U.S. India School Partnership for Real Communication | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The U.S. India School Partnership for Real Communication (Funding Opportunity Number NDRFP13 02, CFDA 19.040 Public Diplomacy Programs) was a U.S. Embassy New Delhi Public Affairs Section grant opportunity posted on May 30, 2013, with applications due June 20, 2013 (by 12:00 midnight Washington, DC time). The program’s central goal was to build sustained, technology-enabled partnerships between individual high schools in India and the United States so students and teachers could collaborate regularly, develop curriculum connections, and form long-term relationships. The concept emphasized practical, real communication across borders, using available digital tools to support ongoing joint work rather than one-off exchanges.

The intended program model linked paired schools for curriculum development partnerships and joint projects tied to an annual theme selected by the U.S. Department of State. Examples of project themes included major global issues such as climate change, innovation, and conflict resolution. A key educational deliverable was creating a platform for American Studies and Indian Studies curriculum development within the partner schools, alongside cultural sharing activities that help participants understand each other’s societies and everyday life. The opportunity envisioned multiple school linkages across “major cities” in both countries; the specific cities, and how many would participate, were to be finalized after consultation with the U.S. Department of State.

The recipient organization was expected to play the coordinating and implementation role end-to-end. That included identifying and recruiting appropriate high schools in the agreed-upon cities; organizing and delivering training workshops so participating schools clearly understood the project structure, responsibilities, and expected outcomes; and providing hands-on support during rollout to address early operational issues. The grantee also had to manage monitoring and evaluation throughout the program, using tools like feedback mechanisms, surveys, and questionnaires, and then submit time-bound midterm and final evaluations to the Department of State. In short, the Embassy was not just funding ideas, but looking for an organization that could operate as the backbone organization for a structured, measurable school partnership network.

Funding was offered as a grant agreement or grant, with award amounts ranging from $10,000 (floor) to $46,326 (ceiling), and an estimated total funding level of $46,326. The Embassy noted it could award less or more than the listed amounts if it served U.S. government interests. Projects were generally expected to be completed in one year or less, although the announcement allowed for the possibility of noncompetitive continuation funding beyond the initial period if funds were available, performance was satisfactory, and continued support aligned with Department of State interests. The opportunity anticipated one award.

Eligibility focused heavily on nonprofit status and relevant experience. The Public Affairs Section stated it would accept applications from U.S. and Indian legally registered not-for-profit NGOs or think tanks that had at least two years of experience working with schools, and that could meet U.S. and/or Indian technical and legal requirements. Applicants were responsible for securing all required registrations in the United States and/or India and ensuring intellectual property rights and related considerations were properly addressed in both countries. While the detailed “EligibleApplicants” list also referenced entities like school districts, higher education institutions, and individuals, the narrative portion emphasized nonprofit NGOs/think tanks with school-focused experience as the primary target applicants.

Applications had to be submitted in English and were required to go through Grants.gov, with an additional email submission to NDGrantApplications@state.gov using a specified subject line that included the applicant organization name and the funding opportunity number. The announcement strongly emphasized early registration because Grants.gov setup could take weeks, especially for non-U.S.-based NGOs, and required obtaining a DUNS number and registering in SAM.gov. Submissions needed to be made by an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR); applications submitted by non-AOR personnel would be rejected in Grants.gov. The package also required Standard Form 424 (SF-424) and a detailed budget with narrative justification, and applicants were encouraged to use the Embassy’s suggested application format and include consistent headers and page numbering.

The proposal itself was expected to be comprehensive and operationally specific. At minimum, applicants needed a cover sheet and a one-page executive summary stating the requested funding amount and project duration, followed by a full project description and justification outlining goals, objectives, and any innovative elements. The Embassy expected resumes for key personnel and partners, clear identification of any cooperating entities or consultants and what they would contribute, and a detailed activities plan explaining how work would be carried out, what might speed up or slow down progress, and why the chosen approach was preferable to alternatives. Applicants also had to present a monitoring and evaluation plan that showed how progress and impact would be tracked, plus a line-item budget that accounted for all costs. Indirect or administrative overhead costs required a specific breakout; if the organization had a federally negotiated indirect cost rate (NICRA), it was expected to be documented.

Proposals were reviewed by a technical panel and evaluated for overall quality, fit, clarity, completeness, and attention to detail, with scoring criteria weighted toward practical capability. Organizational experience and demonstrated understanding of schools in India and the U.S. (including issues like international travel/visa considerations) carried the most weight at 50 points. Organizational capacity to identify schools and manage logistics, plus partner role clarity and staff/financial administration qualifications, counted for 25 points. Monitoring and evaluation accounted for 15 points, and budget and narrative justification for 10 points. Applicants whose proposals were not selected were to be notified by email, and proposals approved but not funded could be kept on file for up to a year for reconsideration if circumstances changed.

Award administration was handled by a Grants Officer, with day-to-day interaction likely through a Grant Officer Representative (GOR). Successful applicants were generally to be notified within 90 days after the submission deadline. Awardees were required to submit both program and financial reports at intervals specified in the grant agreement, and fund disbursement could be tied to timely reporting. Contact for application questions was the Grant Applications Manager at NDGrantApplications@state.gov, with an additional listed point of contact for access issues (Stephanie Morimura, ACAO, U.S. Embassy New Delhi).

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