CFAs: Modular Workshops on Democracy and U.S. Values Program (Israel)

America Hub Israel is a U.S. Embassy-affiliated educational and cultural institution that seeks to connect a diverse range of Israeli citizens to the values that underpin American society—democracy, diversity and inclusion, civic engagement, and innovation. The Hub prioritizes engagement with students and young professionals 15- to 35-years old through a wide variety of programming and via strategic partnerships.

Objectives

• Proposals should incorporate use of the Hub’s experiential learning technologies, including an Imagine Box and virtual reality headsets, to create immersive, interactive learning experiences that accomplish the following:
  • Provide a framework for young Israelis—both Jewish and Arab—to engage with the democratic principles that underpin American values and reduce fear and prejudice of the Other;
  • Promote the concepts of diversity and tolerance through the external lens of the U.S. experience, thereby encouraging participants to consider the benefits of working toward an inclusive society that provides a voice to all;
  • Showcase U.S. policies, culture, values, methodologies, and/or expertise;
  • Provide crucial soft skills to participants related to technology, innovation, social entrepreneurship, critical thinking, creative problem solving, and teamwork.
• All program content will be developed in close coordination with Hub staff. The experiential learning technology products developed over the course of this project will remain available for use and adaptation by Hub staff after the period of performance has closed.

Funding Information

• Total Available Funding: Approximately $35,000 USD
• Award Amounts: Up to $35,000 USD
• Length of Performance Period: Up to six months
• Number of Awards Anticipated: One

Program Content

• The grantee will develop eight modular workshops, each lasting 120-180 minutes with the ability to accommodate up to 30 participants, that explore themes related to democratic principles and U.S. values in ways that invite dialogue about shared challenges, expose participants to an important element of U.S. society, and encourage the use of technology to identify innovative solutions to problems within their own communities. The Hub suggests workshops be themed around the following topics:
  • Racial Equality
  • Women’s Equality
  • LGBTQ+ Rights
  • Disability Rights
  • Religious Diversity
  • Press Freedom, Disinformation, and Media Literacy
  • Climate Change
  • STEM Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• All eight workshops should maximize use of the Hub’s experiential learning technologies to create a fully interactive, immersive learning experience that relies on new pedagogical models designed to meet the expectations of Millennial and Gen Z audiences.
• Each workshop should function as a standalone session, but with enough flexibility to also function as one part of a larger multi-session series on similar themes with segments carried out in schools and/or virtually in addition to the in-person workshop at the Hub.
• The grantee must also train Hub staff on workshop content delivery to ensure they are prepared to facilitate them effectively. The final product should include:
  • Full Syllabus: A full detailed syllabus, including vision, goals, objectives, context, specific remarks, required preparation, materials, and evaluation indicators and tools.
  • Full Lesson Plan: The full pedagogical experience of the workshop, with a detailed lesson plan for each session, ready to be used by Hub Staff (including all proposed activities, timelines, etc).
  • Educational Materials: Technological development of immersive learning experiences using the Hub’s Imagine Box and/or virtual reality headsets, as well as any educational support materials (presentations, software, templates, etc) to be used during the workshop.

Funding Restrictions

• The following types of projects are not eligible for funding:
  • Projects relating to partisan political activity
  • Charitable or development activities
  • Construction projects
  • Projects that support specific religious activities or promote only one faith/religion
  • Fundraising campaigns
  • Lobbying for specific legislation or projects
  • Academic or scientific research
  • Projects intended primarily for the growth/institutional development or maintenance of the applicant organization or its partner organizations
  • Unsolicited proposals

Program Audience

• Israeli high school students 15-18 years old from diverse backgrounds who demonstrate potential as future leaders, innovators, and civically engaged members of society.

Eligibility Criteria

• Local and international:
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations
  • Public and private educational institutions
  • Individuals
• For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply.
• To be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Israel.