Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS PAN FY20 05
The Online Course for Watchdogs grant opportunity is a U.S. Department of State (U.S. Mission to Panama, Public Affairs Section) funding competition to support the creation of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) aimed at strengthening public oversight of infrastructure projects in Panama. The central idea is to equip civil society leaders, investigative journalists, and educators with practical skills to monitor, analyze, and report on how major public works are planned, financed, built, and evaluated. By improving the public's ability to scrutinize these projects, the program is designed to reinforce transparency, democratic governance, and institutional resilience in Panama, while also encouraging better stewardship of financial and natural resources that affects economic development, environmental sustainability, and regional stability.
The funded project is expected to design, develop, and distribute an online course that focuses on concrete methods, tools, and resources for watchdog work related to public infrastructure. The course content should help participants understand and assess a project's structure, financing, scope, and real-world impacts, with particular attention to links between infrastructure decisions and environmental sustainability, labor market effects, and the health of democratic institutions. Applicants are encouraged to draw on existing U.S.-based materials where useful, but the expectation is that the content will be adapted so it is relevant and understandable in the Panamanian context. The MOOC must be freely accessible online, either through a public platform or a portal managed by the implementing organization in coordination with the U.S. Embassy. The design can emphasize flexible, self-paced learning; it does not have to include live instruction, scheduled sessions, or graded interactive elements. While the course may assume learners have basic familiarity with the topic, it should still be approachable for non-specialists and simultaneously provide resources valuable to more experienced participants.
Funding can be used broadly to cover the costs needed to produce and deliver the course. Allowable expenses explicitly include course materials, instructional and technical design, web hosting, content licensing, translation, and consultant fees, among other direct program costs tied to creating and distributing the MOOC. The opportunity anticipates a single award, with an award ceiling of $60,000, and the funding instrument may be a grant or a cooperative agreement. The activity areas connected to the opportunity span education and training, consumer protection and accountability-related themes, information and statistics, and relevant science and technology or research and development elements where applicable to infrastructure monitoring.
The ideal applicant is an organization (or an individual applicant) that can demonstrate strong capability in curriculum design and online course development, along with subject-matter expertise in infrastructure oversight, investigative methods, public finance, governance, environmental impacts, or related fields. If the applicant does not have all the needed expertise in-house, the notice makes clear that partnering, collaborating, or contracting with qualified third parties is acceptable to fill gaps. Familiarity with Panama's institutions, people, and current issues is described as an advantage, since the course is intended to be directly useful in the Panamanian environment.
Eligibility is limited to non-commercial applicants. Eligible applicants include registered not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs), universities and educational institutions, governmental institutions, and individuals. For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible. Organizational applicants must have a DUNS number, an NCAGE/CAGE code, and an active registration in SAM.gov to apply; individuals are exempt from those registration requirements. Application materials must be submitted by email to PanCultural@state.gov, and the required package includes a proposal with a budget narrative, a budget worksheet, and federal forms SF-424 and SF-424A. Applications were accepted up to the closing date of January 31, 2020, and applicants were advised not to schedule project activities before April 1, 2020 to allow time for grant processing. Additional forms, templates, and instructions were provided through the U.S. Embassy Panama grants webpages, and the opportunity is identified as NOFO PAS-PAN-FY20-05, CFDA 19.040.Apply for PAS PAN FY20 05
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Panama in the consumer protection, education, information and statistics, other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification), science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Online Course for Watchdogs" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 10, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 31, 2020. (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 $60,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Online Course for Watchdogs (NOFO PAS-PAN-FY20-05)
1) What is the Online Course for Watchdogs grant opportunity?
It is a U.S. Department of State funding competition run by the U.S. Mission to Panama (Public Affairs Section) to support the creation of a free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). The course is intended to strengthen public oversight of infrastructure projects in Panama.
2) What is the main goal of the project being funded?
The central goal is to equip civil society leaders, investigative journalists, and educators with practical skills to monitor, analyze, and report on how major public works are planned, financed, built, and evaluated. The broader intent is to reinforce transparency, democratic governance, and institutional resilience in Panama.
3) What type of activity is expected from the awardee?
The funded project is expected to design, develop, and distribute an online course (a MOOC) focused on concrete methods, tools, and resources for watchdog work related to public infrastructure.
