Building English Teaching Capacity | S DR860 17 NOFO 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for S DR860 17 NOFO 002

Building English Teaching Capacity is a U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo grant competition aimed at improving the quality and reach of English language instruction in the Dominican Republic by investing in structured teacher training. The program focuses on building local capacity through practical, skills-based professional development for English educators and trainers, with an emphasis on modern classroom methods aligned to national reforms. Projects are expected to operate within the Dominican Republic, including the northern, eastern, southern, and/or capital regions, and should be designed and delivered by eligible organizations such as public or private institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities).

At the center of the opportunity are clear training and capacity targets. Applicants are expected to (1) license at least five teachers or teacher trainers as TESOL Trainers, creating a multiplier effect so future training can be sustained locally; (2) train at least 80 pre-service and/or in-service English teachers in the communicative approach, directly supporting the Ministry of Education's newer English curriculum; (3) train 40 teachers and/or supervisors drawn from the Ministry of Higher Education's English Immersion Program and the two binational centers (Instituto Cultural Dominico-Americano and Centro Cultural Dominico-Americano), with a focus on the communicative approach plus evaluation and assessment practices; and (4) raise the English proficiency of at least 30 in-service public sector teachers so they can deliver higher-quality instruction nationwide. In addition to delivering the training itself, proposals are expected to explain how participants will be interviewed and selected and how learning outcomes will be assessed, signaling that the Embassy is looking for programs with credible recruitment, screening, and measurement plans rather than one-off workshops.

The grant is designed to serve several educator groups and institutions that are important to the Dominican English education pipeline. The TESOL Trainer licensing component is geared toward teachers or supervisors/teacher trainers connected to the Instituto Cultural Dominico-Americano's teacher training center and/or English school. The larger pre-service and in-service training component targets future teachers enrolled at local universities such as UASD and ISFODOSU as well as current Ministry of Education teachers, reflecting an intent to strengthen both new entrants and the existing workforce. The assessment and communicative-methodology training is specifically tailored to teachers and supervisors from the Ministry of Higher Education's English Immersion Program and staff from both binational centers, while the English-proficiency improvement element prioritizes in-service public sector teachers who need language upskilling to teach more effectively.

A required feature of all proposals is meaningful U.S. content that advances the broader public diplomacy purpose of the grants program: improving relationships between Dominicans and U.S. organizations and people, and helping Dominican audiences better understand the United States, including its culture, society, government, language, and values. The solicitation gives examples of acceptable U.S. content, such as using U.S. training models or materials, incorporating U.S. citizen speakers, building exchanges with U.S. institutions, or including elements that promote U.S. culture and arts. In practice, that means applications should not treat U.S. content as an add-on, but as an integrated component that strengthens the training design and supports mutual understanding.

The types of activities the Embassy typically funds under this opportunity include academic and professional lectures, public seminars, professional development workshops and training for youth and teachers, cultural and academic exchanges, and artistic or cultural workshops and joint events. At the same time, the notice makes clear what is generally not supported: grants to individuals, scientific research, using funds to finish activities already started with other funding, political or partisan projects, and speakers who are not U.S. citizens (a restriction that matters for proposals relying on external presenters). Funding is provided by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to the Dominican Republic, under CFDA 19.040, with an award ceiling of $150,000 and an expectation of two awards under this announcement (originally posted July 13, 2017, with an original closing date of August 14, 2017).

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to the Dominican Republic in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Building English Teaching Capacity" 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 Jul 13, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 14, 2017. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than 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.

Apply for S DR860 17 NOFO 002

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