Ukraine: DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ENGLISH ACCESS MICROSCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, 2021-2023 | PAS UKRAINE 2021 011

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS UKRAINE 2021 011

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv (U.S. Department of State) announced a discretionary, open competition for an organization to design and implement the English Access Microscholarship Program in Ukraine for the 2021 to 2023 period. Access is a long-running global State Department program (launched in 2004) that has served roughly 150,000 students across more than 80 countries. In Ukraine, the opportunity focuses on delivering a structured, two-year English learning and enrichment experience for talented youth ages 13 to 20 who are economically disadvantaged and have beginning-level English. The overarching purpose is practical and civic: help students build usable English communication skills that can improve education and employment prospects, while also exposing them to U.S. culture and values and strengthening their readiness for future academic and exchange opportunities.

The grant targets five priority locations: Bakhmut, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Slovyansk, and Starobilsk. Programming in these regions is expected to be coordinated with local oblast education authorities, and applicants are cautioned to consider U.S. government travel and security guidance, especially regarding the ability to monitor activities safely. The selected implementer is expected to recruit and serve approximately 100 to 110 students total across the five sites, with classes generally organized in cohorts of about 20 to 25 students, grouped by similar age (within a couple of years) and by English proficiency level. Applicants must clearly define what they mean by "economically disadvantaged youth," with the basic guideline being students whose families cannot afford private English instruction.

Program design is centered on a minimum of 360 instructional hours across two academic years (at least 180 hours per year). The standard model is after-school instruction, commonly three days per week for one to two hours per session, scheduled so it does not interfere with students' regular schooling. The instruction is meant to go beyond grammar and textbooks by emphasizing meaningful interaction, cooperative learning, real-life contexts, and the development of critical thinking and conversational ability with both native and non-native English speakers. Students who complete the full two-year program receive certificates of completion from the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, reinforcing that participants are expected to commit to and remain enrolled for the duration.

A key feature of Access is that English classes are paired with ongoing enhancement activities tied to U.S. culture and values. These are expected to occur regularly throughout the two years, not just as occasional special events. The solicitation encourages hands-on, interactive programming such as discussions, games, community engagement, celebrations of U.S. holidays (for example, Thanksgiving or Fourth of July themed events), leadership training, and collaboration with U.S.-affiliated educators and partners when available in-person or virtually. Examples listed include participation by U.S. Embassy personnel, English Language Fellows, English Teaching Assistants, Fulbright students, and Peace Corps volunteers. The opportunity also expects implementers to include computer instruction and digital or multimedia learning components to complement language learning and enrichment, including the possible use of social media activities integrated into the program.

In addition to after-school instruction, the program structure includes intensive sessions, often formatted as two-week summer programs with more concentrated weekly hours. These intensive sessions still count toward the 360-hour requirement and are capped at no more than 8 instructional hours per day or 40 hours per week. They are expected to blend English learning with cultural and experiential elements such as drama, arts, music, sports, computer activities, civic responsibility projects, tolerance programming, and leadership and teamwork development. The design intent is that intensive sessions can supplement, kick off, or help conclude the two-year experience while giving students a stronger "window" into U.S. culture and values, ideally including invited speakers such as exchange program alumni and other English-speaking partners.

Community service is another required element. Students are expected to participate in service activities that build awareness of local community issues and give participants practical experience contributing to civil society. The opportunity also places real emphasis on alumni outcomes: it encourages networking, professional development, and civic involvement among graduates by supporting alumni-initiated projects connected to Ukraine's reform efforts, tolerance and inclusion (including marginalized or displaced populations), and people-to-people ties between Ukraine and the United States. The implementer is responsible for maintaining an Access alumni database to support longer-term engagement.

From an operational standpoint, the award is a cooperative agreement, not a standard grant, meaning U.S. Embassy staff are expected to be more actively involved in implementation. The Embassy may help shape partner engagement, support participant selection, participate in opening and closing ceremonies, approve teachers or mentors, co-coordinate events, and monitor student progress. Providers must submit midterm and final performance reports, track attendance and performance, and share monthly highlight reports with photos documenting activities. During the COVID-19 period, applicants are instructed to assume that most or all components may need to be delivered virtually, so proposals should be designed with remote or hybrid delivery in mind.

The implementer also has several specific communications and coordination responsibilities. These include running the Access Ukraine Facebook page (posting news, contests, intensive session updates, diplomatic visits, and teacher training information), developing and maintaining an up-to-date program website, and creating an effective and innovative plan for recruiting new Access teachers through outreach to local education offices, private language schools, and social media. Another distinctive requirement is to connect the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program to Access, with the stated goal of attaching one FLEX student to every Access group in Ukraine, which implies structured collaboration and mentorship or peer engagement between FLEX alumni/participants and Access cohorts.

Eligibility is limited to Ukrainian or U.S.-based not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations; for-profit and commercial entities are not eligible. The preferred grantee is an established institution or NGO with at least three years of experience administering educational programs and/or teaching English, ideally to the target age group, and with access to a stable core of English instructors willing to commit to the project. Applicants must identify the program venues and provide documentation showing the space is owned by the grantee or secured through a written agreement. Facilities must be suitable for at least 20 students and include basic classroom needs (board, power outlets, heating in winter, sanitation), plus computer and internet capability or a plan to provide it.

Cost sharing is strongly recommended and scored favorably, and applicants are expected to demonstrate existing or potential partnerships with public and private sector organizations beyond the U.S. Embassy and the Department of State. Administrative compliance requirements include having a unique entity identifier (DUNS, as referenced in the notice) and active registration on SAM.gov. Each organization may submit only one proposal; multiple submissions from the same organization make all of that organization’s proposals ineligible.

Financially, the award ceiling is $120,000 total, with guidance that the budget should remain under $1,190 per student. Proposals are evaluated with an eye toward cost effectiveness and meaningful cost share. The application closing date listed for this opportunity was May 25, 2021, and the funding falls under CFDA 19.900, with the Agency noted as the U.S. Mission to Ukraine and the opportunity number PAS UKRAINE 2021 011.

• The U.S. Mission to Ukraine in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ukraine: DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ENGLISH ACCESS MICROSCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, 2021-2023" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.900.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-04-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-05-25. (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 $120,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for PAS UKRAINE 2021 011

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