4) Who is the intended audience for the MOOC?
The opportunity highlights civil society leaders, investigative journalists, and educators as key audiences, with an overall aim of improving the public's ability to scrutinize major public works in Panama.
5) What subject areas should the course cover?
The course should help learners understand and assess an infrastructure project's structure, financing, scope, and real-world impacts. It should also address links between infrastructure decisions and environmental sustainability, labor market effects, and the health of democratic institutions.
6) Does the MOOC need to be tailored to Panama?
Yes. Applicants may draw on existing U.S.-based materials where helpful, but the content is expected to be adapted so it is relevant and understandable in the Panamanian context.
7) Does the course have to be free to access?
Yes. The MOOC must be freely accessible online, either through a public platform or through a portal managed by the implementing organization in coordination with the U.S. Embassy.
8) Does the course need live classes, scheduled sessions, or graded assignments?
No. The design can emphasize flexible, self-paced learning, and it does not have to include live instruction, scheduled sessions, or graded interactive elements.
9) How advanced should the course be?
The course may assume learners have basic familiarity with the topic, but it should remain approachable for non-specialists and also provide resources that are valuable to more experienced participants.
10) What types of costs can the grant funds be used for?
Funding can be used broadly for costs needed to produce and deliver the course. Allowable expenses explicitly include course materials, instructional and technical design, web hosting, content licensing, translation, and consultant fees, along with other direct program costs tied to creating and distributing the MOOC.
11) How many awards are expected, and what is the maximum award amount?
The opportunity anticipates a single award. The award ceiling is $60,000.
12) What type of funding instrument will be used?
The funding instrument may be a grant or a cooperative agreement.
13) What activity areas does this opportunity relate to?
The activity areas connected to the opportunity span education and training, consumer protection and accountability-related themes, information and statistics, and relevant science and technology or research and development elements where applicable to infrastructure monitoring.
14) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to non-commercial applicants. Eligible applicants include registered not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs), universities and educational institutions, governmental institutions, and individuals.
15) Are for-profit or commercial entities eligible?
No. For-profit or commercial entities are not eligible for this opportunity.
16) What qualifications or capabilities are expected of an ideal applicant?
The ideal applicant (organization or individual) can demonstrate strong capability in curriculum design and online course development, along with subject-matter expertise in areas such as infrastructure oversight, investigative methods, public finance, governance, environmental impacts, or related fields.
17) Can applicants partner with other organizations or hire consultants?
Yes. If the applicant does not have all needed expertise in-house, partnering, collaborating, or contracting with qualified third parties is acceptable to fill gaps.
18) Is familiarity with Panama considered important?
Yes. Familiarity with Panama's institutions, people, and current issues is described as an advantage, since the course is intended to be directly useful in the Panamanian environment.
19) What registrations are required for organizational applicants?
Organizational applicants must have a DUNS number, an NCAGE/CAGE code, and an active registration in SAM.gov to apply.
20) Do individual applicants need a DUNS number, NCAGE/CAGE code, and SAM.gov registration?
No. Individuals are exempt from those registration requirements.
21) How do applicants submit an application?
Application materials must be submitted by email to PanCultural@state.gov.
22) What documents are required in the application package?
The required package includes a proposal with a budget narrative, a budget worksheet, and federal forms SF-424 and SF-424A.
23) What was the application deadline listed in the notice?
Applications were accepted up to the closing date of January 31, 2020.
24) When were applicants advised to begin project activities?
Applicants were advised not to schedule project activities before April 1, 2020 to allow time for grant processing.
25) Where could applicants find additional forms, templates, and instructions?
Additional forms, templates, and instructions were provided through the U.S. Embassy Panama grants webpages.
26) What are the official identifiers for this opportunity?
The opportunity is identified as NOFO PAS-PAN-FY20-05 and CFDA 19.040.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Consumer Protection, Education, Information and Statistics, Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification), Science and Technology and other Resear
Next opportunity: Field Initiated Projects Program: Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) - Development
Previous opportunity: Determining Relative Abundance and Distribution of the Endangered Humpback Chub Downstream of Pearce Ferry Rapid; Lake Mead NRA
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for PAS PAN FY20 05
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "PAS PAN FY20 05", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.