Opportunity Information: Apply for OFOP0002540
Apply for OFOP0002540
- The U.S. Mission to Jamaica in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program – Freedom 250 Edition" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-07-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-31. (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 $20,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Opportunity Summary:
The U.S. Embassy in Kingston is offering a discretionary grant competition called the Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program - Freedom 250 Edition (Funding Opportunity Number OFOP0002540). The program is designed to deepen the U.S.-Jamaica partnership by funding public diplomacy projects that fit under the "Freedom 250" framework, organized around three themes: Innovate, Ignite, and Inspire. Across all three tracks, the Embassy is looking for projects that strengthen bilateral ties and produce clear, measurable results connected to U.S. strategic priorities, particularly economic competitiveness, democratic resilience, and national security.
Under the Innovate theme, the focus is on demonstrating how democratic governance and technological leadership can translate into shared prosperity. The opportunity highlights activities such as AI bootcamps and STEM education programs, with the broader goal of helping position Jamaica as an innovation-capable and globally competitive economic partner aligned with U.S. priorities. Projects in this track would typically emphasize skills development, workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and technology-driven growth, while also reinforcing the message that open societies and strong institutions support innovation and economic opportunity.
The Ignite theme centers on youth civic empowerment and democratic participation. The Embassy is interested in initiatives that help young people engage responsibly in civic life and develop the ability to evaluate information critically. Examples listed include workshops to combat misinformation and governance-focused fellowships that build practical knowledge of democratic processes and institutions. The intent is to support efforts that strengthen stable, accountable societies, reinforce shared cultural and civic values, and improve resilience against disinformation and polarization.
The Inspire theme is framed as community-facing public diplomacy that highlights U.S. engagement and supports resilient communities. Sample activities include debate programs, media literacy efforts, health literacy campaigns, and community town halls. These projects are expected to encourage dialogue, expand public understanding, and help communities protect shared interests, including those tied to social cohesion and informed decision-making. Overall, Inspire projects should show tangible community benefit while also reinforcing mutual U.S.-Jamaica interests in free expression, public awareness, and constructive civic engagement.
The primary target audiences include youth, students, educators, entrepreneurs, and civil society organizations, though projects can be structured to reach broader communities as long as the impact is measurable and clearly tied to the opportunity's objectives. A consistent requirement across the competition is an emphasis on results: applicants should be prepared to define outcomes, explain how impact will be measured, and show how the project advances innovation-led growth, stronger democratic institutions, and community resilience.
Eligible applicants are fairly broad and include not-for-profit organizations (such as think tanks and NGOs), public and private educational institutions, individuals, public international organizations, and governmental institutions. The awarding agency is the U.S. Mission to Jamaica under CFDA 19.040. The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $20,000, and the application deadline is July 31, 2026.
Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program - Freedom 250 Edition (OFOP0002540): FAQs
What is this grant opportunity?
This is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Embassy in Kingston called the Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program - Freedom 250 Edition. Its Funding Opportunity Number is OFOP0002540, and it supports public diplomacy projects that deepen the U.S.-Jamaica partnership under a "Freedom 250" framework.
Who is offering the grant?
The awarding agency is the U.S. Mission to Jamaica (U.S. Embassy in Kingston). The assistance listing referenced is CFDA 19.040.
What is the purpose of the Freedom 250 Edition program?
The program is designed to strengthen bilateral ties between the United States and Jamaica through public diplomacy projects with clear, measurable results. Projects are expected to connect to U.S. strategic priorities, especially economic competitiveness, democratic resilience, and national security.
What are the main themes or tracks for proposed projects?
The opportunity is organized around three themes (tracks): Innovate, Ignite, and Inspire. Each track supports different kinds of public diplomacy activities while sharing the same overall emphasis on measurable impact and strengthening U.S.-Jamaica ties.
What types of projects fit under the Innovate theme?
Innovate focuses on how democratic governance and technological leadership can support shared prosperity. The opportunity highlights activities such as AI bootcamps and STEM education programs. Projects in this track typically emphasize skills development, workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and technology-driven growth, while reinforcing that open societies and strong institutions enable innovation and economic opportunity.
What types of projects fit under the Ignite theme?
