Opportunity Information: Apply for PD SEOUL FY25 01
Apply for PD SEOUL FY25 01
- The U.S. Mission to South Korea in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2025 Young Trilateral Leaders Network (YTL) eSports Competition" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.022.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-10-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-12-02. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- 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, Others.
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Opportunity Summary:
The 2025 Young Trilateral Leaders Network (YTL) eSports Competition is a U.S. government-funded cooperative agreement led by U.S. Embassy Seoul in coordination with U.S. Embassy Tokyo to create a trilateral esports program connecting young leaders from the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), and Japan. The project is framed as a people-to-people initiative that builds on recent trilateral summit outcomes and uses esports as a practical, high-engagement platform for cross-border teamwork. The program blends mostly virtual collaboration with a culminating in-person esports competition hosted in the ROK in the first half of 2025, and it emphasizes not only gameplay but also leadership development, public-facing storytelling, and measurable outcomes related to trilateral cooperation.
Funding is available up to $100,000 total, with an expectation of one award, and it is explicitly noted that the opportunity is subject to funding availability. The funding opportunity number is PD-SEOUL-FY25-01 under CFDA 19.022. Applications are due December 2, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. GMT+9, and all materials must be submitted by email to SeoulPDGrants@state.gov. The award instrument is a cooperative agreement, meaning Embassy Seoul will have substantial involvement during implementation, including in the selection of a local partner to host the final competition in Korea. The program is also tied to a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of State and Coupang (a Fortune 200 technology company headquartered in Seattle), positioning the initiative within broader goals related to innovation and economic security in the Indo-Pacific.
At its core, the program aims to recruit and organize participants into trilateral esports teams and guide them through structured engagement that develops both competitive and real-world collaboration skills. Beyond gaming practice and competition preparation, the grant expects implementers to provide training content that helps participants operate effectively across borders and digital environments. The skills emphasized include cross-cultural communication, teamwork, digital and technological literacy, strategic thinking, conflict mediation and resolution, recognizing and countering discrimination in online spaces, and using esports values like sportsmanship and healthy competition to generate positive social impact. A public outreach component is also central: teams are expected to document their journey of training and collaborating across countries, generating content suitable for social media and other public channels to raise broader awareness of trilateral cooperation.
Program design is expected to be comprehensive and realistic, covering recruitment, virtual programming, communications, and final event logistics. Most activities may occur virtually due to the international structure of the teams, but the grant allows for some travel support, particularly for high-performing teams to attend the final in-person competition in the ROK. The in-person portion should also leverage Embassy Seoul’s American Spaces network as venues for trainings and gatherings where appropriate. Applicants are expected to justify their choice of game(s) in a way that clearly supports the program’s diplomatic and leadership goals, and the game selection is limited to titles produced by Korean, Japanese, or American entities.
A notable incentive is the proposed follow-on opportunity for the winning team, described as an appropriate activity and suggested as travel to the United States. The purpose of this follow-on is to expose participants to U.S. innovation in esports education and business and reinforce the importance of combating online disinformation. The grantee (implementing organization) would be responsible for planning and executing this follow-on trip if included as part of the program design.
The target participant pool is primarily Korean and Japanese college students and young professionals ages 20 to 39, drawn from diverse backgrounds and with ties or interest in gaming, esports, emerging technologies, or competitive play. Participants must be fluent in English (or the program must provide interpretation if English fluency is not present, although the notice strongly signals English as the operating language), and they must be willing to appear in Embassy and YTL social media and other digital products connected to the competition. The total number of participants should be scaled to the available budget, and recruitment and participation should reflect U.S. government commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
The opportunity places heavy emphasis on monitoring and evaluation. Proposals must include a substantive M&E plan with clear goals, defined metrics, and a strategy for tracking progress throughout the project. It also calls for data collection methods such as surveys and focus groups to capture participant feedback and perspectives not only on the program itself, but also on broader trilateral cooperation. In practical terms, applicants need to show they can measure both outputs (recruitment numbers, engagement sessions delivered, content produced, competition delivered) and outcomes (changes in participant skills, strengthened cross-border networks, attitudes toward trilateral collaboration, and lessons learned).
Eligibility is broad and includes not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs), public and private educational institutions, public international organizations, and non-U.S. governmental institutions, with the published eligibility list also referencing U.S. nonprofit categories (with or without 501(c)(3) status). The program must include an American element, such as engagement with U.S. experts, organizations, or institutions, and proposals may budget for international travel and related costs for speakers or key individuals supporting program activities. Programs focused exclusively on teaching English are not eligible. While not required, the notice points applicants to optional proposal and budget templates, and it underscores that strong applicants will present a clear timeline that includes a recruitment window, a sequence of virtual engagements, a social and digital outreach strategy, and delivery of the final competition event in Korea in early 2025.
Finally, participants who complete the program become YTL alumni, which creates a longer-term engagement pathway. Alumni may be eligible for future YTL-sponsored programs and could be featured in broader public awareness campaigns. The grant makes clear, however, that while an implementing partner may have its own alumni networks, those organization-specific alumni activities should not be treated as a formal component of this particular grant.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - 2025 Young Trilateral Leaders Network (YTL) eSports Competition (PD-SEOUL-FY25-01)
1) What is the 2025 Young Trilateral Leaders Network (YTL) eSports Competition?
It is a U.S. government-funded cooperative agreement led by U.S. Embassy Seoul, coordinated with U.S. Embassy Tokyo, to create a trilateral esports program that connects young leaders from the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), and Japan. The program uses esports as a practical platform for cross-border teamwork and leadership development, combining mostly virtual collaboration with a culminating in-person esports competition hosted in the ROK in the first half of 2025.
2) What is the main purpose of the program?
