Opportunity Information: Apply for OSAKA PAS FY24 02 V2
The FY2024 U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe: Games for Social Change Program is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Mission to Japan (U.S. Department of State) focused on using games and interactive digital media as a way to explore and communicate social, civic, and regional issues. Through this program, the U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe is seeking one organization to design, implement, and oversee a structured workshop and a game jam aimed at Japanese game developers and game development students. The core idea is to provide practical guidance, mentoring, and a collaborative environment where participants can learn how to build games or digital experiences that meaningfully integrate themes and issues that matter to the United States, Japan, and the broader Indo-Pacific region, rather than treating those topics as purely abstract discussion points.
Funding is expected to be provided through a cooperative agreement, which typically means the funder anticipates being more actively involved than in a standard grant, often through coordination, input on program direction, or participation in key moments of the project. The opportunity has an award ceiling of $100,000, and the program expects to make a single award. The funding activity categories span community development, education, environment, health, humanities, and natural resources, reflecting that "social change" game themes can cut across many fields, from civic participation and public health to environmental sustainability and human rights, depending on the workshop curriculum and the creative direction of participants.
Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities: county and local governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status; and even individuals. This broad eligibility suggests the Consulate is open to proposals from universities with game programs, nonprofit cultural or educational organizations, local government-affiliated innovation groups, and experienced practitioners capable of convening and managing a high-quality training and production event. Regardless of applicant type, the selected implementer would be responsible for end-to-end delivery, which generally implies planning the curriculum and schedule, recruiting participants, arranging facilitators and mentors, organizing the game jam logistics, ensuring the program stays aligned with the grant goals, and overseeing reporting and compliance requirements that come with U.S. government funding.
The competition was announced on February 1, 2024, under funding opportunity number OSAKA PAS FY24 02 V2, with an original application deadline of April 3, 2024. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) listing associated with the opportunity is 19.040, which is commonly tied to public diplomacy and related State Department programming. Overall, the program is designed as a targeted public diplomacy and capacity-building effort: it invests in Japan-based creators and students, equips them with tools and frameworks for impact-oriented game design, and encourages the development of interactive projects that engage with shared challenges and priorities across the U.S.-Japan relationship and the Indo-Pacific context.Apply for OSAKA PAS FY24 02 V2
- The U.S. Mission to Japan in the community development, education, environment, health, humanities, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2024 U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe: Games for Social Change Program" 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 2024-02-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-03. (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: County governments, 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the FY2024 U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe: Games for Social Change Program?
It is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Mission to Japan (U.S. Department of State) that supports the use of games and interactive digital media to explore and communicate social, civic, and regional issues. The funded project is expected to build skills and capacity among Japan-based creators through hands-on training and collaborative development activities.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The program aims to help Japanese game developers and game development students learn how to create games or interactive digital experiences that meaningfully integrate themes relevant to the United States, Japan, and the broader Indo-Pacific region. The emphasis is on practical guidance, mentoring, and production-oriented collaboration, rather than treating social issues as purely abstract discussion topics.
What types of activities is the selected organization expected to deliver?
The selected organization is expected to design, implement, and oversee a structured workshop and a game jam. This includes creating the curriculum, running training sessions, and facilitating a collaborative environment where participants can develop concept(s) and build game or interactive media prototypes aligned with the program goals.
How many awards does the program expect to make?
The program expects to make a single award, selecting one organization to run the workshop and game jam.
What is the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling is $100,000.
What kind of award instrument is anticipated?
Funding is expected to be provided through a cooperative agreement.
What does a cooperative agreement mean in practice?
A cooperative agreement typically indicates that the funder anticipates being more actively involved than in a standard grant. This can include coordination, input on program direction, and participation in key moments of the project. The implementer should be prepared to collaborate with the U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe during planning and delivery.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include county and local governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; and individuals.
Can a university or higher education institution apply?
Yes. Both public/state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicant types.
Can a nonprofit apply even if it does not have 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. The opportunity states that nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status are eligible.
Can an individual apply?
Yes. Individuals are listed among the eligible applicants.
What kinds of organizations might be a good fit to lead this project?
Based on the stated eligibility and program design, good-fit applicants may include universities with game development programs, nonprofit cultural or educational organizations, local government-affiliated innovation groups, and experienced practitioners capable of convening and managing a structured training and production event.
Who is the target audience for the workshop and game jam?
The target audience is Japanese game developers and game development students.
What topics or issue areas can the games address?
The program frames "social change" broadly and connects to multiple funding activity categories, including community development, education, environment, health, humanities, and natural resources. This suggests that game themes may span areas such as civic participation, public health, environmental sustainability, and human rights, depending on the workshop curriculum and participant creative direction.
How does the opportunity define the desired approach to "social change" themes?
The opportunity emphasizes integrating themes and issues that matter to the United States, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region in meaningful ways within games or interactive digital experiences, rather than discussing those themes only at a conceptual level.
What responsibilities would the selected implementer have?
The implementer is responsible for end-to-end delivery. This generally includes planning the curriculum and schedule, recruiting participants, arranging facilitators and mentors, organizing game jam logistics, keeping the program aligned with the grant goals, and overseeing reporting and compliance requirements associated with U.S. government funding.
What role does the U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe play in the program?
The U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe is the sponsoring entity seeking one organization to run the program. Because the award is expected to be a cooperative agreement, the Consulate is also anticipated to be involved through coordination and input at key points during the project.
When was the opportunity announced?
The competition was announced on February 1, 2024.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is OSAKA PAS FY24 02 V2.
What was the application deadline?
The original application deadline was April 3, 2024.
What is the CFDA listing associated with this opportunity?
The associated CFDA listing is 19.040, which is commonly tied to public diplomacy and related U.S. Department of State programming.
What is the overall program strategy or rationale?
The program is designed as a targeted public diplomacy and capacity-building effort. It invests in Japan-based creators and students by providing tools and frameworks for impact-oriented game design and by encouraging interactive projects that engage with shared challenges and priorities across the U.S.-Japan relationship and the Indo-Pacific context.
Does the opportunity indicate whether it is a formula or discretionary grant?
It is described as a discretionary funding opportunity.
Is this opportunity limited to one theme or sector?
No. The funding activity categories span several sectors (community development, education, environment, health, humanities, and natural resources), reflecting that "social change" game topics can cut across many fields.
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