The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, through its Public Affairs Section (PAS), is announcing an open funding opportunity for the 2025 U.S.-Philippines Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2025). This grant competition is designed for alumni of U.S. government-funded and U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs, providing them with financial support to build upon the skills acquired during their exchange experience. The program aims to fund innovative alumni-led initiatives that address pressing challenges within the Philippines. Since its inception in 2011, AEIF has supported nearly 500 alumni-driven projects worldwide.

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support public service projects that align with specific thematic areas: peace and security, economic prosperity, and organizational capacity building for alumni engagement. Projects within the peace and security category may focus on conflict mediation, resilience to security threats, and nonviolent advocacy. Economic prosperity-related proposals should address digital literacy, public-private partnerships, or social entrepreneurship. Lastly, organizational capacity building proposals should focus on skill-building in areas such as proposal writing, organizational management, and financial management. Only proposals that address at least one of these themes will be considered for funding. Additionally, all project activities must take place within the Philippines.

Eligible applicants must be organizations led by an alumnus or alumna of a U.S. government-funded or sponsored exchange program. Organizations must be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Philippines and have an active registration in SAM.gov. They may be not-for-profit, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, or academic institutions. For-profit organizations are not eligible. Project teams must consist of at least two alumni, but additional alumni can participate in various roles. U.S. citizen alumni may not serve as the primary applicant but can be involved as team members.

The total funding available for this opportunity is subject to the availability of funds. The funding range for each award is between $5,000 and $35,000, with an expected duration of up to 12 months. The U.S. Embassy anticipates issuing between one and three awards. The funding will be provided as a cooperative agreement, grant, or fixed amount award, and substantial involvement by PAS staff may be required in certain cases. All funds must be used in compliance with federal regulations and cannot be allocated to initiatives that do not adhere to applicable anti-discrimination laws.

Applications must be submitted by March 3, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Philippine time. The application process involves completing required federal assistance forms, submitting a project proposal, creating a detailed budget plan, and attaching necessary supporting documents. Submissions must be in English, formatted to U.S. letter size, and sent via email to the U.S. Embassy with the subject title "NOFO FY25-PHL-AEIF - (Name of Organization)." Incomplete applications or those not adhering to guidelines will not be considered.

The selection process will be conducted by a technical review panel, evaluating proposals based on relevance to the competition themes, project feasibility, alumni involvement, community support, monitoring and evaluation plans, communication strategies, and budget justification. Successful applicants will be notified within approximately 90 days after the deadline. Grant recipients are required to adhere to all U.S. Department of State regulations, including financial reporting and compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws.