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The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the Youth Leadership Program with Burma. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to conduct three- to four-week U.S.-based exchange programs for teenagers and adult educators. Participants will be high-school-aged youth and adult educators. Applicants should plan to provide U.S.-based programming for 17-18 youth and 2-3 adult participants from Burma. The activities for each program will focus on civic education, leadership, diversity, and community engagement and prepare participants to conduct projects at home that serve a community need.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Administration for Native Americans (ANA) announces the availability of Fiscal Year 2018 funds for the Native Youth Initiative for Leadership, Empowerment, and Development (I-LEAD).I-LEAD is a special initiative established under ANA’s Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) program. I-LEAD provides support for community-based initiatives that empower Native youth to address priorities identified by such youth and include youth-focused leadership. As well projects are funded to develop models, approaches and strategies to foster resiliency and build upon Native youth's inherent capacities to thrive. Native youth will contribute to the accomplishment of objectives that promote economic and social self-sufficiency for Native Americans, contribute to community well-being, increase the capacity of tribal governments, strengthen families, and implement culturally appropriate strategies to meet the social service needs of Native Americans.As an agency within the ACF, ANA is providing this unique funding opportunity as a special initiative of the SEDS program. The I-LEAD program will ensure project funding is provided to support youth-driven and youth-focused services and activities related to social and economic development, in order to promote the self-sufficiency of tomorrow’s leaders in Native American communities.

For many decades, an increasing number of women have obtained STEM doctoral degrees, however, women, particularly women of color, continue to be significantly underrepresented in almost all STEM academic positions.  While the degree of underrepresentation varies among STEM disciplines, women's advancement to senior professorial ranks and leadership roles is an issue in all fields.  The underrepresentation of women is also a critical issue for the nation, at large, as its need to develop a globally competitive and diverse workforce increases. Research has shown that women's representation and advancement in academic STEM positions are affected by many external factors that are unrelated to their ability, interest and technical skills (Spencer, et al, 1999; Halpern and Tan, 2001; Hyde, 2005; National Academy of Sciences, 2007).  Such factors include, but are not limited to: stereotype threat, societal impacts, organizational constraints of academic institutions; differential effect of work and family demands; implicit and explicit bias; and lack of women in academic leadership and decision-making positions.  The cumulative effect of such diverse factors has been to create infrastructural barriers that impact the number of women entering, persisting and advancing in STEM careers. Thus, the goal of the ADVANCE program is to develop systemic approaches to increase the representation and advancement of women in academic STEM careers, thereby contributing to the development of a more diverse science and engineering workforce.  ADVANCE also has as its goal to seminally contribute to and inform the general knowledge base on gender equity in the academic STEM disciplines.

NSF INCLUDES (Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science) is a comprehensive national initiative designed to enhance U.S. leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) discoveries and innovations by focusing on broadening participation in these fields at scale. The vision of NSF INCLUDES is to catalyze the STEM enterprise to collaboratively work for inclusive change, which will result in a STEM workforce that reflects the population of the Nation. The initiative is developing a National Network composed of NSF INCLUDES Design and Development Launch Pilots, NSF INCLUDES Alliances, an NSF INCLUDES Coordination Hub, NSF-funded broadening participation projects, other relevant NSF-funded projects, scholars engaged in broadening participation research, and other organizations that support the development of talent from all sectors of society to build an inclusive STEM workforce. The successful implementation of NSF INCLUDES will result in substantial advances toward a diverse, innovative, and well-prepared STEM workforce to support our Nation's economy and continued U.S. leadership in the global STEM enterprise. It is anticipated that NSF's investment will contribute to new and improved STEM career pathways, policies, opportunities to learn, and practices for equity and inclusion. The initiative will be supported by the NSF INCLUDES Coordination Hub (NSF 17-591) that will provide a framework for communication and networking, network assistance and reinforcement, and visibility and expansion for the NSF INCLUDES National Network as a whole.

The NSF INCLUDES Big Idea is a comprehensive national initiative to enhance U.S. leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) discoveries and innovations focused on NSF's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and broadening participation in these fields. The vision of NSF INCLUDES is to catalyze the STEM enterprise to work collaboratively for inclusive change, resulting in a STEM workforce that reflects the population of the Nation. More specifically, NSF INCLUDES seeks to improve collaborative efforts aimed at enhancing the preparation, increasing the participation, and ensuring the contributions of individuals from groups that have been historically underrepresented and underserved in the STEM enterprise such as African Americans, Alaska Natives, Hispanics, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Native Pacific Islanders, persons with disabilities, persons from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and women and girls. Significant advancement in the inclusion of underrepresented groups in STEM will result in a new generation of STEM talent and leadership to secure our nation's future and long-term economic competitiveness.

