Advancing Sports Diplomacy Through Adaptive Sports

The U.S. Department of State, through the U.S. Embassy Kyiv, is soliciting proposals under PDS-Ukraine-FY26-02 to implement a program that enhances Ukraine’s capacity to rehabilitate and reintegrate wounded veterans through adaptive sports, leveraging American expertise and the unifying influence of sport to strengthen U.S.-Ukraine cooperation. This initiative aligns with the Decade of Sports (2024–2034) and builds on the United States’ global leadership in major sporting events, aiming to transfer U.S. models of adaptive athletics to Ukraine through specialized clinics, English language and psychosocial training for coaches and veterans, and national-level tournaments. The program will expand access to adaptive sports beyond Kyiv to at least three additional oblasts, train regional coaches using U.S. curricula, and promote institutional sustainability by equipping Ukrainian organizations with tools to continue programming independently. Proposals must be submitted via email by August 31, 2026, in English, and must not exceed 15 pages in narrative length, accompanied by required forms SF-424 and SF-424A and attachments including resumes of key personnel, letters of support from partners, and indirect cost documentation if applicable. The award, with a maximum funding cap of $150,000, is structured as a cooperative agreement with a performance period from October 1, 2026, through April 30, 2028, and will be evaluated on the quality and feasibility of the program idea, organizational capacity, planning clarity, budget reasonableness, monitoring and evaluation design, and sustainability planning, using a point-based system with cost used only to resolve ties. Applicants must be nonprofit or non-governmental entities with an active UEI and SAM.gov registration and must adhere to strict branding requirements mandating visible acknowledgment of U.S. government support in all public materials, in compliance with 10 FAM 416 and State Department guidelines. Special restrictions prohibit the use of funds for medical services, construction, or unmanned aircraft systems, while trafficking in persons compliance is mandatory for any project exceeding $500,000 in overseas services, and high-risk recipients may face additional reporting obligations and partial withholding of funds. Pre-award costs are unallowable without written approval, and only one proposal per organization is permitted. All submissions must be delivered by the deadline, with email as the sole accepted submission method, and proposals failing to