Opportunity Information: Apply for H NOFO 19 102
Connecting Cultures: Cross-border Slam Poetry Program is a U.S. Department of State (U.S. Mission to India, PAS Hyderabad) funding opportunity designed to use slam poetry as a practical, youth-centered tool for cross-border dialogue and peacebuilding between India and Pakistan. The program supports an organization that can recruit and guide two cohorts of teenagers, with 15 to 20 students ages 15 to 18 in each country, and help them develop early poem drafts in Hindi, Urdu, or English. The writing themes are intentionally broad but focused on issues that matter to young people, including how they view the neighboring country, lived experiences of conflict, and ideas about reconciliation, peace, and social concerns.
A core feature of the program is sustained, structured interaction between the two student groups through a series of digital video conferences. These online sessions are meant to function as workshops and rehearsals where students can share work-in-progress, perform drafts aloud, and receive feedback directly from peers across the border. The goal is not only to improve the quality of the writing and performance, but also to create repeated, human-to-human contact that can challenge stereotypes and build empathy over time.
The grant also requires the grantee to bring in an American poetry expert who will travel once to India and once to Pakistan to work in person with the students. This expert is expected to provide hands-on coaching in crafting, revision, stage presence, and performance techniques typical of slam and spoken-word traditions, while also modeling artistic exchange and mentoring. This U.S. participant is central to the people-to-people diplomacy aspect of the project, reinforcing a direct connection among American, Indian, and Pakistani participants.
To culminate the exchange, the program plans an in-person convening in a third country somewhere in the region. A subset of students from each country will be selected to travel to this neutral location, meet face-to-face, and perform their work publicly for an audience that includes other youth and prominent members of the host community. The exact third-country city is not predetermined; it is proposed by the grantee and finalized in consultation with the U.S. Consulate Hyderabad. This final showcase is intended to elevate youth voices, broaden community impact, and demonstrate collaboration despite political boundaries.
Beyond artistic outcomes, the opportunity is framed as a way for the U.S. Mission to better understand regional concerns through the perspectives of the next generation. It explicitly emphasizes values-based objectives, including pluralism, religious freedom, and freedom of speech, using creative expression as the vehicle to support mutual understanding and contribute to longer-term regional reconciliation across the Subcontinent.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number H NOFO 19 102) offered through either a grant or cooperative agreement, with program activities falling under arts/cultural affairs, education, humanities, and community development. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and certain nonprofits that do not hold 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions). The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $100,000, anticipated a single award, and was originally posted June 7, 2019, with an original closing date of July 15, 2019.Apply for H NOFO 19 102
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda), community development, education, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Connecting Cultures: Cross-border Slam Poetry Program" 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 Jun 07, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 15, 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 $100,000.00 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 that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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FAQs: Connecting Cultures: Cross-border Slam Poetry Program
What is the "Connecting Cultures: Cross-border Slam Poetry Program"?
It is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity (U.S. Mission to India, PAS Hyderabad) that uses slam poetry as a youth-centered tool to support cross-border dialogue and peacebuilding between India and Pakistan.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The program is designed to create sustained, structured people-to-people exchange between teenagers in India and Pakistan through writing and performing slam poetry. It aims to build empathy, challenge stereotypes, and support dialogue around conflict, reconciliation, peace, and social concerns.
Who is the sponsoring U.S. government entity for this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Mission to India, specifically PAS Hyderabad.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is H NOFO 19 102.
What type of funding instrument is used for this opportunity?
The opportunity may be awarded through either a grant or a cooperative agreement.
Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. It is described as a discretionary funding opportunity.
What kinds of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and certain nonprofits that do not hold 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions).
Is the program focused on youth participants?
Yes. The program specifically targets teenagers and is framed as a youth-centered initiative.
How many students are expected to participate in each country?
The program calls for two cohorts of teenagers, with 15 to 20 students ages 15 to 18 in each country (India and Pakistan).
What is the age range for student participants?
Students are expected to be between 15 and 18 years old.
What role does the grantee organization play?
The supported organization is expected to recruit and guide the two student cohorts and help them develop early poem drafts, while facilitating structured cross-border interaction through a series of digital video conferences.
In what languages can students write their poems?
Students can draft poems in Hindi, Urdu, or English.
What themes are students expected to write about?
The themes are intentionally broad but centered on issues that matter to young people, including how they view the neighboring country, lived experiences of conflict, and ideas related to reconciliation, peace, and social concerns.
How do students interact across borders during the program?
Students participate in sustained, structured interaction through a series of digital video conferences that function as workshops and rehearsals. They share work-in-progress, perform drafts aloud, and receive feedback directly from peers across the border.
What is the intended impact of the digital video conference sessions?
These sessions are intended both to improve writing and performance quality and to create repeated human-to-human contact that can challenge stereotypes and build empathy over time.
Does the program require involvement from a U.S. participant?
Yes. The grant requires the grantee to bring in an American poetry expert who will travel once to India and once to Pakistan to work with students in person.
What is the role of the American poetry expert?
The American poetry expert is expected to provide hands-on coaching in crafting, revision, stage presence, and performance techniques typical of slam and spoken-word traditions, and to model artistic exchange and mentoring as part of the people-to-people diplomacy goals.
How many trips does the American poetry expert make and where?
The expert is expected to travel once to India and once to Pakistan.
Is there an in-person event at the end of the program?
Yes. The program is designed to culminate in an in-person convening in a third country somewhere in the region.
Who travels to the third-country convening?
A subset of students from each country will be selected to travel to the third-country location for face-to-face meetings and a public performance.
What happens at the third-country convening?
Students meet in person and perform their work publicly for an audience that includes other youth and prominent members of the host community. The showcase is meant to elevate youth voices, broaden community impact, and demonstrate collaboration across political boundaries.
Is the third-country location predetermined?
No. The exact third-country city is not predetermined. It is proposed by the grantee and finalized in consultation with the U.S. Consulate Hyderabad.
What broader values and objectives does the opportunity emphasize?
The opportunity emphasizes values-based objectives including pluralism, religious freedom, and freedom of speech, using creative expression to support mutual understanding and contribute to longer-term regional reconciliation across the Subcontinent.
Besides artistic outcomes, what does the U.S. Mission hope to gain from the program?
It is framed as a way for the U.S. Mission to better understand regional concerns through the perspectives of the next generation.
What program areas does this opportunity fall under?
Program activities are described as falling under arts/cultural affairs, education, humanities, and community development.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $100,000.
How many awards are anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated a single award.
When was the opportunity originally posted?
The opportunity was originally posted on June 7, 2019.
What was the original application closing date?
The original closing date was July 15, 2019.
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