Online Workplace English for Displaced Persons Program | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Online Workplace English for Displaced Persons Program

1) What is the Online Workplace English for Displaced Persons Program?

It is a U.S. Embassy Kyiv Public Affairs Section (PAS Kyiv) grant opportunity intended to expand English-language and employability skills for displaced people living in Ukraine through an eight-month blended learning course (mostly online, with limited in-person activities when feasible).

2) What is the main purpose of this grant-funded program?

The program is designed to help displaced participants gain practical, workplace-ready English that can improve access to jobs. It also aims to support personal resilience and smoother integration into new communities through stress management and community-building content.

3) Who is the funding agency for this opportunity?

The funding agency is the U.S. Embassy Kyiv, Public Affairs Section (PAS Kyiv).

4) What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

Funding was offered under a Cooperative Agreement, which means the implementer would coordinate closely with the U.S. Embassy during delivery rather than operating fully independently.

5) How does the Cooperative Agreement structure affect roles and responsibilities?

Under this structure, the Embassy would provide the course materials and select the teachers. The grantee organization would coordinate administrative and on-the-ground delivery needs, such as logistics, participant engagement, and facilitating the blended learning format over the full eight-month course.

6) How long is the program?

The course is structured as an eight-month blended learning program.

7) What does "blended learning" mean in this program?

It combines (1) an online classroom environment hosted in a blog or wiki format, (2) weekly small-group online speaking practice, and (3) monthly in-person sessions when conditions allow.

8) What are the major learning components participants complete?

Participants are expected to engage in three components: online classroom activities (assignments, discussion forums, and blog content), weekly small-group speaking practice online, and monthly in-person sessions when feasible.

9) What is the expected weekly time commitment for participants?

The online classroom component includes an expected minimum commitment of six hours per week. In addition, participants join weekly small-group speaking practice for about 30 minutes per week.

10) What platforms or tools are used for online speaking practice?

The weekly speaking practice could use tools such as Skype or Google Hangout.

11) Are in-person sessions required to participate?

No. While monthly in-person sessions (about two hours) are part of the blended model when conditions allow, the program remains open to participants who cannot attend face-to-face sessions. Participation is not limited by geography or mobility constraints.

12) How often are in-person sessions planned, and how long are they?

Where feasible, in-person sessions are planned monthly and are expected to last about two hours each.

13) What topics does the curriculum cover?

The content is two-tiered: (1) business and workplace English for employment contexts and professional communication, and (2) resilience training, stress management, and community integration support.

14) Why does the program include resilience and community-building content?

The design recognizes that displaced participants may face trauma, disruption, and isolation. The resilience and community integration track is intended to support coping skills and help participants integrate into new communities.

15) Is building peer connections part of the intended outcomes?

Yes. A key outcome is social connection through online community elements, with participants expected to connect with one another, share experiences, and build peer support networks.

16) How many awards were expected to be funded?

PAS Kyiv planned to fund up to five separate regional projects, generally structured as one grant per region, with a maximum of five awards total.

17) What regions were prioritized for implementation hubs?

There was a preference for implementation hubs in Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, and Odesa due to higher concentrations of displaced persons in those areas.

18) Does a project need a physical regional base if instruction is mostly online?

Yes. Even though instruction is primarily distance-based, each project is expected to have a regional base to recruit participants locally or from surrounding communities and to support regional coordination.

19) Could an organization apply to implement in more than one region?

Yes. Organizations could apply to implement in more than one region, although the structure anticipated a maximum of five total awards across the five target regions.

20) What was the total estimated funding amount for this opportunity?

The estimated total funding was $100,000 across all awards.

21) What was the expected award size per region?

Budgets were region-based, with up to $20,000 requested per region.

22) What was the minimum (floor) award amount?

The listed award floor was $10,000.

23) Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. Cost sharing or matching was not required.

24) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education.

25) What is the opportunity number and CFDA listing?

The opportunity number was EUR UKR KYIV OWE2015 01. It fell under CFDA 19.040 (Public Diplomacy Programs) and was categorized in the humanities/cultural affairs area.

26) When was the opportunity posted, and what were the closing and archive dates?

It was posted May 26, 2015. The closing date was extended to July 31, 2015. The archive date was August 30, 2015.

27) Who was the listed point of contact?

The listed point of contact was Sheryl Bistransky, Cultural Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv.

28) What would the grantee organization be responsible for during implementation?

Based on the described structure, the grantee would be responsible for coordinating the on-the-ground and administrative side of the program, organizing logistics, supporting participant engagement, facilitating the blended format, and ensuring the course runs smoothly for the full eight-month period.

29) What would the U.S. Embassy provide as part of implementation?

The Embassy would provide the course materials and select the teachers.

30) Is the program designed only for a single city, or can it reach surrounding communities?

Each project was expected to recruit participants locally or from surrounding communities, even while being organized from a regional base.