Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS NBO PDS FY23 005
The 2023-2025 English Access Microscholarship Program (Access) opportunity is a U.S. Department of State grant issued through the U.S. Mission to Kenya, specifically the U.S. Embassy Nairobi Public Diplomacy Section (PDS). It seeks implementing partners to run a two-year English language and cultural enrichment program for selected students, with the period of performance expected to begin in September 2023. The program is positioned as more than an English course: it is meant to build practical skills and broader civic and personal capacities that can ripple beyond the students to families, educators, schools, and local communities. The priority implementation regions named are Kilifi and/or the Nyanza Region.
At its core, Access is designed to strengthen students English proficiency in ways that translate into real opportunities, including improved academic readiness, stronger employability, wider networks, and greater competitiveness for future U.S. government and other exchange programs. Alongside language learning, the program emphasizes exposure to U.S. culture and democratic values to support mutual understanding. Implementers are expected to deliberately integrate themes such as global citizenship, critical thinking, environmental awareness, human rights, U.S. democracy and government, civil society, diversity and tolerance, U.S. history, the U.S. education system, family and relationship values, gender issues, health topics, and other STEM-related subjects. The intention is that English instruction becomes a vehicle for exploring ideas and building the kinds of perspectives and skills associated with engaged citizenship.
A major required element is digital literacy. Applicants are expected to show how they will prepare students for an evolving digital environment, not only by teaching basic computer skills but also by strengthening students ability to find information online, evaluate credibility and accuracy, collaborate with others inside and outside their Access cohort, and create and share content responsibly. The program guidance also highlights the importance of safe and secure online practices and building a positive digital identity, making media literacy and online safety part of the student learning journey rather than optional add-ons.
The program also requires a strong personal development and leadership dimension. Implementers should build students confidence and readiness for life beyond school by incorporating topics such as lifelong learning, career development, employable skills, emotional literacy, self-awareness, leadership, and practical guidance on education and employment pathways. Programs are also expected to introduce students to opportunities like U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs, helping participants see tangible next steps that could follow from improved English and increased civic engagement.
Service-learning is another key pillar. Access expects students to participate in structured service-learning projects that combine educational objectives with hands-on community service. Students should be actively involved in the full cycle: assessing needs in their community or environment, designing a project to address those needs, carrying out the activity, and reflecting before, during, and after the experience. The service-learning approach is meant to build practical skills such as research, planning, implementation, monitoring, and reflection, and students are encouraged to use English as much as possible during these projects so that language practice is embedded in real-world action.
In terms of program structure, the Access model requires a total of 360 hours of instruction delivered over two years, with at least 180 hours per academic year. Instruction is expected to be learner-centered and interactive, emphasizing hands-on language use rather than lecture-heavy teaching. Modern approaches like project-based and task-based learning are explicitly encouraged. Class size should be capped at 20 students and should aim for gender balance, signaling both a quality standard and an equity expectation. Implementers must also ensure scheduling does not conflict with students regular school commitments, and any plan exceeding 10 hours per week requires additional justification in the proposal.
The required programming includes after-school and/or weekend instruction that meets at least twice per week, with individual class sessions lasting between 60 and 120 minutes. This component is expected to make up most of the 360 total hours. Proposals must also include computer instruction, multimedia learning, or structured social media activities as part of after-school instruction and/or intensive sessions, reinforcing the program-wide digital literacy requirement.
Enhancement activities are also mandatory and count toward the 360-hour total. These activities are intended to extend learning beyond the classroom while strengthening Kenyan-U.S. cross-cultural understanding and broader global citizenship competencies such as leadership and community engagement. The opportunity description gives concrete examples: discussions and interactive games; educational visits to museums, theaters, or workplaces; celebrations of U.S. holidays (for example, Thanksgiving or Fourth of July activities); student performances and skits about U.S. history; talent shows featuring U.S. music; science and environment themed events; and guest speakers who can speak to U.S. life, diversity, tolerance, and civic participation. Civic outreach options such as volunteering or organizing community clean-ups are also highlighted. Importantly, programs are encouraged to design activities for sustained impact over time rather than one-off events, and to collaborate where feasible with U.S. Embassy personnel, English Language Fellows, Fulbright participants, Peace Corps volunteers, and other partners who can enrich the learning experience.
The program also includes intensive sessions as another instructional component. These are immersive, off-site experiences designed to create an English-medium environment over a sustained period, strengthen cohort bonding, and consolidate language and global citizenship skills through a mix of instruction and activities. The intensive sessions are described as commonly lasting around two weeks, with daily schedules that must not exceed 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week, and they can be scheduled at the beginning, middle, and/or end of the two-year cycle. Typical programming includes English learning combined with U.S. cultural content delivered through drama, art, music, games, team-building, peace-building, problem-solving, and creative activities. In the Kenyan context described, students often stay overnight at the site with meals provided. The guidance also notes that the combined hours dedicated to enhancement activities and intensive sessions must not exceed 30 percent of the total instructional time, and applicants are directed to the Access Program Handbook for detailed rules.
Beyond student programming, the opportunity encourages professional development for English educators. Implementers are expected to staff the program with professional English teachers who are familiar with up-to-date teaching approaches and committed to ongoing learning and collaboration with the Embassy and other Access sites. Partners are also encouraged to spread best practices beyond the Access classroom by engaging English teachers from the schools where students are recruited and by involving pre-service teachers in nearby training colleges or universities. Community outreach is similarly encouraged, positioning the Access site as a model classroom and promoting periodic engagement with parents, teachers across subjects, administrators, fellows, alumni, and other community stakeholders through workshops and informational sessions that strengthen broader support for language learning.
Operationally, implementers must plan for an opening and a closing ceremony, both requiring approval from the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The opening ceremony should take place after the agreement is signed and either before instruction begins or within three months of the start of instruction. The closing ceremony should occur after instruction ends and before the agreement end date, and each ceremony is expected to last no more than two to three hours.
From an application and administration standpoint, proposals were to be submitted to the U.S. Embassy Nairobi PDS by email (nairobigrants@state.gov) by midnight on April 30, 2023. Selected applicants would then develop a more detailed proposal for entry into the Access proposal portal managed by FHI 360, the U.S.-based organization that oversees the global Access grant platform for the Department of State. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, with an award ceiling of $175,000 and an anticipated total of three awards. The opportunity is listed under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 19.421, and the funding opportunity number is DOS NBO PDS FY23 005.Apply for DOS NBO PDS FY23 005
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Kenya in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2023 -2025 English Access Microscholarship Program (Access)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.421.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 22, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2023. (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 $175,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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