Supporting Education in Syria | SFOP0008124

Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0008124

The Supporting Education in Syria opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0008124) is a discretionary U.S. government grant competition run by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC). It was created on May 20, 2021, with an original application deadline of July 15, 2021, and it uses a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument, meaning the Department of State expects to have substantial involvement in shaping or monitoring the program as it is implemented rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back.

The purpose of the award is to advance stabilization in parts of Syria that have been liberated from ISIS as well as areas that are not held by the Syrian regime. The central strategy is to strengthen access to education that is described as moderate and quality, with an emphasis on equitable access for children and youth, and expanded technical and vocational education opportunities for out-of-work youth and young adults. In practical terms, the opportunity is aimed at restoring or improving education services in highly disrupted environments so that families see viable options to keep children learning and to help older youth gain employable skills.

A major rationale behind the funding is the role education plays in preventing violent extremist recruitment and indoctrination. The opportunity explicitly links quality education services to denying extremists the space to influence the next generation, suggesting that functioning, credible education systems can serve as a protective factor against radicalization and exploitation. At the same time, the opportunity frames education as a tool for community stabilization and resilience: if families can access acceptable schooling and training locally, they may be less likely to move to neighboring countries in search of education and opportunity, helping to reduce displacement pressures and the risk of a "lost generation" of Syrians who miss years of schooling.

From a funding standpoint, the program lists an award ceiling of $6,000,000 and anticipates making one award. The activity category is Education, and the CFDA number is 19.601. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with clarification expected in the full notice under the additional eligibility information, which typically means the competition may be open to certain types of organizations (often NGOs, non-profits, or other entities) subject to the specific criteria spelled out in the complete announcement.

Overall, this opportunity is designed to fund a single, relatively large education stabilization initiative focused on both basic education for children and skills-oriented pathways for youth and young adults in non-regime-held and ISIS-liberated areas of Syria, with the dual aims of strengthening community stability and limiting extremist influence by improving access to credible, moderate, and higher-quality education services.

• The Department of State, Assistance Coordination in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Supporting Education in Syria" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.601.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 20, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 15, 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 $6,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for SFOP0008124

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: