Freedom 250: 13 Grants Strengthening U.S. Partnerships with New Zealand and the Pacific – U.S. Embassy & Consulate in New Zealand, Cook Islands and Niue
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Freedom 250: 13 Grants Strengthening U.S. Partnerships with New Zealand and the Pacific
As part of Freedom 250, celebrating 250 years of American independence, the U.S. Embassy is supporting 13 grants that strengthen partnerships between the United States, New Zealand, Niue, the Cook Islands, and the wider Pacific. From advancing Antarctic science and space exploration to supporting entrepreneurs, celebrating American heritage, and empowering Pacific leaders, these initiatives bring people, ideas, and expertise together across borders. Each grant highlights the strength of our shared connections and creates new opportunities for cooperation, innovation, and economic growth throughout the region. Read more about each of these exciting initiatives below.
Grants 1 and 2
Conservation of a 1945 Douglas DC-3 American Military Transport Aircraft
Grant type: Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP)
Auckland’s MOTAT will conserve a 1945 American-built Douglas DC-3 military transport aircraft. The project will improve the aircraft’s long-term structural stability and help preserve public access to this significant example of aviation history. Its conservation will highlight American innovation in flight, the aircraft’s connection to Allied efforts during World War II, and the role of aviation in linking New Zealand with the wider world.
Connecting Kiwi entrepreneurs with Austin’s innovation community
Grant type: New Zealand Annual Program Statement (APS)
The University of Texas at Austin will help New Zealand startup founders develop their skills and connect with Austin’s innovation community through the ATX+New Zealand Entrepreneurship Program. Up to 20 founders will receive training, with five high-potential finalists selected for advanced mentorship. The program will also give five leading participants the opportunity to attend the 2027 South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, expanding their professional networks and access to entrepreneurial expertise.
Grants 3 and 4
Pacific Skies: A U.S.-New Zealand Aerospace Workforce & Industry Exchange
Grant type: New Zealand Annual Program Statement (APS)
Pacific Skies will connect early-career aerospace technicians, instructors and program teams through reciprocal exchanges between New Zealand and Texas. Led by the Space Workforce Incubator for Texas (SWIFT) and Space Trailblazer New Zealand, the project will examine workforce needs and pilot a joint aerospace credential aligned with industry requirements. The exchange will strengthen professional connections and support the development of practical skills for the aerospace sector in both countries.
Toward a U.S.-New Zealand Antarctic eDNA Biosecurity Network
Grant type: New Zealand Annual Program Statement (APS)
Loyola Marymount University and the University of Otago will strengthen U.S.–New Zealand cooperation on detecting invasive species in Antarctica. Researchers will use environmental DNA, or eDNA, to identify traces of organisms in environmental samples. Through planning exchanges, practical training and a collaborative symposium, the project will build scientific skills and establish an Antarctic research network. A new mobile eDNA laboratory will be housed at Otago to support ongoing monitoring and future collaboration.
Grants 5 and 6
United States- New Zealand Antarctic Meteorological Science Cooperation
Grant type: New Zealand Annual Program Statement (APS)
The University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Space Science and Engineering Center will work with researchers at the University of Canterbury and the University of Otago to strengthen Antarctic weather research. The project will bring together data from U.S. and New Zealand automatic weather stations and combine observations with satellite imagery. Researchers will also study weather measurements on Antarctic sea ice and share their work with New Zealand students and the public.
Scaling Technology in Analog-Astronautics for New Zealand and America (STANZA)
Grant type: New Zealand Annual Program Statement (APS)
Scaling Technology in Analog-Astronautics for New Zealand and America (STANZA) strengthens bilateral cooperation in space science, technology and education through collaborative research, knowledge exchange and joint capability development. Led by the University of South Alabama, in collaboration with the New Zealand Astrobiology Network, the programme brings together American and New Zealand researchers, engineers and students to develop and test technologies, share expertise and establish lasting institutional partnerships. A two-week mission at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah will serve as a practical testbed for collaborative research, supported by joint mission control operations, STEM education, AI-enabled knowledge preservation and public engagement.
