Africa Regional Services Paris Annual Program Statement: ARS Speaker Program

About this funding opportunity

Priority Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Africa Regional Services (ARS) Paris, part of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs, invites U.S. citizen speakers, artists, and athletes/coaches to submit Statements of Interest (SOIs) for inclusion on the ARS U.S. Speaker Program roster. Roster members may be selected for small program specific grants to conduct in-person and virtual outreach across sub-Saharan Africa.

The ARS Speaker Program supports U.S. foreign policy goals in Africa by strengthening security, supporting shared prosperity, and promoting American excellence. In line with the Department’s Freedom 250 initiative marking the 250th anniversary of the United States and the Decade of Sport in America programs are encouraged to:

Share the American story and 250 years of American excellence in innovation, technology, and culture; and celebrate American achievement in sports.

Lead the next era of results driven U.S.-Africa partnership.

This Annual Program Statement seeks U.S. citizen individuals with demonstrated expertise who can deliver programs in English and either French or Portuguese.

Priority Program Areas include security; economic prosperity, innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship; energy security, and critical minerals; and American arts, sports, and creative industries as engines of economic opportunity.

Selected individuals will be added to the ARS roster following review and interview. Being on the roster does not guarantee funding; individual grants will be made only when a specific U.S. embassy or consulate request matches a roster member’s expertise and availability.

SOIs must be submitted using the dedicated form available at https://forms.office.com/g/NyK95VxSH9. All supporting documents (credentials/testimonials/endorsements, U.S. passport and a CV or résumé) must be emailed to arsspeaker@state.gov. Make sure the email subject line says “SOI” with your full name. Incomplete Statements of Interest will be rejected.

Topic areas: Public Policy and Governance, Security and Defense, Social Innovation and Community Development, Arts and Culture.

Funding amount

This grant provides $500-$12K in funding, up to $12K per award.

Deadline

Applications are due Aug 31, 2026. Confirm the exact closing time on the official program page before applying.

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to the following applicant types:

• Individuals

Eligibility

Green-card holders and non-American citizens are not eligible applicants. For profit or commercial entities are not eligible to apply. Organizations are not eligible under this APS.

Agency

Africa Regional Services Paris Annual Program Statement: ARS Speaker Program is administered by Africa Regional Services (ARS), listed via Grants.gov.