CAREER:The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Activities pursued by early-career faculty should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research. NSF encourages submission of CAREER proposals from early-career faculty at all CAREER-eligible organizations and especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to apply. PECASE: Each year NSF selects nominees for the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from among the most meritorious recent CAREER awardees. Selection for this award is based on two important criteria: 1) innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology that is relevant to the mission of NSF, and 2) community service demonstrated through scientific leadership, education, or community outreach. These awards foster innovative developments in science and technology, increase awareness of careers in science and engineering, give recognition to the scientific missions of the participating agencies, enhance connections between fundamental research and national goals, and highlight the importance of science and technology for the Nation's future. Individuals cannot apply for PECASE. These awards are initiated by the participating federal agencies. At NSF, up to twenty nominees for this award are selected each year from among the PECASE-eligible CAREER awardees most likely to become the leaders of academic research and education in the twenty-first century. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy makes the final selection and announcement of the awardees.

Founded in 1951, the Weingart Foundation seeks to achieve inclusion and opportunity for all Southern Californians, especially those who have historically been excluded due to their race, income level, gender, religion, immigration status, disability, age, sexual orientation, or zip code. To help strengthen this regional network of next-generation social change leaders in Southern California, the foundation is investing in a pilot of the John W. Mack Movement Building Fellows program, which is named after the late civic leader who began his lifelong career as a movement leader as student activist during the civil rights movement. Through the program, twelve emerging leaders with a deep commitment to social justice and racial equality will receive opportunities to develop their adaptive leadership skills, hone their leadership stance, improve their ability to develop more effective campaign strategies, and better access resources that support them as leaders of movement building organizations.

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH.  The over-arching goal of this NIDDK R25 program is to support educational activities that enhance the diversity of the biomedical, behavioral and clinical research workforce.  This R25 program encourages Professional Societies to design and implement educational programs with the goal of recruiting of individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences workforce. Applications from Professional Societies supporting the NIDDK mission areas are encouraged to develop educational programs aimed at recruiting talented , fellows, and junior faculty from groups underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences research in the NIDDK mission areas. Professional Societies should propose an educational program based upon an educational experiment which includes a diversity management plan for the Society which should enhance the diversity of the biomedical research workforce, and the pool of individuals from under represented groups in the organization's programs and leadership.

The geosciences continue to lag behind other STEM fields in creating a diverse community of researchers, scholars, and practitioners. Strategies employed to improve the number of women in the geosciences have not been successful in "moving the needle" for the recruitment and retention of geoscientists from historically excluded and underrepresented groups like people of color and those with disabilities. In 2016, NSF launched the GOLD Program (Geoscience Opportunities for Leadership in Diversity) with the mission to achieve greater and more systemic diversity by creating a network of diversity and inclusion "champions" who can generate greater implementation of evidence-based best practices and resources. While geoscience community members generally agree upon the importance and ideals of broadening participation, most do not have the skills and competencies that allow them to be effective leaders in diversity. To expand the reach of current GOLD efforts, bring to scale related diversity activities in the geosciences, or develop unique approaches for greater inclusion in the geoscience education and research community, NSF welcomes submission of supplemental funding requests, conference proposals, EAGER proposals, and RCNs.

The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the Embassy of the United States of America in South Africa invites interested non-profit organizations, public international organizations, and private, public, or state institutions of higher education in South Africa and the United States to submit abstracts for Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation projects in accordance with the specifications outlined in the full program description, which is attached to this notice (click on the "Related Documents" tab). The Department of State established the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural preservation (AFCP) at the request of the Congress in Conference Report 106-1005 accompanying H.R. 4942 (October 26, 2000). The projects recommended for funding under this program shall advance U.S. foreign policy goals and demonstrate American leadership in the preservation and protection of cultural heritage in support of prosperity and stability around the world.

The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the Embassy of the United States of America in South Africa invites interested non-profit organizations, public international organizations, and private, public, or state institutions of higher education in South Africa and the United States to submit abstracts for Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation projects in accordance with the specifications outlined in the full program description, which is attached to this notice (click on the "Related Documents" tab). The Department of State established the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural preservation (AFCP) at the request of the Congress in Conference Report 106-1005 accompanying H.R. 4942 (October 26, 2000). The projects recommended for funding under this program shall advance U.S. foreign policy goals and demonstrate American leadership in the preservation and protection of cultural heritage in support of prosperity and stability around the world.

The Miami Initiative for Advancing, Mentoring and Investing in Women (M.I.A.M.I. WOMEN) awarded nearly $104,000 in Giving Circle grants to students and faculty during the annual Leadership Symposium on April 12, 2018. Finalists pitched their projects the previous evening at the inaugural Hawk Tank event. This grant fund is open again for the 2018-2019 cycle.

