Youth for Peace: Follow On Programming | K NOFO 18 105

Opportunity Information: Apply for K NOFO 18 105

The "Youth for Peace: Follow On Programming" grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number K NOFO 18 105) is a discretionary U.S. Department of State award offered through the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata under CFDA 19.040. It funds a single project intended to strengthen youth-led peacebuilding across South Asia by convening emerging young leaders from India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The program is designed to help participants better understand the layered social, cultural, and political factors that contribute to violence and unrest in their communities, learn practical conflict resolution approaches, and develop a stronger sense of themselves as credible local actors who can prevent escalation and promote resilience.

The project structure is built around a phased set of in-person convenings that combine training, peer exchange, and public-facing output. Applicants are expected to propose an initial two-day workshop, followed by a second two-day workshop held roughly two to three months later, and then a culminating Youth for Peace Summit in Kolkata. The first workshop is meant to set the foundation by exploring cultural context and identity, examining drivers of extremism, and encouraging creative problem-solving around community resilience. A major emphasis is on equipping participants to counter violent narratives at the grassroots level, including through campaigns and community engagement strategies that can shift attitudes and reduce vulnerability to radicalization.

The second workshop is positioned as a more skills-based and participant-driven phase where youth select issue areas that match their interests and the needs of their communities. Suggested topics include building "online and offline" resilience, designing effective social media campaigns, and developing practical communication and storytelling skills such as smartphone photography, filmmaking, and interview techniques. The programming also highlights the importance of media literacy and critical thinking so participants can better identify misinformation, propaganda, and manipulative rhetoric. In addition, it encourages approaches that challenge harmful narratives using empathy and humor, signaling that the program is not only about technical counter-messaging but also about persuasive, human-centered communication that resonates with peers.

A notable feature of the opportunity is the encouragement to involve private sector collaborators, with examples like Microsoft and Facebook. These partnerships are intended to support breakout discussions and add practical expertise, particularly around improving youth employment prospects and exploring how technology can be used constructively to counter radicalization and strengthen civic participation. This suggests the project should not operate as a stand-alone training series, but as a networked program that connects participants with tools, platforms, and professional perspectives that can help their ideas translate into real-world initiatives.

The project year concludes with a South Asia Youth for Peace Summit in Kolkata, which serves as a showcase and capstone moment for participants to present what they have learned and how they are applying new skills, relationships, and networks to persistent community challenges. Alongside the events themselves, the grantee is also responsible for producing five short videos drawn from workshop content to amplify messaging and extend the program's reach beyond the immediate participants. These videos function as an outward-facing communication product that can reinforce pro-peace narratives and highlight youth leadership.

In terms of eligibility and funding parameters, the opportunity is open to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and U.S.-based nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in that category). The award ceiling is $50,000, with one award expected. The opportunity was created April 18, 2018, and originally closed June 18, 2018. Overall, the grant supports a tightly scoped, event-centered peacebuilding and counter-extremism initiative that combines regional youth convening, practical communications training, cross-sector collaboration, and concrete media outputs aimed at strengthening community resilience.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Youth for Peace: Follow On Programming" 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 Apr 18, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 18, 2018. (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 $50,000.00 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, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for K NOFO 18 105

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: