Training program for Alumni of Online courses | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is a discretionary, education-focused cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Mission to India through the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. It supports a "Train the Trainer" program for English language teachers in India who are alumni of the Embassy's online E-Teacher courses.

2) What are the identifying numbers for this opportunity?

The announcement references Funding Opportunity Number ND RFP15 04 and CFDA 19.040 (Public Diplomacy Programs).

3) What is the main purpose of the program?

The purpose is to strengthen professional development for English language teachers by selecting a small group of proven online-course alumni, providing intensive in-person training with a U.S. expert, and then supporting these trainees to run teacher-training workshops in their own regions. The program also includes a structured evaluation of results.

4) How is the program structured?

The program is organized into three phases: (1) a three-day in-person training for selected alumni with a U.S. trainer, (2) locally delivered regional workshops led by the trainees and supported through small project funds, and (3) a two-day evaluation convening for participants to assess outcomes and document lessons learned.

5) Who selects the American trainer and the participants?

The Embassy's Regional English Language Office (RELO) selects one American trainer and 24 alumni participants for the Phase 1 in-person training.

6) How many participants are involved?

The program is designed for 24 alumni participants (English language teachers in India who previously completed the Embassy's online E-Teacher courses).

7) What is the awardee (implementing organization) primarily responsible for?

The awardee's role is primarily operational and grants-management oriented. Across the phases, the awardee is responsible for arranging travel and logistics for in-person events, and for administering and disbursing scholarship funds for participant-led regional workshops (including tracking, monitoring, and collecting required reports).

8) What happens in Phase 1, and what are the implementer's responsibilities?

Phase 1 is a three-day, face-to-face training program for the 24 selected alumni, delivered by a U.S. expert. The implementer is responsible for travel and all logistics for this event, including coordinating participant movement to the training site and ensuring the training can be delivered smoothly.

9) What happens in Phase 2?

In Phase 2, each of the 24 participants develops and submits a small proposal to conduct a teacher-training workshop in their home region. The intent is to replicate and scale the impact of the initial training through locally delivered workshops.

10) What is the awardee's role in Phase 2?

The awardee functions as a mini-grants manager by administering and disbursing scholarship funds for participant-led projects. This includes receiving and tracking proposals, making scholarship payments or reimbursements as required, monitoring implementation, and ensuring reporting requirements are completed and collected.

11) What happens in Phase 3?

Phase 3 is a two-day evaluation program for the same participant group, planned to occur within roughly one year of the Phase 1 training. Participants reconvene to assess results, compare approaches and challenges across regions, and document lessons learned and program impact.

12) What is the awardee responsible for in Phase 3?

The awardee is responsible for travel and logistical arrangements for the final two-day evaluation convening.

13) What is the expected timeline for the evaluation convening?

The evaluation convening (Phase 3) is scheduled within roughly one year of the Phase 1 training.

14) How much funding is available?

The estimated total funding is $40,000. The award ceiling is $40,000 and the award floor is $30,000.

15) How many awards does the Embassy expect to make?

The Embassy expected to make one award under this opportunity.

16) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

17) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include U.S.-recognized nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions), as well as public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education.

18) What kind of organizational experience is encouraged for applicants?

The Embassy explicitly encouraged nonprofits and academic institutions with demonstrated expertise in implementing professional development programs for English teachers. The description suggests that strong experience in teacher training, event logistics, and small-grants (scholarship funds) administration would be important for a competitive application.

19) What is the geographic focus of the program activities?

The program focuses on English language teachers in India, including regional replication workshops delivered in participants' home regions.

20) What were the key dates listed in the notice?

The notice listed an original closing date of April 30, 2015, later updated to a current closing date of June 19, 2015. The archive date was July 19, 2015, and the opportunity was posted March 13, 2015.

21) Where should applicants go for full announcement access or application issues?

The notice directs applicants to contact the Grant Applications Manager at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi via the Public Affairs Section link noted in the announcement for full access or application-related issues.

22) Is this described as a grant or a cooperative agreement?

It is described as a cooperative agreement (education-focused) offered by the U.S. Mission to India.

23) What does "Train the Trainer" mean in this program?

In this context, it means the Embassy provides intensive training to a selected cohort of experienced online-course alumni, and then those trained participants deliver teacher-training workshops in their own regions using scholarship-supported small project funds, extending the program's reach beyond the initial in-person training.

24) What kinds of deliverables or outputs are implied by the announcement?

Based on the program design, implied outputs include: successfully executed logistics for the Phase 1 three-day training and Phase 3 two-day evaluation convening; administration of participant workshop proposals and scholarship funds; monitoring of regional workshop implementation; and collection of required reporting to support evaluation and documentation of outcomes and lessons learned.