Promoting U.S. Private Sector Engagement in Emerging MENA Markets | SFOP0004952

Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0004952

The grant opportunity titled "Promoting U.S. Private Sector Engagement in Emerging MENA Markets" (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0004952) is a U.S. government discretionary funding program designed to strengthen economic ties between the United States and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) through the media and entertainment sector. Structured as a cooperative agreement, it signals that the government expects to have an active partnership role during implementation rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. The underlying policy aim is aligned with the U.S. Economic Reform objective, meaning the project is intended to support market-oriented growth and deeper commercial connections that benefit U.S. economic interests while also building the capabilities of partners in the region.

At its core, the opportunity focuses on raising the capacity and competitiveness of MENA media and entertainment industries so they can more effectively develop, negotiate, and close business deals with U.S. companies and with partners in other global markets. The program also emphasizes strengthening the practical skills and professional readiness of MENA-based practitioners, supporting the production of innovative and creative content, and improving the overall ecosystem that allows creative businesses and professionals to operate at a higher level. A notable element of the stated purpose is advancing "positive messaging of the U.S.," which implies that activities and outputs should help present constructive narratives about American partnership, values, or engagement, likely through professional exchange, collaboration, and content development rather than overt public relations.

Beyond commercial objectives, the grant is framed to advance several focus areas associated with NEA/AC priorities (Near Eastern Affairs/Assistance Coordination). These include economic growth and entrepreneurship, participatory and open governance, anti-corruption, civic engagement, and reducing gaps linked to the urban-rural divide. It also explicitly highlights women’s empowerment and broader gender issues, along with concerns such as youth apathy, indicating an expectation that programming will not just grow industry skills but also support inclusion, opportunity, and constructive participation in public and economic life. In practice, that could translate into training pipelines, mentorship networks, incubators, market access initiatives, professional standards development, or cross-border partnerships that make the creative economy more accessible and sustainable for a wider range of people.

The opportunity clearly draws a boundary around what it does not want to fund: "Countering Violent Extremism" (CVE) is explicitly excluded as a theme or objective. That means proposals should not be framed around extremist prevention, de-radicalization, or security-driven messaging. Even if activities tangentially touch on social cohesion or civic participation, the program description signals that the intent must remain centered on economic reform, industry capacity-building, and constructive engagement rather than security or counterterrorism narratives.

The program also recognizes that conditions and opportunities differ widely across the MENA region, so it prioritizes support for populations that often face barriers to entry and advancement in the creative economy. Specifically, it emphasizes youth, women, and underserved communities, and it aims to cultivate the next generation of MENA media and entertainment professionals. This priority suggests the funder is looking for proposals that show credible pathways for talent development and inclusion, such as targeted outreach, scholarships or fellowships, structured apprenticeships, leadership training for women, regional mobility opportunities, and mechanisms that help underrepresented participants convert training into real jobs, contracts, or sustainable enterprises.

From an administrative standpoint, the funding instrument is a cooperative agreement under CFDA 19.500, with an award ceiling listed at $3,000,000. The opportunity was created on April 16, 2018, with an original closing date of June 19, 2018. The listing shows "ExpectedAwards: 0," which can sometimes reflect how the opportunity was recorded in the source system rather than a definitive statement that no awards would be made, but it is still a data point applicants would normally clarify by reviewing the full solicitation text. The agency is listed as "Assistance Coordination," tied to U.S. engagement in the Near East context.

Eligibility is limited to "for-profit organizations other than small businesses," meaning large for-profit entities could apply, while small businesses are excluded under the eligibility category shown. At the same time, the narrative description references the involvement of small businesses with regional media and entertainment experience, which reads more like a programmatic preference for engaging or partnering with such firms rather than an eligibility allowance for them to serve as prime applicants. In practical terms, the prime recipient would likely be an eligible for-profit organization that can demonstrate strong operational capacity, compliance readiness, and regional experience, while building a consortium or subcontracting/partner network that includes local practitioners, training institutions, production entities, distributors, or small creative enterprises in the region.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a business and capacity-building initiative positioned at the intersection of creative industries and economic diplomacy. It aims to strengthen MENA media and entertainment markets, expand deal-making and cross-border commercial collaboration with the United States, improve workforce and practitioner capabilities, and encourage more inclusive participation by youth, women, and underserved groups, while keeping the project clearly separate from any CVE-oriented framing.

• The Assistance Coordination in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Promoting U.S. Private Sector Engagement in Emerging MENA Markets" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.500.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-04-16.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-06-19. (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 $3,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: For-profit organizations other than small businesses.

Apply for SFOP0004952

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