Grants 7 and 8
Americarna American Automotive Heritage Exchange: Celebrating 20 years of Americarna and 250 Years of American Innovation
Grant type: New Zealand Annual Program Statement (APS)
The Taranaki Vehicle Events Trust will celebrate American automotive heritage through a cultural exchange linked to Americarna’s 20th anniversary in February 2027. The project will bring an internationally recognized American automotive ambassador and an iconic American vehicle to New Zealand. Community activities in New Plymouth and across Taranaki will create opportunities for conversation, learning and exchange, connecting a shared enthusiasm for American cars with the celebration of 250 years of American innovation.
Young Pacific Leaders at Pacific Islands Forum: Alumni Summit on Countering Transnational Crime
Grant type: Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF)
The Reng Collective brought together more than 30 Young Pacific Leaders alumni in Palau to develop policy recommendations for countering transnational crime. The program gave emerging leaders from the Pacific opportunities to share perspectives, strengthen regional networks and collaborate on responses to security challenges.
Grants 9 and 10
Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Solutions Lab: Advancing Investment in the Indo-Pacific
Grant type: East Asian and Pacific Affairs public diplomacy funding
The East-West Center’s Young Pacific Leaders Solutions Lab will empower entrepreneurs from the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, New Zealand and the greater Pacific to develop investment-ready projects in priority sectors. Participants from government, business, and civil society will build skills in project development, financial modeling, procurement, and investor engagement through virtual training, mentorship and in-person activities. The program will leverage the Pacific Investment Summit in Honolulu, where participants will present their concepts to investors, development finance institutions, and government stakeholders.
Young Pacific Leaders (YPL) Solutions Lab: Pursuing Peace in the Pacific with Faith Communities
Grant type: East Asian and Pacific Affairs public diplomacy funding
The Pacific-Australia Youth Association will bring emerging Pacific faith leaders from the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, New Zealand and the greater Pacific region together for a residential workshop in Cairns, Australia. This Young Pacific Leaders Solutions Lab will build advocacy skills, strengthen community resilience and establish a regional network of faith leaders. The program will also support sister-church partnerships with U.S. congregations and help participants develop faith-based advocacy campaigns that respond to propaganda and advance shared U.S.-Pacific values.
Grants 11, 12, and 13
Young Pacific Leaders Solutions Lab: Promoting Digital Freedom and Open Information Environment
Grant type: U.S. Mission-funded grant
The United States will support emerging Pacific journalists and media professionals from the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, New Zealand and the greater Pacific through a Young Pacific Leaders Solutions Lab in Auckland. Planned ahead of the 2027 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, the program will strengthen participants’ skills and build lasting regional networks. It will equip young leaders to resist censorship, address propaganda, advocate for legal protections for the press and defend freedom of speech.
Young Pacific Leaders Solutions Lab: Advancing the American Decade of Sports for Pacific Economic Impact
Grant type: Educational and Cultural Affairs alumni and sports diplomacy funding
The United States will deliver a Young Pacific Leaders Solutions Lab in French Polynesia alongside the 2027 Pacific Games. The program will help participants develop sports tourism strategies that create lasting economic benefits and business opportunities for Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, New Zealand and Pacific communities. It will also strengthen connections with and engage the Pacific diaspora in the United States to encourage investment and exchanges across the region.
Building the U.S.-Pacific Pollinator Partnership Network
Grant type: Cook Islands and Niue Annual Program Statement (APS)
The Pacific Bee Foundation will connect experts from the United States and Niue to strengthen pollinator development and natural resource management. The project will draw on U.S. expertise to help protect Niue’s healthy Italian honeybees and build professional networks for long-term cooperation. These partnerships will support efforts to safeguard pollinators and grow agricultural economies in Niue and across the wider Pacific.
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