2023 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2023)

The U.S. Embassy Budapest, Public Diplomacy Section (PDS Budapest) of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for past participants (“alumni”) of U.S. government-funded and U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs to submit applications to the 2023 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2023). We seek proposals from teams of at least two alumni that meet all program eligibility requirements below. Exchange alumni interested in participating in AEIF 2023 should submit proposals to BudapestGrants@state.gov email address by 11:59 p.m. (CET) on March 10, 2023.

PDS Budapest has updated this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Please check the full announcement for the updated sections:

• A. Program Description, Program Objectives

• B. Federal Award Information

• D.4 Submission Dates and Times

Program Objectives:

AEIF provides alumni of U.S. sponsored and facilitated exchange programs with funding to expand on skills gained during their exchange experience to design and implement innovative solutions to global challenges facing their community. Since its inception in 2011, AEIF has funded over 500 alumni-led projects around the world through a competitive global competition.

PDS Budapest will accept public service projects proposed and managed by teams of at least two (2) USG alumni that support themes such as but not limited to:

• Support Shared Security

• Strengthen Economic Prosperity, Promote Innovation, Foster Entrepreneurship, and Improve the Digital Economy

• Reinforce Democratic Values

• Foster Hungarian and U.S. Ties

• Countering Russian disinformation

Priority Region: In the territory of Hungary

• Applicants must be alumni of a U.S. government-funded exchange program (https://alumni.state.gov/list-exchange-programs) or a U.S. government-sponsored exchange program (https://j1visa.state.gov/).- Projects teams must include teams of at least two (2) USG alumni.- Alumni who are U.S. citizens may not submit proposals, but U.S. citizen alumni may participate as team members in a project; however, the team must have at least two non-U.S. citizen exchange program alumni.- Alumni teams may be comprised of alumni from different exchange programs and different countries.- Applications must be submitted by exchange alumni. Not-for-profit, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and academic institutions are not eligible to apply in the name of the organization but can serve as partners for implementing project activities.