Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0010750
The grant opportunity titled "Establishing Ukrainian eSports Counter Disinformation Teams and Tournament" (Funding Opportunity Number DFOP0010750) is a discretionary U.S. government funding program designed to use competitive gaming as a practical way to build resilience against propaganda and disinformation in Ukraine. The core idea is to meet young people where they already spend time and build community: online gaming and eSports. By leveraging how widely video games are played across Eastern Europe, the project aims to turn American Spaces in Ukraine into hubs for structured eSports development while also preparing participants to recognize, resist, and respond to hostile information tactics that can show up in gaming communities and adjacent online spaces.
The program is structured around two linked tracks. First, it focuses on legitimate eSports athlete development: recruiting and training players, providing professional-level coaching, and creating a pathway that can serve as a talent pipeline into more formal or professional eSports teams in Ukraine. This is not framed as casual gaming; it is positioned as an organized, skills-based training program that supports competitive performance, team discipline, and progression in the eSports ecosystem. American Spaces serve as the anchor venues for hosting and organizing these activities, which ties the effort to established public diplomacy locations and provides a consistent platform for training and engagement.
Second, and equally important, the project integrates counter-disinformation and conflict resolution training alongside the traditional competitive coaching. Participants are expected to learn how foreign propaganda and disinformation can circulate in competitive online environments, including in-game chats, streaming communities, social platforms that surround eSports, and other digital spaces where narratives can spread quickly. The intent is to equip players not only with awareness but with practical skills to confront and manage these tactics in real time, while also reducing the likelihood of online disputes escalating into harassment, polarization, or recruitment into manipulative narratives. The combination of competitive training and information-resilience training is meant to produce teams that can function as credible peer voices inside gaming communities, rather than relying on top-down messaging that may not resonate with the target audience.
The project culminates in an eSports tournament that serves as the public-facing capstone event. On the sidelines of the tournament, the implementer is expected to conduct a coalition-building event, which suggests an emphasis on creating lasting partnerships and networks among stakeholders. That could include players, coaches, American Spaces staff, civil society organizations, educators, and other community or media actors involved in countering disinformation. The tournament functions both as a competitive showcase and as a convening moment to strengthen coordination, share lessons learned, and encourage longer-term collaboration beyond a single event.
Funding is offered under a cooperative agreement, which typically means the government anticipates a more hands-on role than in a standard grant, with substantial involvement in shaping or monitoring key elements of implementation. The opportunity is administered by the Bureau of Global Public Affairs, and it falls under CFDA number 19.040. The award ceiling is $250,000, and the program anticipates making one award, meaning the selected implementer would likely carry responsibility for delivering the full set of activities from training through the final tournament and coalition event. The opportunity was created on 2024-04-09, with an original closing date of 2024-05-22.
Eligibility is limited to U.S. and foreign non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, and commercial entities. Individuals are not eligible, and neither are state or local governments, foreign public entities, or public international organizations. Applicants are also expected to be ready to comply with the applicable federal assistance rules and requirements, specifically referencing 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 600, which cover administrative standards, cost principles, and audit and compliance expectations for federal awards.Apply for DFOP0010750
- The Bureau of Global Public Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Establishing Ukrainian eSports Counter Disinformation Teams and Tournament" 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 2024-04-09.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-22. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Establishing Ukrainian eSports Counter Disinformation Teams and Tournament."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DFOP0010750.
What type of U.S. government funding is this?
This is a discretionary U.S. government funding opportunity.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The program is designed to use competitive gaming and eSports as a practical way to build resilience against propaganda and disinformation in Ukraine, especially among young people who already spend time in online gaming communities.
What is the core concept behind using eSports for counter-disinformation?
The concept is to meet young people where they already are (online gaming and eSports), build real community around structured competitive play, and integrate training that helps participants recognize, resist, and respond to hostile information tactics that can spread through gaming-related channels.
Where will program activities be anchored or hosted?
Activities are anchored in American Spaces in Ukraine, which are intended to serve as hubs for structured eSports development, training, and engagement.
How is the program structured?
The program is structured around two linked tracks: (1) eSports athlete development and (2) counter-disinformation and conflict resolution training integrated alongside competitive coaching.
What does the eSports athlete development track include?
It includes recruiting and training players, providing professional-level coaching, and creating a pathway that can function as a talent pipeline into more formal or professional eSports teams in Ukraine. The opportunity describes this as organized, skills-based development rather than casual gaming.
Is this grant focused on casual gaming or organized competition?
It is framed as organized competitive development, emphasizing skills-based training, team discipline, competitive performance, and progression within the eSports ecosystem.
What does the counter-disinformation component cover?
Participants are expected to learn how propaganda and disinformation can circulate in competitive online environments, including in-game chats, streaming communities, social platforms surrounding eSports, and other digital spaces where narratives can spread quickly.
Does the program include conflict resolution training?
Yes. The opportunity specifies integrating conflict resolution training alongside competitive coaching and counter-disinformation training, with the goal of reducing escalation of online disputes into harassment, polarization, or manipulation.
Why focus on gamers and eSports communities for information resilience?
The program aims to produce teams that can act as credible peer voices inside gaming communities, rather than relying only on top-down messaging that may be less effective with the target audience.
What is the capstone event for the program?
The project culminates in an eSports tournament that serves as the public-facing capstone event.
Is there an event in addition to the tournament?
Yes. On the sidelines of the tournament, the implementer is expected to conduct a coalition-building event intended to support partnerships and longer-term networks among stakeholders.
Who might be involved in the coalition-building effort?
The opportunity suggests coalition-building could include stakeholders such as players, coaches, American Spaces staff, civil society organizations, educators, and other community or media actors involved in countering disinformation.
What federal bureau administers this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the Bureau of Global Public Affairs.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number listed is 19.040.
What is the funding instrument used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Funding is offered under a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
The opportunity notes that a cooperative agreement typically means the government anticipates a more hands-on role than in a standard grant, with substantial involvement in shaping or monitoring key aspects of implementation.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $250,000.
How many awards does the program expect to make?
The program anticipates making one award.
What does it imply that only one award is expected?
It suggests the selected implementer would likely be responsible for delivering the full set of activities, from training and team development through the final tournament and coalition-building event.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2024-04-09.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was 2024-05-22.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to U.S. and foreign non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, and commercial entities.
Are individuals eligible to apply?
No. Individuals are not eligible to apply under this opportunity.
Are state or local governments eligible?
No. The opportunity states that state or local governments are not eligible.
Are foreign public entities eligible?
No. The opportunity states that foreign public entities are not eligible.
Are public international organizations eligible?
No. The opportunity states that public international organizations are not eligible.
What compliance rules are applicants expected to follow?
Applicants are expected to be prepared to comply with federal assistance rules and requirements referenced in 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 600, which cover administrative standards, cost principles, audit requirements, and other compliance expectations for federal awards.
What problem space is the program trying to address within gaming?
It targets how hostile information tactics can spread through gaming-related channels (such as chats, streams, and social platforms), and it aims to reduce the risk of those tactics fueling harassment, polarization, or manipulation in and around eSports communities.
What is the intended longer-term impact beyond the tournament?
Based on the requirement for a coalition-building event and the emphasis on partnerships, the opportunity signals an intent to encourage ongoing collaboration and networks among stakeholders beyond a single tournament.
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