AMERICAN ENGLISH AND CULTURE CONVERSATION COURSE FOR ADULTS | PAUPDFY20009

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAUPDFY20009

The AMERICAN ENGLISH AND CULTURE CONVERSATION COURSE FOR ADULTS (Funding Opportunity Number PAUPDFY20009) is a discretionary grant competition run by the Public Diplomacy Section of the Palestinian Affairs Unit (PAU-PD) under the U.S. Department of State, with the U.S. Mission to Jerusalem listed as the agency. The core purpose is to fund an organization to design and deliver an adult English conversation program that uses American culture, society, history, and current events as the main content for discussion-based learning. The broader public diplomacy goal is to strengthen people-to-people ties and improve American-Palestinian relations by creating meaningful engagement with American ideas, institutions, and values, with an emphasis on supporting peace and a more prosperous, stable, and transparent Palestinian society.

The funded project is expected to serve adults roughly ages 30 to 45 who already have functional conversational English but want to build stronger fluency, confidence, and a more advanced or professional-level speaking ability. The program is meant for learners who may not have easy access to traditional educational opportunities at this stage of life, so the course should be accessible and practical while still aiming for measurable progress. The solicitation allows flexibility in how many total instructional hours are offered, but it is not open-ended on outcomes: the course must be structured in a way that can show demonstrated improvement in participants' English levels over the life of the program.

A defining requirement is that English instruction should be tightly linked to discussion and exchange around the United States. Applicants are expected to build in substantial content that helps participants explore and talk about U.S. culture, social norms, history, and current issues. The opportunity specifically signals a preference for modules that incorporate U.S. current events and encourage debate and conversation about significant moments in American history, which implies an interactive, dialogue-heavy classroom model rather than a lecture-only or grammar-only approach. In other words, the English learning is not just general language practice; it is language practice anchored in themes that promote cultural understanding and informed discussion.

At the same time, the opportunity draws clear boundaries around what the course should not be. While it can include practical elements such as writing professional emails or limited “English for business” style lessons, the course should not be primarily designed as job training or workplace-focused English. It also should not be tailored to specific industries or narrow professional groups. The intended audience is broader: adults motivated to improve general conversational proficiency and cultural literacy, not participants selected because they work in a particular sector.

In terms of eligibility and award details, the grant is available to nonprofit organizations, including those with IRS 501(c)(3) status and those without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education. The funding instrument is a grant under CFDA 19.021, with an award ceiling of $80,000. The original application closing date listed is August 17, 2020, and the opportunity record indicates a creation date of July 7, 2020. Overall, the solicitation is essentially asking nonprofits to propose a well-designed, discussion-centered adult English conversation course that can document learning gains and that uses U.S.-focused cultural and civic content as the vehicle for language development and mutual understanding.

• The U.S. Mission to Jerusalem in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "AMERICAN ENGLISH AND CULTURE CONVERSATION COURSE FOR ADULTS" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.021.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-07-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-08-17. (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 $80,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: 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.

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