Young Pacific Leaders Regional Workshop on Cultural Preservation and Storytelling Advocacy | PDS NEWZEALAND 2024 08

Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS NEWZEALAND 2024 08

The U.S. Mission to New Zealand, through the Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Department of State, is inviting eligible organizations to apply for a cooperative agreement to design and run a Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Regional Workshop on Cultural Preservation and Storytelling Advocacy during the 2025 to 2026 period. The core purpose of the program is to strengthen the skills, knowledge, and professional networks of emerging Pacific leaders so they can better preserve and protect cultural heritage, while also using storytelling as a practical advocacy tool. A major emphasis is placed on how digital tools and newer technologies, including AI, can be used to support cultural preservation and help communities document, safeguard, and elevate Pacific heritage in ways that align with Pacific priorities and sovereignty.

The workshop is intended to be hosted in a Pacific nation, preferably within 2025 to 2026, and should focus on building local capacity across Pacific communities and institutions. In practice, this means the proposed sessions should go beyond general discussion and instead teach usable approaches participants can apply in their own contexts, such as methods for community-centered documentation, ethical storytelling, and techniques for translating cultural knowledge into compelling narratives for advocacy. The opportunity also calls for the workshop design to introduce and operationalize best practices in cultural preservation and digital storytelling, with the broader goal of elevating Pacific cultural heritage and reinforcing cultural sovereignty rather than extracting or repackaging it for outside audiences.

A key feature of the program is its regional and cross-sector character. The workshop should convene participants and practitioners from different parts of society and government, including representatives from government bodies, civil society organizations, and subject-matter experts. The intent is to create a space where participants can openly discuss shared challenges, identify workable solutions, and produce action plans that can be carried back to their home communities and institutions. The program also aims to spark regional collaboration by connecting leaders across Pacific countries who can continue coordinating after the workshop ends, sharing tools, and building partnerships that strengthen long-term cultural preservation efforts supported by digital practices.

This funding opportunity is listed as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement, which generally means the agency expects to be substantively involved in the project as it is implemented. The opportunity number is PDS NEWZEALAND 2024 08, and it falls under the community development activity category with a CFDA number of 19.040. The program anticipates making one award, with a maximum funding amount of USD 250,000. The application deadline provided is July 31, 2024, and the notice was created on June 13, 2024.

Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations both with and without U.S. 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not higher-education institutions in the nonprofit category). Overall, the opportunity is geared toward organizations that can credibly plan and deliver a high-impact regional convening, integrate digital and AI-relevant elements in a responsible way, and produce outcomes that support Pacific-led cultural preservation and advocacy beyond a single event.

• The U.S. Mission to New Zealand in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Young Pacific Leaders Regional Workshop on Cultural Preservation and Storytelling Advocacy" 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 2024-06-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-31. (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 $250,000.00 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, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for PDS NEWZEALAND 2024 08

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