This House Believes That: A U.S.-India Comparative Constitutional Law Debate Project | C NOFO 18 102

Opportunity Information: Apply for C NOFO 18 102

This grant opportunity, titled "This House Believes That: A U.S.-India Comparative Constitutional Law Debate Project," is a discretionary funding program offered by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Mission to India, specifically the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Chennai (PAS Chennai). The project is designed as an educational initiative that uses a structured debate format to help young people, particularly law students in South India, engage seriously with contemporary public issues by examining them through U.S. and Indian constitutional frameworks. The emphasis is on thoughtful, objective, and non-confrontational discussion, creating space for participants to analyze democratic principles without the program pushing a partisan or judgmental viewpoint.

The core concept is a multi-tiered program delivered in English, combining three main components: a workshop, mentorship, and a debate competition. Together, these stages are meant to build participants' skills and confidence over time rather than dropping them directly into a one-off contest. Through training and guided support, participants would learn how to construct arguments, evaluate constitutional reasoning, and compare how two major democratic systems approach rights, governance, and the role of institutions. The project is framed explicitly as comparative constitutional law, meaning the debates should not only address policy or current events, but also explore how constitutional texts, legal traditions, and democratic values shape the way each country thinks about those issues.

A central substantive focus of the project is examining foundational democratic tenets and their real-world effects, with specific mention of freedom of speech and freedom of the press. In practice, this means participants are expected to grapple with the rationale behind these freedoms, the tensions that arise when such freedoms meet concerns like public order or misinformation, and the constitutional logic used in each country to justify limits or protections. By comparing and contrasting the salient features of the U.S. Constitution and the Constitution of India, the program aims to give participants clearer insight into how constitutional democracies handle similar challenges in different legal and historical contexts.

In terms of who can apply, eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in that category). The grant uses the "grant" funding instrument type and falls under the education activity category, with CFDA number 19.040. The opportunity anticipated making one award, with an award ceiling of $24,000, indicating a relatively focused project scale with a single implementing organization expected to manage program design, recruitment, training, mentorship coordination, and the final competitive component.

Key administrative details include the funding opportunity number "C NOFO 18 102," a creation date of April 10, 2018, and an original closing date of June 11, 2018. The announcement also notes that additional specifics were provided in the full notice under the "related documents" tab, suggesting that applicants were expected to consult the full posting for detailed requirements such as deliverables, selection criteria, reporting expectations, participant recruitment targets, evaluation methods, and compliance rules typical of U.S. government-funded public diplomacy and educational programs.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "This House Believes That: A U.S.-India Comparative Constitutional Law Debate Project" 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 Apr 10, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 11, 2018. (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 $24,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for C NOFO 18 102

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