American Instructors for English Lounge Series Program at the American Spaces Korea (seven American Spaces) | PD SEOUL FY21 03

Opportunity Information: Apply for PD SEOUL FY21 03

The American Instructors for English Lounge Series Program is a U.S. Department of State (U.S. Embassy Seoul) grant opportunity that funds individual instructors to design and deliver an ongoing English conversation and discussion series at one of seven American Spaces in South Korea. The program is part of the Embassy's core public diplomacy platform in Korea and is meant to create regular, meaningful engagement with Korean emerging voices both in Seoul and in other regions. Applicants compete to run the English Lounge at a specific site, and they must clearly label their application with the correct regional code for the location they are applying to: Seoul (American Center Korea, SeoulACK) or one of six American Corners in Busan (BusanAC), Daegu (DaeguAC), Gwangju (GwangjuAC), Pyeongtaek (PyeongtaekAC), Gangneung (GangneungAC), or Jeju (JejuAC).

At its core, the English Lounge Series is positioned as more than an English class. It is a structured, theme-based discussion program where participants practice conversational English while also learning about the United States in a practical, current, and policy-relevant way. Session topics are expected to align with Public Diplomacy (PD) priorities identified through the Embassy's strategic planning process, meaning instructors should be prepared to develop sessions that connect language practice with timely themes related to U.S. society, culture, history, and U.S. policy, including U.S.-ROK relations. The instructor is responsible for preparing thematic materials, guiding participants through interactive speaking activities, facilitating discussion of current issues, and helping participants explore American ideas and values through credible information sources.

The grant lays out clear performance targets that instructors are expected to build into their session design and measurement approach. The Embassy seeks a 30 percent increase in participants' understanding of topics related to U.S. society, culture, policy, and U.S.-ROK relations. For each session topic, participants should learn at least two reliable web-based resources from the U.S. Government or reputable U.S. organizations so they can continue finding accurate information independently. The program also emphasizes sustained engagement: at least 25 percent of participants should return after the first session as recurring attendees, and at least 20 percent of participants after the first session should come through friend referrals or word-of-mouth. Finally, the program aims for a 30 percent increase in English vocabulary related to key issues, measured through simple testing at the beginning and end of each session.

Program delivery runs for one year, from October 2021 through September 2022, with a regular cadence that depends on the site. The American Center Korea in Seoul is scheduled for monthly sessions (12 total across the year), while each of the six American Corners is scheduled for bi-weekly sessions (24 total across the year per site). The format is designed to be flexible and may shift between in-person and virtual programming depending on COVID-19 conditions in Korea, so instructors should be able to adapt lesson plans and discussion facilitation to either environment while maintaining interactive participation.

Funding is structured as an individual grant per site, with estimated budgets tied to the number of sessions and expected costs. For the American Center Korea (Seoul), the estimated total is $3,750, which includes a $250 honorarium per session (12 sessions, totaling $3,000), plus a materials allowance of $250 and a travel allowance of $500. For an American Corner (Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Pyeongtaek, Gangneung, or Jeju), the estimated total is $7,500, including a $250 honorarium per session (24 sessions, totaling $6,000), plus a materials allowance of $500 and a travel allowance of $1,000. Across the full opportunity, the expected number of awards is seven (one per American Space), with an overall award ceiling listed at $48,750.

The target audience is Korean youth and young professionals ages 18 to 35 who want to improve English and deepen their understanding of the United States and opportunities connected to the U.S. This includes, but is not limited to, undergraduate and graduate students, English debate club participants, English teachers, student journalists, civil society activists, entrepreneurs, and alumni of State Department exchange programs. In practice, that audience mix signals that sessions should be accessible yet substantive, encourage discussion across different backgrounds, and balance language-learning support with content that is accurate, nuanced, and relevant to participants who may be civically engaged or professionally oriented.

Administratively, the opportunity is a discretionary program funded by the U.S. Mission to South Korea under the Department of State, with funding instruments listed as Grant and Other. Eligibility is limited to individuals (not organizations), and the opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number PD SEOUL FY21 03 under CFDA 19.441. The posting was created July 9, 2021, with an original closing date of August 6, 2021.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to South Korea in the community development, education, regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "American Instructors for English Lounge Series Program at the American Spaces Korea (seven American Spaces)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.441.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 09, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 06, 2021. (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 $48,750.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Individuals.

Apply for PD SEOUL FY21 03

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