The U.S. Embassy in Bishkek, under the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Department of State, has opened a competition aimed at fostering commercial relations between the United States and the Kyrgyz Republic. This initiative seeks to promote economic growth and employment by creating market opportunities for U.S. businesses, enhancing connections with Kyrgyz enterprises, and cultivating entrepreneurship skills within local communities.
The program is designed to bolster a collaborative atmosphere between the U.S. and Kyrgyz markets by building a more capable workforce and business ecosystem proficient in partnerships with American entities. It emphasizes support for entrepreneurs, especially women and youth, by expanding their knowledge of American business practices, covering areas such as e-commerce, intellectual property protection, and attracting venture capital.
Funding for this program will be provided through grants or cooperative agreements, with project proposals expected to be completed in 12 months or less. The U.S. Department of State will assess applications for further funding beyond the initial budget period based on the program's progress and the availability of funds.
Eligible applicants for this initiative include non-profit organizations registered in the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as U.S. non-governmental organizations partnering with local entities. For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply, even if they align with listed categories. Cost sharing is not mandatory for this opportunity, but organizations must ensure they have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov.
Applicants are restricted to one proposal per organization, with extra consideration granted to programs leveraging American Spaces resources, U.S. government alumni, or existing U.S. government programming in the region. Proposals relating to political activities, construction projects, commercial endeavors, or any projects aimed primarily at organizational growth will not be supported.
The economic landscape of the Kyrgyz Republic continues to experience challenges, including insufficient job growth and obstacle-ridden entry into global markets, which the Embassy’s initiative aims to address. Previous embassy-funded projects have empowered entrepreneurs through social entrepreneurship, reinforced the tourism sector, and developed rural entrepreneurship to stimulate economic advancement and curtail outmigration.
Proposals should align with the stated objectives, and all documents must be in English and formatted according to guidelines. Failing to meet these criteria will render applications ineligible.