INDO-PACIFIC SCHOLAR CONNECT | C NOFO 21 101

Indo-Pacific Scholar Connect Grant - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Indo-Pacific Scholar Connect grant?

The Indo-Pacific Scholar Connect grant is a U.S. Department of State (U.S. Mission to India) discretionary funding opportunity designed to create and sustain a network of scholars focused on the Indo-Pacific region, and to turn that network into an ongoing pipeline for collaboration, mentoring, and policy-relevant research.

What is the main purpose of this program?

The program aims to connect scholars across India and the broader Indo-Pacific region, provide structured opportunities to share research and expertise, and produce documented, concrete collaboration outcomes that continue beyond the grant period.

How long is the project period?

The project is structured as a one-year (12-month) program with defined milestones across the year.

How many scholars are expected to participate?

The initiative is designed to connect 60 scholars total: 40 from India and 20 from the broader Indo-Pacific region.

What are the core activities supported by the program?

The program blends three main activity types: (1) virtual convenings and small-group meetings, (2) a five-day in-person residency, and (3) a U.S.-focused exchange component for a smaller subgroup of participants.

What happens in the first phase of the program?

In the first phase, the awardee is expected to convene the 60 scholars within five months of the project start date through a series of virtual speaker events and focused small-group meetings spread across a five-month window. These sessions are intended to support peer-to-peer learning, discussion of ongoing research, and cross-border understanding of Indo-Pacific issues.

Are the virtual sessions intended to be one-time webinars?

No. The opportunity describes virtual engagement as more than one-off webinars. The sessions are designed to be repeated and organized, supporting ongoing discussion, knowledge sharing, and network-building.

How is progress measured during the virtual convening phase?

Progress is not measured only by attendance. The program requires tangible knowledge-sharing outputs, specifically materials and content that participants post or share on a dedicated digital platform created for the program.

What is the digital platform, and what is it expected to do?

The program requires a dedicated digital networking platform for participants to share materials and content. By month 12, the platform is expected to mature into a lasting knowledge repository for Indo-Pacific scholarship and a gateway for expanding the network beyond the original cohort.

What kinds of content are expected to be posted or shared on the platform?

Based on the opportunity description, the platform is expected to host knowledge-sharing materials and curated Indo-Pacific-focused scholarship content contributed by participants, demonstrating that the platform functions as an active hub rather than a static webpage.

What happens in the second phase of the program?

The second phase focuses on moving from discussion to collaboration. Within six months of the start date, the project must produce at least 15 concrete ideas for collaborative research, mentoring arrangements, or partnership opportunities.

What is the in-person residency requirement?

The opportunity includes a five-day, in-person residency that brings the 60 scholars together with U.S. and Indian experts. The residency is described as both a professional accelerator (supporting joint project and mentorship development) and a relationship-building experience.

What evidence is required to show the residency was successful?

The opportunity calls for post-event reporting and customized participant surveys administered before and after the residency to document changes in knowledge, attitudes, networks, and collaboration intentions.

How many collaboration outcomes are required, and by when?

At least 15 concrete ideas for collaborative research, mentoring, or partnership opportunities must be produced within six months of the project start date.

What is the U.S.-focused exchange component?

The program includes a targeted exchange opportunity focused on U.S. foreign policy making. Within 11 months of the project start date, a selected subgroup of 10 participants should gain deeper understanding of U.S. foreign policy objectives and strategies in the Indo-Pacific and how U.S. policy decision-making works in practice.

How many participants take part in the exchange component, and how are they distributed?

The exchange subgroup consists of 10 participants total: five from India and five from the broader region.

What is the exchange component intended to teach participants?

The exchange is intended to expose participants to the realities of U.S. policy decision-making, including how institutions interact and how public and private actors contribute to foreign policy development related to the Indo-Pacific.

What documentation is required for the exchange component?

The exchange component must be documented through post-program reports and customized pre- and post-exchange surveys that capture learning gains and the practical value of engagement with key U.S. institutions and agencies.

What does the grant require after the residency and exchange are completed?

By the end of the 12-month period, the grantee must show the program continues beyond the residency and exchange by monitoring and reporting on the joint research, mentoring, and partnership plans that emerged. The opportunity describes ongoing support through direct messaging, follow-on focused group meetings, and structured check-ins before and after key program moments.

What does "sustained network" mean in the context of this opportunity?

Based on the description, a sustained network is one that remains active beyond the formal events and includes continued engagement, follow-on collaboration, and a functioning digital platform that supports ongoing knowledge sharing and network expansion.

What are the key performance targets and outcomes in this grant?

The opportunity emphasizes measurable outputs and evidence of outcomes, including: (1) platform content and materials shared by participants, (2) at least 15 documented collaboration/mentoring/partnership ideas by month 6, (3) pre- and post-event surveys for the residency and exchange, (4) post-event and post-program reports, (5) continued tracking of collaboration plans through month 12, and (6) growth in platform membership and curated content by month 12.

How is success measured for the digital platform by the end of the project?

Success is measured in practical terms: growth in membership and the volume of curated content on the platform, indicating the site is an active hub and knowledge repository rather than a static webpage.

What is the award type and maximum funding amount?

The opportunity is offered as a grant with an award ceiling of $150,000.

How many awards are expected to be made?

The expected number of awards is one, meaning the project is intended to have a single implementer responsible for the full scope and deliverables.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and U.S. nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).

Which federal assistance listing (CFDA) is associated with this opportunity?

The funding opportunity is listed under Assistance Listing/CFDA 19.040.

When was the opportunity originally posted and what was the original closing date?

The opportunity was originally posted on March 19, 2021, with an original closing date of May 18, 2021.

What is the required timeline for major milestones?

The described timeline includes: convening scholars through virtual programming within the first five months; producing at least 15 collaboration/mentoring/partnership ideas within six months; conducting a U.S.-focused exchange for 10 participants within 11 months; and demonstrating sustained engagement plus a mature, growing digital repository by month 12.

What kind of reporting and evaluation does the grant emphasize?

The opportunity places strong emphasis on evidence-based reporting, including customized pre- and post-surveys (for the residency and exchange), post-event and post-program reporting, and monitoring updates on how collaboration plans progressed, what barriers emerged, and what support participants needed.

What makes this opportunity "outcomes-driven"?

Rather than focusing only on convening events, the program requires documented outputs (platform content and collaboration ideas) and documented learning and network changes (through customized pre/post surveys and reporting), as well as end-of-project evidence that partnerships and knowledge sharing continue.

What is meant by "policy-relevant research" in this opportunity?

The opportunity frames research as policy-relevant by linking the scholar network to Indo-Pacific issues and including a U.S.-foreign-policy-focused exchange meant to deepen participants understanding of policy objectives, strategies, and decision-making processes.

Does the program require engagement with U.S. and Indian experts?

Yes. The in-person residency is described as bringing the 60 scholars together with U.S. and Indian experts.

Does the opportunity require the network to expand beyond the initial 60 scholars?

By month 12, the digital platform is expected to function as a gateway for expanding the network and attracting additional scholars beyond the original cohort, with success reflected in membership growth.

What ongoing support mechanisms are mentioned for keeping scholars engaged?

The opportunity mentions direct messaging, follow-on focused group meetings, and structured check-ins before and after key program moments, along with reporting on progress and obstacles affecting collaboration plans.