The "Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative - Mekong Leadership Program" (YSEALI-MLP), funded by USAID Vietnam, seeks to strengthen leadership skills and promote collaboration among youth in Southeast Asia, especially in the Mekong sub-region, which includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The program aims to empower young leaders to address pressing regional challenges related to climate change, environmental sustainability, and biodiversity conservation. The program will focus on cultivating cross-border networks, fostering local partnerships, and expanding participants' capacity to engage in development initiatives aligned with the themes of climate, environment, and biodiversity resilience.

This funding opportunity is open to nonprofit and for-profit entities, including academic institutions, private sector businesses, and foundations. Up to $5,514,000 is available, with $750,000 earmarked for an American educational institution to provide technical support in Vietnam. USAID expects to award one cooperative agreement, lasting three years, and will maintain substantial involvement to ensure adherence to program objectives. The program’s activities will include leadership training, local and regional workshops, small grants for youth-led research, and the creation of a shared digital platform for resource exchange among participants. It will be headquartered at Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), with input from additional partners across sectors.

The program targets Southeast Asian youth aged 18-35, prioritizing diversity in selection to include individuals from various socioeconomic backgrounds, especially those from poor or marginalized communities who are active in addressing environmental challenges. In the application, applicants must demonstrate experience in regional youth leadership initiatives and capacity-building within similar thematic areas, such as climate change or conservation. Additionally, applicants are expected to integrate gender, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) principles into program design and implementation, ensuring that both men and women can participate equally and that barriers to entry for underrepresented groups are addressed.

Applications must be submitted by June 20, 2022, with the option to ask questions by May 17, 2022. The submission process requires two volumes: a technical application, not exceeding 17 pages, and a separate cost application. Key components of the technical submission include a Theory of Change, a Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) strategy, and details on partnerships, staffing, and gender inclusion strategies. Applicants should propose at least a 10% cost share, equating to approximately $551,400 over the project term, which can include both financial and in-kind contributions from participating organizations, excluding other U.S. government funds.

Evaluation criteria prioritize the technical solution (understanding and approach to objectives), institutional experience, and the qualifications of key personnel, including the Chief of Party. Following an initial review, the highest-rated applicant may enter a co-creation phase with USAID, culminating in a final application submission. The award date is projected for September 2022, pending successful completion of USAID’s review and approval process, which may include a pre-award survey to assess financial and administrative capacities.

Ongoing requirements for awardees include quarterly and annual progress reports, an annual "Pause and Reflect" session for adaptive management, and a final report detailing program outcomes and impacts. Compliance with USAID’s branding and marking requirements and adherence to environmental regulations are mandatory.