U.S. Mission to Albania Grants

U.S. Mission to Albania

StartUP Lab: U.S.-Albania Economic Leadership & Innovation Exchange

U.S. Mission to Albania

GameON – U.S.-Albania E-Sports and Innovation

U.S. Mission to Albania

1. Project Background, Goals, and Objectives Albania's youth face a rapidly evolving digital economy that demands advanced technical skills, entrepreneurial mindsets, and exposure to international industry standards. Albanian interest in gaming a global market forecasted to surpass $745 billion by 2030, in which the United States is leading is high, presenting an opportunity to increase Albanian understanding of how U.S. economic strength and technological leadership support shared prosperity. By providing youth access to high-quality, structured training in coding, game design, and digital entrepreneurship, this program strengthens Albanian youths association between the United States and innovation, creativity, and opportunity; demonstrates the United States capacity to adapt and lead in a burgeoning tech market; and increases interest in U.S. products, technology, and brands. As a global, web-based arena for exchange, the gaming market also presents opportunities to promote digital freedom increases the durability and reach of U.S. narratives beyond official channels. This program will further those efforts by prioritizing American standards and values in online game development. Include information of past projects. How will this project build on previous efforts? What kinds of programming has the Mission and other partners funded in the past to address this problem? Which activities have worked well (best practices), and which activities have not (lessons learned)? This program capitalizes on a popular past U.S. Speaker Program on game development and an established network of partners in the local tech, business, and education community. It also complements ongoing programs in cybersecurity and AI training to promote American technology across an array of emerging fields. All activities must demonstrate strong connections to U.S. expertise, technology, and best practices, clearly explaining how these ties support program objectives and advance U.S. interests. Examples include: use of U.S.-developed game engines, coding platforms, and e-sports platforms; curriculum informed by U.S. industry standards and educational models; guest speakers or mentors from U.S. tech companies, universities, or entrepreneurial ecosystems, or alumni of the Department of State exchanges who serve as credible validators of American innovation; and exposure to U.S. startup methodologies and business frameworks. Proposals should articulate how these connections will deliver results-driven programming that builds lifelong skills, increases participants receptivity to U.S. technologies, expands demand for American products and services, and creates alumni networks that amplify U.S. leadership in the digital economy. Project Audience: Youth aged 15-30, including high school and university students, young professionals, and aspiring tech entrepreneurs and creators interested in e sports, gaming, and digital innovation. Project Goal: Strengthen Albania s digital ecosystem by using U.S. technology, standards, and expertise to build practical skills in coding, game design, and digital entrepreneurship, while showcasing U.S. leadership in the digital economy through e sports and game development. Project Objectives: The project should engage at least 100 participants per Corner in e-sports and game development that build practical tech skills, foster teamwork and entrepreneurship, and deepn understanding of U.S. leadership in the digital economy. At a minimum, projects should address the following objectives: Objective 1 Applied Game and Interactive Media Skills Develop participants practical skills in coding, game design, basic UX/UI, and digital content creation, 3D printing, through project based learning that uses U.S. tools, platforms, and industry best practices. Objective 2 Smart Digital Skills and Startup Mindset Strengthen participants digital skills to use game development to foster creative problem solving and innovation while introducing basic concepts of tech, innovation, entrepreneurship, project management, and monetization in the gaming and digital sectors. Objective 3 Collaborative Competition and U.S. Tech Exposure Use e sports and team based projects to build collaboration, fair play, and leadership, while exposing participants to U.S. digital industry standards, role models, and opportunities.

