The Freedom 250 Great American State Fair Initiative – Abu Dhabi, administered by the U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi Public Diplomacy Section, is an open competition to develop and implement the programmatic elements of a three-day American state fair that will showcase authentic American heartland culture, creativity, entrepreneurship, entertainment, culinary traditions, and music through immersive public programming designed for UAE audiences.
The Freedom 250 Great American State Fair Initiative supports U.S. foreign policy objectives by advancing American commercial interests, showcasing U.S. excellence and innovation, and strengthening the U.S.-UAE bilateral relationship. The fair will celebrate 250 years of American independence and achievement and will feature interactive gaming attractions, themed parades, entertainment showcases, curated exhibitions, family-centric experiences, and an expansive culinary and retail village concept featuring American food brands and artisan vendors. The selected grantee will be responsible for the design, curation, and implementation of the fair programming and participant experience, and must coordinate closely with the UAE Local Partner Entity, which will provide venue infrastructure and operational support. As a condition of award, the selected grantee will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UAE Local Entity immediately after the award is signed.
Applications are encouraged from entities registered in the United States or the United Arab Emirates with at least two years of demonstrated experience in large-scale event management, cultural programming, vendor coordination, and public engagement. Proposals must include documentation demonstrating the applying organization's experience.
Eligible applicants include:
Applicants should focus proposals on programming, participant engagement, U.S. vendor recruitment and management, American cultural and commercial activations, and overall authentic event experience rather than venue operations and infrastructure. A detailed division of responsibilities will be provided to successful applicants and may be further refined in coordination with the Public Diplomacy Section and the UAE Local Entity. For complete details, applicants should refer to the attached NOFO and associated documents, including the proposal template, budget narrative template, applicant organization information survey, and performance monitoring plan template.
Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov. The funding opportunity number is PDS-UAE-03-FY2026.
Grantor Contact: UAEPASGrants@state.gov
Email: UAEPASGrants@state.gov
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Submission Deadline
Aug 10, 2026
Collaboration
International collaboration
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