Small grants for book club projects | PDS ASHGABAT AW FY24 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS ASHGABAT AW FY24 002

The U.S. Mission to Turkmenistan (U.S. Embassy Ashgabat) is offering small grants to support year-long book club projects that use a set of American literary works that the Embassy has already translated into Turkmen and published in bilingual (English-Turkmen) editions. The main purpose is to strengthen reading culture and build critical thinking skills through structured reading and discussion, while also increasing interest in English and improving familiarity with U.S. culture, values, and historical context. The Embassy notes that these translated books have previously been distributed broadly at events, but this pilot program is meant to make the effort more focused and sustainable by funding organizations to design and run ongoing book clubs with clear audiences, methods, and measurable outcomes.

Funded projects are expected to run for roughly 12 to 14 months and center on regular meetings where participants read, analyze, and discuss selected titles from the Embassy-provided list. Applicants must propose a complete program design: who the club will serve, why that audience needs the program, what books will be used, how sessions will be facilitated, where activities will take place, and how many people will participate. The program can be delivered in English or in Turkmen depending on participant needs, and activities do not have to be limited to a classroom setting; the Embassy specifically welcomes creative formats that still stay focused on reading-based discussion and critical thinking development.

The opportunity prioritizes youth and families across all regions of Turkmenistan (including Ashgabat), with an emphasis on regional partners. The key target groups include younger children ages 5 to 9 who are studying English at entry or beginner levels (often through private language courses), teenagers ages 10 to 15 who also study English and want extracurricular practice opportunities, and adults such as parents and young professionals who want a structured way to explore American literature and strengthen problem-solving and analytical thinking through discussion. While proposals can address multiple audiences, applicants are expected to clearly define the primary audience(s) and tailor the club structure, language of instruction, and facilitation approach to that group.

The Embassy provides a list of 19 translated American literature titles that must be incorporated into project plans, and the books themselves will be provided through U.S. Embassy resources in Turkmenistan. The list spans well-known children’s books, young adult literature, and adult classics, including titles such as Charlotte’s Web, A Wrinkle in Time, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mockingbird, Hidden Figures, The Story of Helen Keller, The Giving Tree, and a collection of Native American Folk Tales, among others. Applicants choose which of these titles to use, but the proposal should specify the selected books and explain how they support the project’s learning goals and discussion themes.

A central requirement is a Monitoring and Evaluation (M and E) plan that explains how the project will track progress and measure change in participants over time. The grant announcement gives example objectives that applicants may adopt or adapt, such as: helping at least 20 younger children develop habits of reading and basic analysis; improving English comprehension for at least 20 teenagers through reading; strengthening active, reflective, and analytic reading skills for at least 20 adults via regular meetings; and increasing understanding of American culture and historical context for teenagers and adults. Applicants can propose their own objectives as long as they align with the overall goal of promoting critical thinking and reading, and they must define indicators that show whether the project is working.

Eligibility is broad and includes not-for-profit and for-profit organizations, civil society and non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and public or private educational institutions. The funding opportunity is listed as discretionary, with an “Other” instrument type and activity category under CFDA 19.900. The opportunity number is PDS ASHGABAT AW FY24 002, with an original closing date of April 30, 2024. The award ceiling is $40,000, and the Embassy anticipates making about five awards. Overall, the Embassy is looking for partners that can run well-organized, year-long book clubs that move beyond one-time distribution of books and instead create consistent reading communities that build language skills, cultural understanding, and critical thinking in measurable ways.

• The U.S. Mission to Turkmenistan in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Small grants for book club projects" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.900.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-03-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-30. (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 $40,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for PDS ASHGABAT AW FY24 002

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