PUAN Grants

The PUAN Grants Program is jointly administered by the U.S. Mission and the Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN). This grant program aims to strengthen mutual understanding between the American and Pakistani people and encourages alumni to leverage their exchange programs’ learning to put ideas into action to create meaningful change. The program offers three types of funding opportunities on a competitive basis, for initiatives that create impact at professional, organizational and community levels. These funding opportunities are open to the alumni of the U.S. Government-funded exchange programs.

Proposals can only be submitted through online process. The current cycle of grants has been closed. Keep an eye on our website for getting updated about opening of new cycle.

Requested budget for proposal addressing the special themes mentioned below can not exceed Rs. 1,500,000/-. Proposals developed to address any other theme not included in “Special Themes”, can request a budget of up to Rs. 1,000,000/-

The maximum grant period is six months from approval date. Funds for approved/successful proposals are expected to be disbursed after the selection and review process has completed.

Funding Opportunities

There are three types of PUAN Grant opportunities generally available:

Special Theme

Grant proposals are solicited on pre-defined themes for each cycle. Special themes are announced at the start of each grant cycle.

Proposals under this category should recommend new, creative, and innovative projects that can be successfully completed within a six-month period of performance. To learn more about prior successful PUAN Grants (formerly Alumni Small Grants), and to avoid duplication, please visit https://puan.pk/grants/.

Open Theme:

Alumni whose project idea cannot be covered by any of the announced “Special Themes”, can still apply as “Open Theme” project.

PUAN Connects: Chapter Alumni Engagement

The funding stream of PUAN Connects: Chapter Alumni Engagement provides a unique opportunity for members of any chapter to work around an interesting idea by engaging more alumni fellows. These ideas can be around networking and/or contact building by supporting a thematic activity within the chapter. Grants under Chapter Connects will be capped at 250,000 PKR at max.

Note: Please also note that PUAN grants activities (Special Themes, Open Themes, and PUAN Connect grants) that in whole or in part, adopt or use preferences based on race, color, sex, sexual preference, religion, or national origin will NOT be considered for funding as referred to in the Presidential Executive Order https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-and-wasteful-government-dei-programs-and-preferencing/.

Application Process

01

The Pakistan- U.S. Alumni Network has annual grants cycle, open to the alumni of the U.S. Government-funded exchange programs who are registered in PUAN. Interested alumni should carefully review all opportunities, themes under Special Themes Category, criteria for Open Theme, outline for PUAN Connects and deadlines in the Grant calendar.

Interested alumni should carefully review all opportunities and deadlines in the PUAN calendar as advertised by PUAN office on this website page as well as on Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network | Facebook page.

02

Once applications are closed for each grant cycle, proposals are reviewed by the National Committee to ensure a fair, competent and objective assessment of their merit. The entire process of review and decision takes up to two months from the application submission deadline.

03

Once the application submission deadline has passed, the next two months are reserved for review, approval, and funds disbursement process. Maximum time duration to complete all activities, including submission of closing reports, is six months, starting from the approval of grant date.

04

Funds are disbursed in two installments; 70% of approved amount is released within two weeks of signing of Grant Award Document (GAD) and submission of Project Inception Report, while the remaining 30% is released after successful closure of the grant project.

Eligibility

Applicant must be an alumnus/alumna of the U.S. Government-funded exchange program
Applicant must be registered with the PUAN Alumni Portal. (To register visit (https://alumni.puan.pk/)
Applicant must be 18 years or older

How to Apply:

The applications for PUAN Grants Program should be submitted through the online portal: alumni.puan.pk

A complete application package must include:

Eligibility:

The eligibility for PUAN Grants Program should include: