Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund | PAR AEIF25

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR AEIF25

The Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2025) is a competitive small-grants opportunity run through the U.S. Embassy in Suriname for alumni of U.S. government-funded or U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs. It is meant to help exchange alumni take the skills, networks, and experience they gained during their exchange and turn them into practical, community-based projects that respond to real challenges in Suriname. AEIF has operated globally since 2011 and has supported hundreds of alumni-led projects worldwide, and the Embassy in Suriname will first review local submissions and then forward the strongest proposals into the larger global competition.

To apply, proposals must come from a team of at least two exchange alumni (more are allowed, but two is the minimum). Teams can be made up of alumni from different exchange programs and even different countries, but the application itself must be submitted by eligible exchange alumni or an alumni association. U.S. citizen alumni are not allowed to submit as applicants, though they can participate as members of a project team. Organizations like NGOs, academic institutions, and think tanks cannot apply in their organization name for this funding, but they can participate as implementing partners. The Embassy also notes a preference for teams made up entirely of, or led by, alumni who have not received a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Department of State grant in the past three years.

Projects are expected to be public diplomacy in nature (not development, charity, military, or direct service delivery) and must take place outside the United States and its territories. The Embassy is specifically looking for projects that clearly fit one of the following themes: strengthening media professionalism and supporting media freedom and journalistic standards; improving public health awareness and connecting communities to resources, with an emphasis on physical and mental health outcomes in low-income and rural communities; advancing climate-smart practices across society, business, and agriculture to improve productivity, sustainability, and resilience; creating opportunities for historically marginalized or underserved groups (including minorities, migrants, LGBTQI people, and persons with disabilities) to participate productively in society; and promoting civic and youth engagement that develops inclusive leadership, entrepreneurship, STEM skills, and a culture of transparency in decision-making across government and business.

The deadline to submit statements of interest and required materials is January 15, 2025, and applications must be emailed to paramaribo-grants@state.gov using the official AEIF 2025 application and budget templates. Awards are expected to range from USD 5,000 to USD 35,000, with the award ceiling listed at USD 35,000, and the opportunity is explicitly subject to the availability of funding. The opportunity listing indicates an expectation of about two awards. Cost sharing is allowed but not required. If an award needs to be processed through a partner organization, that organization must have a UEI and an active registration in SAM.gov; individuals do not need UEI or SAM registration. Applicants are also expected to reflect equal opportunity and non-discrimination principles, and proposals should include a clear DEIA plan showing how activities will be accessible to diverse participants (including language, gender, religion, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation considerations) and to people with disabilities.

A complete application package must be in English, use U.S. dollars, and include page numbers. Required federal forms include SF-424 (or SF-424-I for individuals), SF-424A, and in some cases SF-424B (required for individuals and for organizations not registered in SAM.gov). Beyond the forms, the proposal needs to spell out the project title, location, and total amount requested; identify at least two alumni team members with their roles, qualifications, and time commitment; and include a problem statement that explains the challenge being addressed, objectives, and anticipated impact. Applicants also need to provide clear goals and measurable objectives (SMART-style expectations are emphasized), a detailed methods/design section and timeline (including dates, venues, and planned activities), a description of beneficiaries, and a plan for sustainability after the grant ends if applicable. Proposals should list local partners (if any), explain how the project will be promoted through a communications and outreach plan that includes appropriate AEIF 2025, ExchangeAlumni, and U.S. Embassy branding, and include a monitoring and evaluation plan describing milestones, outcomes, and how and when results will be measured using quantitative and/or qualitative methods. A detailed line-item budget and budget justification narrative are required, and any needed official permission letters should be attached.

AEIF funds can typically cover practical, project-delivery costs such as in-country transportation, venue rental, PPE and sanitation supplies, basic meals integral to project work sessions, virtual programming costs (like platform subscriptions or modest equipment for online delivery), trainer or speaker honoraria (with a stated maximum of USD 200 per day plus reasonable travel/lodging/per diem), project materials and reasonable equipment, and communications/publicity items like manuals or advertisements. At the same time, the program is strict about what it will not fund, and proposals that include prohibited costs can be ruled ineligible. Disallowed items include any travel to or from the United States, any activities taking place in the United States or its territories, staff salaries and overhead/operational expenses, construction and large durable equipment, alcohol or excessive hospitality/entertainment, academic or scientific research, charity or development activities, direct social services, scholarships, social travel, gifts or prizes, duplicating existing programs, institutional development, venture capital or for-profit activity (including charging participation fees), religious activities, fundraising campaigns, and partisan political activity or lobbying.

Selection is based on how well the proposal fits the chosen theme and local context, the clarity and credibility of the design and implementation plan, the extent of meaningful alumni leadership and involvement, evidence of community buy-in through local partners, the strength and feasibility of the monitoring and evaluation approach, sustainability beyond the grant period, the quality of the communications and outreach plan, and whether the budget is detailed, reasonable, and appropriate for the expected results. Payment is made by direct deposit to a USD bank account, either as an advance or reimbursement depending on what the grantee requests, and recipients must submit program and financial reports at intervals tied to the complexity of the project. Only successful applicants will be contacted, and the Embassy notes it does not guarantee funding simply by accepting applications.

• The U.S. Mission to Suriname in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund" 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 2024-12-04.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-15. (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 $35,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for PAR AEIF25

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