Indonesia Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Summit 2023 | PAS JAKARTA FY23 03

FAQs: Indonesia YSEALI Summit 2023 (U.S. Mission to Indonesia Cooperative Agreement)

1) What is this grant opportunity for?

This opportunity funds an organization to plan and deliver the Indonesia Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Summit 2023. The award supports end-to-end design and implementation of a four-day youth leadership summit in Indonesia, in close coordination with the U.S. Embassy Jakarta and the U.S. Department of State.

2) Who is offering the award?

The award is offered by the U.S. Mission to Indonesia (U.S. Embassy Jakarta) as a cooperative agreement under the U.S. Department of State.

3) What type of funding instrument is this?

It is a cooperative agreement, which means the U.S. government expects substantial involvement and coordination during implementation (not a hands-off grant).

4) What is the maximum funding amount?

The award ceiling is up to USD 700,000.

5) What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA listing provided?

The Funding Opportunity Number is PAS JAKARTA FY23 03. The CFDA listing provided is 19.040.

6) When was the application originally due?

The original closing date listed is April 15, 2023.

7) What is the expected timing and location of the Summit?

The Summit is intended to be held in person in December 2023, tentatively December 4 to 7, in Jakarta or Bali, provided health and travel conditions allow.

8) What happens if an in-person Summit cannot take place?

If health and travel conditions prevent a fully in-person gathering, the recipient must be ready to shift to a hybrid or fully virtual format while still meeting Summit goals and maintaining program quality.

9) How long is the Summit program expected to be?

The recipient is expected to deliver a four-day Summit.

10) Who are the intended participants?

The Summit is designed for around 150 YSEALI alumni, ages 18 to 35, from Indonesia, ASEAN member states, and Timor-Leste.

11) What are the main goals of the Summit?

The stated purpose is to strengthen regional networks among emerging leaders, reinforce ties with the United States, and translate YSEALI learning into practical leadership and collaboration.

12) What kinds of sessions and activities are expected in the agenda?

The solicitation expects a blend of high-level engagement and hands-on skill building. Examples include structured interaction with senior U.S. government officials; connections with U.S. business and civil society leaders; motivational talks with established and rising regional figures focused on youth leadership and sustainable economic futures; and opportunities for cross-border collaboration among participants.

13) What skill-building topics are specifically mentioned as examples?

Examples listed include public speaking, design thinking, data visualization, storytelling, and project market research.

14) Are workshops and small-group learning required?

Small-group workshops that build practical skills are listed as expected components of the Summit experience.

15) Are site visits included in the expected program design?

Yes. The opportunity describes site visits to relevant organizations (for example, innovative social enterprises, environmental groups, or human capital development initiatives) as an expected component.

16) How should YSEALI alumni and other U.S. government exchange alumni be involved?

A core expectation is that YSEALI alumni and alumni of other U.S. government exchange programs are meaningfully integrated as speakers, panelists, facilitators, and activity leads, rather than participating only as passive attendees.

17) What operational responsibilities does the award recipient have?

The recipient is expected to manage the full operational and programmatic workload, including designing application materials, creating outreach and recruitment strategies, running communications and social media plans, screening applications in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State, securing speakers and venues, and building the agenda in close coordination with the U.S. Embassy Jakarta.

18) Who handles participant travel, lodging, and meals?

The award recipient is responsible for managing all participant travel logistics, accommodations, and meals.

19) What about travel and logistics for speakers?

The recipient must handle logistics for non-U.S. government speakers. U.S. government employees cover their own travel, as noted in the opportunity.

20) What communications and media deliverables are expected?

Communications deliverables are a major part of the scope. The recipient is expected to produce content suitable for traditional media and social media and to develop a strategic communications plan covering pre-Summit promotion (including the call for applications), active coverage during the Summit (including encouraging user-generated content), and post-Summit amplification through highlights and recap materials.

21) What specific communications outputs are mentioned?

Examples include social media toolkits, graphics, short promotional blurbs, video content, and highlight reels, coordinated with the State Department to maximize reach and impact.

22) What are the branding and attribution requirements?

All publications, program materials, and online content must clearly explain YSEALI's mission and identify the U.S. Department of State as the sponsor, using required attribution language stating that YSEALI is a program of the U.S. Department of State and that the 2023 Summit is implemented by the award recipient.

23) What logos and branding elements are required?

Branding must be approved by the State Department and should include the American flag, the YSEALI logo, and the U.S. Embassy Jakarta logo. The implementer may include its own logo, but it must be presented as "implemented by."

24) Can the recipient build a new event website for the Summit?

No. The opportunity states the recipient should not create or launch a new event-specific website, and domain hosting and site build costs will not be supported.

25) Are promotional items allowed as part of the budget?

Yes, limited promotional items (such as T-shirts, bags, notepads, and pens) may be included, but they are described as modest, supporting costs rather than the focus of the program.

26) What follow-on responsibilities are required after the Summit?

After the Summit, the recipient is responsible for follow-on activities such as reporting and program evaluation, including measuring and documenting results.

27) What values and participant experience considerations are highlighted?

The Summit must reflect cultural exchange values and demonstrate diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility in speaker selection, venue choices, and partnerships.

28) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include U.S.-based, Indonesia-based, and foreign nonprofit organizations and NGOs, as well as U.S., Indonesian, or foreign private or public institutions of higher education.

29) Who is not eligible to apply?

For-profit organizations are not eligible. Federally funded research and development centers are also excluded.

30) Is an Indonesia-based partner expected?

Competitive applicants are expected to demonstrate strong linkages with an Indonesia-based partner organization, indicating the importance of local collaboration and on-the-ground capacity.

31) What does the government say it will look for during proposal review?

Proposals are evaluated for creativity and innovation, connectivity and networking value, originality, inclusivity, and the logical coherence of the agenda and activities. Reviewers also look for alignment between proposed sessions and YSEALI's theme and pillars, and they place special weight on meaningful involvement of YSEALI members and alumni as program leaders.

32) How closely does the recipient coordinate with the U.S. government during implementation?

The recipient is expected to build the agenda in close coordination with the U.S. Embassy Jakarta and to screen applications in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State, reflecting the cooperative agreement structure and substantial U.S. government involvement.

33) Does the opportunity specify the desired event format and quality expectations?

Yes. It anticipates an in-person Summit if conditions allow, but requires readiness to pivot to hybrid or virtual while still achieving Summit goals and maintaining program quality.

34) What is the expected scale of the Summit?

The Summit is described as a major youth leadership summit convening around 150 participants over four days, with high-level engagement, workshops, experiential learning, and site visits.

35) What role does social media play in the project scope?

Social media is central to outreach, recruitment, and audience engagement. The recipient is expected to run a communications and social media plan, promote the call for applications, support active Summit coverage (including user-generated content), and publish post-Summit recap and highlights.