Service Learning, English Usage, Alumni Engagement, and Leadership (SEAL) program | PAS GUA FY23 03

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS GUA FY23 03

The Service Learning, English Usage, Alumni Engagement, and Leadership (SEAL) program is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity run through the Public Affairs Section (PAS) at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City. It is designed to partner with organizations that already implement the English Access Microscholarship Program (Access) and are considered implementing partners in good standing. The core purpose is to create, run, and evaluate a structured activity for Access alumni that brings together high-potential graduates, strengthens their connection to the Access community, and builds practical leadership and career-ready skills centered on English teaching.

SEAL Teaching specifically targets professional development that can translate into employment or income generation. The program emphasizes helping Access graduates build real teaching skills so they can pursue jobs in educational institutions or develop entrepreneurial paths such as launching small English academies or offering private tutoring services. In other words, the alumni activity is not just a one-time event; it is meant to be a skills-building pathway with clear, practical outcomes tied to employability, community impact, and sustained alumni engagement.

The opportunity outlines three main program components. First are Service-Learning Projects, where participants work as a class to identify and analyze real community problems and then design and carry out a response. This component follows a full project cycle that includes investigating community needs, planning and preparing an approach, taking action, reflecting on what worked and what did not, and presenting results. The intent is to connect classroom learning with meaningful community service, so alumni practice teamwork, problem-solving, civic responsibility, and communication while producing visible local benefits.

Second are Teaching Methodology Workshops focused on how to teach English as a second language. Alumni learn practical classroom skills such as lesson planning, choosing and adapting materials, and using different instructional strategies to teach grammar, writing, speaking, listening, and reading. This portion is aimed at turning strong English speakers into capable entry-level instructors who can confidently run classes, tutor individuals, and adjust to different learner needs and learning environments.

Third are Teaching Internships, in which participants complete a six-month internship teaching English in the BEAR program. BEAR is described as a six-month after-school program that provides an introductory English learning experience. It also acts as a pipeline into Access: after finishing BEAR, the most promising students may be recruited into the two-year Access program. By placing SEAL alumni as interns within BEAR, the model creates a practical teaching practicum for alumni while strengthening the feeder system that supports Access recruitment, success, and retention.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning the U.S. government typically expects active involvement or collaboration during implementation rather than a completely hands-off grant. The funding activity category is Education, and the listing references CFDA number 19.421. Eligible applicants are nonprofits that do not have IRS 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), which signals the program is open to certain non-U.S. nonprofit structures that can still meet U.S. government assistance requirements, a common feature in embassy-managed programming overseas. The opportunity (PAS GUA FY23 03) was created on April 21, 2023, with an original closing date of August 1, 2023. The award ceiling is $28,000, and the embassy anticipated making about 7 awards, suggesting multiple relatively small projects or cohorts could be funded to reach alumni in different locations or through different implementing partners.

Overall, SEAL is best understood as an alumni-focused extension of Access that blends community-based service learning with structured teacher training and a supervised internship. Its expected results include stronger alumni networks, improved teaching competence among Access graduates, expanded local English-learning opportunities through BEAR and related activities, and clearer pathways for alumni into education jobs or small-scale teaching entrepreneurship.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Guatemala in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Service Learning, English Usage, Alumni Engagement, and Leadership (SEAL) program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.421.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 21, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 01, 2023. (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 $28,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for PAS GUA FY23 03

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