About this opportunity
Opportunity Overview
The U.S. Embassy Seoul Public Diplomacy Section is offering a grant to implement the 2027 Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) Summit in the Republic of Korea. This initiative aims to cultivate a self-sustaining network of trilateral Alliance Champions who possess the technical literacy, strategic networks, and geopolitical alignment required to advance U.S. interests. The summit will convene a highly qualified cohort of 50 emerging leaders from the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and select other Indo-Pacific countries. The program will introduce a dedicated Advanced Security and Technology Track focusing on maritime security in the age of artificial intelligence, quantum-enabled threats, critical minerals supply chains, technologically advanced shipbuilding, and emerging technology governance. The 2027 YTL Summit will build on the previous summits, including the inaugural 2024 summit held in Busan, the 2025 summit held in Japan, and the 2026 summit to be held in the United States. The target date for the 2027 summit is August 2027. The program will have three main objectives: to deepen participant understanding of threats to freedom in the Indo-Pacific, to increase participant alignment with U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral defense, economic, and security frameworks, and to transition participants into professional pipelines within government, defense industrial bases, strategic finance, and advanced technology sectors. The program will consist of several components, including cohort recruitment and vetting, pre-summit virtual bootcamps, an in-person summit, crisis tabletop simulation, cross-national working groups, expert and mentor engagement, industrial and security site visits, alumni mentor integration, and participant action plans. The grant will cover a total amount of $250,000, and the deadline for applications is Wednesday, August 5, 2026, 11:59 p.m. (GMT+9).
Benefits
- Total grant amount: $250,000
Eligibility
- Open to organizations that can implement the 2027 Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) Summit in the Republic of Korea
- Must be able to recruit and screen 50 elite participants from the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and key Indo-Pacific nations
- Must be able to design and implement a program structure that includes cohort recruitment and vetting, pre-summit virtual bootcamps, an in-person summit, crisis tabletop simulation, cross-national working groups, expert and mentor engagement, industrial and security site visits, alumni mentor integration, and participant action plans
Required Documents
- Proposal that includes a detailed program design and implementation plan
- Budget that includes a breakdown of costs for all program components
- Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan that features a standardized, rubric-based approach to measuring data beyond simple participant satisfaction
How to Apply
- Review the grant announcement and requirements.
- Prepare a proposal that includes a detailed program design and implementation plan, budget, and M&E Plan.
- Submit the proposal by the deadline: Wednesday, August 5, 2026, 11:59 p.m. (GMT+9).
- Click the Apply button below to submit your application.
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