The program is framed as a people-to-people initiative that builds on recent trilateral summit outcomes and aims to strengthen trilateral cooperation by organizing participants into trilateral esports teams and guiding them through structured engagement that develops both competitive and real-world collaboration skills.
3) Who is funding and leading this opportunity?
The opportunity is U.S. government-funded and led by U.S. Embassy Seoul in coordination with U.S. Embassy Tokyo. It is also tied to a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of State and Coupang (a Fortune 200 technology company headquartered in Seattle).
4) What type of award is this?
This is a cooperative agreement. That means U.S. Embassy Seoul will have substantial involvement during implementation, including involvement in selecting a local partner to host the final competition in Korea.
5) How much funding is available?
Funding is available up to $100,000 total, with an expectation of one award. The notice also states the opportunity is subject to funding availability.
6) What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA number?
The funding opportunity number is PD-SEOUL-FY25-01 under CFDA 19.022.
7) What is the application deadline?
Applications are due December 2, 2024, by 11:59 p.m. GMT+9.
8) How do applicants submit an application?
All application materials must be submitted by email to SeoulPDGrants@state.gov.
9) When and where will the final competition take place?
The culminating in-person esports competition will be hosted in the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the first half of 2025.
10) Is the program fully in-person or virtual?
The program is designed to be mostly virtual due to the international structure of the teams, with a culminating in-person final competition in Korea.
11) What activities are expected under the program besides gameplay and practice?
The grant expects structured training and engagement that supports cross-border collaboration, leadership development, and public-facing storytelling. Emphasized skill areas include cross-cultural communication, teamwork, digital and technological literacy, strategic thinking, conflict mediation and resolution, recognizing and countering discrimination in online spaces, and using esports values such as sportsmanship and healthy competition to generate positive social impact.
12) What is meant by "public-facing storytelling" and outreach?
Teams are expected to document their journey of training and collaborating across countries and generate content suitable for social media and other public channels. This outreach is intended to raise broader awareness of trilateral cooperation.
13) Who are the intended participants?
The target participant pool is primarily Korean and Japanese college students and young professionals ages 20 to 39, drawn from diverse backgrounds and with ties or interest in gaming, esports, emerging technologies, or competitive play.
14) What languages will the program operate in?
English is strongly signaled as the operating language. Participants must be fluent in English, or the program must provide interpretation if English fluency is not present.
15) Are participants expected to appear in public content?
Yes. Participants must be willing to appear in Embassy and YTL social media and other digital products connected to the competition.
16) How many participants should be included?
The total number of participants should be scaled to the available budget. Recruitment and participation are expected to reflect U.S. government commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
17) What games can be used for the competition?
Applicants must justify their choice of game(s) to show how it supports the program's diplomatic and leadership goals. Game selection is limited to titles produced by Korean, Japanese, or American entities.
18) Does the program include travel support?
Yes. While most activities may occur virtually, the grant allows for some travel support, particularly for high-performing teams to attend the final in-person competition in the ROK.
19) Are there suggested venues or networks that should be used in Korea?
Yes. The in-person portion should leverage Embassy Seoul's American Spaces network as venues for trainings and gatherings where appropriate.
20) Is there a follow-on opportunity after the competition?
A proposed follow-on opportunity is noted for the winning team. It is described as an appropriate activity and suggested as travel to the United States to expose participants to U.S. innovation in esports education and business and reinforce the importance of combating online disinformation.
21) Who would be responsible for planning the follow-on trip if it is included?
The grantee (implementing organization) would be responsible for planning and executing the follow-on trip if it is included as part of the program design.
22) What does the program expect in terms of monitoring and evaluation (M&E)?
Proposals must include a substantive M&E plan with clear goals, defined metrics, and a strategy for tracking progress throughout the project. The notice calls for data collection methods such as surveys and focus groups to capture participant feedback and perspectives on both the program and broader trilateral cooperation.
23) What kinds of outputs and outcomes should the M&E plan measure?
Applicants are expected to measure outputs such as recruitment numbers, engagement sessions delivered, content produced, and delivery of the competition. They are also expected to measure outcomes such as changes in participant skills, strengthened cross-border networks, attitudes toward trilateral collaboration, and lessons learned.
24) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs), public and private educational institutions, public international organizations, and non-U.S. governmental institutions. The published eligibility list also references U.S. nonprofit categories (with or without 501(c)(3) status).
25) Does the program have to include an American element?
Yes. The program must include an American element, such as engagement with U.S. experts, organizations, or institutions.
26) Can the budget include international travel and costs for speakers or key individuals?
Yes. Proposals may budget for international travel and related costs for speakers or key individuals supporting program activities.
27) Are English-teaching programs eligible?
No. Programs focused exclusively on teaching English are not eligible.
28) What does a strong program design look like based on the notice?
The notice emphasizes that program design should be comprehensive and realistic, covering recruitment, virtual programming, communications, and final event logistics. It also underscores that strong applicants will present a clear timeline that includes a recruitment window, a sequence of virtual engagements, a social and digital outreach strategy, and delivery of the final competition event in Korea in early 2025.
29) How does the cooperative agreement structure affect implementation?
Because the instrument is a cooperative agreement, Embassy Seoul will be substantially involved during implementation, including participating in the selection of a local partner to host the final competition in Korea.
30) What happens to participants after they complete the program?
Participants who complete the program become YTL alumni, creating a longer-term engagement pathway. Alumni may be eligible for future YTL-sponsored programs and could be featured in broader public awareness campaigns.
31) Can an implementing organization include its own alumni network activities as part of this grant?
The notice clarifies that while an implementing partner may have its own alumni networks, those organization-specific alumni activities should not be treated as a formal component of this particular grant.
32) Are there templates available for the proposal and budget?
The notice points applicants to optional proposal and budget templates (not required).
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