The Alumni – Influencers Summit 2025 DRC, funded by the U.S. Embassy Kinshasa under the U.S. Department of State, aims to foster meaningful exchanges, support alumni initiatives, and enhance the capabilities of Congolese digital creators and influencers. This event will take place from June 4 to 6, 2025, at the Rotana Hotel in Kinshasa and will bring together 300 participants, including 200 U.S. government alumni and 100 digital content creators, with representation from across the Democratic Republic of Congo. The summit will serve as a platform for networking, collaboration, and professional development, empowering attendees to strengthen their online presence and contribute to the country's socio-economic development.

The primary goals of the summit are to build stronger networks among alumni and influencers, equip them with tools to align their work with U.S. mission goals, and promote interactive sessions on topics such as peace and security, entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability, women’s leadership, and community engagement. Additionally, the event seeks to attract corporate sponsorship from entities like Bralima, Vodacom, Raw Bank, Equity BCDC, Africell, and USAID partners to enhance the event’s impact. Activities will include content creation challenges, networking opportunities, and a special dinner hosted by the U.S. Ambassador for select alumni and influencers.

Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity include not-for-profit organizations, public and private educational institutions, and individuals. For-profit entities are not eligible. Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in SAM.gov, while individuals are exempt from this requirement. Cost-sharing or matching contributions are not required. The maximum funding available for this cooperative agreement is $100,000, with one award anticipated. Projects must be completed within three months.

Proposals must include key components such as a problem statement, program goals and objectives, project activities, a monitoring and evaluation plan, and a detailed budget justification. Applications must clearly outline how the proposed activities will meet the summit's objectives, and include key personnel CVs, letters of support from partners, and, if applicable, a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). Successful applicants will be required to submit periodic financial and programmatic reports to ensure accountability and transparency.

The deadline for applications is February 17, 2025, and all submissions must be made via email to KinshasaPDGrants@state.gov. The review process will assess proposals based on the quality and feasibility of the program idea, organizational capacity, clarity of objectives, budget justification, sustainability, and plans for monitoring and evaluation. Successful applicants will receive a cooperative agreement detailing terms, conditions, and reporting requirements.