The objective of this program is to assist the GOM in improving its electoral system to ensure fair and transparent presidential and legislative elections in 2018. USAID estimates contributing up to $6,000,000 for the following program activities. The program is expected to contribute to the achievement of the following four objectives: * Promote informed citizen participation in the 2018 electoral process, with a particular focus on voters who are women, youth and from other traditionally marginalized groups; * Strengthen public confidence in the 2018 elections by supporting credible, non-partisan domestic organizations to effectively monitor the entire electoral process and to advocate for key elections and political processes reforms; and * Support implementation of the 2015 gender law by partnering with civil society and political parties to increase women's leadership and political representation. * Support political parties to contribute to a peaceful electoral process.

Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science (NSF INCLUDES) is a comprehensive national initiative designed to enhance U.S. leadership in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) discoveries and innovations focused on NSF's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and broadening participation in these fields. The initiative is developing a National Network composed of NSF INCLUDES Design and Development Launch Pilots, NSF INCLUDES Alliances, NSF-funded broadening participation projects, other relevant NSF-funded projects, scholars engaged in broadening participation research, and other organizations that support the development of talent from all sectors of society to build the STEM workforce. To facilitate the Network's operation, the program is soliciting proposals for a NSF INCLUDES Coordination Hub that will drive and support the work of the NSF INCLUDES National Network over the lifecycle of the initiative by: (a) promoting the NSF INCLUDES guiding vision and strategy; (b) developing a collaborative infrastructure to support the activities of the various entities partnering in the NSF INCLUDES National Network; (c) fostering progress among Network partners toward shared models, measurement practices, and evaluation criteria; (d) communicating the discoveries of and generating enthusiasm for the NSF INCLUDES National Network; and (e) advancing the expansion and scale of the NSF INCLUDES National Network by connecting expertise from multiple sectors and other private and public funders.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that advance human rights and rule of law; support civil society engagement and leadership on peacebuilding, coexistence, and conflict mitigation in Syria; provide support for survivors of torture and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV); and promote peaceful coexistence, transitional justice, and accountability.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 Statewide Consumer Network Program grants (Short Title: SCN). The purpose of this program is to improve efforts to address the needs of adults with serious mental illness (SMI) by developing and/or expanding peer support services, peer leadership, and peer engagement strategies statewide. The population of focus is adults with SMI, including those who are underserved and under-represented (e.g., consumers from ethnic, racial, and cultural minority groups); veterans; individuals who are chronically homeless; individuals with co-occurring disorders (COD) ; sexual orientation and gender identity minorities; and individuals who have been involved in the criminal justice system. It is expected that this program will increase access to and quality of mental health services for adults with SMI; increase the sustainability of consumer-operated organizations; and enhance state capacity and infrastructure to support the recovery of adults with SMI and their families. The SCN grant program builds upon prior work of SAMHSA to establish recovery-oriented, consumer-driven services for adults with SMI.

To that end, it is inviting concept papers for its grants program. Through the program, grants will be awarded in support of proposals and programs in which the chief purpose is to advance engineering for the welfare of humanity. Proposals must be consistent with the mission of UEF and its priorities for giving, which include programs focused on diversity in the profession, K-12 education, and engineering ethics, safety, security, and leadership. Preference will be given to proposals for programs that are innovative and aim to integrate multiple fields and subspecialties of engineering; proposals for programs that include outreach to the community; collaborative proposals submitted on behalf of a group; and proposals that specify that grant funds will not be used to offset existing staff salaries.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Regional Contracting Office in Kyiv, Ukraine is seeking applications from qualified U.S. or Non-U.S. non-profit or for-profit Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and other qualified non-USG organizations for funding of an activity entitled "Ukraine National Identity Through Youth (UNITY) Activity." The purpose of the Activity is to foster vested ownership among young people in Ukraine's democratic, European future by further mobilizing youth leadership of a values-based conception of Ukrainian identity grounded in innovation, engagement, and pluralism. This will be achieved through the following interconnected objectives: 1) Youth innovation, entrepreneurship, and career preparedness expand economic opportunities; 2) Youth broaden their engagement in civic and community problem-solving; 3) Youth drive Ukraine's pluralism and respect for diversity; and 4) Research and learning on youth-related data, trends, and approaches inform youth policy and programming.

The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to establish and operate a national center to provide technical assistance (TA) directly to States, educational service agencies (ESAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and charter management organizations in those States to help create the conditions necessary for educators to make full and sustained use of instructional and leadership practices supported by evidence (as defined in this notice). Because they are an essential part of this effort, the Center will also provide this TA to other Department-funded TA centers and to organizations that prepare district superintendents. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.326K.

This program supports research and extension projects that have robust collaborations to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields that are relevant to USDA priorities identified by the Secretary: (i) Promotion of a safe, sufficient, and nutritious food supply for all Americans and for people around the world; (ii) Sustainable agricultural policies that foster economic viability for small and mid-sized farms and rural businesses, protect natural resources, and promote value-added agriculture; (iii) national leadership in climate change mitigation and adaptation; (iv) Building a modern workplace with a modern workforce; and (v) Support for 21st century rural communities.