital.
What does "advancing the American Decade of Sports for Pacific economic impact" mean?
This theme points toward using sports as a driver of economic opportunity, youth engagement, tourism, workforce development, and community resilience, potentially linking sports programs with broader economic development strategies.
What does "pursuing peace in the Pacific with faith communities" focus on?
This theme indicates a focus on conflict prevention, social cohesion, community-based peacebuilding, and the constructive role that religious and faith-based organizations can play in stability and inclusive dialogue.
What does "promoting digital freedom and open information environments" cover?
This theme suggests efforts related to media literacy, countering disinformation, protecting online civic space, strengthening independent media ecosystems, supporting safe and secure digital participation, and advancing policies or practices that encourage an open and rights-respecting internet.
Are the Labs expected to produce specific deliverables?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes that the Labs should catalyze action and generate concrete outcomes. Examples of expected deliverables include team-based project concepts, pilot activities, stakeholder engagement plans, policy recommendations, partnerships, or scalable models that can be implemented after the workshop.
Are proposals expected to connect to prior YPL activities?
The opportunity explicitly notes that it will build on prior YPL activities such as conferences, exchanges, alumni-led projects, community service, and digital engagement. Proposals that connect the Labs to existing YPL networks, alumni momentum, and follow-on implementation align with the stated intent.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not universities in those categories), and individuals.
Are nonprofits required to have 501(c)(3) status to apply?
No. Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status may apply, as long as they are not universities in the higher education categories listed.
What funding activity categories does this opportunity fall under?
The opportunity is listed under funding activity categories including business and commerce, humanities, and regional development. This reflects that the Labs can blend economic, civic, cultural, and community dimensions as long as they clearly support the stated priorities.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is PDS NEWZEALAND 2026 03.
What is the CFDA (assistance listing) number?
The CFDA (assistance listing) number is 19.040.
What is the application closing date?
The original application closing date is June 30, 2026.
What is the geographic or strategic focus of the program?
The program focuses on the Pacific region, specifically emerging leaders from Pacific Island Countries (PICs), and is intended to support regional development and stability while reinforcing U.S. foreign policy priorities in a strategically important region.
Who is running this competition?
The competition is run by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs (EAP) in partnership with the U.S. Consulate General in Auckland.
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