U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program for India | ND NOFO 19 105

Opportunity Information: Apply for ND NOFO 19 105

The U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program for India is a Department of State (U.S. Mission to India) cooperative agreement run through the Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. The core purpose is to bring U.S.-citizen experts to India to engage directly with Indian institutions and audiences through public-facing and professional activities such as lectures, workshops, seminars, and media engagements. By design, the program is meant to advance understanding of U.S. strategic priorities, policies, and institutions, while also building durable working relationships between American and Indian experts and organizations across multiple regions of India.

The project is structured around a set of speaker “tours” and specialist engagements. The implementing organization (the grantee) is expected to help deliver roughly six to seven distinct speaker programs during the award period. Each selected expert is expected to travel to at least two to three Indian cities and spend about seven to ten days in-country per program. Travel is envisioned across “Mission India,” meaning programming may span New Delhi/North India as well as the U.S. consulate regions of Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. The intent is to reach diverse audiences beyond a single metro area and to tailor engagements to different professional communities, academic settings, and public platforms.

Programming content must align with U.S. Mission India’s thematic priorities. While the announcement leaves room for additional related topics, it highlights several major focus areas: promoting study in the United States and strengthening U.S.-India higher education partnerships; supporting U.S.-India trade, investment, entrepreneurship, and broader business development; discussing regional security and connectivity, particularly efforts that enable cross-border engagement and closer economic integration across South Asia; and advancing women’s empowerment. Speakers are expected to address topics identified by PAS New Delhi and to be suitable for engagement with a wide range of professional audiences and disciplines, which could include academia, policy communities, private sector groups, civil society organizations, and media outlets depending on the tour design.

Operationally, the grantee’s role is heavily centered on speaker sourcing and end-to-end logistics. Based on strategic guidance from PAS New Delhi, the grantee must research potential U.S.-citizen speakers and specialists, compile and submit names and biographies for consideration, and ensure that candidates are willing and able to travel to India. After the embassy reviews the candidate list, PAS New Delhi retains approval authority over final speaker selection, confirms which cities will be included, and drafts the overarching program schedules. The grantee then works in close coordination with PAS New Delhi and each speaker to finalize arrival and departure dates and confirm specific event formats and topics for each engagement. In addition, the grantee is responsible for arranging and paying standard program logistics, including honoraria, international and in-country travel, lodging, per diem, and visa-related needs.

From a funding and eligibility standpoint, this opportunity was published as a discretionary award under a cooperative agreement mechanism, reflecting that the Department of State expects substantial coordination during implementation rather than a fully independent grantee-led project. The activity category is listed as education under CFDA 19.040. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions). The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $170,000 with an expectation of one award. Key dates in the notice show it was created on December 20, 2018, with an original closing date of February 20, 2019.

In practical terms, a strong proposal for this kind of program would typically demonstrate the applicant’s ability to (1) identify credible, high-impact American experts aligned to the stated themes, (2) design multi-city itineraries that make sense for Indian partner institutions and target audiences, (3) manage travel and compliance logistics smoothly and cost-effectively, and (4) coordinate tightly with PAS New Delhi’s approvals and scheduling needs. The end result the embassy is aiming for is a repeatable platform that brings the right U.S. voices to Indian stakeholders, sparks substantive professional exchange, and leaves behind lasting institutional connections between the two countries.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program for India" 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 Dec 20, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 20, 2019. (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 $170,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for ND NOFO 19 105

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