Ignite centers on youth civic empowerment and democratic participation. Example activities include workshops to combat misinformation and governance-focused fellowships that build practical understanding of democratic processes and institutions. The intent is to strengthen stable, accountable societies and improve resilience against disinformation and polarization.
What types of projects fit under the Inspire theme?
Inspire is community-facing public diplomacy that highlights U.S. engagement and supports resilient communities. Sample activities include debate programs, media literacy initiatives, health literacy campaigns, and community town halls. Projects are expected to encourage dialogue, expand public understanding, and deliver tangible community benefit tied to free expression, public awareness, and constructive civic engagement.
Do projects have to fit only one theme?
The opportunity is presented as three tracks (Innovate, Ignite, Inspire). Applicants should align their project clearly to the themes and objectives described and ensure the results are measurable and tied to U.S. strategic priorities. (The opportunity description does not specify whether multi-track proposals are allowed.)
What audiences should projects focus on?
The primary target audiences include youth, students, educators, entrepreneurs, and civil society organizations. Projects may also be designed to reach broader communities as long as impact is measurable and clearly tied to the program's objectives.
What does the Embassy mean by "public diplomacy" in this competition?
Based on the opportunity description, public diplomacy projects are those that engage people and communities, encourage dialogue, build knowledge and skills, and strengthen mutual U.S.-Jamaica understanding and cooperation, while advancing shared interests such as innovation-led growth, democratic resilience, and community resilience.
What kinds of results are applicants expected to deliver?
A consistent requirement across the competition is an emphasis on results. Applicants should be prepared to define outcomes, explain how impact will be measured, and show how the project advances innovation-led growth, stronger democratic institutions, and community resilience.
How should applicants think about measurement and evaluation?
The opportunity emphasizes "clear, measurable results." Applicants should describe intended outcomes and explain how they will measure impact. The description does not prescribe a specific evaluation method, but it makes measurement a core expectation for all tracks.
Which U.S. strategic priorities are highlighted?
The opportunity specifically calls out U.S. strategic priorities including economic competitiveness, democratic resilience, and national security. Projects across Innovate, Ignite, and Inspire should connect clearly to one or more of these priorities.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are broad and include not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs), public and private educational institutions, individuals, public international organizations, and governmental institutions.
Are individuals eligible to apply, or only organizations?
Individuals are listed among the eligible applicant types, along with organizations and institutions.
What is the maximum award amount?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $20,000.
Is the $20,000 amount the minimum or the maximum?
The information provided states an award ceiling of $20,000, meaning $20,000 is the maximum amount indicated in the opportunity summary.
When is the application deadline?
The application deadline is July 31, 2026.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this competition?
The Funding Opportunity Number is OFOP0002540.
What is the overall program framework called?
The competition is presented as the Freedom 250 Edition and is organized around the Freedom 250 framework with three themes: Innovate, Ignite, and Inspire.
What kinds of example activities are mentioned across the three themes?
Examples mentioned include AI bootcamps, STEM education programs, workshops to combat misinformation, governance-focused fellowships, debate programs, media literacy initiatives, health literacy campaigns, and community town halls.
How does the opportunity connect innovation to democratic governance?
In the Innovate theme, the opportunity emphasizes demonstrating how democratic governance and technological leadership can translate into shared prosperity, and it highlights the idea that open societies and strong institutions support innovation and economic opportunity.
How does the opportunity address misinformation and disinformation?
The Ignite theme includes workshops to combat misinformation and aims to help young people evaluate information critically. The Inspire theme also includes media literacy efforts, supporting community resilience and informed decision-making.
What does the opportunity say about community resilience?
Community resilience appears as a cross-cutting expectation, particularly under the Inspire theme, which emphasizes community-facing programs that encourage dialogue, improve public understanding, and support communities in protecting shared interests such as social cohesion and informed decision-making.
Does the opportunity require projects to directly strengthen U.S.-Jamaica ties?
Yes. Across all three tracks, the Embassy is looking for projects that strengthen bilateral ties and produce measurable results connected to U.S. strategic priorities.
Can a project target broader communities beyond the primary audiences?
Yes. While the primary target audiences are youth, students, educators, entrepreneurs, and civil society organizations, projects may be structured to reach broader communities as long as the impact is measurable and clearly tied to the opportunity's objectives.
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