Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS UKRAINE 2021 003
The U.S. Department of State, through the U.S. Mission to Ukraine (U.S. Embassy Kyiv), is offering a discretionary cooperative agreement to support a European Regional Space Hackathon designed to strengthen U.S.-Europe cooperation in space and to cultivate the next generation of space and technology professionals. The core of the project is a space-themed program that combines a two-day preparatory workshop with a two-to-three-day hackathon, aimed at crowdsourcing practical, innovative solutions to challenges tied to space exploration and space security. The program is meant to be multinational by design, with participation from the United States, Ukraine, and at least ten additional European countries, and it emphasizes collaboration across borders by forming inter-country teams that work together throughout the competition.
The funded organization is expected to build and run the full hackathon ecosystem, not just host an event. That includes coordinating closely with the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine and other U.S. embassies across Europe, and engaging host-country governments, universities, civil society groups, and private-sector stakeholders. A central requirement is that registrations, communications, project submissions, and judging take place virtually through a single online platform created and managed by the grantee. All programming is to be conducted in English, while also budgeting for locally sourced interpretation and translation at minimum for Ukrainian and Russian to ensure accessibility and broader engagement.
The content of the hackathon will be structured around several curated "problem statements" focused on real-world space issues. Example topic areas include cybersecurity for space research and operations, rocket manufacturing (including 3D printing applications), lunar or Mars exploration and development, space law and governance, atmospheric monitoring, space debris mitigation, robotics for space applications, satellite construction, and satellite launching. The grantee proposes the final problem statements, but they must be developed in consultation with credible space experts and participating U.S. embassies to ensure relevance and technical legitimacy. The two-day workshop portion is expected to orient participants to one another, introduce and explain the problem statements, teach what strong hackathon projects look like, provide pitch training, and formally organize participants into their multinational teams before the competition begins.
During the hackathon itself, teams compete to develop the most practical and innovative solutions to the selected problem statements, culminating in formal presentations to an international panel of judges and subject-matter experts. A key expectation is the meaningful involvement of established space experts from the United States and participating countries as mentors, with the grantee responsible for recruiting and organizing them so teams have access to guidance throughout the event. The grantee must also recruit judges and evaluators, monitor event operations, keep participants aligned with the rules and schedule, handle facilitation and troubleshooting on the online platform, and ensure the overall experience remains productive and fair.
The opportunity places strong emphasis on maintaining momentum beyond the hackathon, so applicants must build in both pre-hackathon engagement and post-hackathon continuation. Before the main event, the grantee must run at least two to three pre-program activities to generate interest and prepare participants, such as public expert lectures tied to the hackathon themes, networking events for registered participants, and space or tech skill-building workshops. After the event, the grantee is expected to deliver prizes and coordinate significant post-event publicity with a clear multinational media component. The program must also include at least two to three follow-on alumni-oriented activities to sustain collaboration and professional development. Examples include an in-person alumni conference if travel restrictions allow (with preference that the grantee covers these costs through grant funds or cost share), virtual alumni networking with guest speakers, an alumni-only speaker series or mentorship track, educational travel opportunities for top teams in Europe or the United States, and chances for winning teams to mentor younger space enthusiasts.
From an applicant capability standpoint, the Embassy is looking for organizations with demonstrated experience running virtual events, credible expertise in space or technology topics, strong youth outreach capacity, and proven ability to operate in a multi-stakeholder, multi-country environment that includes Ukrainian, other European, and U.S. partners. The selected award recipient is also accountable for oversight and performance management of any sub-awards, with the constraint that no sub-awardee may receive more than $25,000 total. Cost-sharing is explicitly encouraged, and the Embassy reserves the right to adjust project design elements, budgets, participating countries or regions, and participant numbers based on program needs and available funding.
Administratively, this opportunity is listed as Funding Opportunity Number PAS UKRAINE 2021 003, with an award ceiling of $100,000 and an expectation of one award. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations, including those with 501(c)(3) status and those without 501(c)(3) status (in both cases, other than institutions of higher education). The original posting timeframe shows a creation date of December 31, 2020, and an original closing date of February 17, 2021. A sample schedule included in the notice outlines planning in early 2021, a program launch aligned with major space-themed observances (International Day of Human Space Flight or Space Day), a spring-to-summer registration and publicity period, a hackathon in September 2021, pitching and follow-on activities around Space Week in early October, and evaluation and closeout by the end of 2021. Overall, the grant is structured to deliver not only a one-time competition, but a sustained pipeline of cross-border collaboration, mentorship, and professional growth in the space sector.Apply for PAS UKRAINE 2021 003
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Ukraine in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda), environment, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "European Regional Hackathon to Promote U.S.-Europe Cooperation in Space" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.900.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 31, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 17, 2021. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Mission to Ukraine (U.S. Embassy Kyiv) to support a European Regional Space Hackathon. The program is designed to strengthen U.S.-Europe cooperation in space and help cultivate the next generation of space and technology professionals.
2) Who is offering the award?
The award is offered by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Mission to Ukraine (U.S. Embassy Kyiv).
3) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAS UKRAINE 2021 003.
4) What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $100,000.
5) How many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of one award.
6) What type of award is it?
The opportunity is described as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
7) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations, including those with 501(c)(3) status and those without 501(c)(3) status, in both cases other than institutions of higher education.
8) What is the main goal of the project?
The main goal is to build and deliver a multinational space-themed program that crowdsources practical and innovative solutions related to space exploration and space security, while strengthening cross-border collaboration between the United States, Ukraine, and other European countries.
