E Pluribus Unum – The U.S. Experience | DOS LONDON PD 2019 CA 029

Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS LONDON PD 2019 CA 029

E Pluribus Unum - The U.S. Experience is a U.S. Embassy London grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: DOS LONDON PD 2019 CA 029) that funds one organization to design and run a 10-day exchange visit to the United States centered on the idea of "e pluribus unum" ("out of many, one"). The exchange is meant to use U.S. examples to help United Kingdom stakeholders think through a core challenge: how a country can stay unified while still respecting and sustaining distinct national and regional identities. The program is explicitly focused on Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and it emphasizes the historical forces that shape identity, including symbolism, language, ethnicity, and the practical need to build trust and understanding across communities. The exchange is framed around lessons from the U.S. tradition of federalism and the common American reality of dual identity (for example, being both strongly Texan and broadly American).

The Embassy anticipates making a single award, up to USD 100,000, and notes that funding is subject to availability. The award instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically implies closer coordination with the U.S. government during implementation than a standard grant. Applicants are asked to propose a full implementation plan showing how they will manage the exchange from end to end, including administration, logistics, and a credible approach to monitoring and evaluation. The proposal is expected to demonstrate that the implementer can translate big themes about identity and cohesion into a practical, well-organized U.S. program with site visits, meetings, and structured discussions that create real learning and dialogue for participants.

The program objectives are both educational and relationship-building. It aims to deepen participants' understanding of how identity, culture, and heritage are experienced among minority identity groups in the United States, and how community, state, and national identities interact. It also seeks to spark constructive, respectful discourse and self-reflection among Irish, Scottish, and Welsh participants who may hold opposing political, ideological, or religious perspectives. Beyond conversation, the exchange is meant to examine concrete U.S. educational initiatives and societal measures that support pluralism and appreciation for cultural, religious, and ethnolinguistic diversity. Another stated goal is to highlight initiatives that strengthen resilience, reduce sectarian tension, and help communities where the risk of extremism is higher. Woven through all of this is a public diplomacy aim: to communicate core U.S. values such as citizenship, civil rights, and multicultural diversity.

The thematic content is intentionally broad but grounded in specific comparative examples. The solicitation encourages programs that explore historical and contemporary forces shaping American society, especially the way many groups have assimilated while still maintaining distinct linguistic, cultural, and ethnic identities. Illustrative examples include the Navajo Nation in the Southwest, Cajun communities in Louisiana, and Cuban-American communities in Miami. It also calls for a strong overview of U.S. diversity and basic American history to give participants context for why "e pluribus unum" is a longstanding national idea. A key emphasis is the balance between national identity and local identity, including how people can feel deeply rooted in a state or region while still identifying strongly with the nation as a whole. The program also invites attention to diaspora stories connected to the British and Irish context, such as Scots-Irish and Irish-American influence in the United States and specific heritage communities (examples given include Irish communities in Butte, Montana and Welsh communities in Alabama).

A third theme looks at how culture, language, and identity are expressed and celebrated in the United States, and how cultural expression can communicate multiple identities while encouraging tolerance and creativity. The solicitation explicitly allows for difficult topics as part of that exploration, including a layered look at Southern heritage and identity, the legacy of the Confederacy, the role of symbols and monuments, and how white nationalism and violent extremism have manifested historically and in modern times. An example cited is the 2015 shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, and the program notes the symbolic and contested role of Civil War monuments as one way communities debate memory, identity, and belonging.

The participant group is small and intentionally targeted: 10 stakeholders drawn from across the political and cultural spectrum in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The solicitation indicates that participants may include representatives from community groups, government, NGOs, and law enforcement, among others. The design choice of a small cohort suggests the Embassy is looking for depth of engagement, candid discussion among people who may disagree, and a stronger chance that participants will apply lessons back home through their professional networks.

On logistics and compliance, proposals are expected to plan for practical needs that often determine whether an exchange succeeds. This includes being prepared to accommodate dietary requirements (with examples such as halal or vegetarian needs) and providing reasonable accommodations for participants with disabilities. Because participants may require U.S. visas, the budget should include mandatory visa application fees as set by the U.S. Department of State, and also the SEVIS fee if it applies. The opportunity also signals that implementers should consult with the Department of State bureaus responsible for educational/cultural affairs and consular affairs when questions arise. In addition, applicants should already be registered as, or be willing and able to register as, a Designated Sponsor Organization to facilitate a U.S. government-funded exchange (commonly connected to J-1 exchange visitor processes), if that requirement applies to the program design.

The timeline given in the announcement is structured around an award in September 2019, followed by coordination with the selected implementer in October 2019. Participant selection is planned for November to December 2019, with a draft itinerary expected by February (the solicitation text contains a date inconsistency, but the intent is that the itinerary is finalized before travel). The exchange itself is planned for March 2020, followed by debriefing in April to May 2020, and final project completion with financial and program reporting due in June 2020.

Eligibility is broad and includes not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society/NGOs), public and private educational institutions, individuals, public international organizations, and governmental institutions. The activity category is Education, the CFDA number is 19.451, and the administering agency is the U.S. Mission to the United Kingdom. The central deliverable is a well-run, well-evaluated 10-day U.S. exchange that uses American case studies and institutions to help UK participants think more clearly about unity, pluralism, identity, and social cohesion across Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

• The U.S. Mission to the United Kingdom in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "E Pluribus Unum – The U.S. Experience" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.451.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-08-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-09-08. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for DOS LONDON PD 2019 CA 029

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