Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS QAT FY24 001
The 2024 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2024) is a competitive grant opportunity run through the U.S. Embassy in Doha that funds projects designed and led by alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs. The purpose of AEIF is to help exchange alumni build on what they learned during their U.S. experience and apply those skills back home by creating practical, innovative responses to real community challenges. The program has operated globally since 2011 and has supported hundreds of alumni-led initiatives worldwide, and the Doha competition is looking for strong, locally grounded projects that also connect alumni to broader regional or international networks.
To be eligible, applicants must be either Qatari citizens or third-country nationals who are based in Qatar, and they must be alumni of a U.S. government-funded or U.S. government-sponsored exchange program (generally those connected to the U.S. Department of State exchange framework). Applications must be submitted by a team of at least two alumni, and teams can mix alumni from different exchange programs and even different countries, as long as the applicants meet the eligibility rules and the project is managed by an alumni team. U.S. citizen alumni are not allowed to submit proposals as applicants, but they may participate as team members. Alumni teams are also allowed to partner with nonprofit organizations, NGOs, think tanks, or academic institutions to carry out activities, and the grant can be awarded either to an individual alumnus/alumna or to a partner organization. If the grant is issued to an individual, there is no requirement for a DUNS number or SAM.gov registration; however, if the grant is issued to an organization, that organization must have a unique entity identifier (UEI/DUNS as referenced in the notice) and an active SAM.gov registration. Each applicant is limited to submitting only one proposal.
AEIF 2024 projects in Qatar must directly address at least one of the Embassy Doha priorities listed in the funding notice, because proposals that do not align with these objectives are considered ineligible. The priority themes are: strengthening alumni networks by bringing together alumni from different programs to increase collaboration regionally and globally; motivating local action on climate change through creative environmental solutions, green energy ideas, or climate adaptation approaches; supporting entrepreneurship, innovation, and STEM in ways that expand economic empowerment for women, youth, and underserved populations; increasing youth participation in civic life through social entrepreneurship, volunteering, and community engagement; and encouraging students to choose the United States for higher education and/or English language learning. All project activities must take place outside of the United States and its territories, which means projects must be implemented in Qatar and/or other non-U.S. locations as allowed by the proposal design.
While the program lists several “priority audiences,” applicants are not strictly limited to them. The audiences the Embassy especially wants to reach include alumni of U.S. exchange programs and U.S. universities, women entrepreneurs, student leaders and emerging young leaders, decision makers and opinion leaders, media outlets and journalists and influencers, and educators such as professors, teachers, trainers, and technical experts. Projects that serve other audiences can still be eligible, but proposals should clearly explain who benefits, why those participants matter to the selected objective(s), and how the activities will reach them effectively. Applicants are also instructed to review the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for a list of activities and cost types that AEIF does not support, because applications that include those ineligible activities or costs may be disqualified during screening.
Funding is provided as a grant, with award amounts ranging from USD 5,000 to USD 35,000, and the Embassy indicates it prefers budgets that stay well below the maximum ceiling when possible. The total funding available for this competition is up to USD 70,000, subject to the availability of funds, and the Embassy anticipates making no more than two awards. Projects can run for a performance period of 3 to 12 months, and the anticipated start date for selected projects is August 1, 2024 (also subject to funding and final approvals).
Applications must be submitted by email to Dohagrants@state.gov by January 15, 2024, and they must use the official AEIF 2024 proposal and budget templates. All materials must be completed in English, budgets must be presented in U.S. dollars, pages should be numbered, and applicants must answer every question in the required application form. A complete submission package includes the appropriate federal forms (SF-424 for organizations or SF-424-I for individuals, SF-424A for the budget, and SF-424B assurances when required), plus the AEIF 2024 application template and the AEIF 2024 budget template with a budget narrative justification. The required forms can be downloaded from the opportunity’s related documents and are also available through the Grants.gov forms repository.
