English Access Microscholarship Program: Student Scholarships | PAS GUA FY23 05

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS GUA FY23 05

The English Access Microscholarship Program: Student Scholarships (Funding Opportunity Number PAS GUA FY23 05) is a U.S. Department of State-funded education initiative administered in Guatemala through the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City, specifically the Public Affairs Section (PAS) and its Cultural Affairs Office (CAO). The program funds local implementing partners to deliver English-language scholarships to underserved Guatemalan youth, with the goal of expanding educational and professional opportunities while also strengthening mutual understanding through exposure to U.S. culture and democratic values. The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, meaning the Embassy expects to stay actively involved during implementation through guidance, coordination, and monitoring rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back.

At the program level, Access is designed as a learner-centered, extracurricular English program that must provide at least 580 instructional hours delivered over no more than two years. Students are primarily recruited from the basico and/or diversificado levels and are typically selected when they are 14 to 16 years old. Beyond classroom English, the model emphasizes enrichment through projects, activities, and immersion-style experiences, so participants build practical language ability alongside broader skills. The curriculum and program experience are intended to develop leadership, entrepreneurial and workplace readiness, civic engagement, environmental awareness, and cross-cultural competence, positioning students for improved academic and career pathways and, for some, eligibility and preparation for future exchanges or study opportunities in the United States.

PAS plays a central role in shaping and overseeing how partners run the program. According to the notice, PAS selects implementing partners, prepares them to administer Access in line with the official Access handbook and the funding opportunity criteria, and provides ongoing guidance throughout the two-year performance period. PAS also collaborates with partners on professional development opportunities for teachers and conducts site visits and monitoring to ensure program quality and compliance. Proposals are expected to reflect the requirements and standards outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity and the Access handbook, signaling that adherence to the established Access model is a core selection factor.

In terms of scale and track record, Access is a long-running global program that has awarded scholarships to more than 200,000 students in over 80 countries since it began in 2004. Guatemala has participated since 2010, and the notice reports that more than 4,000 Guatemalan students nationwide have benefited. The opportunity description also highlights qualitative findings that alumni continue contributing to their families, schools, workplaces, and communities through a range of informal and organized activities, reinforcing the program's emphasis on long-term community impact rather than short-term language instruction alone.

From a funding and eligibility standpoint, this is a discretionary opportunity under CFDA/Assistance Listing 19.421. The agency listed is the Department of State, U.S. Mission to Guatemala. The instrument type is a cooperative agreement, with an award ceiling of $48,000 and an anticipated total of 7 awards. Eligible applicants, as stated in the listing, include nonprofits that do not have 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education). The opportunity was created on April 21, 2023, and the original application closing date was August 1, 2023.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Guatemala in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "English Access Microscholarship Program: Student Scholarships" 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 Apr 21, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 01, 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 $48,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for PAS GUA FY23 05

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