9) What is the core program format?
The core format combines (1) a two-day preparatory workshop and (2) a two-to-three-day hackathon. Participants are organized into multinational teams that work together throughout the competition.
10) Is the program intended to be multinational?
Yes. Participation is expected from the United States, Ukraine, and at least ten additional European countries. The design emphasizes collaboration across borders through inter-country teams.
11) What is expected of the funded organization beyond hosting an event?
The funded organization is expected to build and run the full hackathon ecosystem, not just host a single event. This includes planning, recruitment, stakeholder engagement, platform management, mentorship and judging coordination, pre- and post-program activities, publicity, and alumni follow-on programming.
12) What partners and stakeholders should the grantee engage?
The grantee is expected to coordinate closely with the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine and other U.S. embassies across Europe, and to engage host-country governments, universities, civil society groups, and private-sector stakeholders.
13) What are the platform requirements for the hackathon?
A central requirement is that registrations, communications, project submissions, and judging must take place virtually through a single online platform created and managed by the grantee.
14) What language will programming be conducted in?
All programming is to be conducted in English.
15) Are translation and interpretation required?
Yes. The budget must include locally sourced interpretation and translation at minimum for Ukrainian and Russian to support accessibility and broader engagement.
16) What kinds of challenges or themes will the hackathon cover?
The hackathon content is organized around curated problem statements focused on real-world space issues. Example topic areas include cybersecurity for space research and operations, rocket manufacturing (including 3D printing applications), lunar or Mars exploration and development, space law and governance, atmospheric monitoring, space debris mitigation, robotics for space applications, satellite construction, and satellite launching.
17) Who develops the final problem statements?
The grantee proposes the final problem statements, but they must be developed in consultation with credible space experts and participating U.S. embassies to ensure relevance and technical legitimacy.
18) What is the purpose of the two-day preparatory workshop?
The workshop is expected to help participants meet and orient to one another, introduce and explain the problem statements, teach what strong hackathon projects look like, provide pitch training, and formally organize participants into their multinational teams before the hackathon begins.
19) How will teams be formed?
The program emphasizes inter-country teams. The preparatory workshop is expected to formally organize participants into their multinational teams prior to the competition.
20) What happens during the hackathon itself?
Teams compete to develop practical and innovative solutions to the problem statements and then deliver formal presentations to an international panel of judges and subject-matter experts.
21) Are mentors required?
Yes. Meaningful involvement of established space experts from the United States and participating countries is a key expectation. The grantee is responsible for recruiting and organizing mentors so teams have access to guidance throughout the event.
22) Who recruits judges and evaluators?
The grantee must recruit judges and evaluators and organize an international panel for final presentations and evaluation.
23) What operational responsibilities does the grantee have during the event?
The grantee is expected to monitor event operations, keep participants aligned with rules and schedule, facilitate participation, troubleshoot issues on the online platform, and ensure the overall experience remains productive and fair.
24) Are pre-hackathon activities required?
Yes. Applicants must include pre-hackathon engagement. The grantee must run at least two to three pre-program activities to generate interest and prepare participants.
25) What are examples of acceptable pre-program activities?
Examples include public expert lectures tied to hackathon themes, networking events for registered participants, and space or tech skill-building workshops.
26) Are post-hackathon activities required?
Yes. The opportunity places strong emphasis on maintaining momentum after the hackathon through prizes, publicity, and alumni-focused follow-on activities.
27) What is required after the hackathon regarding prizes and publicity?
The grantee is expected to deliver prizes and coordinate significant post-event publicity with a clear multinational media component.
28) What alumni or follow-on programming is expected?
The program must include at least two to three follow-on alumni-oriented activities to sustain collaboration and professional development.
29) What are examples of follow-on alumni activities?
Examples include an in-person alumni conference if travel restrictions allow (with a preference that the grantee covers costs through grant funds or cost share), virtual alumni networking with guest speakers, an alumni-only speaker series or mentorship track, educational travel opportunities for top teams in Europe or the United States, and opportunities for winning teams to mentor younger space enthusiasts.
30) What organizational capabilities is the Embassy looking for?
The opportunity emphasizes applicants with demonstrated experience running virtual events, credible expertise in space or technology topics, strong youth outreach capacity, and proven ability to operate in a multi-stakeholder, multi-country environment that includes Ukrainian, other European, and U.S. partners.
31) Can the grantee issue sub-awards?
Yes, but the selected award recipient is accountable for oversight and performance management of any sub-awards.
32) Is there a limit on sub-awards?
Yes. No sub-awardee may receive more than $25,000 total.
33) Is cost-sharing required?
Cost-sharing is explicitly encouraged.
34) Can the Embassy change the project design or scope?
Yes. The Embassy reserves the right to adjust project design elements, budgets, participating countries or regions, and participant numbers based on program needs and available funding.
35) What dates are listed for the original posting?
The notice shows a creation date of December 31, 2020, and an original closing date of February 17, 2021.
36) What does the sample schedule suggest about program timing?
The sample schedule outlines planning in early 2021, a program launch aligned with major space-themed observances (International Day of Human Space Flight or Space Day), registration and publicity during spring-to-summer, a hackathon in September 2021, pitching and follow-on activities around Space Week in early October, and evaluation and closeout by the end of 2021.
37) What is the overall expected outcome of the program?
The grant is structured to deliver more than a one-time competition. It is intended to create a sustained pipeline of cross-border collaboration, mentorship, and professional growth in the space sector.
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