Proposals are reviewed using standard selection criteria focused on both quality and feasibility. The Embassy will assess how well the project fits the program’s theme and objectives, the clarity and strength of the project purpose and implementation plan, and the extent to which alumni are genuinely leading and executing the work (not just listed as names). Reviewers also look at whether the project has meaningful local partners and support, how applicants plan to measure results and demonstrate impact, the strength of the communications/media/outreach plan, and whether the budget is realistic, well-justified, and aligned with the activities. Questions about the application process can be directed to the Embassy’s grants email (DohaGrants@state.gov), and applicants are expected to follow the full announcement closely since noncompliance with formatting, documentation, or eligibility rules can make an application ineligible before it is even scored.Apply for PAS QAT FY24 001
- The U.S. Mission to Qatar in the arts, education, humanities sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2024 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2024)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.022.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-13.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-01-15. (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 $35,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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AEIF 2024 (U.S. Embassy Doha) - Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2024)?
The 2024 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2024) is a competitive grant opportunity run through the U.S. Embassy in Doha. It funds projects that are designed and led by alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs. The goal is to help alumni apply skills and knowledge gained during their U.S. exchange experience to address real community challenges through practical, innovative projects.
2) Who is running this competition?
The competition is run through the U.S. Embassy in Doha (Embassy Doha).
3) What is the purpose of AEIF?
AEIF is meant to help exchange alumni build on what they learned during their U.S. experience and apply those skills back home by creating innovative responses to community needs. The Doha competition is looking for strong, locally grounded projects that also connect alumni to broader regional or international networks.
4) Is this a new program?
No. AEIF has operated globally since 2011 and has supported hundreds of alumni-led initiatives worldwide.
5) Who is eligible to apply in Qatar?
Applicants must be either (a) Qatari citizens, or (b) third-country nationals who are based in Qatar. Applicants must also be alumni of a U.S. government-funded or U.S. government-sponsored exchange program (generally within the U.S. Department of State exchange framework).
6) Can U.S. citizen alumni apply?
No. U.S. citizen alumni are not allowed to submit proposals as applicants for this competition. However, they may participate as team members.
7) Do applications have to be submitted by an individual or by a team?
Applications must be submitted by a team of at least two alumni. The project must be managed by an alumni team.
8) Can a team include alumni from different exchange programs?
Yes. Teams can mix alumni from different exchange programs.
9) Can a team include alumni from different countries?
Yes. Teams can include alumni from different countries, as long as the applicants meet the eligibility rules (including being based in Qatar as described in the opportunity) and the project is managed by an alumni team.
10) Can we submit more than one proposal?
No. Each applicant is limited to submitting only one proposal.
11) Can alumni teams partner with organizations to implement the project?
Yes. Alumni teams are allowed to partner with nonprofit organizations, NGOs, think tanks, or academic institutions to carry out activities.
12) Who can receive the grant award (the individual or the partner organization)?
The grant can be awarded either to an individual alumnus/alumna or to a partner organization.
13) Do we need a DUNS number, UEI, or SAM.gov registration?
It depends on who will receive the award:
- If the grant is issued to an individual: there is no requirement for a DUNS number or SAM.gov registration.
- If the grant is issued to an organization: the organization must have a unique entity identifier (UEI/DUNS as referenced in the notice) and an active SAM.gov registration.
14) What themes or priorities must projects address to be eligible?
Projects in Qatar must directly address at least one of the U.S. Embassy Doha priorities listed in the funding notice. Proposals that do not align with these objectives are considered ineligible.
15) What are the Embassy Doha priority themes for AEIF 2024?
The priority themes listed in the notice are:
- Strengthening alumni networks: bringing together alumni from different programs to increase collaboration regionally and globally.
- Climate change/local environmental action: motivating local action through creative environmental solutions, green energy ideas, or climate adaptation approaches.
- Entrepreneurship, innovation, and STEM: expanding economic empowerment for women, youth, and underserved populations.
- Youth civic participation: increasing youth participation in civic life through social entrepreneurship, volunteering, and community engagement.
- Education outreach: encouraging students to choose the United States for higher education and/or English language learning.
16) Where must project activities take place?
All project activities must take place outside of the United States and its territories. This means projects must be implemented in Qatar and/or other non-U.S. locations as allowed by the proposal design.
