TechCamp for Young Pacific Leaders 2022 | PAS NEWZEALAND 2021 05

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS NEWZEALAND 2021 05

The TechCamp for Young Pacific Leaders 2022 is a U.S. Department of State public diplomacy grant opportunity run through the U.S. Embassy in New Zealand (Public Affairs Section). It invites qualified organizations to propose and deliver a comprehensive, hands-on TechCamp program that strengthens the skills and leadership capacity of emerging Pacific science leaders. The core purpose is to help these young leaders become practical, innovative changemakers who can design and apply technology-driven approaches to climate resilience, with a strong emphasis on addressing climate change impacts and improving preparedness for natural disasters across the Pacific region.

At its heart, the program uses the State Department's TechCamp model: participant-driven workshops that pair key community or sector leaders with private-sector technology experts and trainers. Rather than being a traditional conference focused on speeches, TechCamps are built around applied problem-solving. Participants are expected to identify real-world challenges they face in their communities or organizations and then work collaboratively with facilitators and technical experts to test, adapt, and develop tech-enabled solutions. The approach is deliberately practical and results-oriented, aiming to produce usable tools, prototypes, plans, or improved methods that participants can take home and implement.

For this specific TechCamp, the target audience is a cohort of emerging science leaders from across the Pacific. The program is designed to build practical skills, increase organizational capacity, and support the development of technology solutions that can strengthen climate resilience, especially in the context of disaster risk reduction and response. Another major goal is relationship-building: expanding professional networks across the Pacific so that participants can continue collaborating with peers on shared regional challenges long after the event ends. The opportunity also highlights the broader U.S. commitment as a Pacific nation to working with regional partners on security and climate resilience, using this program to deepen ties and improve collective readiness for future challenges.

The grant strongly encourages an experiential learning design, meaning participants learn by doing through workshops, guided exercises, and collaborative project development. Applicants are also encouraged to include pre- and post-conference programming to reinforce the TechCamp learning outcomes. This could include preparatory sessions to help participants define the problems they want to tackle, as well as follow-up mentorship, coaching, virtual check-ins, or implementation support that helps teams sustain momentum and translate ideas into real-world action. The in-person conference component is expected to be hosted in Auckland, New Zealand.

Administratively, this is a mandatory funding opportunity under a Cooperative Agreement, indicating that the U.S. government expects to have substantial involvement during the project rather than providing a hands-off grant. The funding activity category is Regional Development, and it is listed under CFDA 19.040. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status). The opportunity was created on June 29, 2021, with an original closing date of August 1, 2021. The award ceiling is $316,000, and the notice anticipated up to 10 awards, suggesting multiple selected implementers or program variations could be funded depending on proposal quality and available resources.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to New Zealand in the regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "TechCamp for Young Pacific Leaders 2022" 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 Jun 29, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 01, 2021. (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 $316,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 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 PAS NEWZEALAND 2021 05

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