U.S. Embassy Cotonou AEIF FY2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity

The U.S. Embassy Cotonou is launching an initiative in honor of the United States' 250th anniversary ("Freedom 250") to empower Beninese youth with critical skills. The initiative invites alumni to propose projects that mobilize their network to train and mentor Beninese youth in two key areas: technology and entrepreneurship, and civic engagement and leadership. The primary audiences are U.S. exchange alumni, university students, early-stage entrepreneurs, tech professionals, and emerging civic leaders. Some key points to consider: • The project's overarching goal is to leverage alumni expertise to advance U.S. foreign policy, strengthen bilateral relations, and foster economic growth and democratic participation. • The project should have a clear plan for monitoring and evaluation to measure progress toward specific outputs and outcomes. • The project should have a communication and outreach plan to promote the project and report project highlights and achievements. • The project should have a timeline and budget that are realistic and achievable.