17) Are there specific audiences the Embassy wants projects to reach?
The notice identifies several priority audiences the Embassy especially wants to reach, including:
- Alumni of U.S. exchange programs and U.S. universities
- Women entrepreneurs
- Student leaders and emerging young leaders
- Decision makers and opinion leaders
- Media outlets, journalists, and influencers
- Educators (professors, teachers, trainers, technical experts)
18) Are applicants limited only to the priority audiences listed?
No. Applicants are not strictly limited to the priority audiences. Projects serving other audiences can still be eligible, but proposals should clearly explain who benefits, why those participants matter to the selected objective(s), and how the activities will reach them effectively.
19) Are there activities or cost types that AEIF does not support?
Yes. Applicants are instructed to review the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for a list of activities and cost types that AEIF does not support. Applications that include ineligible activities or costs may be disqualified during screening.
20) How much funding can a project request?
Awards range from USD 5,000 to USD 35,000.
21) Does the Embassy have a preference on budget size?
Yes. The Embassy indicates it prefers budgets that stay well below the maximum ceiling when possible.
22) How much total funding is available for the Doha competition?
The total funding available is up to USD 70,000, subject to the availability of funds.
23) How many awards does the Embassy expect to make?
The Embassy anticipates making no more than two awards.
24) What is the project duration (performance period)?
Projects can run for a performance period of 3 to 12 months.
25) When is the expected project start date?
The anticipated start date for selected projects is August 1, 2024, subject to funding availability and final approvals.
26) What is the application deadline?
Applications must be submitted by January 15, 2024.
27) How do we submit the application?
Applications must be submitted by email to Dohagrants@state.gov.
28) Do we have to use specific templates?
Yes. Applicants must use the official AEIF 2024 proposal template and the official AEIF 2024 budget template.
29) What language should the application be written in?
All materials must be completed in English.
30) What currency should we use for the budget?
Budgets must be presented in U.S. dollars (USD).
31) Are there formatting requirements?
Yes. Pages should be numbered, and applicants must answer every question in the required application form. The opportunity notes that noncompliance with formatting, documentation, or eligibility rules can make an application ineligible before scoring.
32) What forms and documents are required for a complete submission?
A complete submission package includes the required federal forms plus the AEIF templates. The notice specifies the following:
- Federal forms:
- SF-424 (for organizations) or SF-424-I (for individuals)
- SF-424A (budget)
- SF-424B (assurances) when required
- Program templates:
- AEIF 2024 application (proposal) template
- AEIF 2024 budget template
- Budget narrative justification (as part of the budget submission requirements)
33) Where can we find the required federal forms?
The required forms can be downloaded from the opportunity's related documents and are also available through the Grants.gov forms repository.
34) How will proposals be reviewed?
Proposals are reviewed using selection criteria focused on quality and feasibility. The Embassy will assess factors including alignment with themes and objectives, the clarity and strength of the project purpose and plan, and whether alumni are genuinely leading and executing the work.
35) What does the Embassy look for regarding alumni leadership?
The review considers whether alumni are genuinely leading and executing the work, not simply listed as names on the application.
36) Are local partners important in the evaluation?
Yes. Reviewers look at whether the project has meaningful local partners and support.
37) How important is measurement and impact?
Measurement is part of the review. Proposals are assessed on how applicants plan to measure results and demonstrate impact.
38) Do we need a communications or outreach plan?
Yes. The review criteria include the strength of the communications, media, and outreach plan.
39) What does the Embassy look for in the budget?
The Embassy reviews whether the budget is realistic, well-justified, and aligned with the proposed activities. The opportunity also notes a preference for budgets well below the maximum ceiling when possible.
40) What can make an application ineligible before scoring?
The opportunity indicates that applications can be ruled ineligible during screening if they do not comply with eligibility rules, required documentation, or formatting requirements. In addition, proposals that do not align with at least one Embassy Doha priority theme are considered ineligible, and proposals that include ineligible activities or costs (as described in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity) may be disqualified.
41) Who should we contact with questions about the application process?
Questions can be directed to the Embassy's grants email: DohaGrants@state.gov.
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