Blended Career Development for Madrassa Teacher-Training Program Alumni | ND NOFO 16 100

Opportunity Information: Apply for ND NOFO 16 100

The Blended Career Development for Madrassa Teacher-Training Program Alumni opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: ND NOFO 16 100) is a U.S. Mission to India education-focused grant designed to strengthen English language teaching capacity within madrassas by building on earlier teacher-training investments. Structured as a cooperative agreement, it supports a blended professional development model that combines an in-person training-of-trainers component with a substantial online credentialing course, then ends with a capstone workshop focused on reflection and forward planning. The program is built around a multiplier approach: training a smaller group of alumni to become facilitators and mentors who then guide additional teachers through a standardized online course, expanding impact beyond the initial cohort.

The project begins by recruiting and selecting 30 alumni from previous madrassa English teacher training programs. The implementing partner is expected to work closely with the Regional English Language Office (RELO) to design clear selection criteria, conduct and schedule interviews, and finalize the cohort only after confirmation by the Grants Officer Representative (GOR). This first stage is essentially about identifying the right participants, ensuring they are positioned to serve as effective peer facilitators, and handling the practical elements tied to bringing them into the program.

Next, the implementing partner must deliver a one-week, face-to-face training-of-trainers (ToT) for the 30 selected alumni. This in-person phase is meant to prepare participants not only to improve their own instructional skills, but also to take on a leadership role in supporting colleagues. While the notice does not spell out the exact ToT curriculum in the excerpt provided, the intent is clear: participants should leave equipped to facilitate and monitor other teachers through the next phase of online professional development.

The core blended-learning component involves purchasing 240 seats in National Geographic Learning's ELTeach online course, which is jointly developed with Educational Testing Service (ETS). ELTeach includes two required strands that all participants must complete: English-for-Teaching and Professional Knowledge for English Language Teaching. Each alumnus or alumna receives four seats per strand: one for themselves and three for peer English teachers. In practice, this means the project directly serves the 30 alumni plus 90 additional teachers (three per alumnus), while also covering both strands for each person through the allotted licenses. During this phase, the alumni act as facilitators responsible for guiding their peers through the online course, supporting their learning, and helping drive completion and performance. The implementing partner is expected to backstop these facilitated cohorts by providing ongoing support and by tracking participant progress and outcomes across both strands.

The final phase is a two-day culminating workshop that brings together the original 30 alumni and their 90 peer teachers. This capstone is designed to consolidate learning and capture feedback from the online experience, while also shifting attention toward sustainability by having participants develop individualized professional development plans. The workshop functions as both an evaluation and a forward-looking planning event, reinforcing continued growth after the grant-supported activities conclude.

Operationally, the implementing partner carries responsibility for end-to-end coordination across all phases. That includes recruiting and selecting participants; managing travel and lodging; securing training venues; maintaining correspondence with participants and key stakeholders such as madrassa directors and local educational authorities; procuring ELTeach licenses directly from National Geographic Learning; purchasing any needed training materials and supplies; and handling general logistics required to deliver the program successfully.

Administratively, the opportunity was offered as a discretionary award under CFDA 19.040, with an award ceiling of $115,000 and an expectation of a single award. Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions). The original closing date listed was July 4, 2016, and the opportunity was created on April 20, 2016.

• The U.S. Mission to India in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Blended Career Development for Madrassa Teacher-Training Program Alumni" 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 2016-04-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-07-04. (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 $115,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

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