U.S. Mission to Albania

Project Background, Goals, and Objectives Albania has experienced multiple cyberattacks in recent years, placing increasingly digital government services and critical institutions at significant risk. While Albania is actively embracing AI, substantial skill gaps remain gaps that American expertise is uniquely positioned to address. The CyberNext: Advanced Cybersecurity and AI Readiness program strengthens Albania s cybersecurity and AI capabilities by leveraging U.S. technology, standards, and expertise. The program moves beyond basic awareness to build practical skills, improve resilience against digital threats, and deepen understanding of U.S. leadership in technological innovation. This initiative builds on previous American Corners programming in cybersecurity and AI that established a cohort of young people with baseline knowledge and awareness. It complements ongoing U.S. Embassy efforts to strengthen Albania's cyber resilience and digital infrastructure in alignment with American technology standards. The program creates a foundation for sustained engagement with Albanian youth and professionals who will shape the country s digital future. The program advances key U.S. policy objectives by promoting American leadership in AI and cybersecurity, thereby defending digital openness and protecting space for open and authentic communication in the digital sphere. It equips Albanian professionals with skills and knowledge essential to shared security responsibilities, strengthening their capacity to contribute to regional stability, protects American interests abroad, consistent with the America First foreign policy that prioritizes building capable Allies and defending critical infrastructure against shared threats. All activities must demonstrate strong linkages to U.S. expertise, technology, and best practices in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Proposals should clearly articulate how these connections advance program objectives while serving U.S. interests in regional security and digital infrastructure development. The program must reaffirm its core purpose: equip Albanian audiences with cybersecurity and AI capabilities through results-focused engagement that produces measurable changes in the attitudes and behaviours of young cybersecurity professionals. Project Audience: Young Albanians aged 18-35, including university students, young professionals, startup leaders, and aspiring tech innovators with baseline understanding of cyber and AI issues seeking to build practical, advanced skills in cybersecurity and digital protection. Project Goal: Strengthen Albania's cyber resilience and digital infrastructure in alignment with American technology standards. Increase public support for enhanced cybersecurity capabilities and greater responsibility for regional security and stability. Project Objectives: The project should engage at least 100 participants per Corner in cybersecurity and AI programming activities that build digital protection skills, foster teamwork, and enhance Albania s overall cyber and AI readiness in support of U.S. leadership and global security. Suggested activities may include workshops through simulations and scenario-based learning, hands-on labs, tabletop exercises, competitions, innovation sprints etc. At a minimum, projects should address the following objectives: Objective 1 Advanced Threat Detection and Response Skills: Equip participants with intermediate-level practical skills to recognize, prevent, and respond to cyber threats, drawing on U.S. frameworks and best practices. Objective 2 Responsible and Secure AI Deployment: Build participants understanding of AI risks and opportunities in cybersecurity, including how AI can both enable and counter attacks, and develop their ability to design and apply AI solutions ethically and securely, informed by U.S. standards and AI ethics guidance. Objective 3 Operational Resilience and Professional Readiness: Strengthen participants critical thinking, teamwork, and decision making under pressure through realistic cyber and AI scenarios, preparing them to operate effectively in incident response teams and contribute to Albania s broader cyber resilience.

U.S. Mission to Albania

1. Project Background, Goals, and Objectives American Corners in Albania have a consistent record of delivering youth entrepreneurship and economic advancement programming from English language courses designed to build employability, to coding and tech skills bootcamps, to structured entrepreneurship incubators - each iteration reaching more participants year after year, expanding through all three Corners, and generating measurable results, including participants who have gone on to launch their own registered businesses. Most recently, American Corner Tirana hosted the launch of the American Chamber of Commerce in Albania Young Entrepreneurship and Innovation Committee, furthering the Corner s role as a hub for U.S.-Albania business engagement. Taken together, this programming has demonstrated that structured, mentorship-driven engagement at American Corners works and is undoubtably well received by audiences. It has also revealed a clear gap: participants need longer-term engagement, direct connections to U.S. business networks, and concrete pathways to launch not just develop their ideas. StartUP Lab aims to be a direct response to that gap. Building on years of proven programming, it deepens the model with a full 12-month curriculum, direct mentorship from U.S. companies and experts, and a National StartUP Challenge that rewards the most promising ideas with seed funding creating a commercial network that favors American partnerships, opens Albanian markets to U.S. goods and services, and reinforces the credibility of the United States as a reliable partner whose leadership delivers tangible results. Project Audience: Each American Corner serves as a city-based incubator hub for 20-25 entrepreneurs ages 18-40 (60-75 total participants) who have concrete startup ideas ready for development. Project Goal: Strengthen U.S.-Albania economic ties by transforming American Corners in Albania into entrepreneurship hubs that equip Albanian entrepreneurs with American business expertise, standards, and commercial networks, opening Albanian markets to U.S. goods, services, and partnerships. Project Objectives: Proposals should present clear and measurable approaches to transforming American Corners in Albania into startup incubators that serve as launchpads for U.S. commercial excellence. At a minimum, projects must address the following objectives: Objective 1 Position American Corners as hubs for U.S. innovation and entrepreneurship by delivering one in-person workshop per month per Corner and one hybrid cross-Corner session per month to reinforce workshop learning, with at least 60 entrepreneurs completing the full 12-month incubator program. Objective 2 Strengthen U.S.-Albania economic ties and market access by connecting participants with at least 10 U.S. business leaders, experts, and exchange alumni through structured mentorship and hybrid cross-Corner sessions, throughout the program duration. Objective 3 Launch at least six market-ready National StartUP Challenge finalists, with at least three receiving seed funding to launch businesses that prioritize U.S. technology and partnerships within one year of program completion.

U.S. Mission to Albania

The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce that we are now accepting project proposals for the 2022 Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) (US $10,000 to US $500,000) program. The AFCP is one of many ways that we partner with Albania to preserve its unique cultural heritage. Project proposals should be submitted to CultureandEducationTirana@state.gov Project proposals are due on November 22, 2021 and must strictly comply with the requirements and guidelines described below. If you have questions about this program, please contact us at EducationandCultureTirana@America.gov The application process is divided into two rounds: the first streamlined round will collect project ideas from applicants in the form of concept notes, due November 22, 2021. In Round 2, the Embassy will invite applicants with promising ideas to submit full project applications, due March 1, 2022.